Post a picture of what's on your bench?

[Steve Sorensen]

You can recognize a guy who has fixed a million old center seams by his pre-cleating.

Steve

[Dusepo]

[Steve Sorensen]

The current build-set curing between coats of varnish --



Steve

[Fergus Lester]

My solid body electric project using a neck from an old acoustic.https://db3pap003files.storage.live....&cropmode=none The body is ash. Nut and bridge are temporary, there's a fret missing etc, but it plays quite well.

[Rose #1]

Beautiful work everyone... just stunning


#37 taking shape got my body together and pencil lines draw ready to hand cut the binding channel. No jigs on these just old fashioned hand work

[Charles E.]

At the violin shop where I worked, my employer said that cutting the purfling channels on a cello by hand was "like a walk across a desert".

Looking good!

[HoGo]

At the violin shop where I worked, my employer said that cutting the purfling channels on a cello by hand was "like a walk across a desert".

Looking good!

I cut binding ledges on my latest by hand and didn't consider it all that hard.
WIth good purfling cutter with properly shaped and sharpened blade it is simple job, just takes about 1 1/2 the time of cutting with router (if you count the setup of the router and finishing by hand of which on f-5 there is lotsa). You can listen to your favorite music instead of the roar of router.

[Rose #1]

I cut binding ledges on my latest by hand and didn't consider it all that hard.
WIth good purfling cutter with properly shaped and sharpened blade it is simple job, just takes about 1 1/2 the time of cutting with router (if you count the setup of the router and finishing by hand of which on f-5 there is lotsa). You can listen to your favorite music instead of the roar of router.

Agreed. not difficult just more time consuming as stated... last build was done with mostly hand tools and took with the varnish over 3 months to complete... when i had my duplicator and full shop back in the day I could put one out in a little over a month....

[HoGo]

This is cutter I made and this type works probably the best. You can grip it by both te main body and/or the crossbar keeping the cut steady and precise. I will reshape the tip to slightly more acute angle for next mandolins.
I went from duplicator and routing of ledges to hand methods for latest few builds and I enjoy it a lot.
Now I only rout the truss rod channel. Otherwise I use only electric drill.

[John Kelly]

I use a similar cutter to the one Adrian shows above. It was made for me from brass bar by a colleague who worked in the Craft and Design Department of the school I taught in. He put a knurled screw in the top of the bar to lock the cutter arm at the distance I required and a similar, smaller screw in the end of cutter bar to keep the cutter in place. The cutter is a 6mm lathe tool ground to shape.

[Rose #1]

nice looking cutter Adrian! I use the one Ibex one from stew mac... couple of pics after the channel is done and sanded to 220... Doing 4 layer binding on this new one

[Steve Sorensen]

Update from the Sorensen finishing room -- starting to look like real live mandolins!





Steve

[Eric Foulke]

It's been a while......

Boots Imperial
11" wide lower bout
Engelmann top, hard maple back and sides, compound radius ebony fretboard. Nitro finished in aged amber and chocolate brown.

[billhay4]

Back from beyond, Eric. Nice instrument and nice to hear from you.
Bill

[Eric Foulke]

Thanks Bill. My "real job" workload over the last 3 years has pretty much brought my instrument building to a stand still.
My client has the patience of a saint.

[Skip Kelley]

Here’s two pics of progress in the shop. Inlay for a customer and varnishing an F model…

[Rose #1]

Very beautiful Skip! That inlay is awesome.

[sounder]

Hats off to the veterans here that are so open with their tips and tricks. This 'Cafe' is a wonderful resource and I am very happy to have found it.
This is build No' 6 and the second one with my headstock logo. It is Black Walnut with Maple binding. Right now, varnish is going on using Peter Coombe's process and EM2000 Alkyd varnish. Thanks Peter. The Walnut was found locally, its quarter sawn and has nice curl. The pore filling required many coats. I do it with finger application and smooth it with a damp cloth.

[Dusepo]

[Charles E.]

Nice Jo! Kinda reminds me of my Wee Lassie build I have going on.

[oldwave maker]

Hitched up the horse to shave braces on the octave equivalent of a rotary phone....

[Charles E.]

That is excellent!

[Skip Kelley]

Hitched up the horse to shave braces on the octave equivalent of a rotary phone....

I need a plane like that

[Eric Oliver]

Nice Jo! Kinda reminds me of my Wee Lassie build I have going on.

Very nice craft. I guess you have the scroll on the inside?

[Charles E.]

The scroll will attach to the breasthook on the bow.

Eric, it was great to meet you and Ellen today! Hopefully it will not be the last time you visit.