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I'm making an A2 style mandolin. This mandolin has an oval sound hole. The top also has a significan arch to it. I have no idea how to route the channels to hold the purfling rings that are supposed to go around this sound hole.

The sound hole is pretty small. Thinks like stewmac's purfling jig (the one they use for violins) won't fit in the sound hole. The arch also prevents this tool from woking.

The only thing I can think of to cut these channels is to trace some oval template onto the top and carve out the channel by hand with a micro chisel. Frankly, I'm way to spastic for an operation like that.

Have any of you ever had to make a cut like this?

Mike would a purfling groove cutter like this work?

You could use it to cut your outside lines and then use the micro chisel to carve out the middle. I think by hand is the only way.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

The Schneider gramil might work. LMI carries it.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

The Schneider gramil might work. LMI carries it.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I use an oval template to cut the hole with a laminate trimmer after carving
the top; I block the template up on its sides so it sits securely and level.
Then I score the inner and outer rosette edges with a gramil as Joe
suggested, using the hole as a guide for the gramil (Schneider, but others
should work fine); then I chisel the channel out by hand.Howard Klepper38841.1093171296

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.