Mandolin wood thickness

[Lab]

Keep in mind that I'm just a beginner. My main interest is to build a guitar. I was told to slow down a little and do something on a smaller scale first. So, I am building an A style mandolin. I am using Sitka spruce for the top and Mahogany for the sides and back. I used a three inch pipe to bend the sides (first time ever bending wood) and was amazed at how smooth the bends were made. I am going to size the top tomorrow. I have read several items on the flat top mandolin. The problem is they give me different dimensions for the wood thickness. The top ranges from 1.85 MM to 3.5 MM. Thats a big difference. Is there a standard measurement for the thickness of mandolin tops or any instrument for that matter. I am guessing that different woods have different thicknesses . Being a Pipefitter by trade, I always had a book with all standard dimensions. Kind of like a Pipefitters Bible. Is there such a book for guitar and mandolin builders. Also can someone confirm if 1.85 MM is a good measurement. Personally it looks to thin but I'm just the amateur.......Thanks Lab

[Chris Baird]

I'd recommend 3 - 3.5 mm.

[sunburst]

Thickness takes a back seat to stiffness, size, and mass.
The thickness you want depends on the stiffness of the wood you are using, the size of the top, and the density of the wood you are using. It ain't like pipes, where the material is fairly consistent so there can be standards. Wood is pretty variable.
(Stiffer = thinner, smaller = thinner, more dense = thinner and vise versa all that, all within reason.)

It takes a certain amount of experience to have a good idea how thick your particular wood needs to be, so you'll just have to make a somewhat random choice for your early instruments.
To me, 1.85 mm sounds too thin, and 3.5 mm sounds too thick. If your wood is spruce and is good quality (fairly stiff), I'd shoot for the 3 mm range. Perhaps a little thinner, maybe down to 2.8 mm or so. Too thick is better than too thin.