Cedar and Maple Thickness

specialk13

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #1

I am planning to build a tenor uke with cedar top and maple back/sides. Can anyone give me a rough idea of the thicknesses I should aim for with the cedar top and maple back? I searched the forum but could not come up with anything definitive.

I would appreciate any help, thanks!

 

weerpool

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #2

1/8" for the cedar top and .7mm on maple sides and a little thicker for the back. at least thats what i would do.

specialk13 said:

I am planning to build a tenor uke with cedar top and maple back/sides. Can anyone give me a rough idea of the thicknesses I should aim for with the cedar top and maple back? I searched the forum but could not come up with anything definitive.

I would appreciate any help, thanks!

Click to expand...

 

S

saltytri

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #3

Here is some guidance:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?60262-top-and-back-boards-thickness

There are no hard and fast rules. Depends upon the particular wood and bracing.

 

S

saltytri

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #4

weerpool said:

1/8" for the cedar top and .7mm on maple sides and a little thicker for the back. at least thats what i would do.

Click to expand...

1/8" is a pretty thick slab. Somewhere around .080" is likelier to be successful. .7mm is less than half of what the sides and back should be. I'm guessing you meant 1.7mm.
.

 

weerpool

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #5

thanks for the correction saltytri. i dont know why but after a disastrous attempt on a Cedar top for tenor awhile ago, i started with a .125 " thickness and then sanded it down further after ive installed the rosette.

saltytri said:

1/8" is a pretty thick slab. Somewhere around .080" is likelier to be successful. .7mm is less than half of what the sides and back should be. I'm guessing you meant 1.7mm.
.

Click to expand...

 

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saltytri

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #6

I understand completely. I'm pretty sure I've never done anything that offers up so many chances to make mistakes as instrument building.

 

David Newton

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #7

I think you are ok with 1/8" on the Cedar (western red cedar?) top, at least to begin. You'll likely take off a bit when you are getting ready to finish, so don't be afraid to sand it a bit thinner, maybe down to 3/32"

The Maple (hard or soft?) can be 1/16" for back & sides, you are plenty safe with that.

 

OP

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specialk13

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• Sep 14, 2012

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Thanks for all the replies everyone. I have a lot to ponder now

I am using western red cedar and it is hard maple.....

 

Liam Ryan

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• Sep 14, 2012

• #9

1/8" is perfect (for shingles). I go down around 2mm.

 

ksquine

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• Sep 17, 2012

• #10

One more opinion.....

For a tenor size with a softwood top I'd go 0.08 to 0.09". 0.08 for the back is fine, maybe thinner to cut some weight out. Maple bends pretty well so 0.07" to 0.08" for the sides should be fine.