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Thread: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

  1. #1

    Default Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The Army-Navy, AN for short, is one of the classic designs from old days. It probably doesn't get enough attention because it is a flattop. There are some good ones still being built, but most are flattops. The exception is a carved top by M. David Mandolins of Berkley.

    I love the style and sound of the AN and have built a few over the years. So, I decided to give a carved top a go. I will try to document the build as it moved along over the next few weeks.

    The original AN was about 1 1/2 inches deep, but I decided to go a little deeper. The body will be rosewood, and the top will be red spruce. A maple neck will round out the wood choices.

    First: The top is squared up on a flat piece of marble countertop material with 50 grit sandpaper.
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    Next the top is glued up with bar clamps.
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    The side pieces are bent on a hot pipe and set in the form. Glue linings and end bocks are glued in.
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    The two halves of the back are joined.
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    The back is braced with the braced arched to an 8 foot radius.
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  3. #2

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The top is cut to size:
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    The ramp is set at 6 degrees with a hand plane and rough sandpaper:
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    The slot for the rosette is routed in:
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    A series of holes are drilled to a specific depth to guide the contour of the top:
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    A grinder with a sanding attachment is used to bring the wood down to the depth of the drilled holes. An orbital sander smooths out the marks left by the grinder. When everything looks smooth and flowing, the rosette is glued in:
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    A mockup of the finished top gives a good indication of the final layout:
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    The neck will have to wait until the top is glued to the body in order to get the correct angle. Note: the shape of the headstock was traced from an original Alrite that I restored a few years ago.
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    Last edited by Tukanu; Dec-29-2021 at 7:42am.

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  5. #3

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The underside is thinned in the same manner as the top. Holes are drilled to a specific depth ranging from 5mm in the center, and thinning out to 3mm around the edges. Also note that pilot holes for cutting out the sound hole are drilled while the soundboard is still thick enough to prevent cracking.
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    The inside is roughed out down to the depth on the holes with a sanding attachment on an angle grinder. I am working outside because of the tremendous amount of dust kick up by the grinder.
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    The inside of soundboard is smoothed out with an orbital sander. Working down to remove the last of the drill marks. It's okay to leave some of them visible. Better to stop and leave the marks, rather than go too far and over-thin the soundboard.
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    With the thinning complete, the X-braces are glued in.
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  6. #4
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Wow, you are moving right along! Looking good.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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  8. #5
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Very nice, clean work. Is/will there be a recurve on the top? Or did I miss something?
    Cary Fagan

  9. #6

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    No recurve... 3mm out to the edge.

  10. #7

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The X-brace is carved down to allow a little flex in the soundboard:
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    The top is glued to the rim:
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  11. #8

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Quote Originally Posted by Tukanu View Post
    No recurve... 3mm out to the edge.
    No recurve? So is the arch very bulbous all the way to the edge, or does the arch just go flat where the recurve would be?

  12. #9

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Brown View Post
    No recurve? So is the arch very bulbous all the way to the edge, or does the arch just go flat where the recurve would be?
    It goes fairly flat...see the next set of photos. I didn't want to get too far away from the flattop look.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Tukanu; Dec-31-2021 at 3:17pm.

  13. #10

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The ledge is cut to receive the edge binding:
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    Binding in place:
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    Thats about it for a week while I wait on a delivery of maple for the neck.
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  15. #11

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Just getting back to A/N project. The neck is curly maple cut from a 1x3 and folded back on itself so that the grain of the two halves work together to strengthen the neck. A center stripe of rosewood was added. Also, a carbon fiber rod was imbedded in epoxy:
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    The inside view shows the barrel nut and bolt that secures the neck to the body. This gets assembled and un-assemble a dozen times to get the fit perfect. The joint will eventually be epoxied with the bold serving to keep things in alignment while the epoxy cures.
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    The ears are glued to the headstock:
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    Next week, the neck will get its final shaping and sanding.
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  17. #12
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Quote Originally Posted by Tukanu View Post
    Just getting back to A/N project. The neck is curly maple cut from a 1x3 and folded back on itself so that the grain of the two halves work together to strengthen the neck. A center stripe of rosewood was added. Also, a carbon fiber rod was imbedded in epoxy:
    Click image for larger version. 

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    The inside view shows the barrel nut and bolt that secures the neck to the body. This gets assembled and un-assemble a dozen times to get the fit perfect. The joint will eventually be epoxied with the bold serving to keep things in alignment while the epoxy cures.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    The ears are glued to the headstock:
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    Next week, the neck will get its final shaping and sanding.
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    So you are using a face joint for the neck set. Is epoxy necessary? Would not Titebond work as well with the barrel bolt?
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  18. #13

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Quote Originally Posted by Charles E. View Post
    So you are using a face joint for the neck set. Is epoxy necessary? Would not Titebond work as well with the barrel bolt?
    In order to get the sides of the neck absolutely flush to the body, I give the neck a concave shape. Also, the concave shape allows me to shave a little of the left or the right in order to set the alignment of the neck to the body. The epoxy fills the gap created by the concave shape. Titebond doesn't work very well as a gap-filler.
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  20. #14
    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Nice! I like flat topped mandolins.

    Jamie
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  21. #15

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    A little more progress. The neck shape is roughed out, and the headstock is shaped. It is a nice copy of the original Army/Navy.

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  22. #16
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    It is not a flat top, it is a carved top, inspired by the shape of the Army Navy. Cool project.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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  24. #17

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The neck is carved, sanded, and glued to the body:

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    Tuners and tailpiece in for final fit:

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  25. #18

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    The construction is done. The back is attached, and the fret board is glued in place. The steel rod helps to keep the fret board flat while the glue dries. I'll start applying the finish in a few days, and it should be ready for strings in a week or so.

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  27. #19
    Tired & Cranky Monte Barnett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Lovely work! Looking forward to seeing & hearing this beauty!
    Monte

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  28. #20
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Quote Originally Posted by Tukanu View Post
    The construction is done. The back is attached, and the fret board is glued in place. The steel rod helps to keep the fret board flat while the glue dries. I'll start applying the finish in a few days, and it should be ready for strings in a week or so.

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    David, any updates on the build? Have you strung it up?
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  29. #21

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Hi Charley,
    I got called away on another project, so I haven't had a chance to put the finish on yet.

  30. #22

    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Finaly got around to putting finish on this Arm/Navy. It has a nice clear tone and a little bit of sustain. Grover tuners, Silverangel bridge, cloud tailpiece.

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  31. #23
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Wow, that looks fantastic.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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  33. #24
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    Beautiful.
    Cary Fagan

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  35. #25
    Registered User Markkunkel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the carved top Army Navy AN

    What creative and nice and unique work you are doing, Dave! I enjoy the double-top (in your signature pic) most days.... I've never had a mando with as much volume and depth of character as that one.

    Keep building, and thanks!

    Mark

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