ukebuilder
Well-known member
I made a post a few weeks ago asking if any local builders would like to get together. I got a quick response from Bradford inviting me down to the coast. I have built many types of instruments but not a side bent one. I am new to traditional ukes and was wanting a few pointers. He welcomed me into his home for a few days to learn and chat. Well I have to say we both have the gift to gab. We started to plan what would be the best time for it to happen and we decided to meet Tuesday17th. He said I was welcome to stay through the week if I wanted. I was able to stay over night and all the next day. I learned more than I can put in words but I am going to try and I have lots of pics. I will try to list them in stages. I headed the advice of a few and brought down two large pieces of some beautiful myrtle wood for him to try and pay him for his time. Little did I know how nice the myrtle was till he started to slice it up due to his excitement after seeing it. All I can say is he is making me one now using that wood. I brought down a bunch of wood to play with and he sad well lets build one. He said that you learn from doing so lets do it. We choose some nice Koa I had sliced up and ready to go. I had also brought some ceder and bear-claw spruce. We decided to just make a all koa uke. He asked what style I liked and I had to go with his vintage model. We took the koa and decided what we wanted for the top and bottom and cut them to length and got them glued up. We then decided what the sides would be and cut them as well.
After some dry time he showed me how he thickness sands them. First I need to tell you, You dont need a tun of tools to build a uke. I was shocked at how he uses his sander. I was thinking I had to but all these tools and make a bunch of jigs and such and wow, was I wrong. When I asked him where his sander was he pointed to his 6x48 belt sander. Little did I know that this was the answer to many more questions. I would ask how he did this and he would point to his sander. Here are a few pics.
After some dry time he showed me how he thickness sands them. First I need to tell you, You dont need a tun of tools to build a uke. I was shocked at how he uses his sander. I was thinking I had to but all these tools and make a bunch of jigs and such and wow, was I wrong. When I asked him where his sander was he pointed to his 6x48 belt sander. Little did I know that this was the answer to many more questions. I would ask how he did this and he would point to his sander. Here are a few pics.