And this is what the work bench looked like a couple months ago:
Attachment 128145
Last edited by David Houchens; Dec-29-2014 at 7:57am.
David Houchens
http://bryceinstruments.com/
This mandolin was carved way too thin in the tail block area. It is only mid 0.090's 1 1/2" in from the binding. It has developed a cross grain wrinkle (no visible crack) slightly in front of the tail piece where the top comes up really steep.
Using HHG, my plan is to build up some thickness in this area and probably a larger tail block.
David Houchens
http://bryceinstruments.com/
Here's a view from the outside.
This mandolin has seen a lot of repair work in its life. Not all of it positive. It appears the top was taken off in the past, leaving much of the top still on the rim in places. The top has considerable grain runout.
This is the same mandolin I had to rebuilt the neck block before being able to reset the neck a year or so ago after another repair person had reset the neck twice leaving bondo and other strange materials in the neck, neck block and extender area.
I hope this brings new life to this battered mandolin.
Last edited by David Houchens; Dec-29-2014 at 8:00am.
David Houchens
http://bryceinstruments.com/
So I just got this old Russian violin in this morning. Here are pics after unpacking...
And what I found when I opened it up... Have you ever found a chunk of a log, bark barely removed, inside an instrument acting as some sort of "endblock" !??? Not really sure the top can be salvaged, its just been sanded so thin from the inside that there is no structural integrity left. Even if it could support a bridge, it would sound like a tin can.
and here is my stash of violins in the process of restoration... yes, this is my kitchen counter. I'm currently in an apartment, so I have to transport my projects back and forth from my friends shop down town. Cant wait to get into a shop again!
pianoman89, Thanks for the nice words on the Possum. I like this look myself.
David Houchens
http://bryceinstruments.com/
I converted my Student model mandolin banjo to a 4 stringer and now I'm dressing it up with this inlayed headstock veneer. I have new geared banjo tuners ordered.
Just cleaned up the maple bindings on an English walnut mandolin.
Cheers Gary
Gary Nava UK luthier
Website; http://www.navaguitars.co.uk/mandolins.html
A Luthier's Blog; http://guitar-maker.blogspot.co.uk/
Instrument Archive; http://nava-instruments.blogspot.co.uk/
That's the business.
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Apollonio Acousto-electric bouzouki (in shop)
Mixter 10 string mandola (still waiting 2+ yrs)
Unknown brand Mandocaster (on the way!)
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"Doubt begins only at the last frontiers of what is possible." -- Ambrose Bierce
Not exactly a mandolin family instrument, but it's not much bigger than a mandolin. 17" scale electric guitar for my daughters. It's in the middle of the finishing process. Not my favorite part of the build, I must admit. Although it is rewarding to see how it transforms through the finishing process.
My next project will be a 17" scale mandola (Which is convenient since I've got several more of these 17" scale fretboards). Carved top, with a D hole. Leaning toward an engelmann top and claro walnut back and sides. Not sure if the fretboard will be bloodwood or bocote yet...
Nice job. Like your 5-piece neck; should be very stable.
I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores
Almost done with my latest project on the amateur's bench.
This one is here for a little TLC.
Here is the headstock design I'm working on.
Similar here. Collapsed top. Bulged behind bridge (partially it was made that way) and sunken under tailpiece. Top seam opened and wouldn't stay closed. I glued the crack using CA (only thing that seems to hold on dirty old failed repaired seams) thinned and smoothed the inside and I'm applying patch in 5 long strips and will add one more short but wider patch under tailpiece (not crossgrain- I want to build up strength along the grain) as they are easier to fit and glue (2mm thick). Working with HHG against plaster cast as I'm trying to reshape the arch slightly as well.
Adrian
Yes, I'm looking forward to getting the thing in. The fb is buckled as well, so that will have to be removed anyway. But Im a sucker for basket cases, as this one was literally described as in the eBay listing...
As most of my work has been on violins, I am used to patching from the underside if that turns out to be needed. I do think the glare makes it look worse than it really is, as a picture of the inside (the back comes removed) did not look like cross grain cracking. Wont know till its in hand though..
I extended the top of the added tailpiece to support the wrinkled portion of the top. I had to add a small piece of veneer on the back plate where it dropped off in front of the original tailpiece to support the added width on the bottom. ( the glue you see behind the added tailpiece is just a beveled edge. I took my time making this a good joint. Just didn't want to remove extra for this little spot)
Also this mandolin had a screw-in strap/end pin. I drilled through and inserted a small threaded insert. This will allow a machine screw to sandwich it and add stability to the two piece TP.
I hope glue the back on today. With the VERY thin top, this was a very thin, poor sounding mandolin. I'm really hoping that this not only solves the structural problems with this mandolin, but helps the tone as well. We'll see... Or hear
In a close up you can see where this top has been sawed and ripped off. It seems to have lived a hard life. The tone bars were pretty rough as well.
David Houchens
http://bryceinstruments.com/
http://i.imgur.com/kLW1ERz.jpg http://i.imgur.com/LnJXUvJ.jpg
The album so far is here: http://imgur.com/a/HMtEg It's all in a box at the moment while I do law this morning.
I've also got some other projects going, two Betts, two Alard, a big Maggini, and a small Andrea Amati. Here's the wood on one of the Alard instruments:http://i.imgur.com/fAlC4tJ.jpg
So I have 8 violin plates to purfle. I'm getting new bits and turning Rebecca loose on them! I like to do it by hand, but I simply cannot survive 8 plates! I think there's 7 scrolls to do as well!!!!!
Stephen Perry
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