Flat top "a style mandolin"

[Lab]

First I must confess that I am mainly a guitar and Irish Bouzouki maker....I have made an A style flat top mandolin...The plan I was following called for ladder bracing. I changed that to the X bracing...Seems to me to be more structurally stronger given the downward pressure of a floating bridge....I also gave the top a 28' radius and the back a 15' radius...(same as my guitars)..I made the neck angle 1.5 degrees...When I run a straight edge along the frets to the saddle location. What will be the distance between the top and straight edge?....1/8"...?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?? Larry

[David Newton]

I make my mandolins very similar to your description. You should set your neck to a bridge height of around 1/2"