Question about dishing tops and backs.

mrhandy · Aug 26, 2011

Thus far I have built a few ukes, all with flat tops and backs...
the other day I decided to make a couple dished plates for my next builds...

I thought I would try a 20' for the top and 15' for the back...

Regardless. I keep thinking about how the dish will affect the top...

take a glued up back, and press it into the dish. the ends of the piece will compress together and try to pull the center apart... I hope that makes sense.

Anyway is this a concern in practice, or just in theory.

fahrner · Aug 26, 2011

If you are referring to the seam where the left and right halves of the back (or front) are joined;
Some (but not all) builders of guitars and ukes use a thin lap brace that is glued over the seam of the back to help renforce the join.
Think the bottom line is that the stress is not great enough to pull apart and good join.
The other bit that helps are the braces that are glued latterly across that seam help renforce the butt joint. The same is often true of the front although don't think the 20' - 22' radius is as great a concern.
Hope this helped.

mrhandy · Aug 26, 2011

Yup that definitely does help...
I figured I was overthinking the process, thus the question. I have read as much as I can find and watched as many videos as possible and I have not seen this to be a concern so I will jump in a give my next build a go soon and see what happens.

fahrner · Aug 26, 2011

Cool. Go for it. Can't emphasize enough the importance of a good joint between the halves of the top and back; make 'em square, flat and true.

Rick Turner · Aug 26, 2011

Stop thinking about theory, and build a bunch of instruments.

It's so weird that so many beginning builders just want the magic formula handed to them.

Develop your own voice. Make instruments that achieve a sound that's in your head.

Be original...and useful to musicians.

Make musical tools.

resoman · Aug 26, 2011

Mr. Turner,
I don't think the question is about theory but function.

quote "take a glued up back, and press it into the dish. the ends of the piece will compress together and try to pull the center apart... I hope that makes sense."

Nobody is looking for a magic formula this is a simple question and we ARE building a bunch of instruments!

Timbuck · Aug 26, 2011

resoman said:
Mr. Turner,
I don't think the question is about theory but function.

quote "take a glued up back, and press it into the dish. the ends of the piece will compress together and try to pull the center apart... I hope that makes sense."

Yes! thats what the wood will try and do..but up to now i've not seen one split..maybe the glue and fibres of the the wood have enough elasticity to follow the dish without splitting.

mrhandy · Aug 26, 2011

I appreciate your thoughts Rick. I am loving the process of building and also loving the little things I learn with each build. I have 6 more builds coming up shortly... 5 for someone else and one for myself. The process and level of detail that go into a Uke are so different the the processes for furniture that it really blows the cobwebs out of my brain and gets me motivated to keep building and selling my work.

It's not often that you get to learn on someone elses dime, but it would seem that I have found a few people that are really excited to see what i do with the rest of my career in woodwork and are willing to invest in my early stuff.

Rick Turner · Aug 26, 2011

It's pretty much a non-issue. These domes are shallow enough not to matter. However, some instrument tops are formed first in two halves and then joined. That's how at least some of Mario Maccaferri's designs were done...the ones with the bend in the tops made Italian mandolin style.

Pete Howlett · Aug 27, 2011

Long before there was everything to read and see some of us had to learn by ourselves... there's a lot to be said for it

Dan Uke · Aug 27, 2011

Pete Howlett said:
Long before there was everything to read and see some of us had to learn by ourselves... there's a lot to be said for it

That's why everyone appreciates your input!!

jcalkin · Aug 28, 2011

A fine friend of mine has researched his first uke to death, and beyond. I've given up being exasperated as he is enjoying himself very much. Eventually he'll end up with a uke. Speed is not an issue to him. I enjoy his bazillion questions a lot, though enjoying them has taken time. I could have filled a wall with ukuleles in the same amount of time, but so what? I'm with Rick---do a lot of work and learn from it. But some folks have a different way of forging ahead.

Question about dishing tops and backs.

mrhandy

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fahrner

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mrhandy

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fahrner

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Rick Turner

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