Reusing Wood - Flopsom etc

Round where I live people just love to dump wood. We get logs ment for fires, 4 x 4, old fences, just about anything. Is this wood reusable for Ukuleles? Now I'm not talking about things you would spend lots of money on, but just a beginners project?

I'm thinking of collecting a few bits and trying to make a stick Uke, with no electric socket, so it would just be the very basic stuff. I have found a pattern on line which is free, so just need to get the basic stuff like strings, tuners etc.

Definitely! Recycled instrument wood is great as it gives every instrument you build a story behind it. I built my first two out of wood from some old shelving and bits of furniture that I found in my Dad's garage. You have to be a bit more creative to make the most of it and hide the flaws (if you want to - not essential) but it can certainly make good instruments. Just be sure to miss out stuff with big dead knots (pin knots are ok), and try to find something with reasonably straight grain and little runout for the top. My last uke cost me about £20 in materials!

Check out this thread on making a uke from reused wood.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...hing-I-ve-been-wanting-to-do&highlight=Pallet

H

Thank to you both. I'm definitely going to sniff out some more wood, and definitely look at the pages.

For simple and fun
Dan Hulberts page
https://circuitsandstrings.wordpress.com/
or instructables
http://www.instructables.com/howto/ukulele/
Should give you a good start.
Some of the ones on instructables are more than a little bit dodgy, particularly the one I made with a pocket knife so read a few and decide yourself what you like.
Cigar box nation is another agglomeration of odd home made instruments and ideas
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/

Titchtheclown said:

or instructables
http://www.instructables.com/howto/ukulele/
Should give you a good start.
Some of the ones on instructables are more than a little bit dodgy, particularly the one I made with a pocket knife so read a few and decide yourself what you like.

Click to expand...

Ditto on this. Some great ideas there, and some really whacko stuff too. You might skip their one-piece Tahitian 'Uke (chainsaw required). But another sort of Tahitian 'uke would be easy, and even exploit a plank with a big honking knothole in the middle. Use the knothole as the soundhole! And one guy's stick-Tahitian-'uke featured a skin of melted plastic soda bottle as the resonating surface. An 'uke-like object can be built this way for the cost of strings and tuners. Have fun!

Well I picked up a nice chunk of 2 x4 today, it's about a meter long, so lots of wood to play with. I've ordered the strings and tuner pegs, so when they come, I can play a bit. I don't expect much, but if it saves me £100 then it's worth it.

As I don't have many electric tools, I think it will be whittling more then a fast job!

Us girls just weren't taught woodwork skills when I was at school donkeys years ago.

I have had some luck with finding Pine boards that are quartered at Home Depot. Other sellers may get them also. It is once in a blue moon when I find them but getting an 8' board would make a few ukes.



I made a number of little guitars out of the stuff, tops, backs and sides work fine. Could probably use it for necks also, I have used Fir instead. I found a clear of knots 2x6 and made a couple of necks from it. Used some cheap tuners, a harder wood for the fretboard and bridge and away you go. Pine body and spruce neck. Have a classical bridge on it that goes for about $3 from China, precut frets for about the same. Cheap fun.