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RobF -> RE: Moisture warping (Nov. 14 2020 15:27:34)
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Hi Stu. If the back and top haven’t been braced yet, then they can be brought into the house and stickered under weight until you’re ready to brace them. The sticks will allow air to circulate on both sides of the pieces so they can take on or release moisture evenly and will also encourage them to acclimatize straight.
If the back is propellered (I know that’s not a real word - potato chipped is another expression) it could be slightly dampened in the areas away from any glue seams and then stickered, but care should be exercised if this route is chosen. The propeller shape is likely in the wood itself so there’s only so much that can be done about it. You can assess it by holding the piece and twisting it - if it ‘sproings’ between propeller shapes then the grain of the wood itself holds the characteristic and it’s just there. To compensate, just make the bracing a little higher to allow for the stress and/or consider doing a four brace pattern. Some would recommend discarding the wood, but at this phase of your journey I think just use it and don’t stress too much about it.
If the top and back are already braced, then this points to a process issue, in that the bracing should only be done at the point just before the assembly phase. So, sides should be bent, liners prepared, everything should be ready, then glue on the braces, carve, and assemble the body as soon as possible after that. Generally it’s good to try to do all this over the course of a few days, if possible. Especially when done during a change of season, there is more wiggle room when the work is done mid-season.
It’s never the end of the world. If the pieces are already braced then acclimatize them and consider making forms to place under the pre-shaped bracing to encourage the pieces to return to where they should be. If building top down, the sides can be attached to the top with a form or weight sitting on the top in the bridge area, to push it in the right direction. If really bad, the back braces can be planed off and the back re-braced, this should be considered in any case where a large brace is warped, as the brace itself is compromised. There’s no harm in doing something over. After all, what’s a day or two’s extra effort in the life of a guitar?
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