rudy
Well-known member
Here's another curvy end wedge I just added to my Uke info web page. I know it's nothing new, but it was kinda fun...
Another curvy end wedge...
- Thread starter rudy
- Start date
That looks great!
AKuker
Well-known member
Whoa! Looks great!
Pondoro
Well-known member
Beautiful work!
It would look so cool if you were to follow up with that theme up the centerline of the back, matching the end piece in width where they meet. Very, very attractive work....
rudy
Well-known member
Thanks for all the nice comments!
Can't to an extended wave up the back as I already have the mahogany back fitted with a wide herringbone strip. It's actually just for looks, as the back is one piece but you can't tell it's not a two piece with center joint because the back is a very uniform piece of mahogany. I'm not big on bling, but a little bit never hurts!
Laidback1
Well-known member
Cool looking. Great job! I may have to copy that someday....
Beau Hannam Ukuleles
Well-known member
Did you do this before putting in a tail block? as it seems to be sitting on that vice (?) pretty flat. Looks nice 
rudy
Well-known member
Did you do this before putting in a tail block? as it seems to be sitting on that vice (?) pretty flat. Looks nice
The tailblock is clamped in the vise jaws. The inlay was added with the tailblock clamped in the vise, leveled and radiused to match the desired curvature on my small disk sander table, and stuck back in the vise shown for a bit of sanding with the 5" random orbit sander and a quick photo.
I'm surprised that this has had any comments, are curved tailpiece inlays uncommon? It is nice to do it in CAD so the ends can be easily centered on the body centerline while ensuring that the end pin location is also centered.
Habanera Hal
Well-known member
Very cool! Looks like a highway going off into the sunset.
rudy
Well-known member
I see that now. I should have added a dashed centerline with progressively shorter dashes to the end!
Beau Hannam Ukuleles
Well-known member
i completely missed the idea of clamping the block in the vice! I do all my butt strips after teh back n top are on so i can work of their center lines (which should match up)
Pete Howlett
Well-known member
Although very nicely executed I have to ask, "What's the point when there is no matching detail for the back?" It's your call...
I've done stuff like this and upon reflection felt that it was more about 'conceit' (in the true meaning of the word) rather than anything else. Nevertheless this is my aesthetic. Great to see such skill and craft.
I've done stuff like this and upon reflection felt that it was more about 'conceit' (in the true meaning of the word) rather than anything else. Nevertheless this is my aesthetic. Great to see such skill and craft.
ksquine
Well-known member
Wow...that's a really cool detail!!
rudy
Well-known member
Is it cold in here, or is it just me?
Seriously, I quote myself "I know it's nothing new, but it was kinda fun..." You could argue that anything beyond a tunable neck on a simple box would be eligable for the same critique, but most folks go ahead with a standard body shape and even opt for unnecessary frills like binding. Modern finishes have made body bindings more about looks than function, but builders still choose to use them.
The back does have a herringbone center strip, so it's not completely unadorned. My aesthetic for instrument construction mostly chooses function over form, but it's nice to throw in a few simple embelishments, especially when the ease of doing so belies the look. I like body bindings, but I can't tolerate bound necks.
Whatever trips your trigger when building, but what I really just want is for folks to experiance playing an instrument they've made. Bottom line is eye candy is great, but I don't want it to seem so labor intensive that I don't enjoy the process. Yes, it was kinda fun!
