After a successful first mandolin build last winter, I'm on numbers two and three of Gibson Army/Navy style flat top mandolins. These two are mostly all about trying different woods and experimenting some with construction details. I hope to try a carved arch top in the future.
The plans and photos I'm working from show the braces shaped on the ends before gluing. They're first contoured with a 10 ft radius to induce some arch when gluing. I built the first one this way, clamping on the thinned-down ends of the braces. I'm now wondering if it might be better to leave the braces at full height across the top and back to retain stiffness while gluing (hoping to induce a little more arch) and then trim later with a sharp chisel in the traditional way. Any downsides to this process, other than the possibility of messing up while trimming after gluing?
Thanks,
Parker
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