Interesting uke making video.

That didn't look so tough. I mean, sheesh, he put it together from scrap to final polish and strung in about 5 minutes.
 
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Seems you need a hammer more than I thought... and what? A big ball of twine is all he needed to get a radiused back. Nice!
 
thats cool...
 
Not much finesse there.. I think all you uke builders are just trying make this look harder than it is :p

I love the big honkin chisel to trim off the excess top and back. The form he used was really pretty neat. I don't think I have ever seen it done that way. Seemed like the form was an inside form instead of an outside one.

Thanks for posting it.
 
And now some reality... ever seen any of those 'island built' ukes? When Kumalae was cranking them out do you think 'quality' was at the top of his list? The idea of 'boutique' instruments and all the effort, care and dare I say it - love that goes into them is a very modern idea and method of working. As a historical document, this video is priceless. It tells a much bigger story than the construction of early ukulele - and that is as much Ken's doing as anyone else... ever sharp and on the lookout for a con :). Thanks for bringing it to the top of the pile again.

BTW you should check out Ken's homage to this video - priceless bit of Northern humor and engineering invention. Never understood why you didn't stick to it Ken LOL...
 
And now some reality... ever seen any of those 'island built' ukes? When Kumalae was cranking them out do you think 'quality' was at the top of his list? The idea of 'boutique' instruments and all the effort, care and dare I say it - love that goes into them is a very modern idea and method of working. As a historical document, this video is priceless. It tells a much bigger story than the construction of early ukulele - and that is as much Ken's doing as anyone else... ever sharp and on the lookout for a con :). Thanks for bringing it to the top of the pile again.

BTW you should check out Ken's homage to this video - priceless bit of Northern humor and engineering invention. Never understood why you didn't stick to it Ken LOL...
I still have the jig Pete..I've made a couple of mod's to get round the soundboard step problem..you can still see the thread here...C/W slideshow.
http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=8218&hilit=1917+uke
 
The form he used was really pretty neat. I don't think I have ever seen it done that way. Seemed like the form was an inside form instead of an outside one.

Thanks for posting it.
The form /Jig is not difficult to make I made mine from scrap wood.
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Very cool video. Looks like a serious radius on the back....8-10' maybe?
 
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