Search:

I just finished an A5 using the stewmac plans. They are really just full size drawings of the components. Helpful for making templates. Zero instruction and not all measurements are listed like width...

Just finished my first mandolin scratch build.
A very satisfying project...you're gonna love it
How do you plan on bending the sides?

Thank you so much for your replies!
I'd been doing this style of marquetry for a while on other woodworking projects so it seemed like a good idea to try it with an instrument. As I've been learning...

A first mandolin for me and a little brother for Tailgate Guitar. I call them "Tailgate's" because I build them on the tailgate of my truck. The mandolin was built from scratch using Stew-Mac A-5...

Sure wish I could join you guys on Friday. I work in a hospital which is open 24/7 and I cant get off. Extra bummer because my first mandolin will be finished tomorrow and I'd love for you to see it....

Anyone have experience with AquaCoat grain filler ? In particular how lacquer reacts being sprayed over it once the filler application is complete ?

Thanks,
Chuck.

Go to stewmac.com and search for their fret calculator. It will tell you the proper distance from nut to bridge. However, it will ask for the scale length and you might have to guess since your...

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I worked on the frets today using a very small file and carefully rounding all of the ends. I'm using standard mandolin gold fret wire from lmii. The ends, having...

Any tricks for getting nice clean ends of frets? I've trimmed to width and filed at an angle but a few seem a little rough when I run my hand up and down the neck.
I'm trying to do a good job.
...

Here's a simple way to rout for bindings. I fastened a castor wheel to a 2x4 to use as a fence.
108155

After a couple weeks of slacking I got back to work on Tailgate Mandolin. Today I installed the truss rod and the fretboard.
I'm building this from scratch using StewMac A-5 plans as a guide....

Yeah, build a mandolin with the pumpkin and name it "Gourdzilla"

107278
my workshop, where I'm building Tailgate Mandolin.

"Your results and mileage may differ, especially if you are one of the crusty-crusty, tone deaf, 1924 obsessed "whole lotta nuthin'" types"

Well... I don't think I am. Not yet anyway. I don't know...

Thanks everyone,
Nevin, I hadn't heard that before. The instructions at StewMac.com don't mention it. They say to route a channel 7/16 deep the entire length.

It doesn't have to be adjustable, I just want it to serve it's intended purpose. Without thinking about it too much, it seems like a compression rod would apply pressure in the same direction that...

What's the prevailing wisdom on truss rods? I'm building my first mandolin relying on A-5 plans from StewMac. The truss rod that StewMac offers looks like a simple compression rod. Not sure that's...

I purchased this black walnut board for $75 and took it to a local lumberyard and they charged me another $75 (their minimum hr fee. It only took him a few minutes, though) to resaw it. The guy had...

106680

Using a castor wheel attached to a 2X4 for a fence on my table router. Works great for binding around curves.


106681

my workshop

Brian, very cool. Hope you post some more pics.

It's Cherry. Back and sides.

106589

I'm glad Home Depot had a sale on clamps. .99ea :)

Good eye Marty. That's cherry. I know everybody likes spruce but I like to be different. It has a very nice tap tone.

Bill, yes this is my own design. I put an x on the back to match the top because the bracing is curved and I wanted the top and back to have the same arch. I've chiseled them down as much as I feel...

really enjoyed your playing. you make it look easy.