Back Strip

[KADA]

Planning my first build and was looking at Back Strips. Are there pros and cons to having a back strip the same thickness as the Back vs a thinner back strip that is sunk into the back once it is joined.

[charles Tauber]

Practically, no, particularly if one adds a reinforcement of the joint(s) on the interior of the back, as is common practice. I've done it both ways.

Sandwiching a back strip between the two halves of the back is considerably quicker and easier, however.

[phavriluk]

+1 on sandwiching a backstrip between bookmatched back panels. No router needed, just careful planing/sanding. And one less component to keep square to its position. Nothing stopping a routed backstrip channel from not being square to the joined back panel.

But if OP has enough router experience to rout squarely down a join line, the line will not need to be as precise as the joint needed to sandwich a backstrip between the sides. The interior reinforcement strip will provide a whole lot of integrity to the area, and the join line of the panels will be completely hidden.

[KADA]

To clarify the steps and my plans. I was looking at a Walnut back. I have some solid/hard spalted maple that I wanted to use for a rosette. I can also get/make a back strip from my piece. The process would be to joint one side of the Back Strip to one panel and then flip it over to the other panel and joint the other side to the other panel. I would have to ensure the first jointed side was parallel to the second panel to ensure the width of the Back Strip was consistent over the length.

[charles Tauber]

It depends upon what tools and skills you have.

What I do is joint the two haves of the back at the same time: the two halves are held together by a strip of masking tape at each end. I joint those, either by machine, hand plane or both, until they are "perfect" and no light is seen through the un-glued joint when held up in front of a light.

I prepare the backstrip separately. One edge is jointed - by machine or hand plane - then cut to width from a larger piece - I use a bandsaw, though a table saw could be used, as can a utility knife with a straight edge. The second edge can be cleaned-up, if need be, using a hand plane. In the old days, before I had a thickness sander, which is what I use now in making bindings, I glued a piece of sandpaper to one jaw of a vice, then drew the binding through the vice jaws, sanding the one side of the binding. It's a bit crude, but it works.

Purfling can easily be cut with a utility knife and straight edge from commercial veneer.

Once the backstrip is prepared, all of the pieces - two halves of the back, any purfling and back strip - are glued and clamped at once. I use the standard string and wedges to clamp them.