Dickey Bi-Flex Linings 2006
Well, during a recent vacation, riding a tour bus, I spy some dentil work on a vintage building. You know the kind, just looks like little blocks glued and spaced along a board, real nice look on an old building.
But, this was different... These dentils didn't go all the way through. They alternated with cuts from the top, then from the bottom, kinda neat, but different to the norm. Still had a similar effect.
Immediately, I called for a pen and paper and jotted the form down because I could see a solution to a guitar-related problem. Guitar dentils that don't flex, errrr, we call them kerfed linings.
Below, you see the modified reverse-kerf linings many of us use. I took a section and cut it to match the dentils I saw on the buildings. Cha-ching, the linings now easily flex in two directions, eliminating the problem of installing them on domed tops and backs.
Okay, this is a freebie for all my luthier friends. Just one thing, if you use it, simply refer to them as Dickey Bi-Flex Linings 2006. Try it on an old piece of lining laying around your shop. Yes, they will be slightly more delicate, but the force to install them will be minimal, because they are flexible.
This applies to triangular linings too, and I think that a double alternating cut to them as well will make them ultra-flexible.
Here is a pic of a reverse kerf lining with the Bi-Flex cuts added. I didn't try to be greatly accurate, just wanted to make sure it worked before sharing it. I got about 3/16 inch flexed curve in five inches without breaking.
Lance, how about putting this up in the jigs and fixtures section? Thanks, Bruce
Dickey Bi-Flex Linings 2006
