Taking the plunge -- building a kit mando
- Ro3b
- Posts: 777
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Takoma Park, MD
- Contact:
Taking the plunge -- building a kit mando
My International Violins mandolin kit arrived moments ago. Somewhat auspiciously, the day I ordered it, I discovered that the top of my wretched Chinese-made all-plywood hell mando had collapsed. I think the torch got passed, or something.
Even though I have zero previous woodworking experience, it looks like this is going to go together pretty easily. I'm very psyched.
Even though I have zero previous woodworking experience, it looks like this is going to go together pretty easily. I'm very psyched.
You might want to do yourself a flavor and get some nice tuning machines.
The kits usually come with poor tuners (I don't know about Int'l Violin, though... looks like a nice kit)
The kits usually come with poor tuners (I don't know about Int'l Violin, though... looks like a nice kit)
- Loren
- Posts: 8390
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free - Location: Loren has left the building.
Dude, you beat me to it!
Keep us posted, I was thinking of ordering an IV kit in the next few days, so I'll be interested to hear how it goes. What tools did you decide on using - Scraper only, or fingerplanes and ??? What sort of finish are you going for? I'm fairly certain I can do a good job on everything except for the the finish. I have zero experience with the type of finishes used on string instruments.
Loren
Keep us posted, I was thinking of ordering an IV kit in the next few days, so I'll be interested to hear how it goes. What tools did you decide on using - Scraper only, or fingerplanes and ??? What sort of finish are you going for? I'm fairly certain I can do a good job on everything except for the the finish. I have zero experience with the type of finishes used on string instruments.
Loren
- Loren
- Posts: 8390
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free - Location: Loren has left the building.
- Ro3b
- Posts: 777
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Takoma Park, MD
- Contact:
Yeah, the tuners that came with the kit look nice enough, but I'm going to use a set of Grovers I originally bought to go on my late lamented Pacific Rim mando. Besides just being generally better quality, they're a little heavier, which should enhance sustain. I'm going to use a cast tailpiece and make a maple violin-style bridge as well.
Re finish, I'm going to take the easy route and use Tru-Oil; I don't have the patience for french polishing or the equipment for spray lacquer. I'm thinking over a honey/amber stain. Depends on my mood when I get that far. If I screw up a lot, I may just paint the thing black.
First order of business is tools. I guess I'm going to have to make a thickness gauge, and get some scrapers and learn to burnish them properly -- from what I read on Mandolin Cafe, the plates are already so near to their desired thickness that finger planes would take off too much wood.
Then I can begin.
Re finish, I'm going to take the easy route and use Tru-Oil; I don't have the patience for french polishing or the equipment for spray lacquer. I'm thinking over a honey/amber stain. Depends on my mood when I get that far. If I screw up a lot, I may just paint the thing black.
First order of business is tools. I guess I'm going to have to make a thickness gauge, and get some scrapers and learn to burnish them properly -- from what I read on Mandolin Cafe, the plates are already so near to their desired thickness that finger planes would take off too much wood.
Then I can begin.
Last edited by Ro3b on Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Ro3b
- Posts: 777
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Takoma Park, MD
- Contact:
Yep, it's a whole new realm of consumerism I've never experienced firsthand before. Though it's going to be a while before I start lusting after tools I don't specifically need. I don't even own a power drill yet, let alone a Dremel or a belt sander or a bandsaw or one of these.
Strictly speaking, the kit is $95. The extra is for a copy of Roger Siminoff's book "Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin," by way of instructions, and you can order the kit without that. It's a steal.
Strictly speaking, the kit is $95. The extra is for a copy of Roger Siminoff's book "Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin," by way of instructions, and you can order the kit without that. It's a steal.
- brewerpaul
- Posts: 7300
- Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
- Location: Clifton Park, NY
- Contact:
I actually DO have something very similar. Mine is a cast cutter, for removing plaster casts and uses a very similar oscillating blade. It's not all pretty and shiny and sterilizable, but it's basically the same thing.Ro3b wrote:Yep, it's a whole new realm of consumerism I've never experienced firsthand before. Though it's going to be a while before I start lusting after tools I don't specifically need. I don't even own a power drill yet, let alone a Dremel or a belt sander or a bandsaw or one of these.
A Dremel is a vastly useful tool that most people would find good uses for. Careful though: running at 27 K RPM, they can be dangerous.