Evan Smith Report post Posted August 8, 2014 I would like some advice as to the best grain orientation for spruce linings on a cello. On my first cello I tried to use bass wood,, it won't bend. I am used to willow but have none large enough for a cello. Slab, slanted, or straight 90 degrees? Thanks Evan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oded Kishony Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Ive had no provlems bending bass wood, I would orient the linings on the slab because they would be less likely to split when the plate is removed oded Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doug Marples Report post Posted August 8, 2014 spruce linings are traditionally made with the grain quartered though you can find about anything if you look long enough. In school we were advised to avoid basswood but I don't know what the justification was. I would think that trimming spruce linings would be easier if they are quartered. Doug Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Ive had no provlems bending bass wood, I would orient the linings on the slab because they would be less likely to split when the plate is removed oded How do you do it ,, I've done it dry, damp, soaked it for a while, boiled it for a while and it still gets little kinks in it. I am using a nice backing strap with plenty of pressure. By orientation do you mean that the gluing surface is the slab cut on the ribs, and the plate side is quartered? how well the plate is removable was the big concern that I had. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Report post Posted August 8, 2014 spruce linings are traditionally made with the grain quartered though you can find about anything if you look long enough. In school we were advised to avoid basswood but I don't know what the justification was. I would think that trimming spruce linings would be easier if they are quartered. Doug By quartered do you mean the gluing surface on the rib side is the quartered surface, and the plate side is slab? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Doran Report post Posted August 8, 2014 I've never seen spruce linings cut on the slab, that is with the slab face as the glueing surface. I've successfully used basswood as well. I use the same procedure whatever the material- willow, spruce, or basswood. I cut my cello linings to size, 3 mm x 16-17 mm x whatever length, then stand them up in a jar of water for a half hour or so. With a bending iron heated so that water droplets bounce off the surface when dropped and a bending strap, I over-bend them and then relax the linings into shape either with no heat or a little re-bending as needed. Sometimes I get little compression lines on the inside surface of tight bends, but I don't think it matters since you carve that off when you shape the linings. -Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oded Kishony Report post Posted August 8, 2014 It's true, mostly you see spruce linings with the quartered side being the widest. But I've come to the conclusion (perhaps erroneously) that spruce is less likely to split off on the slab side than the quartered side and therefore linings should logically be cut on the slab (widest part) with the quarter on the edge. I'm open to entertaining an opposing opinion. Oded Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doug Marples Report post Posted August 9, 2014 Evan, By quartered linings, I mean that the growth rings of the linings are perpendicular to the ribs. That way when you are trimming the linings down, after they are glued in place, they should be easier to carve down. Oded's point about losing lining material when the plate is re-opened is perhaps a valid one, but he's certainly bucking tradition there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oded Kishony Report post Posted August 9, 2014 Am I mistaken or does spruce split much more easily on the quarter than on the slab? is the some other factor I'm overlooking that would require linings to be cut on the quarter? oded Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Report post Posted August 9, 2014 Got'er done,,, Thanks guys for the suggestions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Report post Posted August 9, 2014 Am I mistaken or does spruce split much more easily on the quarter than on the slab? is the some other factor I'm overlooking that would require linings to be cut on the quarter? oded It seems to split easier on the quarter when you want to, and when you don't want,, it splits on the slab all by itself. I did the linings on the 1/4 because I already had stock cut that way to cut them out of,, but I don't know ? That's why I asked,, I guess either way will work,, Thank you Evan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites