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Thread: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

  1. #1
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    Default How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    In another thread here, Mr Gartland of Saga Music says some older period Kentucky 150 tops were initially pressed then carved to the finished shape. Would that make four top construction possiblities then?

    1) thicknessed (evenly?) then pressed,
    2) pressed then carve finished,
    3) router cut to the rough carved shape then carve finished,
    4) carved all the way.

    Any more?

    Were pressed alone tops always laminated so the glue between layers helped set the shape, or can you press solid tops?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    There are pressed-arch solid tops with no carving - Harmony built many of their instruments that way.

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    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Carbon fiber molding and 3-D printing.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    And Vega cylinder and Howe-Orme instruments were just steam-pressed into shape.
    Jim

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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Autoclaved, Vacuum bagging, Pre Preg.
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    Autoclaved, Vacuum bagging, Pre Preg.
    Possible, but are any mandolins made by these methods? I guess 3d printing comes into this category?

  8. #7
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Mix Carbon fiber, I think. * Heat activated the Resin. vacuum pulls out air bubbles.

    Check with Clear Carbon in Rhode Island.. also involved in Luis & Clark Orchestral stringed instrument on MA.
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    Mix Carbon fiber, I think. * Heat activated the Resin. vacuum pulls out air bubbles.

    Check with Clear Carbon in Rhode Island.. also involved in Luis & Clark Orchestral stringed instrument on MA.
    Ah - so that's how they did my fiddle...

  10. #9

    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Aluminum sheet. Hutchins.
    And I’m sure, but no references, plastics in several methods and other composites.

  11. #10
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    A simple flat top with bracing.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  12. #11
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    Default Re: How many ways of making a mandolin top?

    Quote Originally Posted by billhay4 View Post
    A simple flat top with bracing.
    Bill
    Of course - there must be some great sounding mandolins made this way (where - Central America and South round to East Europe?), but we don't heard much about them.

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