Day 15: Domed back bars, assembling the ribs

Today, I picked up where I left off and carried on working on the back, shaping each of the bars to a 3mm dome. Once I had finished the longest bar, I used that as the template for the other two, going between my block plane and a shooting board with a small sanding block so as to ensure the bottom of each bar was flat for gluing.

I cleaned up the glue where it could be seen through the sound hole but left a neat bead where it couldn’t be seen in the hope it will give it more strength.

I then turned to the second rib and repeated the process I undertook yesterday of planing and sanding the edge flat, cutting the lining and harmonic bars, making final adjustments to the neck heel wedge and generally getting the whole thing to fit to the plantilla outline.

That took much of the afternoon, by which time the domed back was dry and I removed the clamps. Next weekend, I hope to get the back on.

Today also corresponded to Roy’s book pp. 240-252.