Correct neck projection height for a mandolin ?

[Paul Lupus]

I have the back off of an old Italian mandolin for restoration and know the neck needs re-setting. Will slip the back to correct the neck angle when I re-assemble it. Wondering about neck angle projection over the top.  I know that a straightedge sitting on the frets of a straight steel string guitar neck commonly just clears the top of a correctly sized bridge blank. Does anyone want to hazard a statement regarding the "projection" of a 6 1/2" scale, flat top mandolin neck ?
Not surprisingly, the original bridge is mangled and at best only a hint of it's former construction / size because of successive attempts to lower action.
Thanks

[Doug T]

That fold in the top actually, in old tater-bug style mandolins, makes most of the break angle on the bridge. I just measured the neck angle on one I'm restoring in which the neck is stable and the bridge is original. The bridge is just under 1/2" tall, and the fingerboard is just 1/8" thick and flat. Amazingly, the neck is straight and stable. If the top is well "arched" (that is arched across the top but not front to back) the tension can't be too great and the action is nearly flat, measured the current one just over 1 degree.
Doug
Flat Cat Instruments

[Paul Lupus]

Not sure I'm following you here, do you mean string angle breaking across the saddle ? (as related to previously mentioned downward force on an old, thin top) Not much arch to these braces.
Also, how are you measuring degree of angle ?
Thanks,
Paul

[Doug T]

I should have said break angle at the saddle. With the old tater-bugs, the saddle is integral with the bridge, that is to say one and the same. Using a protractor, the neck joint is 91+ degrees. The top above the bend on the old tater-bug I'm working on is pretty well arched and thus weathered well the old piano wire strings.

[Paul Lupus]

OK, I get it. Actually, that folded top is a pretty ingenious idea that answers a couple of problems quite well. BTW, if you do these older mandos alot, where do you get your old style little bar frets for partial fret repair ? This thing has significant "ramping" at the FB extension.
BR,
Paul