How to Carve an Archtop Soundboard

[@JavaoftheLava]

I got a hand carved archtop as a gift. I had no idea this much work went into them!

[@emmettyoung7603]

someone must like you a hell of a lot

[@dfpguitar]

Amazing video! Thanks for making it. Very impressed by the sharpness of your chisels, they cut through that wood like its a carrot.

[@princetonsoh6663]

My 16 year old daughter happened to walk up on me watching your video and said "Now that's craftsmanship!" I couldn't agree more. Can't wait to see the next video.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Princeton Soh wow, thanks!! Happy to know that this might inspire a younger generation... thanks for sharing this with me! You made my day!

[@geebee3d]

Happiness is the sound and feel of a razor sharp gouge slicing through European spruce. Great work Tommy. I’ve learned a lot from watching. Love your videos. Thanks much

[@trackie1957]

Fantastic skill in building, camera work and explanation! Some people might say “why no eye protection?”, and they’d be justified, but although many would wear safety glasses because there is potential for eye injury, what most people don’t realize is that when they are exposed to loud noises, there is 100% chance of hearing injury. 100%, and the injury accumulates. Your hearing is important for your craft, let alone enjoyment of music, so please protect your ears when using a router, sander and such.

[@MakeBrooklyn]

I love the way you turned your drill press almost into a pin router (one that only makes the plunge cut, albeit) with such a simple setup.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks, I do like simple quick setups and this one does the trick.. Thanks for watching!

[@taxisteve929]

Thank you for making these videos. I wonder how many younger people who watch this are inspired to take a new path in life and begin a life in building and repair of acoustic instruments? I'm always proud of the minor work I do on my acoustic guitar, but when I watch someone who can do things like this, I'm in awe. You have to be an artist and mechanic with a combination of dexterity, knowledge in so many different areas, and love and pride in work.

[@taxisteve929]

Typing as I watch....love that you kept the same video even after forgetting an important step, pointing out to others the importance of the correct order to have everything work properly. I would bet some others would not make the video at that point, it being more important to them that they never show they are human and can make a mistake if not giving 100% attention to the job, and have to go back and correct it before it affects the final product.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks!! I don't know.. I really hope people of all ages can use these videos or can get some kind of information out of em... It's the main reason why I put them up in the first place..

[@jonq8714]

9:58 is a beautiful shot, it's also a fantastic way to show what's going on with that contour. You should be damn proud of that symmetry.

[@sgsax]

I've really been enjoying this series. This one in particular is a great demonstration of why you need to keep your gouges and chisels nice and sharp. Looking forward to the next installment.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Seth Galitzer thanks for watching and for the feedback Seth... I really appreciate..

[@Psychedilicious]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed not only the process, but also how you filmed all of it. Well done my friend.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thank you Papaver, I really appreciate the feedback:)

[@jonq8714]

14:15 I gotta say, I aspire to that level of chisel work. Well done man.

[@ThePipeous]

eventually I will be playing nothing but Hovington Instruments. Wait buddy, it looks good for me getting a grant from the Junos. We will be Juno artists ;) ... thanks so much for all you have done. I keep watching these videos. you are like family to me now. Love you and the family. You are all amazing

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thank you Barry for putting your trust in me! You are awesome!!

[@crazyb3fan]

@12:14 - Love that thickness gage setup. I need to build one of those...great video!

[@Daantjer]

If I'm ever able to make an archtop guitar thats good, I'll be very proud of myself. This is amazing.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks Marry!

[@HarmonicaMikesStuff]

Awesone video Tomy and very relaxing musical back ground. You have good taste in wood working and music.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks, Those were really good tracks I agree.. Thanks for stopping by!

[@stforgione]

excellent!!! you sure can use a chisel great work!!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks!

[@alejandrodanna455]

Hola! Excelente tu trabajo! Me dirías de que espesor es la tapa? Y el fondo y aros... Gracias

[@mikezeke7041]

geez, waited a month... now gotta wait again... still worth the wait!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Mike Zeke sorry it took so long... there was a lot happening off camera in making the drawings and making sure it was going to work on a 3 dimensional level.. thanks for your patience:)

[@discordmarauder]

Satisfying carving sounds

[@ktrak2171]

You had me at the No 8 jointer !

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Haha!! Welcome aboard 👍 This jointer has lured a lot of people in;)

[@dumptodreamhome2630]

Such a joy to watch

[@dr.josephjive2507]

crazy awesome background tracks....loveeee it!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@richparker7778]

Magnificent work. Thank you for sharing.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Rich Parker thanks Rich!

[@larscw74]

Awesome craftmanship

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Lars de Waardt thank you

[@LexyGMichaels]

@12:12 Having priced luthier's thickness calipers around $150, I can appreciate the value of this ingenious method with an inexpensive and commonly available tool. :)

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Giselle Marie part of lutherie is to figure out a way to make our own tools. Otherwise the expensive alternative would just be ridiculous.

[@LexyGMichaels]

So true! That's one thing I appreciate about your channel- you do a lot of things in creative ways rather than relying on the more expensive conventional approaches. I learn a lot watching every video.

