Starting a Bowlback

[Paul Montgomery]

I've built a few simple instruments but I'm finally stretching myself and attempting a bowlback mandolin. I have a lot of wood working experience but this looks like a challenge.

I used to take photographs of my projects but for the last few months I've been learning how to do video and so I've just finished the first video of some prep work that I've been doing. I fully expect this to take a while, but I'll keep this thread updated as I progress, and I gladly invite any advice along the way.

TIA

Paul M

http://openwoodshop.com/instruments/mandolinprep1.php

[MikeEdgerton]

This was for sale a few, well, maybe more than a few years back on eBay. Just another take on that form you're building.

[Jim Garber]

Paul: Interesting. Will you need to let those spruce pieces for the top air dry for any period of time?

Here is your first video embedded for convenience:

[Paul Montgomery]

Thanks. This spruce is pretty old so it quite dry. Another instrument maker got it from another musical instrument maker and I am promised more if I want. I don't know how long it's been around.

- - - Updated - - -

This was for sale a few, well, maybe more than a few years back on eBay. Just another take on that form you're building.

In fact, my plans came from ebay.

[Paul Montgomery]

This was for sale a few, well, maybe more than a few years back on eBay. Just another take on that form you're building.

I made a form similar to that, but then decided to switch over to a type I found in the "Historical Lute Construction" book. I still have that form and may come back to it in the future. Or not.

Paul M

[Jim Garber]

A luthier in Connecticut showed me a bowlback form he acquired from the Martin factory. You could see the multiple pinholes in it to secure the ribs for gluing. That one was a solid bowl shape. I can't imagine that you could make one of the higher end bowlbacks with 40+ ribs using the other style pictured above.

[Graham McDonald]

Here are a couple of solid moulds as used by Lorenzo Lippi in Milan. This first one is for an Embergher Style 5. The neck is attached at one end and the tailblock at the other.



The second is a mould for a Maldura style mandolin with some of the ribs attached. This one looks as though it could be made from 1" MDF



This last one is an oddity that was in Fred Oster's shop in Philadelphia a few years back and came from possibly the Holzapfel factory in Baltimore. I suspect the individual wedge shaped segments could be used to both shape the ribs and form part of the mould,

[Paul Montgomery]

Interesting pics sir. I got your book in the mail yesterday and am just settling down to a good read.

[Graham McDonald]

Interesting pics sir. I got your book in the mail yesterday and am just settling down to a good read.

I hope you find the book useful. Feel free to get in contact if I can be of assistance.

Next up is a book on building ukuleles!

Cheers

[Paul Montgomery]

So here is part 2 of the Bowlback Mandolin project. It only gets more interesting from here! Because this is the first one I'm still just working things out. I'm sure as time goes on I'll get more 'sophisticated' in my approach.

The videos are a LOT more work than plain images like I used to do, but as long as people keep liking them - I'll keep making them.

http://openwoodshop.com/instruments/mandolin2.php



Paul M