Mandolin Building

[Stanley Cox]

Hello All,
After lurking, reading, and following the discussions
I have decided to try to build an F style mandolin.
I picked the stew mac kit. I have met KayBee from this
board and he has helped me quite a bit.I will have a lot
of questions and I hope you will give me lots of answers.
Thanks Stanley

[Kent Barnes]

Thanks Stanley. We still need to get together and 'commiserate' about mando building. Harlan #2 is almost done. I'll be ready for final sanding and polishing, tuners, tailpiece, and bridge this weekend (hopefully!).

You won't find a better place to get your questions answered than right here. I've said it before: it really awesome that you can get advice from some of the best mando builders out there!

[Stanley Cox]

I know you builders have told us to get a little experience in basic woodworking.In my first post I told you I was building from a kit. The instructions says to use a bandsaw and other saws and tools to notch out for the scroll on the top, back and headblock.I have been practicing trying to get a notch, but no luck. I dont want to ruin 3 good pieces of the kit. I need tutoring on doing bandsaw cutting. My bandsaw is one of those 9" wonders, but I cant cut a curve.
Thanks for your help,
Stanley

[Yonkle]

I did a Stew mac F5 Kit and I used a coping saw for the scroll slot. I wished I had a bandsaw at the time. JD

[Kent Barnes]

I just replaced my 9" benchtop bandsaw with a 14" floor-standing for the simple reason that the 9" just isn't big enough for making F-style mandos. When cutting the scroll, you can't swing the body around far enough to get the entire scroll cut, so some of it will need to be done by hand anyway. It also make cutting the neck and peghead a challenge.
As always, just my opinion.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Michael Lewis]

Stanley, practice with scrap wood until you have the skill to cut out your scroll. It only takes a moment to make a big mistake with a power tool. Cut close along side the line but leave the line, you can carve the rest with chisels and gouges, or use rasps. This process will take longer than it should but you will have all the parts where they should be when you are done. It will only be late once, but if it is wrong it will be that way forever.

[fidlmaker]

Hi Stanley,

How wide of a blade are you using on your bandsaw? If it's much wider than 3/16", cutting a radius like that of a scroll will be difficult if not impossible. As Michael said, ruin a bunch of scrap until your confidence level is up to sawing the good stuff.

You've come to the right place. Best of luck.

[Stephanie Reiser]

I built my stew-mac using only an electric drill as a power tool. I used a coping saw otherwise. However, I am wanting to get more into the hobby, so I am looking for a decent used bandsaw.
Stephanie

[sunburst]

Stanley,
It may be that your bandsaw needs to be set up. That's one of the things woosworkers have to learn to do: set up and maintain their tools.

As an example, I have a good bandsaw. Whan it's freshly set up with a 1/8" blade I can cut 1/4" circles. After the blade has been changed several times, the guide blocks have worn, and things have gotten out of adjustment, I can barely stay within an eighth inch of a line, let alone confidently cut a scroll.
The better the setup, the better I can follow a line. Some cheap bandsaws cannot be set up really well.

[Stanley Cox]

Thanks to all who replied to tomy post.Your words of encuoragement meant a lot. My bandsaw is a 9" model
named Pro-Tech. It has a 1/8 blade on it now. I spent
a good portion yesterday cleaning it and trying to set
it up. I got the table as square to the blade as possible,
cleaned the guide blocks and back bearings. That helped.
Now it is practice , practice, practice.
Thanks again,
Stanley