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I often have trouble with finish flaking on the corner where there's finish on the side of the fingerboard, but none on the face. I mask the face of the fingerboard before spraying or brushing, and...

I'm mostly a mandolin builder, but given the enthusiasm of folks in this thread for beautiful woods, I couldn't help but post my latest build, all local woods from Tanzania where I live. 206648Back...

And a matching scroll on the soundhole end of the fretboard. Wow!

Adrian, do you work the tone bars through the F-holes, or do have to take the back off to adjust/replace them?

thanks,

Neil

Ditto on the ebonizing. You'll get a much more natural look than with a dye. You may not even need the tea wash if there are enough tannins in your walnut. Try the Iron oxide alone.

Thanks to all for the great feedback. I'm travelling at the moment, but when i get a chance I'll do a more thorough exam inside the instrument.

Adrian, I see your Schofield post from 2015, but...

I've repaired sagging tops, but this is different. A sagging top results in lowered action, which has not been the case with this instrument. it's really more a bulge than a sag.

My reservation...

The top is sitka bought from Alaska Specialty Woods.

Good guess. There is a hairline separation (maybe just the finish at this point?) That obviously concerns me more than the bulge.

This was built using Simminof specs. In more recent builds I've...

I built this F-5 17 years ago, and after a lot of travelling, it's starting to complain. The top (between bridge and tailpiece) seems to be bulging upward, presumably from forward movement of the...

I seal the inside of my instruments, mostly to moderate changes in humidity. I want both the inside and outside to adsorb humidity at a similar rate.

I milled out the fingerboard in the OP from a tree in a back pasture I managed in Texas. I had to pick and choose my trees, but most ranchers are more than happy to get rid of any tree you're...

I'm of the opinion that a fingerboard's main role is structural and aesthetic but that it's effect on tone is minimal, especially on a mandolin with an already-stiff maple neck. Both mesquite and...

Five years ago I finished this F-style with an ebonized mesquite fingerboard. I soaked the near-finished board in Heintz white vinegar after letting it "eat" a pad of steel wool. The finished board...

First off, I'd send a note to whomever sold you the kit and complain re the quality of what you got. That's simply unacceptable.

If you do fill, keep in mind that even clear glue inevitably makes...

Thanks Chris,

I'm in E. Africa and looked high and low for good ethanol or methylated spirit. This is the best thing I could find. The manufacturer in Nairobi claimed it was ethanol with a...

Thanks for all these excellent responses.

After several weeks of hardening,I thought my problems were over (no new pimples surfacing) so repaired, buffed & strung them up (see pix). Put them in...

The wood is red maple, birdseye, mesquite & ebony. A pretty good range! Now that you mention it, though I think it's probably worse on the more porous woods, though the maple shows it in some areas.

Interesting...I've tried to keep them in a warm spot to speed up the process. Is there a good way to tell if it has a significant amount of isopropyl in it? Padding sessions seem to dry to the...

I been finishing 3 mandolins over the past few weeks, and have a never-before encountered problem. I've used this same method in the past with no problems. I spray the first 10-12 coats of shellac,...

Gorilla Glue may well be the culprit. It has a more granular surface than I would expect with epoxy, but 10 minutes in boiling water left it hard as a rock. You gotta respect (and hate) such glues....

I do have some dental picks to take off larger chunk, but I'm concerned about the thinner residue covering most of the surface. Are you saying you scratch away at the entire surface? What kind of...

I was recently brought this Gibson headstock break and upon examination, discovered that it was actually a re-break. The owner doesn't know who did the first fix but there's enough old glue left...

And get a honing guide. Makes a huge difference...

On the other hand, IMHO a well-made mandolin is a work of visual art as well as something that sounds great. I still get a thrill every time I put the first coats of finish over figured maple or...