Rolling your own...
In another thread 'IV Kit Arrived'...
Originally Posted by
MikeEdgerton
The Siminoff book tells you how to build a mandolin from scratch.
Okay, this is peeking my interest here so let me fill in my fabricating history a bit. Back several years ago I was very much into building telescopes from scratch; including not just the construction of tubes and mounting structures but the actual grinding of the mirrors which is a time consuming and exacting effort to say the least (well it is if you're going to do it right).
I taught myself the skills and techniques to create light weight, strong wooden tubes to house the mirrors and other hardware; as well as mirror grinding processes and optical testing technique. I made several over the course of several years and advanced the processes a bit by engineering zero stress mirror mounts and even moving into some application of carbon fiber wafer end tubes.
So I'm not intimidated by trying to do something in the workshop I haven't done before and I seem to have a natural skill at cabinetry as well as taking away from the effort a great deal of pleasure in the effort.
I had never considered 'making' an instrument but what i'm hearing in these conversations sounds like there is a much deeper pool of resources with others who are doing exactly that, and exchange information more so than the hand made telescope world.
I got out of the scope building hobby (avocation) when we moved to a home without a garage or workshop years ago. And have missed it greatly (wood working). I've considered many things that I might consider building once I put up a workshop as I really didn't want to venture back into the scope construction process as i'm getting too old to lug around scopes for star parties.
Taking all this into consideration. If one is fairly well skilled in joining wood and other cabinetry efforts; with this book (and other resources that may be available) what are the odds of someone successfully building from scratch mandolins? I'm thinking I may have stumbled on my core design consideration for a new workshop in the back yard.
Regards,
Kip...
Blessings,
Kip...
If you think you can or think you can't... you're likely right!
Eastman MD515, amid many guitars and a dulcimer.
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