Thick scroll

[Dconaway]

I bought an IV mandolin kit of which I am pleased, my problem is a thick scroll. The binding came cut, and I feel like I will have trouble trying to shave an 1/8" off.

[HoGo]

That thickness looks HUGE. You need to work that down or the scroll will stand in the way of the pick above fingerboard surface.
First I would glue the back to body before binding the top, you will likely loose some wood (and binding) while trimming the back to sides and sanding away that ding I can see.
Traditional F plate has edge roughly 3/16" (5mm) thick all around body almost up to the spot where the ding is where it lifts off and smoothly rises towards 1/2" or so at the scroll button. My procedure for getting this is take plane and plane the scroll button with all surrounding wood flat (parallel to level of rim) to the 1/2" height/thickness mark and then carve using either gouge or curved plane the transition into the body part keeping the ridge a bit proud and well defined (many beginners leave this area way too pronounced). You can draw the transition line at the side by wrapping a visitcard or flexible ruler around scroll connecting the basic edge height and the scroll platform.

[Dconaway]

That thickness looks HUGE. You need to work that down or the scroll will stand in the way of the pick above fingerboard surface.
First I would glue the back to body before binding the top, you will likely loose some wood (and binding) while trimming the back to sides and sanding away that ding I can see.
Traditional F plate has edge roughly 3/16" (5mm) thick all around body almost up to the spot where the ding is where it lifts off and smoothly rises towards 1/2" or so at the scroll button. My procedure for getting this is take plane and plane the scroll button with all surrounding wood flat (parallel to level of rim) to the 1/2" height/thickness mark and then carve using either gouge or curved plane the transition into the body part keeping the ridge a bit proud and well defined (many beginners leave this area way too pronounced). You can draw the transition line at the side by wrapping a visitcard or flexible ruler around scroll connecting the basic edge height and the scroll platform.

thank you very much!

[Dconaway]

That thickness looks HUGE. You need to work that down or the scroll will stand in the way of the pick above fingerboard surface.
First I would glue the back to body before binding the top, you will likely loose some wood (and binding) while trimming the back to sides and sanding away that ding I can see.
Traditional F plate has edge roughly 3/16" (5mm) thick all around body almost up to the spot where the ding is where it lifts off and smoothly rises towards 1/2" or so at the scroll button. My procedure for getting this is take plane and plane the scroll button with all surrounding wood flat (parallel to level of rim) to the 1/2" height/thickness mark and then carve using either gouge or curved plane the transition into the body part keeping the ridge a bit proud and well defined (many beginners leave this area way too pronounced). You can draw the transition line at the side by wrapping a visitcard or flexible ruler around scroll connecting the basic edge height and the scroll platform.

that is a good idea to start with plaining the button.

[David Houchens]

My scroll thickness per plate is 7/16"

[sunburst]

My scroll thickness per plate is 7/16"

I've worked my down to more like 3/8" so that I can set the neck a little deeper into the body and use thinner fingerboards. Even so, the darned thing still sticks right up there in the way of so many tasks!

[buckhorn]

One of the nicest mandolins that I made had a really high carved scroll.. I have been trying to find that sound ever since.. The picker was a friend so I see the mando all the time.. About a year after being finished, I found why you can make it too high.. My friend is a very aggressive player, and I noticed several hard pick marks across the scroll area.. He said he had to change his style a little because of the marks he was leaving.. Distressed ???????