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I am building a StewMac Baritone Ukulele kit. I really don’t like my side seam on the back of the ukulele. I mocked up a back section (thank god) and tried to cut an end graft by hand. It didn’t turn out that well.

How do you all cut your end grafts? Do you use a router template? Can you buy these or do you make them yourself? Did you build a jig?

Any information would be appreciated

Thanks

Hi Steve,
I usually do a simple wedge. Pics tell the story. The wood block is sitting on a folded piece of sandpaper, lined up on guide marks and held with one hand while drawing Japanese pull saw with the other. Clean it out with a chisel, epoxy a wedge and proceed with cutting binding channels.








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I use a template to cut the end graft in the instrument. Both the template and endgraft are cut on my laser. Over the top for your first instrument but it's very quick and accurate.

Here's a video I did about a year ago. Not the greatest quality, but you get the idea.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia

Thanks for your advice

My second attempt on my mockup worked a lot better.

How do you brace the ukulele when chiseling out the graft? It took a fair amount of clamp pressure to keep the board still while I was doing this.

The second problem that I didn’t think out very well. The top and back are already glued on so if I add a graft now the end grains will show.

My example was actually with a guitar, but I would handle a uke the same way. In my case, I put a cam clamp on either side of the body, with additional clamps holding those to my bench. In Allen’s video, he’s using a custom vice arrangement. Not much pressure is required for either system, provided your chisel is sharp. No need for a mallet!


Well, you have indeed increased your level of difficulty. You could presumably scribe the outer edge with a sharp xacto knife, chisel out carefully, then fit your inlay into the cavity. Personally, I would find it easier and better looking to bind the top and bottom (like in my photos — you can skip the purfling). Might be worth learning this valuable skill on this kit project.



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Your work is beautiful by the way


Well, you have indeed increased your level of difficulty. You could presumably scribe the outer edge with a sharp xacto knife, chisel out carefully, then fit your inlay into the cavity. Personally, I would find it easier and better looking to bind the top and bottom (like in my photos — you can skip the purfling). Might be worth learning this valuable skill on this kit project.


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I was going to bind it but someone said the lining was thin (see photo) and it might make it tricky to rout and install. What do you think?

It's a Stewmac kit, I am using the materials they sent

You could do binding, but I wouldn't recommend purfling. Keep the binding at about .06"

New username, same Pat Mac

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Pat

I just completed my first ukulele, also a Stewmac tenor kit. I didn't like the laminated back edge showing at the sides, so I bound both top and back. Figured why not personalize it a bit so I added a headplate and open gear tuners.


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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

Brad

That looks great. What binding did you use

I'm guessing it was some flamed maple, although there is not much flame to speak of. I've got a boneyard tube with odds and ends and the four pieces were long enough to work on a ukulele.
One caution; I had no idea a veneer could be as thin as the mahogany laminated back and sides are. Maybe about as thick a quarter of a sheet of standard printer paper. Be very cautious sanding, scraping, or removing masking tape.

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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

I have unfortunately found this out already

Thanks