Mandolin build...

[MikeH]

Well as some of you know I decided recently to build a mandolin. This has been a project I've been wanting to do for a long time. I've been practicing and playing my Fender A style mandolin and enjoying it, but it's just not an F style. I've had Roger Siminoff's Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin for a long time with the intention of building one "someday". Well that someday started this past weekend.

The first step was finding a nice piece of Maple which I did at Woodcraft. JohnW offered to help me resaw the piece of Maple and Friday afternoon we revealed the beauty of the piece of Maple. It started out as a block about 10/4 :

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Then made the first cut to rip the piece in half lengthwise and this is what we saw:

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We then split the two halves in half and after glueing up the 2 bookmatched sets and cutting them to a rough shape this is where I am on the build.

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I will be documenting and posting as much about the build as I can. I am really excited about going through this process. I hope everyone else enjoys the WIP pics as I move through this build.

Thanks for looking.

 

[dancam]

Beautiful...and keep the pics coming.

Dan C.

 

[uncledavid]

Mike, I too have an "A" style old Kentucky. so keep the pic's coming, be great to see how it turns out...

 

[alachua1947]

I would like to mention something. I think you need a slow growth spruce for the top.
Good luck

 

[MikeH]

Donald,
Thanks for the suggestion. I know most instruments have spruce tops, but I've decided to use this Maple for both the top and bottom of this mandolin. It may or may not sound good, but only time will tell. It will at least look good if nothing else.

I would like to mention something. I think you need a slow growth spruce for the top.
Good luck

 

[Rick M]

Anxious to see your progress. I've built a few hillbilly style instruments but have been wanting to make a nice lap steel for my daughter.

 

[danw]

I've built an archtop guitar with all maple and it sounds fantastic.

 

[CrealBilly]

Awesome decision - a long project with many steps - keep on trucking it'll come together eventually. Using various scrapers for final shaping works much better for me than sanding.

 

[MikeH]

That is beautiful! I was a little leary about using Maple for the top, but it's just too beautiful to only use for the back.

I've built an archtop guitar with all maple and it sounds fantastic.View attachment 7177View attachment 7178

 

[MikeH]

Awesome decision - a long project with many steps - keep on trucking it'll come together eventually. Using various scrapers for final shaping works much better for me than sanding.

I am having a blast so far. The anticipation is killing me, but I will take it very slow so I do it right.

 

[MrAudio815]

That will be one nice Mandolin~! Love the grain in that Curly Maple~!

 

[rcflyer23]

Mike looking forward to seeing the progress. I would like to build one in the future as well.

 

[CrealBilly]

I am having a blast so far. The anticipation is killing me, but I will take it very slow so I do it right.

You'll do fine... I found measuring off the centerline is how you get everything to line up. Pencil marks are actually too big, I use story sticks and a very thin razor to mark all the important measurments. So have you made a full size drawing yet to calculate the neck tilt / string break angle for the bridge your going to use?

 

[JohnW]

Hey Mike,
That is really looking great. I assume you will be carving on them a bit. If you don't already have one, a thickness gage that will reach the middle is real handy. Here's a pic of one you can make.
My experience with non-spruce tops is pretty good. Spruce will give a warm tone while hard wood that "rings" will probably be more in the treble range intonation wise, and that really sounds good on a Mandolin (to my ears).

Keep the WIP pics coming. I'm following this one for sure.
John W

 

[uncledavid]

Nice work Dan...

 

[MikeH]

So I started carving the inside of the back plate. It's going to take some time, but I'm not in a hurry. I don't think the gouge I'm using is the right tool for the job, but that's all I have at the moment.
Here is a pic of progress so far...

I also realized this weekend I need better plans. The Siminoff plans I have aren't as detailed as I think they should be. Roger Siminoff has newer plans and even plans for all the jigs for sale that I may invest in soon. It will either be Siminoff plans or plans that Elderly.com sells. The Elderly plans are $85 and I'm sure they are good, but I have a hard time justifying the cost right now. Thoughts?

 

[danw]

I have always carved the outside close to final shape before carving the inside. That way you can use a drill press with a depth stop to remove a lot of the waste when carving the inside.

 

[MikeH]

I have always carved the outside close to final shape before carving the inside. That way you can use a drill press with a depth stop to remove a lot of the waste when carving the inside.

I did consider the outside first, but I was concerned about not being able to lay it flat to carve on it. It's chicken or the egg dilemna. I can see reasons for doing it both ways. I'll probably switch and carve the outside. The drill press is a great idea. Thanks.

 

[danw]

I made a mold on the bandsaw that will support the weight at the edges while carving the inside. If you are making a mold for the sides, you might be able to use that. Just clamp the piece in the mold and carve away. To carve I will use curved bottom planes, scrapers, even orbital sander if it will that job easier. Carving maple isn't much fun.

 

[CarvedTones]

I built an A some years ago. I went with redwood for the top. I have seen/heard (online somewhere) an all oak mandolin that sounded fine. Most builders I have talked to say that other than obvious bad choices (wood that cracks easily or is way too soft and dampens vibrations) most wood will work. They use spruce mostly because a lot of players expect it. Because Loars were made with red spruce from a particular area, that wood is highly desirable. But lots of wood will ring when you thump a thin piece. Fun stuff! Keep us posted.