Workpage 12-2022
1917 Vega
Model 202 Mandolin

Ser# 385xx
Cylinder back style
Spruce top
Mahogany back and sides
Mahogany neck

Original top had caved in
Back cracked
Needed frets, tuners

Will create new braces and top
Sound hole will be bound in black/white
Will replace top kerfing

Pics will start from the time the back was repaired 2020
At that time I made a top for it that did not do as I had planned.
So this is a new effort from wood sourced from the guys in Fulton MO.

New wood and previous top
New top sanded to proper thickness
Bracewood blanks are done
Binding glued in, and flattened on both sides
Treble side installed , mahogany kerfing.
End block will get a cap of spuce
Bass side ,end block done, binding channels next
Fender Artist neck getting free exposure.
Orig top "Repairs", there was never a brace
Only repair cloth
Showing brace tips that will for sure connect to the ribs
Scales are identical, top is still not profiled
Making it look a little off but it is really close.
Steam bending the top after making a razor cut
This will facilitate the bending process
Ready to come out of clamps after cure
The breakover can be seen after a coat of sealer
Excellent width for the 1 piece top design
Grain is nice and striaght for braces
Ready to remove top kerfing and replace
Tye orig is poplar, as are the neck blocks
Shaping/fitting /installing new bracing
Also, when I look into my 207, there is none
I think problem was in my first bracing where the tips meet the body.
Pointing out the breakover point in the orig. top
Will place a torrified spruce brace where muslin cloth was located
Putting pressure onto the breakover area
Brand new bottle of fish glue for the install
Original brace with serial number stays in situ.
Cutting the brace wood for grain orientation
Excellent linear grain on the top
Ready to bind
I will take that down all the way to mahogany
The green color is typical for Poplar
Bass side is prepped and ready
Thin coat of sealer added to protect all the new work
Crossbraces wedged in main brace relief for rigidity
Slowly doing the cutout profile and tapering
This is the pattern ,orig one by sound hole
Open line between brace/bridge placement is for the "Break
It had many repair attempts in it's life.
The thin bracing should help impede the spruce cracking
Drying while under pressure from wedging
It will cure here 12 hrs
Out of clamps and profiled, repairing fboard chip
Had a piece of binding break off, will repair and go forth.
Taking on clear and block sanding.
Next will be binding channels
Next sequence
anding to the peak, both directions.
Ready to bind with white/black/ivoroid, celluloid.
Moving along, heating and bending and gluing
Sealed with clear nitro.
Working on the new binding channel
Top and side tint added
Now to sand with 400 grit
Heat gun in one hand, pushing to the curvatures with the other.
Everything taking on clear coats.
SETUP
Installing new pickguard
Action and string angle good.
Picking a bridge
Searching for a "cloud" tailpiece cover.
Changing back to correct period tuning machines
Will go with this one for the setup
Thanks for looking and sharing.
VM