Trimming unbound top and back

hoji

hoji

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Any tips or tricks on trimming the excess from the top or back plate after being glued on? Specifically, for ukes that are not going to have any binding, and a clean and flush edge is needed.

I've tried a sharp, wide chisel in the past but it's just too slow and tedious when there's and eighth of an inch or more overhang to remove. I've also used a very small, dremel powered drum sander to get it down close. However that's just too easy to cause damage fast.

I'm planning to try the dremel and sanding drum again, but use a piece of metal flashing to protect the sides from accidental nicks. That would get it close. Then come back with the sharp wide chisel and get it almost flush. Then finish with sanding block.

Any other ideas?
 
Flush trim router bit -- perfect! That was the missing piece of my knowledge. Any preference on size? 3/8, 1/2, ?
 
Laminate trimmer is probably the way to go (bosch colt seems to be the standard), but I use a wicked sharp thumb plane and sandpaper to finish off... I'm obviously not a big production facility.
 
Try to leave as little as possible eg: 3mm before using the laminate trimmer...cos it can be a disaster going against the grain on the bouts..there is a standard way to run the trimmer around the uke ..may be someone can explain with a diagram.;)
 
Routing sequence.jpg
Hopefully this diagram makes sense. Rout downhill so that you're never climbing into the grain. Second pass all the way round in the opposite direction.
Miguel
 
I'll definitely be ordering one of those flush trim bits. In the meantime, I got the job done today following timbuck's method of first trimming with a saw. I remembered I had a little high speed cutter for the dremel, so used that (with the stewmac base) to cut the waist area close. Then just finished off with a chisel and sanding block. Worked out well.KIMG0793.jpg
 
For the excess, buy the cheapest lam trimmer you can find and put a flush cut bit like this in it-

There is always a touch more to to sand off but you could fix that if you really wanted with a slightly smaller bearing.

Screen Shot 2020-04-09 at 9.23.29 AM.jpg
 
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