Side bracings?

[putnamm]

I am curious if any builders use side bracing on their mandolins, specifically on F5s. If yes or no, can you share why or why not?

I am a novice, and I am very nervous about my bent sides holding up. In at least one case I've witnessed a rib near the "waist" of my F5 begin to appear to "buckle." I'm wondering if side bracings or side supports would help prevent this kind of stress.

Thank you.

[barry k]

What thickness are your sides....should be about .75 to 80.

[putnamm]

They are 0.060".

[Dick Hutchings]

Violin thickness. You'll need to be very careful not to sand too much but I don't see a need for braces, they don't use them on violins.

[sunburst]

I don't know of anyone who routinely braces mandolin sides. Wood pieces for mandolin sides are narrow enough that they generally don't 'pucker' much, and if they do pucker slightly it is usually fairly easy to sand the distortion out. If they are puckered too much to easily sand out, the maker should probably get better at bending sides and/or at choosing wood for sides.

[j. condino]

The ribs can also sometimes compress and buckle when gluing the top and back plates on from too much pressure on the clamps. When you look at the finished rib garland with both the top and back linings installed, the actual inside rib surface is only about 3/4" wide, so there is not really a need for cross braces like on a larger instrument such as a guitar.