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Stephen, I am interested in your fret slot cutting jig, but I can't see what you're seeing. Would you consider shooting it from another angle to show me how you line up your cut on the mark? Many thanks.
Patrick

I had those pics Pat but I tossed them because of poor focus. In this pic you can see a bit more of the jig. I use the WFret program that is available from the good folks at the MIMF forum. The template is taped on and the slot positions are marked with a utility knife. I use a utility knife blade to align those marks with the guide block for the saw. The saw I'm using with this jig in the previous picture has no set to the rip teeth and cuts a nice .022" slot, the cross cut teeth have a a set and cuts a .028" slot, learned that the hard way.
The saw in this pic is a Stew Mac fret saw that is set to a tiny bit more than fret tang depth to finish the slots.

These are the last two pics for today.
First is the last thing from yesterday, the finger board getting glued on.


And this is how she sit's as I left the shop today. I started scraping the top to get it ready for finish I've got a pretty heavy corduroy on this top but it's flattening nicely. I'm waiting on tuners before I go any further on the neck. What do you think about a Les Paul style pick gaurd?

Yesterday I finished up the scraping and sanding on the body. Then it was time to mix up some black dye to accentuate the curl in the maple.

Next was roughing the neck to shape. Still needs a bit of shaping at the heel and headstock.

This build id looking great! I really like your F-Holes. Nice work all around.

_________________
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PMoMC

Very nice. You are making me want to withdraw my mando from the challenge!

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Yes, it's a very cool little instrument. I'm eager to see it finished and strung up. Thanks for the additional info on the fret slotting jig.
Patrick

Thank you Gents,

I'm going to shake things up a bit now. I've got about $105 left in my budget (I'd better get that posted at some point) so I started the next insturment for the challange. I'll be able to get this one and the Jazz Mando in lacquer at the same time.

Next Up, Baritone Uku-wail-e. An electric solidbody 19" scale ukulele tuned DGBe with a GFS lipstick tube pickup ($30 Ouch!) and a string mute. The hardware on these is a bit pricey and will burn up $91 of the budget so it will be the last one for this challange.

First up is the material, a left over hunk of 2x12 from a recent remodel, another piece of flamed maple from my friend Joe and an invisible Ipe fretboard which was a left over from a deck job. The 2x12 says Fir but I'm leaning towards Hemlock.

First up is the body. I found the most reasonble section of the 2x12, cut that chunk out and thicknessed it to 1 1/4". After that it was all the standard bandsawing and template routing stuff.

Then I switched templates and did some of this stuff.

Did some hole drilling for the volume pot and wires.





After routing an 1/8" radius on the edges and some 150 grit the body looks like this.

Time for a little neck work. Get it? Ukulele,... little neck... Wow, deja-vu all over again.

Better pics of the fret slotting jig for Pat.

I don't use truss rods in these ukes as I carve the necks at a full 1" thick. Here is the neck clamped up on the flat beam thing.

I had a couple of hours of shop time today, so I finished up the neck.

Bandsaw to rough it in and a rasp to carve.



Sanded from 80 to 150 grit. I'll let it settle for a bit before truing up the fret board and fretting.

Got a bit more done today.
Shot some black lacquer on the top of the jazz mando and scraped the bindings clean.


Had just enough ReRanch Heritage Red left over from a Tele build to color the body of the uke.

I do need something for the ensemble to fill out the rhythm section. How about a "Power Axe" ( trademarked, registered and all rights reserved). 25.5" scale three strings (EAD) and an overwound humbucker? It's really all you would need for 90% of the rock songs ever written. I've got the pick up and the wood. That leaves $14 for tuners, nut, trussrod, bridge and electronics. I might have to change to a free pickup in the Uke.


Hmmmm.

More shop time today. I'm almost ready to shoot some clear lacquer, which better happen soon if these are to be done in time.

First up are the necks.
Used a bit of amber dye on the uke neck and sealed it with a couple of coats of lacquer. Used a water slide decal for the headstock logo. The mando neck got some black lacquer and some clear for sealer. The logo is on this one now also. I better order up those tuners soon. I hate drilling through the finish.

Then it was transparent black on the Jazz Mando body.

1 Coat.


2 Coats.


3 Coats.


Stopped at 4 coats.

That black looks good

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

+1 Where did you get that spray ?

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The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
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Thanks Steve, I think this is going to look cool when all done.

Jim,
Thats the same black as on the neck and top. I had some left over from a batch I mixed up for a hutch I built for a client. I mixed that with some clear, about 5 or 6:1 clear to black. I added black until the mixing stick started to show the color once the excess had run off, then I added a little more.

Steve

Gotcha !!

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/