Mandolin work holding device

[fishtownmike]

I was wondering if anyone use's something similar to a violin cradle for working on mandolins. The only problem with a violin cradle like device is the limited neck support not suitable for refretting. I currently use one of these leather bunny ear rest filled with sand from LMI. It's great for refretting and other stuff but it trully doesn't lock the instrument down so it cant move. What do you guys use? Any home made or bought jigs to hold a finished mandolin? Pictures if you have them would be appreciated...Mike

[Michael Lewis]

I have been using a device called the "apprentice" which was designed and made by my friend, Bill Schmidt. It took a month to really begin to be comfortable with it but now I would be lost without it. The range of use is really great as it adjusts to hold just about any shape and can hold tiny fiddles, dulcimers, auto harps, banjos, guitars, Ovations, and I have used it for working on 3/4 size upright basses. It is always a safe place to set an instrument so there is never a danger of string clippings, tools, glue, or anything else that might happen to be on a work bench.

[Tavy]

I really like the idea of the apprentice

For refrets I've been either using my knee as a rest (just place under the fret you're putting in), or else gently hold the neck in one hand and then hit with the other

I figure that if I need to hit the frets hard enough for that to be impractical and/or painful, then I'd be hitting it too hard anyway!

Of course I'm just making this up as I go along.... can you tell?

John.

[Rob Grant]

I use a "sand snake." The "snake" consist of a long cloth tube (~1 metre) filled with fine sand and closed at both ends. I coil it on the work bench so that it can support the various portions of the instrument that I happen to be working on. You can even lay a portion of it over the neck or body to gently secure the instrument. The key is to use a soft, strong cloth for the tube and don't pack the sand too tight.

I got the idea from my workshop "rodent controller"... a local Night Tiger or Brown Tree Snake that hangs out in the rafters during the day (below).

[billhay4]

Gee, mate, you could have got a cat.
:-)
Bill

[lenf12]

Gee, mate, you could have got a cat. :-)Bill

He did but the snake ate it

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Mandolincelli]

Check this out:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...=noodle+crutch

[fishtownmike]

It's funny you mentioned this then i was reading and old Guitarmaker magazine and seen an article by you in it today while at my real job.Do they still sell these devices? Can't find any info on the web about them. They were sold by the widget works and a google search of that gives you a million non related hits...Mike

I have been using a device called the "apprentice" which was designed and made by my friend, Bill Schmidt. It took a month to really begin to be comfortable with it but now I would be lost without it. The range of use is really great as it adjusts to hold just about any shape and can hold tiny fiddles, dulcimers, auto harps, banjos, guitars, Ovations, and I have used it for working on 3/4 size upright basses. It is always a safe place to set an instrument so there is never a danger of string clippings, tools, glue, or anything else that might happen to be on a work bench.

[Michael Lewis]

The Apprentice is not currently available but may be later this year. Bill Schmidt doesn't have a web site nor e-mail and refuses to get either. He is retired and not much in the mood to work too hard making them anymore, so another friend and I are slowly working toward making them available again. Bill made probably around 50 of them before he shut down his business venture. The product still has some inertia and could stand a revival.

[Folkmusician.com]

OK, now I am curious, Can we see a picture of the "Apprentice".?

[thistle3585]

There is a photo here. http://www.allenguitar.com/IMAGES/TOOLING/ra_bld10.jpg

[Meadowview]

I got this idea from Siminoff's book where he advised to get a "wood workers clamp", drill a hole in the jaws and glue some leather in the hole to prevent damage.
I made mine out of some pieces of oak I had laying around and used a couple pieces of "all thread rod" with wing nuts. The book told to get a large wood working clamp and drill a 1 3/8" hole though it with the jaws clamped together. I glued some leather strips inside to protect the finish and have some extra strips of leather to compensate for different sizes of necks. You can vary where you place this in a vise to get the instrument at the height you prefer. And you can turn the instrument the other way to work on the nut or headstock. Hope this helps.

[Ben Milne]

Some creative googling reveals that Harry Fleishman did a review on the apprentice in American Lutherie #37.

[oldwave maker]

Cobbled this up from the scrap pile, been meaning to upgrade for decades, holds all mando/dola shapes, built a bigger one for octave/cello shapes, have a coffeecup/beercan drink holder for it, just havent installed it yet......

[fishtownmike]

oldwave maker that is a cool work device. Thanks for sharing the pic...mike

[fishtownmike]

Mike have you guys ever thought of maybe offering a blueprint of the device?..Mike

The Apprentice is not currently available but may be later this year. Bill Schmidt doesn't have a web site nor e-mail and refuses to get either. He is retired and not much in the mood to work too hard making them anymore, so another friend and I are slowly working toward making them available again. Bill made probably around 50 of them before he shut down his business venture. The product still has some inertia and could stand a revival.

[Michael Lewis]

There was never a plan for the device. Bill just made it and it worked. I will bump my friend with the CNC, maybe it could happen sooner than later.