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I'm getting LMIs go-bar deck. I've been using cam clamps and that's no trouble, but can not easily clean squeeze-out with clamps in the way. I happened to be watching John Mayes's voicing vid the other day and noticed he was using what looked like wood strips as go bars. Do any of you make your own bars? If so, what wood is best, and what length, width and thickness. I liked it because it gave a larger footprint for the end where it touches the brace or caul, which seems more stable and maybe distributes the force a little better...though I don't know that. Also, go-bars are expensive and I thought they might be less expensive to make, though that may not be true either.

Hi Beth,

I make my own. Not a big fan of the fiberglass rods. I use clear, slab sawn fir casework from the local lumber store, then rip that piece into strips a tad thicker than 1/4". This effectively gives me quarter/rift sawn strips. Then I run them through the router table to round over the edges. My deck is 32" floor to roof, minus the height of whatever radius dish I might be using. I have different lengths of course, sized for braces, and for gluing backs and tops.

Here's a pic:



-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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I am not a fan of fiberglass rods either. I started with 3/4" X3/4" spruce wedged in place but that was marginal.

I presently use 1/2" dia PVC waterpipe (conduit would work) with 1/4-20 plate-nuts glued in the end with 1/4-20 bolts in the nuts. The bolts are screwed up for pressure. The problem is that there is no flex between the bolt-head and the upper board. As the glue is absorbed or flows, there is nothing to take up the space and the pipe will sometimes fall down or need a little more screw-turn. Gluing 1/8" cork or rubber to the screw-heads may solve this problem.

The real answer is a spring-loaded-rod that you can build yourself.

Bob

I don't like them either, so I made these.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Bamboo is a great material for use in a go bar deck. I don't know if you can get them in your part of the world, but here in Australia every garden supplies or hardware store sells bamboo screening. It is bunches of bamboo rods/stems strung togeter with wire. Just undo the wire, throw away the 20% or so that have defects and won't flex, and you have plenty of go bar rods for next to nothing. I slip little plastic feet on them (the type that are made for chair legs - get the white ones, not black). I happen to have a lot of bamboo growing in my back yard so I just go out and cut what I need - but maybe it doesn't grow so well in Manitoba or Arizona?
cheers
Mark

I'm curious about what it is you guys don't like about the fiberglass rods.

Me too...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

For me, I just feel I have better control with wood. And, well, I like wood.

That, and I've had the chain-reaction-fiberglass-go-bar-explosion experience. Took weeks for the dog to come back into the shop!

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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I bought mine from goodwinds.com

I build quite a few tops with them. Nice stuff. If I ordered them again I would go for flat/rectangle go-bars.

My braces are getting thinner and thinner (and higher). Round go-bars are not a good option with those braces.




Best regards,


Edzard

I buy 3/8" hard maple dowels and super glue a piece of cork or a 3M bumpit on the end. Work great and were relatively inexpensive, especially compared to fiberglass.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I used a lot of wood , Hickory Maple , Ash , and no matter what I would get too much force or not long life. 8 to 10lb is about right for glue joints. Also there is a big difference between different fiberglass not all are the same. As long as what you use work that is what matters. I find the Fiberglass is consistent in its force and available.
I also use the gobars for closing the box.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Thanks for all the tips, guys. Todd....I appreciate the detail and pictures. My only objection to the fiberglass was the cost through luthier warehouses. Now I'll make my own!

if you have a harbor freight close , I have gotten great use of these fiberglass wire running rods , cut to 2 foot lengths
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/cata ... _16778.jpg

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MK5acoustics.com

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... lt?q=fiber glass wire

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MK5acoustics.com

oh well its item 65326 fiberglass wire running rods

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MK5acoustics.com

Goodwinds will cut the rods in half for you at no charge, if you ask. Probably saves a bit on shipping cost too. Mine have worked great.

The suggestion to order a few extra tips is a good one.

I've grown to like the fiberglass driveway markers. They are thicker but my scale says 8-10 lbs and they work great for me. I do use 1/4" dowels or the 3/16" fiberglass rods for closing the box. The "thread protectors" from the little box aisle of Ace Hardware make good caps.

I also glue the X one limb at a time. You can see the heating blanket on the counter. I set it about 200 and warm the braces on it.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I used balloons on the ends of my wooden rods.
Not inflated, of course.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

Thanks for the link Edzard!

Glad I found this post as I'm going to build a go-bar deck in my shop soon. I went to goodwinds.com and found that they had .210" x 36" solid fiberglass rods (red) for $.59 per if you order 24+. So, I got 24 for $24.11 including shipping!! Would have cost me $84 at LMI!

I think LMI should start buying their rods from goodwinds.com...

BTW...these "red" rods are on closeout right now. They have about 100 left if you're interested.

I bought 4' fiberglass rods from McMaster Carr and cut then in half. Very inexpensive. I bought rubber tips from them too. Works great.

Fibreglass from a kite supply store with extra tips here as well. Cut to size as desired.

Beth, I made my own too, I use bamboo for the reason cheap but I thing that's good elasticity, And the bamboo alot around
here. I cut 20"-21" and I use the table for install...

Yes.

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John

Beth,
I got mine from http://www.goodwinds.com too. Good price and ALOT cheaper than LMI.

Might have a few extra around here I could send you.

Hutch

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins