View Full Version : IVkit vs Saga kit
stobias
Jan-31-2006, 9:08pm
Does anyone have any experiance or knowledge about these A type kits and what the differences might be?
otterly2k
Jan-31-2006, 10:09pm
I think they are the same kit.
Bill Snyder
Jan-31-2006, 10:55pm
Same kit. International Violin sells the Saga kit so everyone here has taken to refering to them as the "IV" kit.
I would recommend that if you purchase a Saga kit that you give Ken at International Violin a shot. There have been a few problems pop up with some of these kits and Ken has been good about standing behind them.
mikeyes
Feb-01-2006, 5:34am
They are the same thing.
JEStanek
Feb-01-2006, 7:44am
Does the Saga kit come with the Labella strings like the one from International Violin? I thought the strings were special from IV? That may be the only difference aside from good service and help from Ken Wise. The other reason I like IV is they also sell the micro mesh, clamps, and gooseneck scraper.
Jamie
stobias
Feb-01-2006, 8:47am
Thanks everyone! I thought that they were the same; I will buy mine through IV.
Do any of you guys know off hand what size finger planes one would need to do the carving. I see alot of differnt size and modles at their site.
And is the top flat enough to use a small hand held laminate router or would you have to fudge it a little with some shims.
otterly2k
Feb-01-2006, 12:16pm
from a similar thread in the builder's forum a while back, I think the 12mm convex fingerplane was the recommended size. However, there were some who preferred other sorts of tools for this work... scrapers, sanders, gouges, and various combos of all of the above.
DK re: your second q.
JEStanek
Feb-01-2006, 12:28pm
Look back through the builder section or Look at Hydrilla's blog (a link is in his signature line). I don't think you'll need any finger planes for this kit. The plates are pretty close to thickness. Most people posted using a little random orbit sander (3 head craftsman is a popular tool cause the heads come off), a gooseneck scraper that may need burnishing (be careful), and if you feel like binding the back a dremel tool and guide. Elsewise its just sand paper, shims and glue. You'll also want to make your own thickness guage (search for the build your own thread on thickness guages in the builder section too...)
Jamie
Bill Snyder
Feb-01-2006, 4:37pm
And is the top flat enough to use a small hand held laminate router or would you have to fudge it a little with some shims.
The top already has the binding channel cut. If you want to route one into the back you will need a canted base on your router/dremel.
Thanks for the info every one. Just one more question regarding the neck. At this price I wouldn't supspect
it uses a dove tail of any kind does it?
Is it a bolt on or pinned?
It sounds like it is pretty much a like a model,
just put it together and apply a finish.
So I look at is as a primer for finishing better
to test my skills on a $100 kit that with a $500
kit.
otterly2k
Feb-01-2006, 9:35pm
that's how I see it too, rlw
it's a little more than a model in that you have to carve/shape the top. but yeah...after that, it's assembly and finish. a good kit for skill building unless you're interested in necks and neck joints (which are pre-done on the kit)...it's a dowel joint.
Bill Snyder
Feb-01-2006, 10:58pm
It uses the same joint that Roger Siminoff showed in his first book on building a mandolin. It is a tapered mortise and tenon with two dowels to pin it in place. This thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=24724;hl=iv+and+neck+an d+joint) has a drawing I did of the joint with my questions and the subsequent answers about this type of neck joint.