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Thread: F5 mandolin

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    82

    Default F5 mandolin

    I made the top, back and neck for this mandolin on my BT32. Let me know what you think.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQtqyJkcNK4

    When I made the video - I had no plans on posting it. I just wanted to get something documented before I had to hand it over to the new owner. This was more for my son so he could see himself on the internet via YouTube. The next one I plan on taking a bit more time to enjoy !

    Bret

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    TX
    Posts
    803

    Default Mando

    That Mando sounds EXCELLENT! Especially for one that was just finished. No break in.... no nothing.... and it looks killer, too.

    Is this solely what you do with your bot?

    Good Job!
    MGM

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    82

    Default

    I have mostly been making parts for guitars, mandolins and my next project - which I am gearing up for - an H5 mandola. I need to put my SB to other uses, and I have made an occasional cut out for an photographer friend of mine - but it sits idle a lot. I do have a day job and 2 small children so I don't beat myself up too much over that. But I am always thinking about how to lose the day job, make instruments full time in combination of finding other ways for the SB to pay for itself.

    Thanks for the kind words about the mandolin - it sounded much better live than my camera could capture and most computer speakers can reproduce. I was hoping to spend a little more time with this mandolin before I had to hand it over, but the schedule got very compressed and I was very fortunate to have it done about 90 minutes before the client came over to pick it up !!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Harbour Grace Newfoundland
    Posts
    771

    Default

    It looks great
    Break out the vide at gradution

    Serios I have an emploo who is trying to make a guiter . hes made one with out the shop bot on his own he needs help finding templates and a little guidance.hes doing this for the love of music
    LETS US KNOW YOU CAN EMAIL IF YOU LIKE

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    82

    Default

    I'm sorry Kevin, but I don't speak Newfoundlandic (?). There is a need for a template, but I'm afraid to guess if you are talking about a guitar or a mandolin. Write back when the eggnog has worn off !

    Just kidding - please don't take it any other way.

    Bret

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Harbour Grace Newfoundland
    Posts
    771

    Default

    bahed
    Thank you for your response. I am a terrible typist and I apologize for any typos. As I was trying to explain, I have a young employee who is a lover of music and has attempted to make guitars. He is going on the Gibson site and getting templates but there is a lot of stuff missing. Then of course where they want $200.00. He is only doing this as a hobby. He wants to try to make a guitar first. I told him that the Bot is available for him to use for free I wouldn't dare charge an employee. I was just curious if you could share some Vector files. We don't plan on ever making a guitar for selling purposes. In the video, it is obvious that you can play well. That mandolyn looks amazing. It would be much appreciated. In this site, there seems to be a lot of stuff about electric guitars but you are the only one that I have found that actually makes accoustics. Thank you in advance and my e-mail is kdunphy@nf.sympatico.ca

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Delray Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,708

    Default

    Really nice looking and sounding Mandolin.
    Some basics on the design to toolpath process you use would be great.

    Kevin-I sent you a PM.

    Dave

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    7,832

    Default

    FOCUS! FOCUS! lol Aside from the beauty of it as an instrument just the beauty and work that had to go into something like that as a piece of woodworking is fantastic, then to have them combined is exta neat.

    Having seen videos on acoustic gituar making and mandolin making and just the mi-nute changes you make can make an instrument sound totally different makes creating one of these a masterpiece.

    I hope you were paid well for your hard work, good job!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    82

    Default

    I happened to have have an F5 that was in pieces and using the SB probe I got the digital footprint of both the top and back plates. The SB control software was then used to convert those files into .dxf files. I used ArtCAM to produce the cut files, but they were still very rough looking because the plates I used were so damaged. So I had to hand carve and sand them a bit, repeat the whole (SB and ArtCAM) process again. I now have cut files that I am very happy with. That was only the beginning however, and about 100 hours later I had an instrument I was pleased to pass along to the new owner.

    I have about 5 guitars under my belt over the years and a couple of flat top mandolins and ukes - but this was my first undertaking to this level and I can't wait to make my next. The finish came out really well. I have a Turbinaire HVLP and I have come across a water-based varnish (yes - it is a varnish) that makes life so much easier (KTM-SV) that works with Trans-tint dyes to produce almost any color you can imagine.

    Bret

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