lining up back plate and heel on F5

[doodle]

In a perfect world, I'm sure a builder can perfectly cap the heel with the back plate on an F5. The little protrusion of the plate will perfectly cover the bottom of the heel, every time. However, should the first-time-builder make that protrusion a little larger than the one on a Siminoff drawing, and plan on filing, cutting or sanding it down, later? I'm working from the "Ultimate" Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual., and wishing that it came with a 1-800 number. lol Thanks!

[HoGo]

If you're not going to bind the back then just glue it on oversize and trim the overhang later.
If you are going to bind the back you can cut it smaller than heel (actually you can cut whole perimeter a bit smaller if you dare to glue it on exactly where it belongs). Cutting of the binding ledge will be easier with aprt of the wood already removed.

[doodle]

Thank you Adrian. When I looked at my drawing, I thought the protrusion appeared to be too small to cover the heel. Maybe I was looking at it wrong, not sure. Thanks for your help. BTW your "REAL" drawing is on my "get" list. It might just be the best tool I could possess. Doodle.

[amowry]

I leave the button just a little large and chisel/file it to its final shape once the back is glued on and I'm ready to do the binding. It's not so much the button that is tricky to get right before gluing the back on, but the binding channel that leads up to it on both sides. I have those rough-cut too before gluing the back, but if that whole area was finalized you'd be relying on a perfect glue-up to get the binding channel the right width.

[HoGo]

I think it was John Hamlett who posted few years ago that he glues the back (and top?) on slightly undersized (not to the full size of bindings) so he can skip the trimming of the overhang and go directly to routing for binding. I reckon this saves a pass on router too.

[HoGo]

Here is more:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1588160

[doodle]

Adrian, I wish You and Hamlett, Mowry and a couple of others would write a book on mandolin building. It would be a helluva read!

[doodle]

Andrew, thanks for the information;; good to know that the problem I am having is an issue for others. Hey, I appreciate that you took the time and effort to share your topo map of the F5, on line. I'm using it. Very helpful.

[amowry]

Andrew, thanks for the information;; good to know that the problem I am having is an issue for others. Hey, I appreciate that you took the time and effort to share your topo map of the F5, on line. I'm using it. Very helpful.

My pleasure! I'm glad it's been useful!