made my first uke from hana lima book and plans.

robinashby

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IMG_0058.jpguke a.jpgfinished.jpg

any feed back welcome!

would be nice If I could ask a few questions regarding my next build if anyone out there is will to advise? I am in the uk in the midlands not to far from birmingham. I am also just learning how to play the uke and to be honest I am not sure how to check if this thing I made holds up musically cos I am only a learner player!

anyway I am new on here as well I hope to have a chat or two about where to buy stuff from and all that. Big thanks, robin
 
Very nice! I use the Hana Lima plans and book to base my builds on as well. If you have questions, I can let you know what I have experienced using the Hana lima process.
 
Well done! I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks! Welcome to the UU forum, there's no better place for friendly advice.

Bob
 
Looks great. Much better than my first effort lol
I like the quilted top
 
Welcome to UU Robin,
Glad you took my advice to join! there is a mountain of advice to be read here!

Look forward to a few chats in the future.
Kev
 
putting my normal skills into the next one :

Thanks for the encouragement from you all.


I actually do cad modelling and 3-d printing for the jewellery industry for my job, my own little business ....

That said I am now for my next uke producing my own templates by doing the cad myself and printing them on paper. I did struggle to get the exact lines down from off the plans with card templates from the hana lima plans . I am now spray mounting my cad paper print outs to some thin ply to make some super accurate templates. All the way through my other uke I did struggle to convince myself everything lined up! I ve started the first templates and think its going to be much quicker and simpler knowing everything is exact!

I ve bought a bending iron (english company called luthers bench!) also as found I was always combating the spring in the sides i like to be able to bend and get better shape......... anyone tell me how hard it is to use one? I guess I ll find out soon..... any tips greatfully received. I did the rubber blanket over a forma thing on the first uke.

Also much talk of tone woods and how important they are but I see all kinds of woods used for sound boards? I have some english yew which is great looking but uncertain as to use that just for back and sides and keep to the normal spruce or maple tops or something?

It seems tough to get the supplies of tools and woods from the uk if anyone has some good contacts I luv to know. I bought some stuff from stewmac and others from ebay but have had to pay costly import customs on it all.

Please forgive the lack of knowledge...... i have transferable skills from the jewellery side but the knowledge in the wood side and all that is lacking. I am going to pimp the ukes up once I know what I am doing with a few tasteful jewellery inspired touches but need to walk before I fly!

I ve attached a pic of the template so far... but mainly this pic to show the english bending iron..... it took a geat deal of hunting to find a british one and its made to order so had to wait for it hope its good!bending iron and new template .jpg
 
you have to be kidding. english yew? i'd get in a knife fight for some of that. history, that sort of thing.
just personally i would use it for the soundboard as well but if you have the slightest reservation use spruce and you can't go wrong.
don't be afraid to use native woods, you have stuff we don't have in the states, english oak and so forth. koa was no big deal until the portugese made ukuleles out of it, and it was a wood of opportunity just as is your yew. think about it.
logs cut firewood length, 16"/18", split 'em once in the middle across the pith, then split a few times again to recover the best quarter/rift grain, paint the ends with glue or tar etc., put 'em up and let 'em dry. you'll use a minor portion of the round with the rest going to the wood stove.

edit. looked up yew. mild toxicity with the dust. might be a thought to use a dust mask when sawing and sanding. extreme toxic reactions are rare.
 
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Nice job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Looks nice
For your next uke make the tail block the same width as the linings- the center can be fatter, but make it follow the linings. (see pic)
1918775_917928828295831_4542798417446417430_n.jpg
 
ah ... that sounds more than a little positive then! I actually look with envy at all the american sites that seem to sell endless uke front back and sides and compare that to britain and the selection is proper small! So english yew ( and I dont want to make you jealous but the piece I have is breathtaking) I ll avoid the knife fight though as I d be certain to lose!

thanks beau hannam ukuleles for the tip of making the tail block less deep at the linings I guess thinner means better vibration to the surfaces? that makes good sense.

does anyone use the hide glue for any or all aspects of gluing their ukes? The idea seems good I ve had a go with some... seem to only be able to buy one type over here and it has no number or anything to ref it against as there's more than one sort?

