Official Luthiers Forum!

Ok just put in my order at Hana Lima Ia have 2 kits coming one boxed up (sorta like the one grizzly sells ) and one serviced (like the stew mac) the boxed one is a cheap build for my 4 year old daughter the other is for me hopefully in the near future I can change my sig!

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

umm forgot to say Ukuleles

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

ROCK!!

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I had been wondering if you had ever built a uke with the wood I sent you...Guess I know now

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Reguards,

Ken H

Zac,

Good you can now start building. Keep it simple and build them as per the instructions. You can add extras on future builds. As you build keep going back to your Hana Lima manual and you may find a better understanding of the material.

You should consider going down to the Borg store and getting some inexpesive wood to practice neck building. I think the 2 things that scare a beginer is carving a neck and bending wood. Until you have done it the task seems huge. Don't force the neck into shape but instead work it into shape in a controlled manner.

Anyway, enjoy building and finishing the 2 new kits. Take you time and and don't shortcut. If you have a problem then stop and post here or at Hana Lima and get help. Don't overly worry anout making a mistake. Take the time to do it right but be assured that almost any mistake you can make can be repaired. This last thought has always helped me go forward.

Have Fun

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Way-to-go Zac!!!

We have commitment! Great, Zac!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

BIG HINT!

The Stewmac uke instructions tell you to build a simple jig. It does work pretty well indeed.

Here comes the BUT.... the instructions tell you to mount two 2"x2" angle brackets to the base board at the waist. I can tell you now that they WILL scar the wood on the sides of the uke. So much so that you dare not sand the scars right out, because the sides are so thin anyway.

So on my second one I added the simple variation of two small blocks of ply, filed and sanded into a curve, to the waist position, and fastened the angle brackets to those.

Problem solved.

Rod

Has anyone used the foxbender to form Uke sides?

Mike

Zac,

Rod has a great idea there and you should try that. I did something similar but used clamps. One of my problems is mine was a real early kit and the top and the bottom were cut real short. I was able to make the top work but the back had to be replaced as it was way too short. My first thought was to just shorten the body a bit and expand the width but the plates were also very narrow to the outline and wouldn't allow it.

Have Fun

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Sigh the task was daunting so its still here waiting but I didn't want to mess it up it will be made but after I mess up on impersonal wood your wood is too significant for me to waste. I will be sending you a care package soon

Rod I am going to try and cheat a little I have a mold for a martin soprano and I am going to see if that will work but if not I will definitely use your caul method thanks!

Guys thanks for putting up with me I feel like a slacker because I have been reading and planning for so long and some people have given me some great wood I promise it will go to good use. The good thing is I have spent time visualizing work flow and methods as well as finally understanding some things. I am going to step a little out on the kit in one way going to try my hand at inlaying an "m" in my daughters fretboard. I have been practicing on some scrap. going to try and use some figured maple or walnut that I have well see. Thanks Guys

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

That's one of the great things about these kits. There's plenty of scope for thinking outside the box, and using them as test beds to learn new things and new techniques. Heck, everything is new when one is at that stage. My first Stewmac kit was bog standard except for the fact that I used kerfed lining instead of the plain strips they provided, and I put on a different bridge and decent tuners. It came out pretty well, and it sounds really good. Right up there with my vintage Martins.



The second and third that I am now building allowed me to be a bit more adventurous, particularly with the rosette, binding and purfling. And so they are now different instruments, and one of them has a long fingerboard, bound fingerboard and bound headstock too. They make great test beds for learning! (And there's no real risk!).





Above all... go for it and have fun!

Rod

sigh..tracking says it left Hawaii now I have to wait..I HATE waiting!

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Fantastic! Unfortunately I'm still at the starting gate waiting for the pistol to go BANG!! Someday.........for now the dream remains alive and well. Rock on!!!!

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DES - Shepherd, MI