Arches F5 Kit Build Blog

**Cmiller** · May-06-2013, 10:57am

Howdy folks,

I'm a lutherie student at the school in Red Wing, Minnesota, and I've been building an Arches F5 kit at home over the past few months. It is getting its final sand out before varnishing, so I figured it'd be a good time to let you good folks see it. I've been blogging about my experience of moving to the Midwest to attend school, so there is a fair amount of information about my program, the claro walnut dreadnaught I built at school, and some old time music ephemera.

I'll be rubbing a sunburst, then shellac and tru oil for the finish. I'm hoping to have it strung up for the Bluff Country Gathering in two weeks. I'm very happy with the quality and engineering of the Arches kit, and would like to salute Chris Baird for its existence.

Please feel free to ask questions. I've very much appreciated the expertise on this site, so thanks!

Chris

I'd post a teaser picture, but all of my files are too large, so check them out in their full glory here:

http://www.cmillerguitars.com

**Marty Jacobson** · May-06-2013, 11:05am

Nice work on those scrolls.

**Ron McMillan** · May-06-2013, 11:09am

Fascinating blog, and great pictures. Well done, Chris.

rm

**Clement Barrera-Ng** · May-06-2013, 10:23pm

Nice work and great reads. Keep it up.

**Cheryl Watson** · May-06-2013, 10:29pm

Chris, it looks as though this will be a gorgeous mandolin! I would love to hear it being played when it is finished...many of us would

**Steve Sorensen** · May-07-2013, 1:50am

Nice, clean work. Tattoo needs glasses to match the girl.
Steve

**Cmiller** · May-08-2013, 7:21am

Hey Folks! Sincerely, thank you for the kind words. I'm just chomping at the bit to get some finish on it and playing, with music festivals the next two weekends, but I don't want to rush it at the crucial juncture. Hopefully get some wash coats on it later today, and I'm excited for the shellac to warm the too cool sunburst. I'll try to get pictures up tonight.

It did occur to me to get glasses of the cowgirl, but decided against it for a several good reasons.

Once again, thanks,

Chris

**Cmiller** · May-15-2013, 11:14am

Alright, its got strings on it and everything! Really, a good sounding instrument, even newborn as it is. Once again, hats off to Chris at Arches.

-Chris