Last Update: 7/28/04

Online Apprentice-
Prepare and Insert the End Graft.

In this lesson we will prepare and insert the end graft.

Make sure you have read this lesson all the way through before beginning the lesson. A word of advice is to practice on scrap.

Prepare the end graft purfling just as you did for the back strip. Glue the veneers together and plane or smooth the gluing surface.

Measure the width of the graft. Subtract half of that measurement from the center line of the soundboard. Clamp a square onto the heel block using it as a guide to cut through the side. Repeat this for the other side.

Chisel out the excess and use a small file to clean it up if needed.

Check the fit. If it is too loose dip the graft in water for a couple of seconds and let it dry. This will expand the wood. Sometime I do this when the graft is in the slot and I wipe it with a moist sponge. When the fit is perfect wick some C.A. glue into the slot being very careful not to let any drip onto the soundboard. Once dry you can scrape the graft level to the side.

Next we are going to add some side reinforcment strips. I extend them so that they touch the top edges of the lining. Rodriguez fitted them over the edge slightly. Take the measurements off the plan.

Clamp the side strips to the side using a caul on the outside.

Here is what they should look like. Notice that I rounded them over and beveled the tips. They are about 3mm thick.

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