Youtoob

Around the corner

Here's the mostly done instrument. Strung with monofilament as planned.

Soundboard glue-up

Here is the soundboard being glued down with 'go bars' for clamps that spring from the ceiling to the perimiter of the soundbard against the soundboard liner.

Soundboard and supports.

After the soundboard has been thicknessed it is sized using a solution of water and hide glue. It is painted on one side of the soundboard, which causes it to curl up like a piece of cinnamon bark as it dries, and then the other side is painted.













After it dries completely the soundboard is flat again. The upper belly rail is glued along the lower curve to support the soundboard.








Liners also support the soundboard and they are glued in place on the inside walls

The lower belly rail is glued in place.

Case and soundboard

I decided to keep the original RCM 1 shape--there being no need for extra tail room. Here is the back (with dog).

The extreme point would require rather sharp angles, so rather than sawing them, I simply planed them to joint.

The bentside was bent using a bath of boiling water--simply a lasagna pan on the stove top, the wood marinated again and again until plyable.

The spine and bentside tacked in place on the belly.

The soundboard planks hide glued together with one edge rough cut

Then both edges rough cut and then fitted in the case with the shop snoopervisor at the helm.

Now the long process to thin the soundboard