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The second phase of the repair has gone fairly well. I beveled the edges of the trimmed hole to provide a bit of a glue surface. I then cut a piece of the prepared rib material to as exact a size match as I could, using sandpaper to sneak up on the size. I left it about 1mm higher than required so I can sand it down to match the rest of the carcass.
No matter how I tried, I couldn't get a good and reliable grip with two miniature clamps. I ended up making a clamping buck with a scrap of wood, using the Luthier's Friend to match the curve of the carcass. Even so, I won't know how well the patch fits until I remove the clamps next week.
While removing the top, it cracked from the bottom rib block. I glued it with thin hide glue after doing the patch. Once it's polished I doubt the crack will be visible.
The biggest challenge will be matching the colour. I blended a variety of oil paints with violin oil stain thinner. It came out too brown at first, then far too red. I left the concoction sitting in a film container, I'll adjust the shade next week.
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