Many hands...

Having Matti, a second year student at luthier school in Finalnd, working with me on an internship has given me the chance to experiment with batch production again. I used to do this when I first started out building ukulele for the Hawaiian and Japanese market and often wondered how I got through building 100 ukulele a year! It is surprisingly gruelling making the same component over and over again, especially if you are not fond of that particular process. I well reme,ber dreading the day when I'd have to hand cut and inlay 5 ebony guitar fingerboards with diamond snowflakes at the 5, 7 and 9th fret. Matti on the otherhand has gone to every task with a willing heart and a high degre of skill - his detailing capabilities are superb. So this is what we were left with after 9 days:



There are three more not in shot that didn't get to the photo shoot....

All those ukes lined up like that must make you very proud.

I hope you take the time out over these lovely bank holidays, and take a break in May - you deserve it.

6sc

Hey look lovely! And what an experience for your apprentice/intern! Gonna make lots of people happy w/those ukes.

We are back on it Wednesday - grain filling, spraying and setting up. Following week we are building crwth and kantele... and maybe a small batch of sopranos

Since I don't get tired of my own jokes fast enough, I'll stick a link here too:

http://argapa.blogspot.com/2011/04/half-size-half-number.html

Anyone but me remember Superman's adversary Bizarro..?

I am intrigued by the word "crwth" Pete, I hope you'll keep us posted.

Sven - you are so humble... I couldn't have achieved that (plus the other three not in shot) without Matti's help and expertise (for one so young in building). A crwth is a Welsh Lyre Fiddle - nasty little thing but Matti wanted to do it a s a presonal project. When I posted my fiddle friend about it she replied "strwth"... exceptionally witty if you know the vernacular around these parts!

Cor..! I knows all the flippin' werds I needs in yer strange tounge. Strewth!

Batch building is maybe not my best idea yet. Since my time in the workshop is less than continuous, and short (if existing), I have some troubles with the consistency between the ukes. But they shaped up nicely when I glued the backs yesterday, it was a good time to set the neck angle as well.