Learning to Make a Mandolin pt. 3

Well this project has taken an unexpected turn. If you watched the first two videos you noticed that I was "Making" a mandolin, and now I am "Learning" to make a mandolin.
As a wood worker, this has turned out to be a stretch for my skills (I like that!) and because I insist on experimenting along the way, this is taking longer than I had expected - but luckily I'm not afraid to fail.
I also realized that one doesn't master the making of an acoustic instrument as much as becoming a master of making the PARTS of the musical instrument. In this case, starting with becoming very good at making the molds or forms, and then becoming very good at forming the ribs around the mold or form. Later on I'll have to master such things as making the sound board, making the neck, etc etc.
For the first two videos, go to:
• Building a Bowlback Ma... (part 1)
and
• Building a Bowlback Ma... (part 2)
As usual, this takes some time so thanks for keeping in touch and if you want to be notified whenever a new video comes out, please SUBSCRIBE and also visit my website
openwoodshop.com
and THANKS!

[@mikecurtin9831]

Thanks very much for this. I've learned a lot while watching you.

[@edurbrow]

Nice. Looking forward to seeing the finished instrument.

[@duartemonteiro9298]

Hey! I am a classical mandolin player and i am trying to get as much information as i can so i can maybe build one someday. Your video helped me out a lot! I would love to see you keep going with this project! :D

[@OpenWoodShop]

I hope to return to this project as well someday but for now I am making ukuleles. The mandolin was a bit hard for a beginner. I feel that I could do it now.

[@rockpopmando1]

Hi, in the first minutes, You showed some cracked bowls. Your neckblock is to small. The neckblock has to be behind the "star" where all the rips have to com together. Have You ever taken an old italien mandolin taken apart? the italiens used really very simple technics and made a rectangle cutout in the mold. In my mandolin, I made a round one... perhaps try it by yourself.

[@twokool4skool129]

Looks great. Are you still using Titebond3? Most luthiers still seem to prefer HHG, but when using Titebond, most go with 1 since the later suffer more from cold creep. I used Titebond 2 on a project, and it slowly pulled apart under tension over a year.

[@OpenWoodShop]

Mostly original titebond now. Epoxy in some places as well. Have used HHG and may come back to it in the future.

[@danielfeliciano9840]

Is there a part 4? I have loved this video series! I've learend sooo much!

[@OpenWoodShop]

Not yet. I want to do some things differently so I've taken a few steps back to rethink all this. Presently I'm doing a run of ukuleles and I hope to get back to this project afterwards. Thanks for your interest!

[@lizsek8955]

How can I get hold of a copy of the plan. I have made 3 Ukuleles and now Iam ready to make A bowlback

[@OpenWoodShop]

I found copies of that plan on eBay some years back, but went back later and it was gone. I'm not sure where else you can find them. Good luck!

[@firatyildirimcs]

could you please tell the thickness of ribs?

[@OpenWoodShop]

About 2mm but will be thinned down slightly after they are all in place.

[@firatyildirimcs]

@@OpenWoodShop Thank you for the answer

[@FB-gm6el]

@@OpenWoodShop keep going, still watching!

[@OpenWoodShop]

@@FB-gm6el thanks. I am working on several videos but they ate taking a lot of time to finish. Soon I hope!

[@scatterjoys]

Thanks for creating and sharing this. Really enjoyed and learned from you. I'm restoring an old bowl mandolin and really need to figure out those filler strips. On mine, they almost look and feel like balsa or soft chinking. Wondering how the factories shaped those strips en masse.

[@OpenWoodShop]

Glad you liked it. Hope you found it useful. I have put a pause on mandolin making and decided to try something a little more 'my level' but hopefully will return to it someday. As for the strips, I think you just bend thin strips on a hot pipe bender. It takes the right type of wood and some practice. Good luck!