Mandolin Construction Project

The first step was to begin reading  Roger Siminoff's book "The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual" and to decide what new tools were needed and to reorganize the existing workshop. After getting a few good clamps and a several new tools, wood was purchased from a supplier in Oregon.

The soundboard ( top ) is Sitka spruce & the backboard, sides & neck will be constructed from Oregon Myrtle. Oregon Myrtle is similar to maple and is becoming a new popular tone wood for luthiers to use in making acoustic instruments.

After spending week of April 17th fighting with band saw blade, finally got the sound board & back boards joined & templates made for body & neck profiles ( made from 3/16" plexiglass ) click for picture

Progress up to May 4th, includes getting the neck blank to a "squared" shape before cutting truss rod channel & adding peg head "ears" ( extensions along side of peg head to increase width ). Also shown in this picture is the body template ,  prior to tracing the outline onto the spruce sound board.

Latest tool that was required is a "thickness gauge", made from scrap mahogany that local carpenter was tossing !

June 13th- the spruce top is beginning to take shape ! and fingers getting sore from carving with finger planes !

Nov.'05- almost completed spruce top, myrtle backboard & the "kit" during finishing process

Jan.2006 - bending the myrtle ribs, picture 1, picture 2; then attacking the kerfing; still in form, almost ready for top to be attached