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I appreciate everyone's comments. and I'm happy with my mandolin's quirks, even as it would be nice to improve. Thanks, all.

While we're at it, what attachments do you use the most?

I was thinking that a dremel is a pretty essential building tool and I ought to pick one up. I noticed on my local craigslist a barely used 3000 for sale. I also noticed the new ones seem to be...

Oh yeah, next scratch build will, I think, be a flat top oval hole like a Kalamazoo. So I'll use the old Gibson shape. But that won't be for a while.

This building pic shows the endblock which is also the maple end, as requested by Bill.103563

Hi Al, good to hear from you! You're right, I've worked my way up, in a manner of speaking. I'll try and do a soundclip or video soon. I'm not very adept at these things. And a photo of the...

Oh, by the way, Bill, that isn't a bend near the tail piece. It's a separate piece of wood. Which, being maple, functions as the end block as well.

Hey Bill, I was afraid of doing most of it! Yes, an induced arch, from the Graham Macdonald book. (I did add one brace above the oval hole, and I used 3 transverse braces rather than x bracing on...

The fretboard is the same maple, stained. Ebony overlay on the headstock, black binding, and the fret markers came from Stew-mac.

Here are a few pics of my little travel mandolin. Still needs a proper bridge fitting and set up but it has rather a lovely sound, open, pretty loud, resonant but not overly so. Feels rather good to...

This is our first year together. The day the photos were taken the bass player broke a string just before the gig and had to use her acoustic bass.103344

Thanks for the resource. I have been wanting to buy a stiffener for a flatback I'd like to build. (I used a vintage one for my first build.) Can you tell me what exactly you order? It would be a...

Hi again. So far I haven't found any of these polishes locally (Maguiars, Norvus...). Can you tell me what I'm looking for so I can perhaps find a different brand that will work? A plastic polish? ...

On the flat top I'm doing now I used one of the few electric tools I have, a belt sander to shave down most of the overhang on the back. clamped the sander in the vise and held the mando against it....

Thanks, John. I've put a fifth coat on and will continue on. And I'll check out these polishing options.

Hey Gary,
I've admired your mandolins before.
Don't you think a solid body can take more coats than an acoustic?

Also, what sort of wax?

Thanks,
Cary

Hi all,
I'm using tru oil on the small flat top I'm building. I've got four coats on and it looks good. I would rather leave it as resonant as possible and am thinking of stopping there. Do you...

And my thanks to Peter.

If I can chime in with a question, is a convex plane the same, or does it do the same job as a finger plane? I'm finishing a scratch-build flat top and will build a IV kit next. All I need that I...

Happy birthday, Scott, and thanks!

what, I don't get to share the praise?

Just kidding. Nicely done, Darryl.

The homepage has taken note of this 1912 Martin for sale. But is it from 1912? I don't have the Martin book with me, but if I remember correctly the earlier ones were rosewood backs and sides. ...

I did a lot of searching around the internet and printed off a thick binder of stuff. Some of it was repair, some on building. I also took books out of the library on instrument (mostly guitar)...

looks like you did a nice job. have you posted pics elsewhere? Which kit was it?

I'm an amateur but I've repaired both those simple problems several times, with no issues afterwards. Unless one is talking about a very expensive instrument, I don't see why all players shouldn't...