Welcome back to another entry on this Ukulele build. The time has come to finally put the lid on this instrument and close the back so the body can start producing some sound. To do this, we need to finish the back and then place it where it should go. This means adding bars, the label, and then proceeding with the glue up.
Let's get to it!
Bars
With the work we did previously, we can finally make the drawing on the back to start adding the reinforcements and shaping it. We start by using the template to trace the shape of the back and placement of the bars. Next, we cut the bars to length. We need to sand them and trim some excess as well to make them fit the width necessary for this job. Then we can add the joint reinforcement. This goes in the middle of the back to make sure the glue joint of the ornament does not come loose.
Once we have glued this reinforcement in place, we need to shape it and sand it. Then we can cut a portion of it from the lower bout to make room for the bar. We do the marks with a saw. Now we can use a chisel to remove the piece that is in the way. Thus, we can put the bars in place to keep the back straight.
When the glue dries up, we can finally start shaping the bars to give them their final look. This process uses a block plane, chisel and sandpaper. The last step is to remove the excess from the sides of the back following the lines we had traced at the beginning of the process. And with that, we have a complete back.
Out of the mould
We removed the instrument from the mould for two reasons. First, the angles we use to make sure the shape stays the same are in the way to glue the back. Second, we need to trim the excess from the top to prevent it from breaking while we use the rubber bands to glue the back. And that is exactly what we are doing. We need to use a knife to remove bit by bit the excess from the borders of the sound board.
When we are done with this, we can move to the label. We need to cut one from the sheet. Then we can glue it to the back to identify our work. Now, we are almost ready to close this one up.
Lid on
To place the back and close the instrument, we need to cut the bars until the back goes on the instrument like a lid closing a tupperware. This requires working on stages of cutting and using a chisel. We need to repeat the process at intervals to make sure it goes well.
When we have done it enough times to align the back in the right place, we are ready to proceed with the glue and rubber bands. First, we use clamps to hold the back at the heel and end block. Then we use the rubber bands to apply extra pressure on the perimeter of the back. The next step is waiting until the glue dries and we have the body of the instrument complete.
While doing this part, I realized what is the mistake that has been ruining my instruments in the previous builds. Now I know that I cannot place a clamp on the instrument while it is hanging without anything to hold its shape. This makes the sound board get bent towards the front of the instrument giving it a weird shape and preventing it from having a normal string action. With this in mind, I know how to tackle the next builds to prevent this crucial mistake.
For now, this project is looking good. Thanks a lot for reading. See you on the next entry!
Photos 📷: Redmi Note 13
Thumbnail 🖼️: Canva.
Editing 🎬:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
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