Installing the Saddle

To install the saddle, a mortise is cut into the bottom of the top plate, 33mm wide, up to the outer edge of the purfling, and a bit more than half deep into the edge:

The roughed out ebony saddle is then glued into the mortise and clamped - note that the saddle has a ledge that sits on top of the purfling:

When the glue has dried, the clamp is removed, and the saddle is shaped with a chisel, file, and scraper:

At this point, the saddle is still a bit rough -- final shaping and polishing will be completed after varnishing is complete.