I d like the next uke to have some inlay so I ll get a little more ambitious on the next one. I ve looked at some of the websites of the senior members on here and man they are making amazing stuff.

I ll need to get my trusty piercing (jewellery) saw out and get some practice in the inlaying. Could do with a supplier of the twist down router bits for this.... got a couple from stewmac but think I pay over the odds for anything from them?

thanks
 
Nice looking uke. Pretty top wood. I'm a novice, finishing up my fourth uke now, also chiefly using the Hana Lima plans and book, although I shifted to a bolt on neck. I have been using hot hide glue and bottled liquid hide glue exclusively. I like it. The hot stuff can be a little tricky in the glue up due to time constraints, but I like the reversibility should I need to fix something (I have). I use the bottled stuff for bindings and purfling because it has a long open time.

Nelson
 
Robin

Email me for some tonewood. Yew is a great wood to use BUT it produces a dreadfully 'dark' sounding ukulele upon which murder ballads and lost love songs are best performed in the key of Dm. It is also a monster to finish because it has no surface pore structure - great if you are handy with a spray gun or French polish but disappointing if you are in the TruOil camp. English Cherry is my favourite novice wood with African makore or African Cherry as it is also known a close second. They both work and bend easily and have a far more even and brighter sound than yew ukulele (and I've built quite a few of those...). I'll see what I have in my pile and gift it to you for making such a good first effort.

Side bar - I have decided to write the book on building a tenor ukulele, Hawaiian style - ie all same wood for body front sides and back, no rosette, just simple lines. It will be a true beginners book to cover all the techniques to make a largely hand built instrument using hand tools, a bandsaw, bench drill and router; plus a few essential specialist tools - bending iron, nut files - just as I did for my first 350 ukulele! There will also be a section on shop tool making to help you get consistency. I am hoping to make it a relevant to the common experience of building your first uke. It will also come with plans templates and the optional DVD shot by Artisan Media.

Hana Lima does a great job but it is very specific to their course.... It's about time another one came into view. it will take a year but there - I've nailed my colours to the mast and so I must now do it. There will be no Kickstarter mularchy or pre-order stuff. When it's done it will be published and on sale :)
 
You can use the Yew, no problem. Providing it's dry and stable it can be used for Back, Sides and Tops. You can buy it in guitar sizes so it should be much easier to obtain decent stuff in uke sizes. A lot of the Yew that I've seen in board form has been pretty knotty with very swirly grain.
 
Nice looking uke!! One question (pardon my ignorance about Hana Lima book plans): that bridge looks pretty thick. Does it affect the sound?
 
What a fantastic offer Pete!
I may be sending you an email soon too !!!!:worship:
I made a lovely(ish) concert from Cherry. I think it is great stuff! makes me scared to try anything else!

The book sounds like a great venture.. Ill be keeping an eye out!

Robin

Email me for some tonewood. Yew is a great wood to use BUT it produces a dreadfully 'dark' sounding ukulele upon which murder ballads and lost love songs are best performed in the key of Dm. It is also a monster to finish because it has no surface pore structure - great if you are handy with a spray gun or French polish but disappointing if you are in the TruOil camp. English Cherry is my favourite novice wood with African makore or African Cherry as it is also known a close second. They both work and bend easily and have a far more even and brighter sound than yew ukulele (and I've built quite a few of those...). I'll see what I have in my pile and gift it to you for making such a good first effort.

Side bar - I have decided to write the book on building a tenor ukulele, Hawaiian style - ie all same wood for body front sides and back, no rosette, just simple lines. It will be a true beginners book to cover all the techniques to make a largely hand built instrument using hand tools, a bandsaw, bench drill and router; plus a few essential specialist tools - bending iron, nut files
 
Congratulations Robin, very nice first uke, Lesley lives close to you and is a brummie :)
I think shed be happy to try your ukulele
 
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