Sound board thickness?

young-lecky · Dec 3, 2013

What is the maximum thickness people on here would accept for their soundboard?

I bought a bit of spruce to use and i thought it was going to be pre thicknessed but it isn't

I don't have a thicknesser planner so this will now have to be done by hand...

Cheers

ksquine · Dec 3, 2013

what size uke?
Tenor I'd say 0.1" max for spruce. Soprano, 0.08"

young-lecky · Dec 3, 2013

whoops forgot to mention that, yea its a soprano that I'm gonna make

Thanks

What about the sides and back? I know they are thicker, but is there a ratio in which it works?

Timbuck · Dec 3, 2013

I make the sides and back .075" and the soundboard .0625" (1/16")

bluesuke · Dec 3, 2013

We take ours anywhere from 2mm to 1.7mm it all depends on the wood

young-lecky · Dec 3, 2013

Cheers all

Mark Roberts Ukuleles · Dec 19, 2013

My suggestion is that it's all about stiffness...not thickness. Every tonewood is different. Two Koa trees growing right next to each other can have very different densities and strength-to-weight ratios. Don't generalize your wood.
Start at thickness you know will be too thick, then slowly start taking it down little by little...testing it for tonal response and deflection. Look at it, feel it, listen to it. Build your instrument, and remember what you built into it.
Only then can you judge how to improve the next one.
Aside from these things you can start taking notes for each "piece" and type of wood.
I use those methods, plus I measure/record weight thickness, and deflection for each piece. It will be a reference for the future.
You can see a simple system I use for recording deflection here......
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...37545353.35004.158169180880042&type=3&theater
There are three photos in a series.

dmecha1012 · Dec 19, 2013

Mark Roberts Ukuleles said:
My suggestion is that it's all about stiffness...not thickness. Every tonewood is different. Two Koa trees growing right next to each other can have very different densities and strength-to-weight ratios. Don't generalize your wood.
Start at thickness you know will be too thick, then slowly start taking it down little by little...testing it for tonal response and deflection. Look at it, feel it, listen to it. Build your instrument, and remember what you built into it.
Only then can you judge how to improve the next one.
Aside from these things you can start taking notes for each "piece" and type of wood.
I use those methods, plus I measure/record weight thickness, and deflection for each piece. It will be a reference for the future.
You can see a simple system I use for recording deflection here......
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...37545353.35004.158169180880042&type=3&theater
There are three photos in a series.

I looked on your Facebook page. How does that work?

Sound board thickness?

young-lecky

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ksquine

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young-lecky

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Timbuck

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bluesuke

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young-lecky

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Mark Roberts Ukuleles

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dmecha1012

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