Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
I ain't never built one of them.
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Daughter said she wants a Mandolin.
- Thread starter Underhammer
- Start date
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
But that's never stopped me before.
The project starts in earnest.
Cedar top, black walnut back.
The project starts in earnest.
Cedar top, black walnut back.
Ncfish001
Four Pointer
This should be fun to follow. Excuse my ignorance are you a musician yourself?
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
I play an Appalachian dulcimer.
Not well but if I practice a song enough I can play it....
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
OK, plans change.
All the Cedar I had that was wide enough was cut through the center heart, and after I shaped a slab, it started to develop splits radially from the center grain.
So, I revisited the Walnut pile and got another piece. Shaped it up identical (mirror image) and now we will have Walnut front and back, and I'll use cedar for the sides.
I routed a rabbet (1/8") along the edges to take the side pieces, and drilled some indexing holes where I have some braces to put in. The holes will allow me to rough reassemble consistently while I shape the front and back.
I'll work on rough cutting the neck, figure a 6 degree bend. Then I'll try and hand cut a dovetail into that and the receiving block (they're curved so setting up the router for that will be a little tricky)
Once that is done, I'll rout out some area for the neck receiving block, and a piece for the tail.
Then out come the chisels, carving tools and sandpaper to shape the tops and bottom
All the Cedar I had that was wide enough was cut through the center heart, and after I shaped a slab, it started to develop splits radially from the center grain.
So, I revisited the Walnut pile and got another piece. Shaped it up identical (mirror image) and now we will have Walnut front and back, and I'll use cedar for the sides.
I routed a rabbet (1/8") along the edges to take the side pieces, and drilled some indexing holes where I have some braces to put in. The holes will allow me to rough reassemble consistently while I shape the front and back.
I'll work on rough cutting the neck, figure a 6 degree bend. Then I'll try and hand cut a dovetail into that and the receiving block (they're curved so setting up the router for that will be a little tricky)
Once that is done, I'll rout out some area for the neck receiving block, and a piece for the tail.
Then out come the chisels, carving tools and sandpaper to shape the tops and bottom
Just buy her one of these and be done.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
She'd probably use those too.
But I ain't never built one of them neither.
Yet..
But I ain't never built one of them neither.
Yet..
AGG
Four Pointer
Any progress on your mandolin? Also, what style are you going for? From the shape it doesn’t appear to be an A style or an F style unless you are going to cut out more from the pieces.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
About a month or so ago, I had a router misadventure. So I took a break until I got a few more items off the honey do list, so I can clear out my work area - and get a new router....
The collet on my old Craftsman split and sent my rabbet out at sufficient velocity that it bent the shaft and left a fine divot in my concrete floor. It was a good router, and we had fun times, but the misadventure also broke the spindle lock, so I'm getting a new one.
And nope, it's neither A nor F. Let's call it a V....
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agsnchunt
Old Mossy Horns
That could've been bad.
Rescue44
Old Mossy Horns
Is this a tip toe through the tulips thangie?? 
Zoa
Four Pointer
She a bluegrasser or an old-timer?
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
Folk and Presbyterian Hymnal....
Zoa
Four Pointer
Nice! Although I'm an Old Regular Baptist man when it comes to my religious singing. Building an instrument for your child is a wonderful thing to do, I look forward to seeing the progress.
AGG
Four Pointer
Did you ever get back around to the mandolin project?
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
Yes and no.
I was working the attachment for the neck and started thinking of a redesign, so I got wood cut for it and that was about the time my Dad took ill for the final time.
Still working on it amongst all my other new responsibilities. Probably get on it heavy after deer season.
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AGG
Four Pointer
Looking forward to hearing about it.
There's Something So Feminine About a Mandolin. You should listen to this song.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
Bet y'all thought I forgot.
Given my router misadventure, I decided to go with hand tools here on out.
Began shaping the back....
Figure I'd get it roughly to shape than get the gouges and carve out the interior till the wall thickness is acceptable.
Given my router misadventure, I decided to go with hand tools here on out.
Began shaping the back....
Figure I'd get it roughly to shape than get the gouges and carve out the interior till the wall thickness is acceptable.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
When the wife's away.....
luckybuck
Old Mossy Horns
You ever played with any Shumakers, Rash, or Lamberts?
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
Nah, I just hack at home.
Of course, when the girl was home for Thanksgiving, she took it.....
Maybe I'll get it back when I finish this thing, which more and more, will be a four paired stringed instrument, not necessarily a Mandolin....
Lowg08
Twelve Pointer
If you ever make it this may my kid plays everything. He will play with anyone. Banjo, guitar, electric, standing bass, mandolin and resonator. He’s in a little country, gospel band. If we can ever get our schedules matched up. I’ll bring him and an instrument to one of the camps.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
A secret:
I'm thinking of making a tenor banjo next...(or my offhand equivalent)
Don't tell my wife. She thinks I have enough projects in the queue
When the kid was back for Thanksgiving, we did the logical step with the dulcimer, since I already made it chromatic, and restrung it as a baritone instrument, given it's size. Probably could have went full bass, but we kept the paired strings standard, and both drones wound. Sounds deep and awesome.
(We put the white dots back on till she got.used to the new layout)
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Lowg08
Twelve Pointer
I’m almost jealous. I can’t even make a dog house without having to wrap it in rolled roofing to keep the rain out. If I was talented at making instruments like that probably feel obligated to build them.
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
Almost jumped the gun shaping the bottom.
Thankfully I left enough flat spots for future clamping because I needed to fit the neck to the proposed body.
Here is the top clamped on the neck with a 5° cant.
From underneath which thankfully you can't see is a notch in the top which the neck slides into.
Took a lot of fine chisel and plane work to make that fit without slop (except at the end of the neck which I'll clean up later.
Thankfully I left enough flat spots for future clamping because I needed to fit the neck to the proposed body.
Here is the top clamped on the neck with a 5° cant.
From underneath which thankfully you can't see is a notch in the top which the neck slides into.
Took a lot of fine chisel and plane work to make that fit without slop (except at the end of the neck which I'll clean up later.
TobyScreams
Twelve Pointer
I’ve made a handful of electric guitars (my “brand” was called Sojourn) but I don’t think I’d know where to begin with this. Never trusted myself enough to make a glued “set” neck.
It’s looking good so far! Keep it up!
It’s looking good so far! Keep it up!
Underhammer
Old Mossy Horns
As far as where to begin, it took a whole lot of drawing, and sketching, and cogitating.
The best thing I got going is that I don't know what I'm doing, so nothing really appears wrong yet....
AGG
Four Pointer
What kind of glue are you planning on using to put it all together? Are you going to just go with plain wood glue or a special type?
That dulcimer you made looks neat as well. I don’t know if you can post videos on here but it would be neat to hear the sound of it.
That dulcimer you made looks neat as well. I don’t know if you can post videos on here but it would be neat to hear the sound of it.