Builder in exile

I'm with my family in Småland. Absolutely lovely surroundings. But since I've got stuff to do, I'm here with an emergency kit of tools, oil and shellac to finish Paul's piccolo and Alli's tenor.

Here's the fret slot cutting jig that I'm so proud of, clamped to the piccolo. It does have great advantages to build outdoors; the light is many times better than in my workshop.

First coat of shellac

Will it be ready for Hollesley? This is the question that haunts me; keeps me awake at night and stops me from functioning at the office.

Rush hour

Crikey! What a mess. I am forcing my way forward to finish Alli's tenor before going to Hollesley, and one more piccolo might join it. I really should put tuners on Jukka's piccolo, and a nut. I'm in such a hurry I even bought pre-cut kerfed linings. But my extra soprano for the Hollesley raffle, that won't be ready. But who'd wanna win a uke that was thrown together in a haste?

(Don't answer that, I know - maybe the same people buying thrown-together ukes from me...)

Alder tenor, cherry piccolo

Alli's tenor has got sides glued and shaped for the domed back, the
neck is carved and bolted on, and solid linings are installed.

Jukka's little piccolo is my fastest build ever, the back is glued and
soon only fretting and bridge work remains.

Good progress

This is an attempt to show you a lot in a single pic.

The alder tenor has gotten its' sides bent, blocks glued in place and
solid linings installed on the soundboard side. And I chose to build
it with a bolt-on neck since I think that gives me more control
aligning and fitting.

A new little piccolo is taking shape alongside the tenor, sides bent
and blocks and linings glued, neck almost completely carved.

But the best thing is I really upgraded my piccolo mould, I put
threaded inserts around it so I won't have to use string when glueing
the top and back. It looks almost half semi-professional I think. I am
so proud. I have to make one for my next tenor.

Alli's soundboard braced

Yes. I know you have seen almost this exact picture before. But this
is to show progress on ukes, not surprises. And we all love pics of
wood shavings and miniature planes, don't we.

Of course we do.

Alli's tenor up next

With Simon's piccolo done, and Markus' pineapple awaiting parts, I
cleared some of the mess(es) and started the alder tenor I'm making
for Alli.

I sanded the parts last week, so all the worst parts are done.

Wood for a new tenor

Alli's tenor will be made from alder. The board I cut up this weekend
is planed, the halves for the back and the soundboard are joined and
then planed some more. They were slightly uneven from resawing, and I
don't want to push my thickness sander to far over the limit.

Tonight I also found some more cherry in the shop, some soundboard
halves I forgot about. At least one more piccolo of cherry to
accompany the ones I prepared alder for.

And to those of you who are waiting: patience my friends. Things
happen all the time even if everything doesn't make it to the blog.

Wood resawn, mould done

So out of a board of alder I got these sides, tops and backs. And a
few neck blanks for piccolos. Alli's tenor neck has been laminated and
roughly shaped. It still has the length to enable a spanish heel but I
might cut it and bolt it. My new mould for the piccolo bodies is
almost done, just need to sand the inside a bit with... you guessed it
- the MRSG.

I really should have gotten a new blade for the bandsaw though. The
blade I used now drifted and I wasted a lot of wood. And the pieces I
got need a whole lot of tough love in the thickness sander. I mean, a
lot.

Jig upgrades

I broke my piccolo mould since I got into a bad habit of using it
bending the sides. So I make a new sturdier one. Next to it is a new
template for tenor necks. It is made with a spanish heel in mind, but
since my bolt-ons have gotten so good I consider making the next tenor
that way.

After lunch I'll resaw wood for Alli's tenor. I'm leaning towards
alder, but there is some cherry between me and the saw...