Very interesting layout and looks awesome, but how do you intend to join the plates below the "soundhole" while maintaining the live edge look of it? Also looks like a lot of end grain glue surface for the plate on the right. Just wondering.
Great question! plates are joined and they glued up really nicely for hand shaping it. thinking about doing a v-brace with some custom bits should help keep it structural. the endgrain should be a similar concern as plates joined in a chevron pattern and i’ll pick a finish that isn’t prone to cracking or peeling. so to say the endgrain is never ideal but i’m excited to try something new with this excited wood! Let’s see where it goes.
and to nerd out more i’ve been thinking about this seam a lot and end grain gluing. maybe folks can chime in or start another thread.
concerns: impact to sound, structural flaws, cosmetic flaws.
impact to sound - yes. i am going in assuming sound will be impacted and feeling like this will still produce a beautiful sound.
structural concerns - from the videos i’ve watched it seems gluing endgrain with proper technique and the right modern glue is stable. i’m also planning on strategic bracing around that.
so that leaves cosmetic flaws. endgrain will pull in moisture differently. now on a uke where you aren’t highlighting the seam that can be a huge problem. it could feel wrong on the hands, it could crack or peel the finish. but on an uke where the seem is the highlight, where it is natural, let’s embrace that. obviously let’s not crack or peel the finish, so i’ll choose something maybe like walrus oil or tru-oil. if down the line that seam produce an unsmooth line, i feel ok with that on this uke.
any thoughts? positive and negative totally welcome and appreciated!
