Making Spreaders & Finishing the Mold

Thursday, July 8th, 2010: Today I got a start on making my spreaders for this uke. I've never had a set method of making spreaders, but this time I decided to try out Dave Painter's simple method that he describes here. Here I've clamped up the glued-up spreader pieces. The pieces with the two slots (for the turnbuckle eyes to sit in) will be later cut in half — one half is for the waist spreader and the other half is for the upper bout spreader. The piece with the single slot is for the lower bout spreader. After I remove the clamps, I will bandsaw out the pieces to match the mold outline at the point the spreaders will contact, and I will trim the pieces down.

Another thing I did today was to put a few coats of shellac on my mold, to give it a little protection and durability. Holding it in my vise enables me to get to all the sides at once. It's around 6:00 p.m. right now. I think what I'll do now is to take out my top and back (which I joined a few days ago), do a preliminary thicknessing, and start marking out the bracing plans on the top and back. Then the fun really begins!

INDEX: Return to HOME PAGE Joining the Top and Back Template, Mold, and Bending Form Making Spreaders Beginning the Top and Back Soundhole Decisions! More Decisions, Demolition, and Braces Back Braces and Side Bending Deck, Sides in Mold, and Blocks Soundhole!!! Top Bracing, Kerfing Deck, Creases, and More Kerfing More Top Bracing and the Arbor! Scatterbrained — Odds 'n' Ends Soundport and Closing Up the Box On to the Binding Beginning the Neck The Neck, Day 2 The Neck, Day 3 The Allen Wrench Dilemma and the Peghead Bridge Shaping and Neck Fitting The Deck is Finished! The Fingerboard is Glued! Neck Carved, Finish Sanding, Wash Coat, Pore-Filling, Sanding, Sealing, Tru-Oil Paraffin Oil Polishing and Finishing it All Up! Saddle Compensation Jig REALLY Finishing It Up Now!!!

		Later that evening . . . . . Well, to the left you can see that I have finished the spreaders. I cut them out on the bandsaw, superglued some cork on to the spreader surfaces, and tried them out. Success!!!! Stay tuned . . . Tomorrow I will begin work on the top and back.
Previous Page		Next Page