Stewart MacDonald 5297, Assembly Instruction Manual, Page: 12 / 42

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While the braces are accessible, prepare a bridge clamping
caul and a shoulder brace caul that will be used in the “Install-
ing the neck” and “Installing the bridge” sections . The bridge
caul (illustrated) is 7-1/2" x 1-3/4" x 3/4" . It must be relieved
to contact the bridge plate and the soundboard, and have
sufficient relief to clear the X-braces and the tone bars . The
easiest way to create this relief is to glue scrap corners from
the bridge plate itself onto the corners of the caul . This way,
the caul’s center portion is relieved by an amount equal to
the thickness of the bridge plate .
The shoulder brace caul is 2" x 2-5/8" x 1-1/4", with relief to
clear both shoulder braces . Use a saw and a chisel or router
to make these cauls .
Bridge and shoulder brace clamping cauls
1-3/4"
3/4"
7-1/2"
2"
1-1/4"
2-5/8"
Bridge clamping caul
These surfaces must contact the soundboard;
the notches should not contact the braces.
This surface must
be relieved to contact
the maple bridge plate.
Shoulder brace caul
5-3/8"
Body length: 20-3/8"
To fit the top, the ends of the X-braces and the tall shoulder
brace must be notched into the kerfed linings . The remain-
ing smaller braces will be tapered to nothing where they
meet the kerfing . Tapering these braces to nothing will let
the top flex a little more .
For this fitting, leave the side assembly clamped to the
workbench if you’re able to work around the assembly com-
fortably . You can unclamp the side assembly and the waist
clamp from the workbench if it makes fitting the top easier,
but be sure to handle the assembly gently . Don’t bend or
twist the sides as you fit the top .
Chisel the ends of the X-braces and tall shoulder brace down
to a thickness of .100" (pictured) . Follow the pre-machined
taper of the braces as you chisel .
To find the guitar’s accurate length between neck and
tailblocks, first measure 5-3/8" from the top edge of the
soundhole, towards the neck block (illustrated) . Make
a pencil mark on the centerline, on the underside of the
soundboard . Measure 20-3/8" from this mark to the tailblock
end, and make a mark . This is the body length . During glu-
ing, these marks must align with the sides and blocks . The
soundboard will overhang the sides a little, which will be
trimmed away later .
Fitting the soundboard to the sides
10