Mandolins in progress

**Max Girouard** · Apr-12-2012, 6:21pm

Also, here is a shot of us pore filling flammed Koa bindings. Not sure if it was necessary to pore fill, but figured it couldn't hurt!

**Mando Tristan** · Apr-14-2012, 10:08am

My first mando is underway! All I've got so far is the neck, which is just plain ole hard maple.

Click image for larger version.

Name: IMG_0638.jpg
Views: 272
Size: 103.9 KB
ID: 85016

Click image for larger version.

Name: IMG_0639.jpg
Views: 247
Size: 108.7 KB
ID: 85017

**Steve Sorensen** · Apr-16-2012, 1:18am

For some reason, this shot I grabbed right after stringing up Bob B's mando explains why I love making these things.

Click image for larger version.

Name: Strings 4 13 2012.jpg
Views: 278
Size: 109.3 KB
ID: 85089

Steve

**Ben Milne** · Apr-16-2012, 2:15am

Love those hooked F-holes, Steve. Does the mandolin have an open scroll?

**Kip Carter** · Apr-16-2012, 7:06am

Originally Posted by StevenS

For some reason, this shot I grabbed right after stringing up Bob B's mando explains why I love making these things.

Steve

Steve,
Your mandolins are nothing short of works of art. Again a beautiful instrument. One of these days i'm gonna find the budget to own one of these beauties. Just breathtaking.

Kip...

**Steve Sorensen** · Apr-16-2012, 8:49am

Ben,
Here's the whole mandolin -

Click image for larger version.

Name: First notes 4 13 2102.jpg
Views: 365
Size: 55.8 KB
ID: 85104

Steve

**Skip Kelley** · Apr-16-2012, 9:26am

Max, nice looking binding! That mandolin is going to look great!!!

Steven, your sound holes really compliment the lines of your mandolins!!

**GarY Nava** · Apr-19-2012, 11:17am

Hi Guys, here's the next one- cocobolo back & sides with a red spruce top and a cocobolo rosette.
Tomorrow I route!
Cheers Gary.

http://www.navaguitars.co.uk/mandolins.html

**Max Girouard** · Apr-19-2012, 11:24am

Nice Cocobolo on that one Gary!

**Max Girouard** · Apr-19-2012, 2:10pm

Buffing this one out today......

A little bear claw in the grass, or what should be grass and not weeds.

**Ed Goist** · Apr-19-2012, 6:11pm

Steve, beautiful and unique design executed wonderfully!
Magnificent back and sides, Gary!
Max, that is beautiful! I love the contrast between the top and the Ebony of the fretboard and peghead overlay. Really nice.
This thread continues to be very dangerous territory for those of us particularly susceptible to MAS and its related afflictions.

Keep up the great work all!

**crazymandolinist** · Apr-19-2012, 9:18pm

That two point is up my alley. Inspires me to start building again rather than messing about.

**Max Girouard** · Apr-20-2012, 2:09pm

Just got this one strung up yesterday. Just a few more tweaks on the setup and she is done! Modeled after the Ms. Griffith A5, but on the red side.

**Steve-o** · Apr-20-2012, 8:25pm

That A is a real beauty Max. I'd love to play it or hear it.

**Dan Voight** · Apr-22-2012, 1:30am

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

I don't see any 3 point mandolin -- am I missing something?

The pics of the 3 point are on their way soon.

**Charles E.** · Apr-22-2012, 8:45am

Originally Posted by GarY Nava

Hi Guys, here's the next one- cocobolo back & sides with a red spruce top and a cocobolo rosette.
Tomorrow I route!
Cheers Gary.

http://www.navaguitars.co.uk/mandolins.html

That looks really nice. I am looking forward to seeing what binding you install and what the headstock design will be.

**Ben Milne** · Apr-22-2012, 10:28am

Originally Posted by StevenS

Ben,
Here's the whole mandolin -

Steve

Looking good Steve... I'm impartial to well executed open scrolls and those hooked ff holes compliment it nicely.

**Max Girouard** · Apr-22-2012, 5:24pm

I hope I'm not posting too much! Just doing my part to make this one of the longest threads on the forum! We just stained an A5 that features a black top, bursty sides back and neck and flammed Koa wood bindings. This one will be going to a repeat customer as his 4th order! These photos were taken after a couple of coats of shellac where applied as a sealer. The plan is to get it into finishing tomorrow, as long as I can figure out how to replace the bad bearings in my spray booth.

**Ed Goist** · Apr-22-2012, 6:20pm

Gorgeous Max!
The contrast between the top/binding/rim is spectacular (especially as seen in pics 5 & 6).

**billhay4** · Apr-23-2012, 10:19am

Lovely, instrument, Max.
Bill

**HoGo** · Apr-23-2012, 3:51pm

That's mighty cool Max! I made few with flamed maple bindings and it is major PITA to keep the color away from the binding. I wonder how did you aproach this... sealed with lacquer or masked, or both? Or color in the finish?

**Max Girouard** · Apr-23-2012, 4:25pm

Originally Posted by HoGo

That's mighty cool Max! I made few with flamed maple bindings and it is major PITA to keep the color away from the binding. I wonder how did you aproach this... sealed with lacquer or masked, or both? Or color in the finish?

Hi Adrian, you are right, major PITA.

First we did a pore fill on the koa bindings as they had large pores. Then Lauri masked off the whole instument and painted shellac onto the bindings. I think she did three coats. Then she took all the tape off and stained by hand as usual. Unfortuanatly everywhere the pore fill (z poxy) touched maple, it also seeped into the wood rejecting the stain. So out came the air brush with some dyed shellac, and that fixed the problem. Next time I don't think we will use the epoxy pore fill and just brush on a heavy cut of shellac. Once the staining was done, we scraped with a razor blade to reveal the bindings again. Then we seal coated the instrument with a few coats of pure shellac. It was our first time with wood bindings so we learned a lot from this experience.