[@taxisteve929]

I see that with my friends who are luthiers and great repair people. The tools for so many of luthier and repair jobs on acoustic instruments is so specific and not mass produced, you only have the choice of going to a big place, one of which comes to mind in the US, and paying an arm and leg for, or figuring it out yourself. I don't have that ability, and the tools are good they sell, but as all my true luthier friends say, it is crazy to pay so much for something you can make yourself.....or figure a different way to get the job done. You DO have equipment....not the 1700s before electric tools, but not wasteful spending.....like I do!!! The difference? You are not only doing this for love, but for living, and cost is always a concern. If I do something, it is strictly as a hobby to see if I can, and the great thing, if I can't, I have my guy who works on my good instruments to save me and fix what I broke!!

[@frankhowell8139]

Great workmanship! Are you able to use the same tools and methods to carve a maple back plate? I finished shaped my first back plate with a sanding disc in a drill, 50 grit sanding disc. Messy but effective. Looking to have a better method for #2. Thanks.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

+Frank Howell yes you can, just harder because it’s hard wood. You can see some carving of a maple back in this video.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJvEomywftaseM0

[@milugardiy2110]

Hi, I love your work! can you tell me what type of wood did you use for the soundboard? thanks. JJ.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Engelmann Spruce

[@milugardiy2110]

@@HovingtonInstruments Thanks!

[@walterrider9600]

thank you Tomy . hats off to you .

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Thanks Walter

[@green_building]

16:24 - 16:49 is the best sound of carving wood by Pfeil Chisel

[@ScrapwoodCity]

Beautiful technique, thanks for sharing!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Scrap wood City thanks, glad you enjoyed the video...

[@edadpops1709]

I see you do the inside carve first,very interesting, many others do the outside carve first what is the advantage of doing the inside first?? Thanks

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Both ways work, I like to have the flat side of the plate on the bench, If you do the outside first then it will be rolling around therefore you need to make a support for it...

[@jordana5420]

Relatively new to your channel, you're a real inspiration! What gouges did you use to do your carving?

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Jordan A welcome to my channel, the gouge are Pfeil and the size is 5/35 for the bigger flatter one and 9/15 for the U shaped one. Pfeil is a leader in gouges I would recommend them without hesitation.. hope it answers your question.

[@ericlebeau1604]

Can i ask what you were doing in front of the light? Looking for inner faults?

[@HovingtonInstruments]

The light is used to see any gaps in the joint before glue up. If you see the light, it’s not good enough.. Thanks for watching!

[@mihumus]

Excellent work man, I've enjoyed it.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Humus Workshop thanks, glad you have enjoyed the video!! Thanks for watching:)

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Great work Tomy. How much time does it take to carve the top? Did you practice in on cheaper wood when you were learning?

[@HovingtonInstruments]

rimmersbryggeri thanks, I could rough shape one like this in a day... I do enjoy the process and do take my time.. Because of my day to day crazy schedule lately I had to break down the carving of this one in multiple segments.. my first carved top was AAA spruce also and was in no way perfect and that's the idea... you learn from it.. it still made a very nice sounding mandolin... the key here is to get decent drawings that you can rely on.. just before I received this order to build this Octave Mandolin I was in the process of building an A style mandolin from a 2x4 for the summer 2x4 challenge. You can see it in some of the wider shots in the video. If you want to practice this would work really well ( you need quarter sawn ).

[@HovingtonInstruments]

rimmersbryggeri just realized there isn't a wide shot in this video. But you can see it in the bending the sides video at around 6:10 up high. Here is a link to the video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4Gpl2Z4pLZle5I

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Ok I will check. I have an old Levin brand archtop that in parts now I thought it had been steam bent becasue its so thin. Is that possible to? I guess cnc carving is a little bit faster but not much if you want a consistent finish and not nearly as satisfying. I like watching a cnc work though.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

My guess is Steam bent, But I would have to see for sure.. I know that older mandolins sides used to be cut from a solid piece of wood, so it's possible!

[@markmelville6670]

Just a question if I may. Where did you learn to make the drawings for the original design? Formal class room instruction? Thanks

[@HovingtonInstruments]

I did learn some print making skills at school and in workplace,but not in instrument making, it was mostly construction, structural, and transportation. But working with a lot of different instrument blueprint and making instrument I was able to understand how it’s made. Lutherie is an art, there is basically no written rules on how you will make your instrument (other than the scale, and break angle in this case). I have made prints in the past for ukulele and turn out great also. The design was asked by the customer. He wanted something like an old archtop guitar but for a Octave Mandolin. I did a lot of research and compared with existing instrument like this one before I started drafting those drawings ..Hope this answers your question and thanks for watching.

[@markmelville6670]

Tomy Hovington yes, it did. I wish I could do this full time but it's not in the cards right now. I'm tooled up pretty well and am currently working on my #4 build, but it'll be a while before it will turn a profit.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Have fun building them, then people start wanting to buy them. That’s how it’s started for me. Best of luck. And happy building..

