Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm about to start work on my first cedar top and am concious of it's "fragile" reputation - in that it will sprout a ding if you just smile at it. I have in mind using a cutting mat like this one here Cutting Mat under the top when I'm working on the rosette, when it is in the go bar deck being braced, and when I am brace carving.

Is this the sort of thing any OLF'er have used or are there any downsides (I know there are many things that can potentially contaminate with silicone)?

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

A question: what's wrong with a few layers of newspaper (for the go-bard deck), and how would the cutting mat do anything to prevent dinging?

These are not very soft. I use these all the time at work.

It seems to me that you would be better off with something more spongey. The problem with these firm surfaces is debris. As it gets on the surface it grinds into the top.

I generally use a router mat (the ones with the holes in them) and continually shake it out.... but I usually get any dents out of the top with a solder iron and a damp cloth.

:-)

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock is exactly right on all counts. Too hard. Debris is the problem. You just have to be really clean with you work surface. Keep a dusting brush there at all times and continually use it on the top and the work surface. I use a draftsman's brush. works great.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I've had good luck with rubber shelf lining for things like brace carving with the top/back in the dish. It grips nicely so it doesn't slide around when carving. I use posterboard when it's in the gobar deck, because I don't want there to be any sponginess.

I hadn't even thought about silicone, I wonder if I'm risking anything there. Of course, so far I'm not putting anything finish sanded against the rubber.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Not sure about the too hard bit guys. My wife uses one in her craft work they are well cushioned with a smooth firm surface on the top. The one she uses was designed for quiltmakers so may be different from the cheaper ones.

Keeping debris free is going to be essential no matter what I use. I have an ostrich feather duster which works great!

Thanks for the feedback, I'll give it some more thought.

Mattia - as these are cushioned with a firm surface my thinking is if anything gets on the go bar deck surface by "accident" that I don't notice it won't push into the cedar top under gobar clamping pressure, whereas it would push through layers of newspaper into the top.Dave White38776.4821180556

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Dave it's the smooth firm surface that will kill you. I use them around the shop quite a bit so I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same thing. The mat will cushion as a whole unit but if a small piece of, say, dried glue gets on it, it won't give enough in a small area like that.
I've got two dishes that are lined with cork. That works very well but you still have to be anal about checking every surface before you put that top on it. I often use carpet swatches as pads for my bench but you can still dent a top if there is something lodged in the carpet (don't ask me how I know this)
I've just gotten in a habit of running my hand over the surface before each time I set the guitar down on it's top. If my hand comes up bloody, that's a good sign that there is something that might dent the top.

Dave I rest my tops on a rubber bath mat. Nice and soft and non-slip and the top just sits on the little dimples allowing any chips to sit in-between them. As I'm used to working in a laboratory I guess I just naturally keep the work area clean as well. I don't need to tell you, but care with WRC dust.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Dave

I use Carpet to carve on etc, but I guess thats no good for the go bar deck, I had never thought of bath mats they sound ideal.

Hey Dave;
I have found that the "rubber" non-skid mesh used on boats for place mats etc. work great. The open mesh won't get debris lodged into it the way carpet does. A quick shake & its usually safe to go. I usually use two layers when working on the bench. One layer in a dish seems to work fine.
I found the stuff sold by the yard at Wal Mart... I guess most fabric shops would stock it. Ships chandlers sell it too, but you'll pay the premium price reserved for Yachtsmen.
Cedar does dent quite easily, but the dents steam out invisibly if you don't break too many fibres.

I'm with Daniel on this one. I buy I roll of the stuff at home depot. It works great. Just keep it shaken out. Particals are the real problem They will all have a way of gringing into the top if you let them.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust