dreadnought back braces

[Matt Atkinson]

Hi all,
I am shaping back braces. I have seen pics of braces that taper or scoop to nearly nothing where they mortise into the kerfing and others that are maybe 1/8" to 3/32" thick where they meet the sides. Trying to decide how thin to make mine. Also: where to begin the taper or scoop? Thoughts?

[Barry Daniels]

I like to have a little meat on the end of back bracing so I can notch them into the kerfing. I make the ends 1/8" thick to provide some consistency. Thinning a back brace to nothing leaves them vulnerable to breakage if the back ever experiences excessive pressure.

Where to start the scoop? Where it looks right, and where my scooping chisel's bevel fits the curve. Not exactly scientific but it's not really critical.

[Freeman Keller]

I take a little scrap piece of wood, usually a cutoff from the side which would make it about 60 or 70 thousands thick (1/16 or so, I just pick something laying on the bench) and lay it next to the end of the brace while I scallop the end. I just curve them down even with the scrap for a short distance where it will tuck into the lining. I use the same scrap for all the braces - top and back, then use it again to set the depth of my dremel which is how I make the pockets.

Where do I start the scallop? That depends a lot on the height/thickness of the brace but usually "where it looks right"

[Alan Carruth]

I use a plexi gauge, notched around the brace end, to get the depth consistent, generally 1/8" or so, depending on how I feel about it his week. I shape the scoop with a violin maker's radiused finger plane, and start far enough back so that the end is level at the correct height. This makes it easy to mark and cut the notches to the exact depth.