I'm going to make some concert size Ukes

lauburu · Jul 27, 2016

Ken, you're amazing. Thanks for sharing. When does the book come out?
Miguel

Timbuck · Jul 28, 2016

lauburu said:
Ken, you're amazing. Thanks for sharing. When does the book come out?
Miguel

I got this idea from watching a video of the factory making Sonar drum shells they cut all the veneers this way too... but on a bigger scale.

PICT0082_zps21xs0d61 by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Timbuck · Jul 29, 2016

Here it is ..(Drum roll ..Tish) The Magnetic Indexing Beam.

PICT0012_zpsqckbc68i by Ken Timms, on Flickr
The Concert back and template.

PICT0002_zps9j6jrige by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Two 3mm holes to be drilled in back piece to locate on the beam.

PICT0004_zps8mw3ijaw by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Template and back mounted on beam and held in place by the two magnets...one embedded in the beam and one loose.

PICT0022_zpsqdfoa2to by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Timbuck · Jul 29, 2016

Now I mark out the positions of the two cross braces.

PICT0030_zpsdsyjbcid by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Then I use the template and beam to mark the same positions on the uke body.

PICT0045_zpsge4kwfdo by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Marking out positions for brace end notches.

PICT0050_zpswyhqhijv by Ken Timms, on Flickr
The braces are now glued to the template markings..Then the back C/W bracings is mounted on the beam...Held in place with the magnets.

PICT0061_zpsmvgt4gie by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Timbuck · Jul 29, 2016

Then transfered to the mold for glueing to the body and lines up perfectly to the brace notches.

PICT0066_zpsernzx0z5 by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Beam is then removed and the rest of clamps added...The magnet falls into the uke to be retrieved later.

PICT0072_zpsxitlphoz by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Andyk · Jul 29, 2016

If I had a hat I'd take it off to you Ken. Very clever.

Timbuck · Jul 29, 2016

Andyk said:
If I had a hat I'd take it off to you Ken. Very clever.

Any more comments like that and I wont be able to get my hat on

Here is where i'm up to at the moment on this project ...every thing lines up spot on so far..but there is a long way to go yet.

PICT0077_zpsol8p8xng by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Pete Howlett · Jul 29, 2016

Wood on its way

Timbuck · Jul 30, 2016

Thats the binding done ..I found a small piece of the binding that was under the fretboard extension of the original neck when I cleaned up the dovetail..so I got the dimensions from it to make some new bindings...I'm now handing it over to the finishing department

PICT0004_zpsoiujemvy by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Rrgramps · Jul 31, 2016

What a lot of amazing ideas! Ken, you've just given us a huge tutorial. Thanks.

sequoia · Jul 31, 2016

Timbuck said:
...I'm now handing it over to the finishing department

By this I assume you mean a professional finishing factory staffed by a crew of serious people working in spacesuits and respirators? Who ever does your finishing is a real artist. As everyone knows, finishing is the "Achilles heal" of instrument making. I think she needs a pay raise.

Timbuck · Jul 31, 2016

I've just had an idea

if I can cut this jig in half and join it with an adjustable slotted plate (or something like that) so I can vary the length ??? It will cover any other diameter rosettes, providing I use the same thickness strips ..maybe I can make a 5 or 6 strip version...I just did some early morning calculations and it works.

PICT0047_zpszrwcfyyw by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Titchtheclown · Jul 31, 2016

I hope you rewarded yourself with a nice piece of pi.

cml · Jul 31, 2016

:biglaugh:

Titchtheclown said:
I hope you rewarded yourself with a nice piece of pi.

Timbuck · Jul 31, 2016

Titchtheclown said:
I hope you rewarded yourself with a nice piece of pi.

Yes Titch ! the old 3.142 has been punched into the calculator a few times this morning...I could have used 3.14159 26535 89793 but the calculator wasnt big enough

also there is another angle at the butt joint (making it a compound angle) to take into account...but I didn't want to go that far

..but I've worked it out anyway it's about 17.40' on a 2.5" circ.

and gets lesser for greater diameters.

Timbuck · Jul 31, 2016

sequoia said:
By this I assume you mean a professional finishing factory staffed by a crew of serious people working in spacesuits and respirators? Who ever does your finishing is a real artist. As everyone knows, finishing is the "Achilles heal" of instrument making. I think she needs a pay raise.

OK someone has got to tell you..

you dont spell "heel" with an "A" in it thats for when you cut yourself and it's starting to got better "heal".:rulez:

Timbuck · Jul 31, 2016

Petes wood arrived yesterday and very nice it is too..I'll be using it shortly on my next Concert..The bonus was it came with some nice cardboard sheets for protection and I used one to take down the dimensions of this concert neck so I can copy it ..I got all the measurments OK except for the neck profile.

concert neck by Ken Timms, on Flickr
As I don't own a needle profile comb gauge i did it another way...All you need is some multicore solder (the type you use to wire up a geetar) some 2mm plastic or aluminium sheet, a can of spray paint, and this is what you do.
EQUIPMENT

PICT0002_zpsynrdxhrn by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Wrap a piece of solder around neck at thin end.

PICT0011_zpshghijc1c by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Then the thick end.

PICT0012_zpswujyfdnw by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Timbuck · Jul 31, 2016

Now i lift off the solder carefully and place on the plastic sheet.

PICT0015_zpsdxxix7xf by Ken Timms, on Flickr
Then give it a light spray from above with the spray can.

PICT0019_zps5jldqqv4 by Ken Timms, on Flickr
When the paint has dryed I lift off the solder pieces revealing the profile.

PICT0020_zpsrak23laz by Ken Timms, on Flickr
After a spell on the bandsaw, spindle sander, and scraping off the paint i've got a pair of nice gauges.

PICT0032_zpspgdrc55c by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Timbuck · Aug 1, 2016

While Mrs Timbuck is out on the front mowing the lawn, I sneaked in with the camera and took a progress shot...The colour match is spot on

PICT0034_zpsjgbwjykx by Ken Timms, on Flickr

Rrgramps · Aug 1, 2016

Every morning that I check UU for new stuff, Ken is right up there with the newest! Ken has Concepts that are plausible and practical, with form fit and function.

Although he is not the originator of the first Fox rib (side) bender, he has embellished it with his own concept of how it should be built. Looking here first before building a new one for your shop is highly recommended. Also, go back into the archives and see what he has done. It's an encyclopedic journey of luthier concepts. I'm still not done with veiwing the multitude of YouTube videos from Ken. Wow!

Those clamps built into the solero look to eliminate or minimize the separate tub of spool clamps. Although we have t-nuts, they aren't as useful as the euro ones that Ken is using. Hmm; do we have a local big box store who carries those? The thru-bolt at the neck end seems more practical than suitcase/trunk latches, if a neck is being built into the solero mold, (for alignment purposes?). You might want to look here for ideas before you build a samo/samo version.

Stay tuned; he keeps coming up with more.

Thank you Ken for the learning experience and tutorials.

I'm going to make some concert size Ukes

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads