Neck & Fingerboard

SO the next somewhat nerve wracking step in construction is to route the tenon on the neck to fit in to the already routed mortise. The main reason for the nerves is getting the angle of the neck right somewhere around 88 or 89 degrees. I don't actually measure the angle, I just adjust it to get the proper height above the future bridge location..

Then the fingerboard needs to be slotted and tapered, I have a nice jig I made for slotting fingerboards but of course it will not work on fanned frets.. oh well i could use my new fingerboard tapering jig..

My first time using a Japanese style saw for cutting fret slots.. works great

\Looks fine to me

The fingerboard next to the neck

My tapering jig

Arm Bevel Done and Time to Start on the Neck

Well the binding and arm bevel are done, since this was my first try at an arm bevel I used the simplest binding possible which still look fine IMHO.. Not actually to hard to do but I can see how a more complex binding scheme would be difficult.

For those interested I used cyanoacrylate glue for the bindings but fish glue for the veneer on the bevel.

Not on to the fingerboard and neck..

Glued, Taped and Elastic

Completed Body

I'm Happy with how the Binding & Bevel look

The Back - Oregon Myrtle

Plain & Simple

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Arm Bevel Time

So after a break while I was out of the country, it's back to finishing this MandoCello..

I carved out the arm bevel today, actually looks pretty good in the contrasting woods but it will eventually be covered in Rosewood to match the binding scheme. The carving of it actually went pretty quickly and easily. Hopefully the binding of the bevel does as well :-)

Bracing the Top

So time to cut the top braces to rough shape and glue them to the top. For the top I chose a 20' radius which is perhaps a bit tighter than normal but I believe (hope) it will work well with this instrument.

Gluing the X brace

Then the tone bars and finger braces

Next the upper transverse brace and plate (glues without a radius)

Lastly the soundhole supports (also without a radius)

The Back Meets the Sides

So the back is done and the braces are sanded so time to join it to the back.. Before the two parts meet the back was radiused to a 15' radius

The completed Back

Now joined to the sides

And labled

Bracing the Back

So the braces for the back are cut and sanded to a 15 foot radius then rough shaped on the band saw.

Then glued on in a go-bar deck..

Ready for final shaping and a quick voicing of the back.

Moving Along with the Body

So, kerfing is glued in and some laminated vertical bracing is glued in, now ready to be radiused and have the back then top glued on.

Since this is a bit thicker body I was thinking of doing and arm bevel but I've got enough new things going on with this build so maybe next time.