Adding The Center Strip

I’m adding the center strip cleat to the back. I first cut the back to its rough shape. The center strip is Sitka Spruce with the grain running perpendicular to the length of the strip. I need three small piece to make the strip. I’m using some of the cam clamps I made a few years ago and gluing each piece separately. I don’t have enough long clamps to glue them all at once.

I’m using the blue tape to help position the center strip pieces. The last one is glued.

Here is the finished center strip reinforcement for the back. The wood for the back is so thin this strip helps keep the center joint intact.

The walnut back has some light figure and might look pretty nice.