Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a brace on my right hand and I am more or less out of commission as far as building goes for a while. But I found myself in need of a uke and I figured the least effort would be to use a cigar box for the body and use a ready made bridge that came as a kit with nut saddle and tuners. So nothing fancy here, hope it sounds ok.


A 2"x3" stud as the neck, a couple of pieces for a top which I can not remember why I cut them. Not quartered, might actually help out in a small build like this.



Run a router over the edges of the top using a square as a straight edge.



Gluing up the top and 'linings'.



X braced the top to get the maximum area vibrating, well at least in my mind.



Roughing out the neck.



Further on the neck and cut a piece of walnut for the fretboard.



Bridge glued to the top, top to the box, how am I going to do the neck joint?



Actually looks like it may work. Frets in.



Finished the neck, glued the fretboard to the top, shimmed the neck joint with a wedge, who would have thought a cigar box would have been built with the sides at right angles? A coat of poly on everything. A recessed pocket for a screw through the neck into the neck block. I did say this was going to be a half-as build didn't I?



Finish her up today.

Actually sounds not bad. Screwed up on the tuner placement, oh well. What is worse is that they are all the same side, the two lower strings need to turn backwards as compared to the other set. Otherwise it sounds pretty good, easy to play.

A real one this time.


Building a uke for some people at work. The rest of the projects are pushed back in order of importance. One side bent, one to go.


This was unplanned, using the other uke body as a temporary form so it holds its shape. Did not think I would make more than one I did not make any forms for this shape.


Gluing the neck and tail block.


Trimmed and looking good.


Installing the linings.


A nice piece that is an orphan guitar side, need to thin it down some.



Thinned down, with some wings on it should make for a good top.



The back already joined.



Cutting the sound hole.



Bracing the top.



Bracing the back and adding a bits under the bridge area.



Gluing the sides onto the top. The clamp is for insurance the sides do not bow. A spacer runs from the neck block to the tail block and with the clamp nothing moved when adding the weights. I find this faster and easier than using clamps.



Glued on the back as well. Trimmed and almost ready for finish. Need to put a ring of wood in the sound hole in place of a rosette. Then with some sanding it is almost ready to go. Time to think of the neck.

Looks great!

_________________
Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

I like it!

The go-bars look really sprung and they are set up pointed end down. Have you ever had them slip off and stab through the top or back?

_________________
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

You mean like today, or just generally?

Sorry if that happened. I just noticed because I use the same fiberglass rods. I built an overhead board that has a grid of holes in it spaced every 1/2". I put the pointed end into the hole to keep it from skating and put the rubber tipped end on the workpiece.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

_________________
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars