651-439-9120
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www.harpkit.com
NOTE:
A go-bar deck is an optional clamping system
using flexible sticks/dowels and your work bench! You
can utilize this for clamping down the reinforcement
bar. If you do this, make sure to put a piece of
scrapwood over the length of the reinforcement bar
to help distribute equal pressure. (fig. 10e)
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HINT:
This is a great time to sign and date the inside of
the soundboard. Your name and skills as a luthier will
live on in infamy!
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FIG. 10E
____11. Once the glue is dry, flip the panel over, and drill the
remaining holes. Drill through the front panel as well as
the reinforcement bar. The bottom ten holes will be drilled
with a 5/32” drill bit. The remaining holes will be drilled
with a 1/8” drill bit. Use the drill bits provided in your hard-
ware pack to complete this task. (fig. 11a)
FIG. 11A
REMINDER:
Every time you do some gluing on your project, we advise having a clean
damp rag handy for cleaning up the excess glue that squeezes out of the joints. Keep your
fingers clean as well. Rinse the rag frequently to avoid spreading glue around as you wipe.
Make sure all glue residue is removed. This will save you a lot of time toward the end of the
project while you are prepping to apply finish.
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INSTALLING THE BACK AND SOUNDBOARD
____12. While you are waiting for the glue to dry on the
soundboard reinforcement strip, you can work
on sanding the sides/frame of the soundbox.
Make a large sanding block to level the edges of
the sides. This will make for a better gluing sur-
face. Use double stick tape or spray adhesive to
apply 60-grit sandpaper to a flat block of wood for
a sanding block. Make sure that the block is flat
and not bowed.
Check to make sure the base block, braces, and
top block are all flush with the sides. Use a file,
chisel, or sanding block to remove any spots that
are too high. (fig. 12a, b) You will want to clamp
down your project so it doesn’t move around
while you are sanding. Make sure to sand both
the front and the back of the frame. This creates
a better glue surface as well as preventing gaps
from appearing under the soundboard.
FIG. 12B
FIG. 12A
NOTE:
It is very important that you make sure there are no gaps. If there are places on the
soundboard that have gaps, there is the potential of the soundboard coming off the frame.
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