2nd Build - Tenor Ukulele from Australian Tonewoods Kit

Bob_H · Apr 29, 2020

My second build, following a Stew Mac kit. This one is a kit from Tim Spittle at Australian Tonewoods with Tiger Myrtle sides and back, and a King Billy soundboard. The fingerboard is Gidgee. Using (or attempting to use

) the Spanish method. The kit from Tim is brilliant and requires much more involvement than the Stew Mac kit, which is exactly what I was looking for.

sequoia · Apr 29, 2020

Nice looking wood... Is the neck block going to stay that massive or does it get pared down? Seems a little over-sized to me. Looking forward to your results.

Doug · Apr 29, 2020

It looks like a Spanish heel neck block. So it'll probably stay big. Looks like a real nice kit.

Bob_H · Apr 29, 2020

sequoia said:
Nice looking wood... Is the neck block going to stay that massive or does it get pared down? Seems a little over-sized to me. Looking forward to your results.

The neck block will be tidied a little, but remain pretty substantial.

Bob_H · Apr 29, 2020

Doug said:
It looks like a Spanish heel neck block. So it'll probably stay big. Looks like a real nice kit.

I'm certainly happy with the kit so far. Australian Tonewoods have a range of interesting Australian native timbers, and were happy to accomodate some requests for variations

Bob_H · May 11, 2020

Continuing to progress - sound board braced, neck shaped, ledge cut and glued, tail piece shaped, sides glued at neck and tail, tentalones cut and glued. Waiting for glue to set and then will clean up. Really enjoying working with hide glue - clean up with either warm wet cloth, or nicely with a sharp chisel when dry. Have repurposed an old crock pot (slow cooker) - sits at 65 degrees Celsius all day

The butt joint at the tail is not all I had hoped, so I am looking at options for an end graft - possibly a slight wedge using a piece of myrtle with King Billy edge strips

Bob_H · Aug 14, 2020

Finished! Tru Oil finish, after an unsuccessful attempt at French polishing. will need to get back in the FP horse!

sequoia · Aug 14, 2020

Ah yes, finishing... Somebody once called it the Achilles heal of lutherie.

Looks great whatever the finish is.

Coast_Ukulele · Sep 1, 2020

i was just looking at these today! I’m working on the Harpkit baritone right now and i’m itching for my next project. Did the sides come shaped?

Bob_H · Sep 2, 2020

sixsixty said:
i was just looking at these today! I’m working on the Harpkit baritone right now and i’m itching for my next project. Did the sides come shaped?

Yep - Tim from ATW was very helpful - sides bent, bindings bent, top and back joined and thicknessed. Also helpful with some replacement items when I bjorked the originals (fret board, bindings).

Coast_Ukulele · Sep 2, 2020

Thanks for the update! I'm leaning towards this kit as my next build. Not quite ready to shape my own sides or cut a neck from scratch yet.

Bob_H · Sep 3, 2020

sixsixty said:
Thanks for the update! I'm leaning towards this kit as my next build. Not quite ready to shape my own sides or cut a neck from scratch yet.

I'm travelling a similar path - working on my third ukulele now, and this is first go at bending sides and gluing up a neck blank. Good luck!

2nd Build - Tenor Ukulele from Australian Tonewoods Kit

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