Hello. I am currently making my first-ever mandolin based on the F5 model and using Siminoff's book. I am not laboring under any illusions that it will be perfect. So I have made some mistakes, but I have not scrapped the whole project. I want to experience the complete process so that I learn as much as possible.
I am currently shaping the spruce top. I have used a combination of chisels and planes. The templates I am using are from Siminoff's book.
You can see in the picture that portions of the top are appropriately shaped. Area "B" is almost perfectly shaped. However, I have not successfully achieved the arched top as you can see in section "A," where there is a substantial gap. Also, in area "C" at the edges, there is a bit of room for the upturned lip on the edge.
The bad news is that for most of the sections I have achieved appropriate thickness based on Siminoff's templates. So I do not have much material left to spare as I finish up.
My question is this: What is the best way to finish shaping this top so that all sections are as close as possible to their ideal shape? Can I shave some off of section "B" while retaining its shape, so as to achieve the arch at the top and the upturned lip at the edge?
Thank you for any suggestions you may have.
-Mark
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