Third piccolo (Robban's) underway

I missed the perfect photo opportunity today when Robban was over to
try the half-ready piccolos in his fancy briefcase. We agreed on me
trying to build a shorter one so he wouldn't have to get a new bag.

Here is the beginning of the end result; sides bent and the length
shortened some 5 or 6 mm at the shoulders, and then the headstock will
be shorter (and wider for the pegs to fit).

This time it only took 25 minutes to bend the sides, with less water
and no cracking at all. Cherry is very nice to work with.

The first two cherry piccolos so far

As I've revealed before, one of them gets a fretboard. Both are boxed
up and the tops and backs have been cut flush with the enormous
chisel. I'll start a couple more before I continue too far, a bit of
overlap really helps.

Drawings would help as well, and I'm actually making drawings as the
work progresses. Some of my customers have let me know they're eagerly
awaiting these ukes, and one has to be adapted to an existing
briefcase. So length of headstock and body depth will be decided when
I see the briefcase.

Don't forget - if you want some proper work done, I am an accomplished
architect as well as an amateur luthier.

Back glued

First cherry piccolo boxed up. Like the cherry soprano I built for
Mange, this one also surprised me with the lengthwise rigidity of the
cherry. It was quite hard clamping it down and I hope it won't be a
problem this rather tight arching in the back. It will however pull
less hard after I trim the back down to the contour of the sides.