Soundhole Re-Inforcing

[nnickusa]

I'm working on a guitar for a friend, to be her "signature" model. I have an idea for a soundhole/port, incorporating her initials, but my drawings come up with relatively thin joining strips at some points. I thought to use BWB maple veneer sheets, backed by a headplate that Christian supplied out of Rimu.

Total thickness would be around 3.5mm, and I plan to run it all across the grain of the side, ie: front to back, with a reinforcing stay either side. Does that sound adequate to you all?

It's not intended to be a "true" soundport, rather a design element that would identify her as the intended recipient....As such it is rather small. I worry about the integrity of the area, if some connecting, I don't know, strips left on are too thin.....

I have no idea how to draw stuff on the computer, but I plan on using a capital K and J. The K would need to have some timber left where the two arms meet the upright....

Don't know if I've described this correctly, but any advice is appreciated

[Shane Woonton]

Hi Nick, I think I understand what you mean.... If you think about it the "K" is just a rectangle with three triangles imposing into it. I think you are concerned that the triangles will be fragile? So you are considering joining the triangles in the center of the letter. I think that, if you make sure you have the bwb laminated between two pieces (guitar side and internal reinforcing piece) with their grain running perpendicular to one another, it should be strong enough. I'd be comfortable doing it that way, unless this person tends to be rough on their gear, in which case this may be the least of your problems

Just re-read your post and I'm not sure what you mean by a "reinforcing stay" on either side...

Cheers,

Shane

[nnickusa]

Stays would be side braces, from the top to the back, which the plans call for in that area anyway. I thought that might add stability. And you're spot on with my worries and the shape of the letter K. I'm not too concerned with her being hard on the guitar, I'm sure she'll take care of it....and thanks. I'm hoping to cut it out this weekend, if I have time....

[Nick]

Here's a build I did using a 'styled' soundport Nick (the soundport 'build' starts on page 2), you don't have to get that carried away but it uses a reinforcement patch which, again, doesn't have to be like mine but a bit of crossgrain side material (side scrap) will bolster the hole/port up. I'd be tempted to leave some wood where the two arms of the "K" meet the vertical, similar to, but not copying , the Kellogs Special K logo

[christian]

Nick,

Sounds all good to me, Reinforcements strips either side of your veneers are a good idea to hide the edge of the veneers and also I've found whenever I cut into the side of the guitar soundports or otherwise, the sides tend to suck in either side of the cutout. Some advice just make sure your veneers are well glued to each other, other than that you will be hundreds!!!

Cheers,

Christian.

[simso]

Any particular script

[J.F. Custom]

Hey Nick.

If you were particularly worried with the actual design you choose, you could consider CF (carbon fiber) to assist. Whether laminated in as a piece of sheet in the support sandwich, or with tow covering the backs of the letters to areas of support. The latter is what I did under the ribbon twist in this ukulele -

JFCUSTOM_TU_RIBBON.jpg (119.62 KiB) Viewed 9237 times

I ran some tow up both 'laces' of the twist and spread this out on both sides. End result was very stiff - you'd really have to go at it to break that now and it's all but invisible to keep the design looking 'delicate', rather than beefed up and bulky.

Careful planning should allow you to manage what you want to achieve.

Good luck,

Jeremy.

[simso]

Whoops mis-understood, heres another go at it

[simso]

Wouldnt let me re-edit my picture

[nnickusa]

I was thinking something along these lines...

kj 006 (Small).JPG (66.96 KiB) Viewed 9199 times

The shaded areas would be cut out. This was a quick sketch, and I'd make it a bit more elegant, but looking at those samples you posted, I wonder what it'd look like if I cut out the letters thru the B/W/B veneers using a beveled cutter, exposing the BWB, and then put the Rimu plate on the back solid?

Then I could use a font that's a bit nicer looking.

I'd then use BWB purfling on the guitar, and that would sort of tie it together.

This is a thin(85mm +/-) guitar, and I've reduced the soundhole size, along with the size of the top braces, to try and beef up the bass response. Maybe leaving this area solid would help?