Finished the Bracing on Joel's Allegro Classical

It's great to be back from my trip to Europe and to be working in the shop again. This week I've braced the top of Joel's Allegro Classical. As you can see I use a lattice bracing pattern. The lattice is made of spruce struts that have interlocking joints. Gluing that lattice down with evenly distributed pressure presents a challenge that's met by means of a vacuum clamping system, whereby the top and bracing are covered by a rubber sheet and then a tube hooked up to a pump sucks the air out from under the sheet. Many thanks to my good friend Gil Carnal for helping me learn this technique. Once the lattice is glued down I use a sanding block to graduate the height of the lattice so that it is less tall and more flexible around the perimeter of the lower bout. Finally the is reinforced with thin veneer strips of maple glued over the struts that have upward-facing interlocking joints, capping them off for structural integrity. More soon. :)