Construction videos

dave g

dave g

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
790
Reaction score
3
Location
Columbus, OH
I'm in the process of "filming" a complete ukulele build from start to finish. There is a gap in the middle at this point because I started with one which was close to done, then continued with a new one of the same design... so the two halves haven't met yet, but I'm getting there :)

Links to all of them down below the PayPal link on this page: http://www.wsukes.com/plans.html
 
Sweet! Praise you for contributing to the amount of info on building ukuleles on the internet. Many people want to try, but do not have a building club or good bookstore or just get weak in the bladder just by thinking of the idea. Showing what happens and what to look out for is a great thing to share with the community. Thanks! Another night going to bed late...
 
Dave, great stuff. These videos are great for the many people who are wanting to give it a go at building their very own ukulele using "basic" techniques. What I mean by basic has nothing to do with quality of the build etc. What I mean is that you are building with flat tops and backs etc. that work very well with your jigs etc. In fact they are excellent jigs that you have incorporated into the process. You given me a few ideas as well.

Building with domed tops and backs and a taper from neck to heel joint etc. takes a different set of jigs and approach which also adds to the time it takes to produce an instrument. Probably make doing the videos more laborsome as well. I think your approach is right on.
 
Last edited:
Useful tools

I can't believe how good that plane is! Alongside my Sabatier marking knife it has quickly risen to top of the favourites list in my tool box. I'm also becoming a convert to Norton paper - it cuts so fast and stays sharp a really long time. How nerdy is this :eek:
 
Dave,
I do have a question for you. I was watching your fret dressing video and noticed that after leveling with the file you used one grit of sandpaper to finish off the frets and called it good. Is this the entire process or did you just cut it short for purposes of the video?

When I dress frets I do the best I can to round the tops of the frets again with a crowning file and/or a sanding stick. After that I go from 400 through 2000 followed by 0000 steel wool and polish on the frets. This takes a load of time and even then I have to do some frets again because there may still be some slight scratches visible in the frets.
 
2000 - 1000?

Where are you going with this Dom? I simply go from 400 to 800 to wire wool. If you use a fret guard you can polish a lot quicker. If I may have the audacity to reply for Dave, you will note in the videos there is some great work but quite a cavalier attitude (polite word for almost complete disregard - and good on ya Dave:D) to standard luthier practices. For instance when I read Irving Sloan advocated sanding edges to be jointed I nearly fell of my seat. Looking at Dave's solution (sorry mate) and I want to kill myself! Still, you are over-egging the pudding Dom if you go up to 2000 with paper and fall back to 1000 wire wool. Besides, I hate to see polished fretboards...
 
Pete Howlett said:
Where are you going with this Dom? I simply go from 400 to 800 to wire wool.
Click to expand...

Pete, I must be doing something wrong then because if I stop at 800 and then go to the wire wool there are still lots of visible scratches which I don't like. I use the wire wool to polish the FB which I prefer. Makes the FB play a little easier/faster than an unpolished FB. Different strokes for different folks as they say.
 
Dominator said:
Dave,
I do have a question for you. I was watching your fret dressing video and noticed that after leveling with the file you used one grit of sandpaper to finish off the frets and called it good. Is this the entire process or did you just cut it short for purposes of the video?
Click to expand...

Cut a little short for the video, but not much - 400 grit and I call it done. More of a matte finish than a polish...

This is one of several areas which can (if you let it) consume a great deal of time but only return minor, mainly cosmetic effect. After all, my matte finish frets will be polished up a bit over time from the act of playing, while carefully polished ones will be dulled up some by the same process - after a while they will look about the same :D
 
hey dave, thanks for taking the time to put up these vids -- gives a viewer all the meat and leaves room for their own creativity -- thanks again and have fun!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

eclecticbanjo
What aspect of a uke's construction controls how well the intonation is?
Replies
11
Views
504
gilles T
G
Oldscruggsfan
Famous (1970’s-1990’s laminate-body Kiwaya) construction?
Replies
7
Views
357
Oldscruggsfan
Oldscruggsfan
ploverwing
Violin construction ukulele
Replies
17
Views
743
EDW
EDW
G
Year of construction of my ukulele Gretch G9100
Replies
3
Views
186
Kenn2018
Kenn2018
M
Kent Bsritone uke neck construction
Replies
4
Views
331
morfrost
M
Top Bottom