Yea. That’s not what I was imagining. It looks like some sanding or planing is in order. To get through the chatter.
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SBO22 - Mandola
- Thread starter Flamingo21
- Start date
If a piece didn't have enough meat, then I think the saw marks would make that piece fall apart.
But on the fingerboard the saw marks are hardly visible any more. There's just the stains/streaks. So if those disappear under the finish, I'm hopeful that the fingerboard will be usable.
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First experience cutting Padouk. It's living up to its reputation. Man, what a mess this makes! I suddenly had orange coloured hands.
The idea is to have a matching set of tailpiece, floating bridge, and thumb rest, all from Padouk.
Here's a mock-up with what I have so far. To complete the picture, I've added a few items that won't be in the final setup.
- Plastic nut. Very wrong colour, of course, and it is too short as well. I haven't decided what I'll make the definitive nut from.
- Fingerboard. It still must be made narrower. For this photo I've aligned it on the left hand side.
- Padouk thumb rest blank.
- Padouk floating bridge blank.
- Paper tailpiece.
- Plastic nut. Very wrong colour, of course, and it is too short as well. I haven't decided what I'll make the definitive nut from.
- Fingerboard. It still must be made narrower. For this photo I've aligned it on the left hand side.
- Padouk thumb rest blank.
- Padouk floating bridge blank.
- Paper tailpiece.
Foolishness aside: thank you for saying this. At one point I was in serious doubt whether I would get anywhere near the finish line. But it seems I've developed a way to keep myself going with this. So here we are: it's coming along and I have a good feeling about it.
Also, I've started experimenting with stain on an offcut of the body. No photos yet. The idea is to stain the body then sand back, I hope this will bring out that beautiful grain.
Stay tuned.
Staining and sanding back doesn't bring out the grain, like I hoped. It just gives a worn look.
This is after sanding to 320:
This is after sanding to 320:
Put some of your planned finish on it. Stain alone can leave a somewhat dull surface, no matter how much you sand. Color and grain contrast will change with the finish, too.
A tail block from beech, and a strap pin from a copper coloured bolt.
Sanding..... and sanding.............. and sanding...... and more sanding......
But I must say, that neck feels sooo smooth now.
But I must say, that neck feels sooo smooth now.
Instrumentalist, I don't know how much building you plan on doing in the future, but, I've watch a good amount of luthier-y videos, and a nice tool I've seen is a "thumb plane". Basically a little plane that you could use to clean up the bracing if you so desired. Just an FYI.
Hey Kaa!
I plan to keep building instruments. However I already have a number of tools waiting for me to pick them up and learn to use them.
I knew about the thumb plane, but I could work the bracing well enough with my gouge. Whatever is wrong with my bracing, it's me, it's not the tool.
I plan to keep building instruments. However I already have a number of tools waiting for me to pick them up and learn to use them.
I knew about the thumb plane, but I could work the bracing well enough with my gouge. Whatever is wrong with my bracing, it's me, it's not the tool.
Google just told me that Bloodwood dust can be carcinogenic, and that you need to wear face protection. Well I have plenty facemasks in the house. But I wish I'd read this sooner. 
Most exotic hardwoods are toxic in varying degrees. The small amounts that a hobbyist is exposed to are probably not enough to cause a problem.
YMMV, and how much risk are you willing to take? Good filtration during woodworking is just good practice.
YMMV, and how much risk are you willing to take? Good filtration during woodworking is just good practice.
A thumb rest, an unfinished floating bridge, and a very unfinished tailpiece. All from Padouk.
I glued the fingerboard onto the neck, so I was hoping to show you all some good clamp shots.
But alas, as soon as I applied any clamps, things started sliding around.
So in the end I'm just using this old iron vise as a weight. I hope it suffices.
But alas, as soon as I applied any clamps, things started sliding around.
So in the end I'm just using this old iron vise as a weight. I hope it suffices.
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I glued the fingerboard onto the neck with one edge flush. So the other edge still had to be trimmed to match the edge of the neck.
I did this with the router, but first I tried routing an offcut of the fingerboard, to see what happens. And I'm glad I did, because when conventional cutting, I got massive tear out:
So I made the entire cut as a climb cut. (Those of you experienced in routing will perhaps say this is normal when copy cutting along the grain, I don't know.)
Still, it didn't come out perfect:
I sanded it up to 320, and now it looks like this:
I guess I'll have to live with this. Maybe the lacquer will obscure some of it. Well, we can only try our best, can't we.
I did this with the router, but first I tried routing an offcut of the fingerboard, to see what happens. And I'm glad I did, because when conventional cutting, I got massive tear out:
So I made the entire cut as a climb cut. (Those of you experienced in routing will perhaps say this is normal when copy cutting along the grain, I don't know.)
Still, it didn't come out perfect:
I sanded it up to 320, and now it looks like this:
I guess I'll have to live with this. Maybe the lacquer will obscure some of it. Well, we can only try our best, can't we.
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