recurve

[John Bertotti]

Ok not what you're thinking probably. I see that a lot of people get that nice dish look but the majority of the recurve is carved where? Inside or outside. Does it really matter where you remove the wood (outside or inside) for the recurve? Do any of you balance the amount removed from the two side of the plate? Just curious how everyone is doing it. I was wondering structurally and sonically if one side was better then the other. I am kind of thinking it would be best structurally to remove the material from the outside. My reason for this is that leaving the wood intact as much as possible inside may make for a stronger plate. I wonder if the recurve is carved on the inside if it wouldn't want to work like a crease at that area and fold in on itself. But with the recurve carved on the outside the more intact wood on the inside would provide better support. I think like the arch in St Loise. If a bit of material was carved away on the outside it would weaken it but if on the inside it would degrade the support severly. Am I correct in this train of thought? Thanks John

[Dave Cohen]

I carve mine entirely from the outside. Does it matter? I dunno; I haven't done any experiments on that. MacRostie carves his partly from the outside & partly from the inside. If I had to guess, I would venture that you can get to the same result either way. Your guess about the crease and folding in on itself doesn't make a lot of sense to me. There is just so much runout in a carved instrument plate anyway. People seem to have a tendency to look at things locally, rather than at the entire plate. Take it from old Deep Chip; follow the entire plate.

http://www.erols.com/judcohen

[John Bertotti]

Thanks Dr. Cohen,
Yea I was getting kind of punchy pursuing this train of thought. I was just wondering how carving in versus out affected the structure of the plate. Thanks John

[Chris Baird]

To some degree it it changes the arching. If you carve entirely from the inside the radius of the arching will be larger where as if you carve for the outside it will be tighter; at least in the recurve area. I carve from both inside and outside but my entire reason for it revolves around aesthitics.