What's happening in your shed?

Current goings on...
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Finishing up 2 baritone ukes built on Spanish Cedar cigar boxes for a client. Also working on an 8 string tenor resonator uke from a 2-bottle wine box. 5 other ukes in process as well, all sold for the holidays. Vacation starts tomorrow, so have to get at it. Happy Holidays to everyone.7A7D776C-0A9B-4376-819E-8478DBA7944A.jpg
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New bridge caul for baritones. Before I make the same thing for tenors and concerts, does anyone have another way of doing this that I can copy? :)

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New bridge caul for baritones. Before I make the same thing for tenors and concerts, does anyone have another way of doing this that I can copy? :)
Actually, your solution is just what I'm after, as I am working on a baritone myself, and need to glue on a bridge in the near future. Thanks for the idea.
 
Glad to help. The mating surface is sanded to match the curvature of the top. These 5" clamps are available from StewMac. They come with round clamping surfaces that are screwed into the threaded posts and can easily be removed. The caul is attached to the lower post with a flat head machine screw. It needs to be rotated parallel to the clamp to get it through the sound hole. There's a spacer (metal washer plus a plastic washer) that is just the right thickness so that when the assembly is inside, the caul tightens in the orientation shown in the photos. This makes it easy to position the caul properly under the bridge plate because it doesn't want to flop around. These clamps are too long for my tenors and they are the shortest that StewMac offers. I've made shorter clamps that fit the tenors and concerts and I'll probably adapt them to this kind of caul.

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I made this a couple weeks back. Portable spray booth. Sets up on bench top and stores away when not in use. Has an exhaust fan, which is also used to clear dust out of the shop.

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Works very well. I love shellac, but not the tedium of padding it on. So I spray it.

Experiment with photo upload...
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I have a cigar box guitar & matching amp (with consecutive numbers on each box) on the bench.
Amp is done. Neck is done. Box cut now I need to do the pickup and bridge install.

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A few builds over the Christmas new year
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I had a nightmare trying to adjust the intonation on the pineapple uke because the d string wanted to be intimated 15mm closer to the 12th fret than it had any right to.
I replaced it and all went back to normal.
 
Ian,

I'd be playing the pineapple while eating the chocolate chip. Is there a 'best before' date on that cookie?
Good fun builds, mate .... you've made me smile.

EDIT:
I've just noticed the cookie cut away … somebody beat me to it.
 
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The first 3 pics are of a flamenco guitar I build which came out at 1162 grams (2.5 pounds).
The bridge of padauk (1" x 6.5") was only 11 grams which makes for a super responsive instrument.
Not the string through bridge design which is rather unique on a classical or flamenco guitar.

If you are wondering why i'm posting about a guitar, it is because understanding what makes a good guitar relates directly to what makes a good uke. Especially a good classical guitar. The luthier who thinks the uke is an island (acoustically speaking) is a fool.

The two last pics are a matched set (concert/tenor) i have going.

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Still chugging along on my twin uke builds. Here's the back of the baritone after I glued the second Rosewood binding strip yesterday. This is the first uke I've built with the soundboard and back both arched, as well as the sides tapered, so it was a bit of a challenge to get the back bindings in place. I always add the large rubber bands and clamps to ensure a tight fit . . . and even then, I sometimes have a gap to address.

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When I make something like this I wonder if it increases my likelihood of becoming an "I'm not a luthier but". As we all know an I'm not a luthier but is the most knowledgeable and wise expert on all things to do with ukuleles, guitars and string instruments in general.

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I finished a cheap ebay kit. I removed the plywood top and replaced it with spruce. I was able to remove and replace the original binding. It just has a wiped on tung oil finish. I made a few cosmetic mistakes, but I'm pleased with how it sounds and plays.

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