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You'd be surprised

um, sure... lets go with that

I got the dreadnought strung up so it looks like I'll start on my uke tonight

So I thicknessed the top






Then I laid out the bracing, but decided to go to bed because it's almost 12 and I've been up for about 36 hours...

So I decided to go with a really simple rosette;




Then I worked on the back strip






Then I glued on the bracing

Those clamps look so big

I like the back strip.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Here are the plates now that they've been braced



Bending sides



I'll let them cool for a little while

So I worked hard and was able to get the box closed and the neck laminated.



Glueing on the top with my high tech clamps



Now for the neck





and the box

First I planed the neck to square up the surfaces:



Then I used the spindle sander to sand the heel to the radius of the body:



Then I glued the fretboard and headplate on:



And roughed out the heel:



I also glued on the top binding:



My plan is to have this thing completely done by the 18th.

That fingerboard end shape is going to make it look like the instrument is wearing a tie

Quite the speedy building you're doing! Looks good (except for that un-beveled tail block restricting the soundboard's vibrating area... and here I thought you were on my side about that, being a student of Mr. Somogyi )

Thanks

Considering that the heel block is less than 1/2" thick (and it's a uke) I didn't really think/care if it would be a slight factor in the tone

You didn't care about the tone??

Better lock your doors because an angry mob of luthiers is heading your way with pitchforks and torches to run you out of town!!

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Ok, so here's today's progress:

Looks good Brian.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

thanks, Tony

Here's what the uke looks like as of now. I should be pore filling tomorrow night; this is going so fast I think I might as well start another uke tomorrow

Fretted the neck:

You sure did and it does look like a tie.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

That's what I was thinking.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Well considering I have nearly four months left, I still have $100 left in my budget, and I'm about to start finishing this uke I drew up plans for the next uke in my series of 3 ukes I plan on making for this challenge.

Here's the first uke, getting ready for finish...



And here are the plans I drew up (bridge is just in an approx. location)



And my materials



I joined the walnut back too

Hes a wild man I tellz ya , A wild man !!

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looks good, looking forward to the harp uke!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

Awesome! Love to see how much harp ukuleles seem to be catching on.

I don't know whether to feel proud or ashamed of how much time I spend on my instruments. I've only done design work, thinned some plates, and cut half my rosette pieces, and you're already done and on to the next one...

But once again, I'm bothered by bridge mobility restriction... that is, the bass side of the bridge being right up on the perimeter, rather than fiddling the shape and neck angle to get the bridge centered horizontally. As with the un-beveled tail block on the regular uke, I know it's commonly done that way, but for the life of me I can't understand why. Surely it would hurt bass response, which is even more necessary when you need to support the sub-bass string frequencies. Do you have any insight, or just following tradition?

So I thicknessed the top and I'll brace it today.

Glueing on the bracing:

it's gonna be a cute looking little thing

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"