Hollow body II build
- Thread starter 1bad914
- Start date
When carving the inside you need a way to measure the thickness. Since I am notoriously frugal, I decided to make my own calipers. This is not done yet. I will clean it up and put cross beams on it so it stands on its own. I think I will also design a way to make the actuation faster and easier. Like a trigger. Ugly, but functional. Lol
To be honest, I may make another, the bit wandered on the bottom hole. Kind of crooked.
To be honest, I may make another, the bit wandered on the bottom hole. Kind of crooked.
Ripthorn
Friend of Leo's
If you were really frugal, you would have saved that gorgeous maple offcut for something better 
Freeman Keller
Poster Extraordinaire
I have more. It was that or a piece of mahogany. Maple will flex less. LolIf you were really frugal, you would have saved that gorgeous maple offcut for something better
Started carving the inside. Holy moly, my wrists are killing me already. Lol. I was to cautious with my hog it drilling. I could have gone much closer. Learn on the back.
Ripthorn
Friend of Leo's
Yeah, I spent so much time scraping the inside carved on mine. Ugh.
photondev
Tele-Afflicted
Yup, did it twice for my Hollowbody II builds. It tests your determination to build this type of guitar
crazydave911
Doctor of Teleocity
If you can find a used Roger Siminoff book with the fold out plans still in the back you'd be better off. Jerry's first mandolins were built out of it and the second with a redwood top is still going and VERY loud
Was looking at that book the other day. It is still in print.If you can find a used Roger Siminoff book with the fold out plans still in the back you'd be better off. Jerry's first mandolins were built out of it and the second with a redwood top is still going and VERY loud
Freeman Keller
Poster Extraordinaire
Roger's book guided me when I built mine. I'll also say that I cheated and bought one of his kits which had the top and back roughed out on a duplicarver.
Well, the carving of this guitar should scare me away, but I keep thinking about it.
Freeman Keller
Poster Extraordinaire
Some things to remember about a mandolin or archtop vs. what you are doing. Their tops are spruce which is infinitely easier to carve. Backs are usually maple but don't have to be carved as carefully or as thinly as the top. I was able to get the top to about 1/4 thickness on the archtop with the method I used and the rest was pretty easy to remove. I also used much bigger planes than I see in any of your pictures and I could put both shoulders into pushing the planes. The little guys are cute but big ones move wood.
Also many people are now using mills or duplicating routers to hog out most of the wood which was more or less where I started my F5.
crazydave911
Doctor of Teleocity
FYI, I would do sycamore back and sides and a redwood top. Inexpensive and loud plus easy to carve
I have a few sycamore acoustic sides laying in my wood pile.FYI, I would do sycamore back and sides and a redwood top. Inexpensive and loud plus easy to carve
crazydave911
Doctor of Teleocity
An F style mandolin also has a carved back so you'll need a wedge blank for that also. I have a local source for sycamore boards 15/16" thick if you can resaw FYI
I have access to a very large bandsaw for resawing.
