As many of you knew and graciously helped me keep secret. I spent the last few months making a ukulele for Bailey as a Christmas gift.
It is made from Hawaiian koa wood with a flamed maple neck. The fretboard is ebony and the bindings, bridge and rosette are rosewood. The inlays are done with abalone shell. It is a Tenor size
I have never made an instrument before so this was a wild ride. I learned an incredible amount that I hope to document here in more detail when I have the time. One big piece of it was making the tools. Including the molds for bending the sides, router guide, sled, hot pipe and go bars. This took a substantial amount of time. I will be leaving the tools at the Makerspace for anyone who would like to try making one. It will save a huge amount of time. I would be happy to help anyone who would like to try.
The plans and instructions I (generally) followed are from oaktownstrings. I am hoping to hold a session about what I learned in the new year. Not so much of a complete workshop, but more of a guide on how to approach making a ukulele with some advice and resources. Please let me know here if you are interested.