CATEGORY
Body & Bracing
The body is a thin wooden membrane held under tension by its bracing. The tools here are the ones that let you shape that membrane accurately and glue it up without introducing the stress that turns into a cracked top two winters later.
What this category coversBracing chisels, spokeshaves, radius dishes, go-bar decks, binding cutters and body molds — the jigs and edge tools that shape the box.
Bracing chisel
Shapes braces to a measured taper without tearing the grain.
Body & BracingHand tool
Spokeshave
Shapes curved surfaces a plane cannot reach.
Body & BracingHand tool
Radius dish
Gives the top and back their curve, consistently.
Body & BracingJig
Go-bar deck
Clamps a whole braced plate at once, evenly.
Body & BracingJig
Binding router bit
Cuts the channel that takes the binding and purfling.
Body & BracingCutting tool
Body mold
Holds the sides in shape while the box goes together.
Body & BracingJig