[@ByrdMann2010]

I'm enjoying watching this series, specifically some of the techniques. I often wonder if content creators watch themselves closely in their own videos looking for possible opportunities for improvement or if they are so busy editing the content together that they miss some telling images. I hope you take this in the constructive way it's intended. I was watching you dress your plane blade and notice that at the end of the stroke you lift on the heel of the iron as you're pulling it toward you. This would cause a rounding on the cutting edge or, at best, an uneven thickness. It's best to move a bit slower and make sure you keep the angle to the stone constant through the entire stroke. Granted that you're working with a very hard piece of wood but that might explain some of the stickiness as you were jointing the edge of the boards. I suggest you go back and watch that section of the video and see if you catch what I did as well.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

ByrdMann2010 thanks for the great comment.. this was my leather strap to hone the edge of the blade and chip breaker.. I use a little guide with a wheel on it to sharpen on a wet stone, but usually do all my planes at the same time. I thought it be clear enough just by showing the application of the honing compound. I'll try your method next time but never had any issues this way..

[@ESCAGEDOWOODWORKING]

Wow!!

[@andsalomoni]

A question came to my mind: why to carve an archtop soundboard for a plucked instrument, instead of making a flat one like in acoustic or classical guitars? Does it have different acoustic properties?

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Archtop tends to project the sound more than a flat top(louder).You can easily hear the difference between a archtop mandolin and a flat top mandolin. The sound will also differ from the F-holes ( brighter) to an Oval hole (warmer). This is a custom build and my customer ask for those specifics, we talk about the different ways to get the sound he wants, sustain, and volume. Hope this answers your question..

[@andsalomoni]

Yes, thank you. So the big pro in using flat soundboards is that they are easier to make. I built some amateur string instruments with flat tops, surely I couldn't have made arched tops using my actual skills and tools.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

andsalomoni I think it’s more of an end product decision rather than how easy or hard it is to make. The flat top might be more achievable but it also has it’s sound properties. Depending on what you want in the end, someone might choose flat rather than arch or vice versa..

[@lordmamal]

Very nice, thank you

[@NotJustSawdust]

Again, how much accuracy with hand tools!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Not Just Sawdust thanks Gerrit

[@taxisteve929]

lol...watching this, and knowing my own abilities, I could see me having to use a dozen of those $200 pieces of wood to finally get the top carved correctly. That, combined with all of my other mistakes, I would wind up with a $30 mandolin that cost $5,000 to make!!! I learned my limitations years ago, and although I do some work on my guitars, I leave the real work to those adept in that job.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

I didn't always use this kind of material... practice.. a lot of practice with cheaper material..

[@GregsGarage]

Love it!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Greg's Garage thank you!

[@SoulForestMusic]

Maybe change the music from overly teary sounding music to something more manly and acoustic 😂 great video tho, thanks for the help!

[@ketangaming9329]

good video good job :)

[@HovingtonInstruments]

KetanGaming thank you!

[@KLWStrings]

Interesting you carve the bottom first, I start with the top.. Otherwise similar methods...

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Kerry Werry I've tried top first also but that requires some kind of support to carve the underside of the plate... this way there's no need for it... thanks for watching.

[@KLWStrings]

Ahhh interesting point.. I do see that as an advantage...

[@raystargazer]

damn man, You scare me. I can't even imagine doing this. well, successfully anyway. Thanks for the video!

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Didn't mean to scare you ;-)... But if you like scary stuff you might want to watch this video... Thanks for watching! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4HUZ36apbaBnqM

[@raystargazer]

Lol. Well more like a long startle maybe. That is one gorgeous long plane! I am embarking on your whole series. This is fascinating! Thanks!

[@jkmcdonnell1]

I have noticed you don't wear a dust mask when sanding . wood dust is VERRY bad for the lungs I hope to see you wearing one in the future

[@HovingtonInstruments]

john mcdonnell you are right, I don't "always " wear a dust mask when sanding, but the dust collection unit is right beside sucking the dust... not ideal I agree... will try to do better!

[@taxisteve929]

I didn't even think about it watching, but thanks for pointing that out. The little sanding I do, I should use one, especially after seeing my grandfather, who worked with terracotta, then making tombstones, something I did plenty of, using carborundum to blow out granite at his business, and from the time I was a little kid in the early 60's until his death in 1978, he had major coughing fits seemingly every minute of his life. In the early 1900's when he started, they didn't use masks, but it is something we know better of now, and although it may be a little uncomfortable, we will regret not wearing them when we get to a certain age and the damage is irreversible. Masks are uncomfortable and an annoyance in the beginning, but I realized later, that like seat belts, wearing them becomes second nature, and with time, we adapt and they are no longer uncomfortable. And like the seatbelt, you even feel a little uneasy or naked NOT wearing them, something I never would have imagined before car seat belts were the law.

[@garybertz]

Dust in yer house is away worse

[@karelenhenkie666]

Using a mask in these clips is not only for your own health but for the many people that watch it and get inspired by you! Setting a good example when filming is very important. Keep up the great work!

[@doubledarefan]

"f-holes" That just does not sound right! What are they really called; I did not catch that?

[@HovingtonInstruments]

Double Dare Fan lol, I know right... they are called also Apertures:)

[@porteal8986]

Turn the piano down, I want to hear the plane whistle