Search:

I will be using Tru oil as a finish. Will sawdust mixed with Tru oil work? Just a thought!

I've been trying out some of the spruce top sandings (I saved some just in case). And it has dried darker as you say. I have some lighter spruce which I used to thicken the top with. I'll try some...

Have a look at Red Henry bridges. They may have been covered here but he has done a lot of work on bridge construction prompted by violin bridge designs. I tried one of his designs on a flat top ...

Just had my ebook from Rob. Lots to take in there and it will help to get my first setup correct. many thanks Rob.
Regards, Steve

The IV kit has a preassembled top and sides. The binding channel was already cut. Also the linings on these kits are quite thin, about the same thickness of the sides so there may not be enough...

Lets see if these work. Reduced in size now.
163027
163028
163029

You may be right Paul. Trying to fill them could be more noticeable than leaving them. This is a bit of a learning instrument...

Hi Don't. Yes it was to thank you too. Sorry about the pics. Think they may be too large. I'll try to sort that later today.

Some pics
162972162973162974

Thanks for the info. What glue should I use? I used Titebond original for the bindings and the back but that dries a yellow colour. The gaps are a bit too random for shavings. I'll try to post a pic...

I'm on to the finishing touches to my first Mando build, an IV kit. Now I've got it out of the workshop and in front of a sunlit window I can see some areas between the binding and the top that have...

I've worked with a few wood types having done some amateur woodturning projects. Rosewood was the only one that gave me a rash on my hands from the dust.

Thanks for the info. As I mentioned there aren't many that give a full on view. I have found one and will enlarge it to full size (good job I have a large monitor!) before tracing it. Oval hole ones...

I ordered up my IV kit without sound hole and now need to put one in. Can anyone give me guidance as to where either F-holes should go or a single oval sound hole. I've not quite made my mind up yet...

Hi,
I'm in the middle of the same build but have fitted the neck (but not glued yet). I wouldn't force the neck joint together as you will risk cracking the neck block. I had about the same initial...

I'm playing around with hot hide glue at the moment and have seen a temperature of 140 degrees F mentioned. Is this the temperature of the water in the water bath or the temperature of the glue...

Hi Adrian. Sounds like the way to go. Good idea about making a mold. I've found a supplier who can supply a slab of bracing material to cut the strips from. As a matter of interest what glue did you...

Thanks for the replies. I'd not considered a patch but it would be more difficult to ensure a perfect fit to the underside compared to shaping a brace.
I had originally intended a single oval...

See my post "IV kit revisited". It has a profile pic on it.

After sanding out the tool marks on the soundboard of my IV kit I have found it a bit thin in places (typically centering around the middle of the treble area). I want to reinforce it with some sort...

Having just retired I'm now reviving the IV mandolin kit I started a while ago (probably quite a while!). I'm smoothing out the machine marks on the soundboard to get an even datum and without any...

Thanks for the info everyone. Nava guitars appears to be on my route to some business links I have. In fact I was very close to there only three days ago. It may well be that I keep the instrument as...

I'm not sure if there is a mando luthier within 100 miles of here. What with the price of petrol it may not be worth the trip (I expect the instrument value is about £100 ($150)). I shall see if I...

I have an octave mandolin that took a tumble and resulted in a fine crack at the neck. It doesn't appear to move when I stress it but there is some slight discontinuity of the surface across the...

I used a workmate as my only 'bench' for 30 years because of lack of space. A really versatile piece of kit. However I've just built a bench and reorganised my workspace now that I'm building an IV...

I've just been working on it again to get the recurve to 3mm. The Graham McDonald book shows a recurve of 2.75mm on his equivalent model with a rim thickness of 4mm. I seem to have got rid of the...