yaki - 1-7-2019 at 04:56 AM
hi everyone,
after few years of playing oud i decide to build one myself 
and i have few questions before i start working.
about the mold - what measurment the mold should be? what is the exacly angle of the bend? the mold and the "bending machine" need to be the same?
about the ribs - the length is allways 70cm but the width can change(4,5,6cm)?
there is any fiexd measurement to make them flat (after 10cm on the rib the width is X, after 30cm the width is Y....
many thanks for your ansewrs and help!
SamirCanada - 1-7-2019 at 05:08 AM
If you have a oud. Lay it down on a table on top of a large paper and trace the outline. Divide it by half and it's your mold template.
Fritz - 1-17-2019 at 08:52 AM
Hi yaki
There´s no "perfect" way to make the mold. As SamirCanada mentioned, the first thing to do is to make a template of the face. If you want to make a
deep mold ore a more flat one, or the count of ribs you wish to make, these things are on your own. The length of any rib differs slightly and depends
on the deepness of the mold.
I think, here an Mike´s you will find a lot of helping lines and pics. There are some very good ideas to create a good face if anyone wishes to do
so. Some are nearly mathematically constructed...
Depending on your ability and knowledge, tools and skills, woods and their availability, the time you´re able to spend, and the ability to stay some
bad things wich may perhaps happen, check out, in wich way your progress will grow.
But always keep in mind: If you want to make an Oud, make it as an Oud is made in general :-)
Good luck
Fritz
Dr. Oud - 10-14-2019 at 07:52 PM
You can make the back without a mold, instead make a simple block fixture holding the neck and tail blocks. This method does not impart residual
stress in the ribs bending them to fit the mold. This stress makes the back more easily cracked open. The curve of each rib must be precise, but I've
made 24 ouds without a mold. I used a mold for a Bachir design but didn't see any advantage. The open fixture allows access inside to more easily
align the rib edges. Besure to reinforce the seams inside aftewards. The Turks use paper strips, The Arabs mixed glue and wood fibers (not sawdust)
and applied over the seam. The paper doesn't seem to have any advantage, I've seen more seam failures with paper than the strand&glue mixture.