Loose back brace solutions

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
8 years ago
2,111 posts

Yeah... balloon.  That's a GREAT idea!.

John Gribble
John Gribble
@john-gribble
8 years ago
124 posts

A balloon! I hadn't thought of a ballon. Thanks.

Frank Ross
Frank Ross
@frank-ross
8 years ago
32 posts

I lucked out again in that area - there was enough residual glue on the edge with the side to hold it (that is what was making the cracking sound when pressing on the 7th fret area). I pushed on the 7th fret area, got it got it to pop/crack open, got the glue to the area, waited a while and used a bent rod to pop it back. Otherwise I would have had to use a balloon or bent stick to hold it in place.

John Gribble
John Gribble
@john-gribble
8 years ago
124 posts

Ooh, a spy camera! And maybe a robotic arm? I'm afraid my repair tools/toys aren't that hi-tech.  Laugh

Did you make any effort to clear out the old glue or somehow clamp the brace while the repair dried?

Frank Ross
Frank Ross
@frank-ross
8 years ago
32 posts

I just had that problem last month. I had a brace loosen under the sound board near the middle of the dulcimer. The lose end would make a cracking noise when playing around the 7th fret. I had heart shaped holes so I could actually get a small camera and a long shrink tube with a wire backbone to get the glue to the spot.

repair to McS 001.jpg

repair to McS 003.jpg

John Gribble
John Gribble
@john-gribble
8 years ago
124 posts

Thank you, Matt. Those cross braces seem to me to be more a construction aid, helping to keep the shape, than a source of strength. 

Matt Berg
Matt Berg
@matt-berg
8 years ago
90 posts

John,  yea, most braces on mountain dulcimers are like bicycles for fish.  If you can safely take them out through the sound holes it is probably a good idea.  If the brace needs to stay, I usually drill a small hole in the back and glue in a dowel plug when done.  The guys at Folkcraft have done some cool work with laser cutting figures to glue in the holes after fixing, but that requires a good laser cutter.

 

If you are working on a baritone or bass dulcimer, carefully consider before removing the brace.  The larger sound board may need them.  Also consider the choice carefully if the soundboard is spruce, cedar or other softwood.  Those board may need the extra support.

 

PS. I am not your standard dulcimer maker and will probably put some people's backs up with my comment on bracing.  Conversely, I brace all of my instruments as I do not attach the fretboard to the soundboard.  To each their own. 

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John Gribble
John Gribble
@john-gribble
8 years ago
124 posts

Hi. Since I acquire used instruments I often have repairs which need to be taken care of. A particular problem for me is the issue of loose braces. I'm curious how people go about reparing them. On a flat-top guitar I can usually work through the soundhole. But dulcimers are too shallow and the soundholes are too small to do this easily. I'd like to hear how people address this problem. Do you take the backs off, the way a violin repairperson might? Or do you work from the outside, with small holes, glue-and-screw, to be replaced with small dowels? Or do you simply take the offending brace out? They really don't do much and I see Warren May and other makers don't use them. 

Please teach me. Thanks. smiler