Fingerboard Wood

December 31, 2015


I have a great piece of Ziricote I will use for the fingerboard and heard stock veneer.  I am thinking I may try and carve some matching tuner knobs as well.

I am anxious to start but will have to wait until my book comes in.  The DVD does not give the actual dimensions.  They show a stand in the DVD to hold the mandolin while  measuring the thickness.  I am going to try and duplicate it out of wood.  I will also attempt to make a thickness guage out os a dial indicator.  Again they want too much money for one.

Choice of Back Wood

 December 31, 2015

I spent some time in my shop this morning digging out some wood.  I have quite a few choices to use for the back and sides.  I am planning on using spalted maple.  My dad cut down a huge maple tree for the City of Missoula over 20 years ago.  I built my fist electric guitar out of this wood.  I am thinking on using the same chunk of wood for this mandolin.

I am pretty sure I can get a one piece back out of this chunk.  I will have to wail until my plans show up. 

Here is the guitar I build out of the same wood a few years ago.

Home Made Spool Claps

Dec 31, 2015

It will cost me over $130 to purchase enough spool clamps to glue the mandolin rim on.  I don't think so!!  I decided to build my own.  I purchased some bolts, washers and wing nuts from Murdochs for under $6.  I already had a 1 1/4 hole saw and some scrap cherry, walnut and maple laying around.  I also purchased a roll of cork from Michael's to cover the inside of the clamps

30 clamps for under $6

Custom Mandolin Start

December 29, 2015
I have decided to build a F-style mandolin from scratch.  I have been thinking about it for a couple of years now and finally pulled the trigger.  I have built 26 cigar box guitars and two electric guitars and have decided to take on a new challenge.
I grew up surrounded by woodworking from my dad.  As a kid I would help him in the shop gluing up various projects.  In 2008 I build my home and enlisted my dad to build all of our doors out of maple.  In his stash of wood was a gorgeous piece of spalted maple yearning to be used for a guitar or mandolin. 
My dad has since retired and has passed the torch on to me.  I will be documenting the daunting task of building this mandolin.
First order of business, take inventory of tools needed.  I purchased Stewart McDonald’s How Build a Carved Top Mandolin.  I also purchased  The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual.