Freak Accident Destroys Dolphin :(

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

Arrrggghhh!

My four year old moved my uke from a table and left it in a gig bag on the office chair. My wife then fell over her feet and landed on the chair squashing the uke. It has snapped where the neck meets the body.

I haven't looked too closely yet but it doesn't look like a clean break so probably not fixable. (I'm not a skilled woodworker no matter how much I would like to make my own uke in the future.)

I feel rather sad at what has happened and angry with myself that I didn't immediately check what Lily had done with the dolphin but I can't blame her really nor my wife for being clumsy.

luluwrites · Aug 12, 2012

Is your wife okay?

ukuhippo · Aug 12, 2012

RIP little Dolphin. Good thing they're cheap: get yourself a new one!

The Big Kahuna · Aug 12, 2012

If the neck is otherwise okay, you have no excuse for not digging out your tool kit and building a cigar box Uke'

ukuhippo · Aug 12, 2012

luluwrites said:
Is your wife okay?

Didn't you read his post? A Dolphin died

. Anything that happened to the wife is just collateral damage.

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

luluwrites said:
Is your wife okay?

She's fine thanks, I don't really think she knows what to say. I'm not sure I'm helping as rather grumpy.

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

The Big Kahuna said:
If the neck is otherwise okay, you have no excuse for not digging out your tool kit and building a cigar box Uke'

I refer the honourable gentleman to my above comment on my woodworking skills.

luluwrites · Aug 12, 2012

Sounds like now's your chance to upgrade!

(edited for clarification: upgrade ukes, not wives.)

Ben_H said:
She's fine thanks, I don't really think she knows what to say. I'm not sure I'm helping as rather grumpy.

1931jim · Aug 12, 2012

luluwrites said:
Is your wife okay?

Hello luluwrites,
That was my immediate reaction also. I am glad she is OK. As Ben has enlightened us.
Jim

The Big Kahuna · Aug 12, 2012

Ben_H said:
I refer the honourable gentleman to my above comment on my woodworking skills.

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

1931jim said:
Hello luluwrites,
That was my immediate reaction also. I am glad she is OK. As Ben has enlightened us.
Jim

Give me a break guys

I would of course had far more to worry about had my wife been hurt.

kvehe · Aug 12, 2012

Sincerest condolences on your loss. My Dolphins grieve with me.

Kathryn

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

luluwrites said:
Sounds like now's your chance to upgrade!

(edited for clarification: upgrade ukes, not wives.)

I've already spent a fair bit on upgrades already and only been playing 4 months (ukes not wives)

1931jim · Aug 12, 2012

'Tis a sense of humor you have Ben. A and B epoxy and 1/8" dowels will perform miracles.
PS: humor and humour.

OldePhart · Aug 12, 2012

Careful...if PETA gets word of the fact that your family has killed a Dolphin they'll soon be picketing in front of your house...

Plainsong · Aug 12, 2012

OldePhart said:
Careful...if PETA gets word of the fact that your family has killed a Dolphin they'll soon be picketing in front of your house...

Nah, PETA is pointless if you care about animals. I'm sending the Sea Shepherds! The next season of Whale Wars? Your house, buddy.

It's a pity when there's an accident and there's no one you can really blame. Your little girl put the uke in its case and set it in a seemingly safe place. Your wife just plum fell. It sucks when something happens and you want to yell and there's no one to yell at. Glad your wife's ok though!

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

Plainsong said:
Nah, PETA is pointless if you care about animals. I'm sending the Sea Shepherds! The next season of Whale Wars? Your house, buddy.

It's a pity when there's an accident and there's no one you can really blame. Your little girl put the uke in its case and set it in a seemingly safe place. Your wife just plum fell. It sucks when something happens and you want to yell and there's no one to yell at. Glad your wife's ok though!

Ah, now this is where it gets complicated! (I've calmed down now btw.)

Lily, for some reason had decided to give us a show and play "The wheels on the bus" on her uke. For some reason, only known and understood by four year olds this involved taking my dolpin out of it's case and putting her mahalo in the case instead. She then left my dolphin in her mahalo gig bag on the chair and came to us proclaiming it to be concert time! I doubt my case (rockbag) would have made any difference and Lily is oblivious to all the trauma, just the way it goes.

I'm destringing it at the moment to see how bad the damage is and will report when I have a better idea. Might need to relocate this thread to the luthiers lounge

ramone · Aug 12, 2012

I'd make a clock out of the body if it can't be repaired.

rem50 · Aug 12, 2012

ramone said:
I'd make a clock out of the body if it can't be repaired.

can anyone say genius?! I see a new business venture on the horizon!

Ben_H · Aug 12, 2012

OK,

I've cleaned away some splintered wood from where the neck connects into the body and I can now get it pushed back in again to a reasonable fit.

I now have two problems that I can see:

Firstly the fret board now has a bit of an upward slope where it meets the body that I don't recall it having previously.

Secondly the neck has some lateral movement. If I can glue this and try to hide the damage with black nail polish how do I ensure that the neck is perpendicular to the body. I have no woodworking tools, jigs, braces etc. I'm going to have to sit and hold it till the glue goes off.

Freak Accident Destroys Dolphin :(

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