Official Luthiers Forum!

For those of you that use one, how many instruments did it take before you decided you had to have one? Also, do you use a different template for backs and tops? Because I was thinking of just making a non cut-away template and then finish the cut-away by hand depending on whether I'm doing a back or top. And does anyone have any good plans they'd like to share.
Jason

I built mine fairly early. It's a pretty basic unit (see the Hopkins thread), following John Sargents plans at MIMF. Nobody has to have one, but it lets me get reasonably close with a minimum of fuss and spend the time on the important final shaving/scraping. I use different arching/templates for top & back and I know some whose templates are all non-cutaway.

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON

I roughed out my first seven or eight with with mallet and gouge before finding my Terrco. If you plan to do a cutaway, I would suggest that you make top and back templates, as there is quite a bit of arching in this area that you may not be able to recover from a non-cutaway template.

I'm finishing up my first top (I already carved the back) and I can totally understand the pantograph route. I made a wooden scrub plane out of maple and ebony, and while that thing can really hog out some wood, it still is an awful lot like work.
Jason

Two.
After I finished the second, I told myself that I would never make another mandolin till I bought a pantograph router setup.

Dave, do you have a link to the thread? I am unable to find it over at MIMF.
thanks.

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Chris, it's under "tool plans & pictures" in the library (which you need to register to MIMF to use, so this may not work)
http://www.mimf.com/library/sargent_duplicarver.pdf

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON

thanks.. I logged in and then went to the link fine.

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

amazing pdf.. thanks!!

_________________
hi friends, I enjoy reading, walking, outdoor team sports, alternative medicine and listening to music.
venapro reviews

I recently acquired a multicarver and was wondering how you guys made your top and back templates. - Justin

Justin, here are some shots of the carving process. I made the templates from a set of tops and backs that I hand carved.
Wedge is split and bookmatched, glued up. Inside is roughed out leaving lots of extra material.



Top is flipped over and secured in the carver. I've also switched templates to the outside form.
First I hog off the majority with a pretty healthy cut. Then I re-adjust and do the fine cut...









As you can see here, around 7/16" still in the center, quite a bit to be removed by hand. I'll finish the outside first, then graduate the inside...

Haans,
Do you take a swipe down the seam first? It appears as though you have in the pics.
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Thanks Haans, what bits do you recommend in the duplicarver? - Justin

Chris, I rout the edge all around and then a swipe down the center. Then I rout the left, and finally the right side. You pretty much can go only one direction to make the cut, nose to tail on the left and tail to nose on the right.
Justin, I used to use a 1/4" straight bit on a 1/4" shank, but broke too many (kinda frightening to watch the broken bit spinning round in the channel), so I switched to a 1/4" bit on a 1/2" shank and break fewer bits. They are two flute carbide. You mostly break them in hard maple.

Appreciate the info Haans....very little is posted on this stuff & it's valuable to see your approach. I use a 1/4" shank 1/2" 6-flute rounded "carvers burr" (with similarly shaped stylus). I try to reduce the "scary" aspect by starting with a long stylus an dropping it about 1/8" per pass, but it takes a long time. Maybe I'll try your approach (heavier passes) with a 1/4" onsrud bit.

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON

Yea, Dave, it takes me more than 2 passes on hard maple...
I suggest anyone doing this for the first time, do the top first.

How long does it typically take you guys to rough a top or back out? Also, how much over sized do you make your templates or do you just make the template the same dimension and set the stylus to make it over sized? I just finished my Sargent-style pantograph and am trying it out on a test back. I'm using a 3/4" core box bit and it's a lot slower going than I thought it would be. Certainly easier on the hands though. It makes me see the wisdom of Campellone's design.
Jason