Mandolins in progress

[Steve Sorensen]

The scary part - spraying a dark 'burst . . .


The boring part - scraping the binding . . .


The exciting part - first French Polish session . . .

[Charles E.]

Steve, that is very nice! I really like the sound holes.

[Skip Kelley]

Steve, that one is nice!
Here is a pic of the back of a blonde for a customer.

[Steve Sorensen]

Skip,
Wood-love! Stunning.
Steve

[Max Girouard]

Steve, that is scary nice. Also Skip that is some really impressive work!

I've got the wife busy in the shop today staining a mandolin. Here is a picture of the back, we are still working out the stain on the front. Details to follow.......

[Skip Kelley]

Max, that is one sweet looking A model! You are so blessed to have a wife that does that with you!!

[Max Girouard]

Max, that is one sweet looking A model! You are so blessed to have a wife that does that with you!!

Thanks Skip! I truly am blessed to have Lauri as my wife. She is very supportive and as you can see above really enjoys participating in the builds. A few years back when we weren't married, we lived in a little apartment with a spare bed room. I had just gotten bitten by the mandolin building bug and asked her what she thought about me turning the room into a building room. I had wanted to buy a planner and a band saw to put in the room. She said "Sounds cool!" I knew right then it was time to start ponying up the cash for that engagement ring!

[crazymandolinist]

^THAT is awesome

[Steve Sorensen]

Max,
Again with the parallel lives. First year we were married, I set up a table saw in the extra bedroom in our two-bedroom tiny apartment. I had just gotten some spruce from Alaska as our first purchase on our brand new American Express card. New wife's response, "As long as we close the door, I won't have to vacuum that much more." That is about when I started to realize I had found a keeper! Waaaaaay too good for me. Still.
Steve

[man dough nollij]

Steve, is that just a trick of the light, or is that top really that curly? What kind of wood is that? Looks great. I have some 'silk' in the top of my Weber Gallatin, but nothing like that.

[Steve Sorensen]

Lee,

Curly redwood that is amazing to look at and sounded great when strung up in the white. Can't wait to get it back together when finishing is finished.

Here is a shot beside a Port Orford Cedar topped version that I just started French Polishing --

Steve

[Pete Jenner]

This is my first post on this website and I'm happy to be here.

As a first time builder, I'm not sure my efforts are worthy of appearing on this thread among the masters of the art, but here goes.

I believe it's a Mandolin by Antonio Tsai from Thailand. These Mandolins have been mentioned in a few earlier threads.

It was purchased on EBay in about 2006. Last Christmas I opened the case to discover that the top had collapsed and the back was starting to collapse inwards along the seam. The sound board was only 2-2.5 mm thick in most places and probably made from green wood.

I decided my first foray into Luthiery would be making a new soundboard ...after all ...how hard can it be?

This is what it looked like in the EBay advert.


After many many months of research, reading forums (including these ones), purchasing tools and books and making myriad mistakes, this is the latest pic of it strung up in the white with the old bridge sitting on spruce shims, and one of the back with the finish stripped off.

It sounds surprisingly good to my ear.
Don't look too closely or you will see I made a complete dog's breakfast of the rosette.
I decided to go with an oval soundhole with X bracing for a couple of reasons - not least of which was my lack of faith in my top jointing efforts.

Next - making a Red Henry style bridge from this piece of ebony (as soon as I repair the 2nd hand bandsaw bought for the project.

Then binding ...ughh ...and a new nut.

The bracing and soundhole lining were the most successful stages.


Thanks for your attention,

Peter Jenner
Blackheath NSW Australia

[Doug Edwards]

Finally ready for varnish. I had it strung up over the weekend at the Paluxy River BG festival. Lots of positive comments, it's going to sound as good as it looks. The BE maple was given to me by a local woodworker. It was some scrap he had left over. I'll have to check out Johnny's trash bin.

[Steve Sorensen]

Tim,
LOVE the birdseye!
Steve

[Doug Edwards]

Just amazing what a little finish can do.

[Jill McAuley]

Wow - looks great Doug, nice job!

Cheers,
Jill

[Skip Kelley]

Doug, the finish really makes the figure stand out! Nice work!

[JEStanek]

Way to go Doug and Peter!

Jamie

[Steve Sorensen]

Doug,
Don't know where I got "Tim" . . . perhaps just intoxicated by the birdseye! Stunning.
Steve

[Ron McMillan]

My Mix A4 is running a little behind schedule, apparently because of excess humidity interfering with the curing of carbon fibres, but it is looking nice. Here it is before the red burst is applied, after which I gather there will be further clear coats of something I don't understand in the least.....

[strings777]

Doug, WOW...what a beautiful birdseye maple back! Please post some sound clips when you're finished...drool!

[Steve Sorensen]

For some reason, this picture reminded me of The Little Engine That Could . . .
"Bringing good things for the boys and girls on the other side of the mountain."



I think I can.

Steve

[GarY Nava]

Hi Guys,
Just completed this pearl and turquoise rosette for my next Red Spruce and Cocobolo twin-pointer.
Hope you like it
Cheers Gary

[Pete Jenner]

Love it.
I'm still trying to work out how to cut a rosette channel with side square to the top. :-P

[Jill McAuley]

Looks gorgeous there Gary!

Cheers,
Jill