Mold or solera?

[eclipsme]

Ok Craig..There are a couple of Youtube vid's here......That show it in use

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTC3b-EfCpg&list=UUZy2EMxIuULsTGoMthfyFvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgSaTilURn8

Thank you, Ken!

 

[Beau Hannam Ukuleles]

I use molds so I can dial in the neck angle up/down/left/right.

I also use bolt on necks which makes (nitro) finishing easier.

Using molds/separate neck (regardless of attachment system) means if something goes wrong with either the body or neck I don't have to scrap them both.

With the integrated "spanish" method (ie using a Solera) if you cock up one part (say the neck), then its difficult to use the rest as is.

Of course, if all goes perfect, then both methods are as good as each other.

PS- i also use my molds as my side laminating molds.

 

[tonyturley]

Rather than add a new thread, I'm resurrecting this one. Anyone have any tips for laminating a plywood bed that is dead flat? I don't have access to large cast iron machine tables to use as a reference surface. I keep finding that the plywood pieces I cut tend to curl slightly, even those made from the more high grade hardwood plywood. I'm building my first ever Spanish Heel instrument, and would like to be able to do a dead straight glue-up when I glue in the neck and top.

 

[Tukanu]

Rather than add a new thread, I'm resurrecting this one. Anyone have any tips for laminating a plywood bed that is dead flat? I don't have access to large cast iron machine tables to use as a reference surface. I keep finding that the plywood pieces I cut tend to curl slightly, even those made from the more high grade hardwood plywood. I'm building my first ever Spanish Heel instrument, and would like to be able to do a dead straight glue-up when I glue in the neck and top.

I use a dead-flat piece of plywood under the solera. It also makes it easy to hold in the bench clamp.

 

[sequoia]

Use thick 3/4 inch MDF plywood. I've found it doesn't move (much).

 

[tonyturley]

6 pieces of plywood being prepared for a new tenor mold. All of my previous tenors have been built in an open board format, like the StewMac kits. I've tried various permutations of the open board format, so I decided the next few tenor-size bodies will use a mold. These will still be Spanish heel instruments, built in a style like Heidi Litke builds in Robbie O'Brien's basic ukulele video course.

 

[tonyturley]

Flash forward 27 months, and time for an update. The mold I was making above worked well, but I am just not a fan of the Spanish Heel method. Two built like that was enough for me. My most recent two instruments I went back to separate neck and body, joined with a bolt-on M&T joint after the finish has been applied to both. But I do like to use a solera-ish building board when I'm gluing on the soundboard. My old one is ratty, so I cut and glued the pieces for a new one today. Two pieces of 1/2" ply with a core of 1/4" ply. A lot of the plywood I buy, including the very expensive stuff, seems to curl like a potato chip within a day or two of arriving at my house. So I did my glue-up with the concave sides of the lamination facing the core. Lots of cauls and clamps to keep it flat in both directions. Not visible is the heavy duty carpenter's level clamped along the centerline on the bottom. I used Titebond II, and I plan to keep it in the clamps at least 36 hours to allow the glue to fully cure. My basement workshop is below grade, so I use a dehumidifier to keep humidity around 35% down there. Hopefully this thing won't curl on me when I release the clamps.