Mandolins #2 and #3

I spent a ton of time on these mandolins this weekend- both of the tops are graduated to their final dimensions, one of the backs is done, and the other one is close. I shaped and glued in the tone bars to the top of #2. Much better tone bar experience this time, it took me about 1 hour per tone bar, maybe a little less. Here's a pic.

I really got a lot done today. I carved the shape of the recurve on both tops and both backs, next I'll need to smooth the recurve area. This involves smoothing the transitions from the recurve to the rest of the plate, and smoothing the torn spruce on the tops. This is caused by scraping against the grain, which I find can't be helped at the bottom of the mandolin top. After that, there are more tool marks to smooth, and then it's thinning the plates to specs using my homemade thickness gauge. It's refreshing how well things are moving along. I think it's possible I could be working on tone bars before the weekend is over.

Almost forgot, I worked on removing the peghead overlay from one of the headstocks. still needs quite a bit of cleaning up, as you can see.

I've spent several hours already smoothing out the tool marks on both the backs and tops, and tonight I started carving the recurve in the back of #2. My 3 head sander that I got for Christmas has been a big help in smoothing the toolmarks. It's a real advantage with the tops especially- with the sides already attached and the F holes already cut, I had a great deal of difficulty smoothing and thinning the top with my scraper and sandpaper. I think this tool will save me a lot of time and headache. Here's a link, you can get it at Sears- http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00911633000

I really should make a template for carving the recurve, I'm still using a pretty slow method. I set my calipers to .625" (5/8") and make a pencil mark about every 1/2" all the way around the back, to use as a guide mark for my scraper. Once this is scraped off, I have to go back and make the marks all over again. Once I've done this 7 or 8 times, the shape of the recurve is prominent enough that I can carve the rest of it without the marks, but this takes quite a long time to get to this point. Here's a pic of #2's back after a couple hours worth of work on the recurve.

As I near completion of my "Kern #1" mandolin, I have started working on my 2nd and 3rd mandolins. These are going to belong to my friend and a friend of his. They are both being built from the kits from International Violin, just like my first one was. I have the wood already to build #4 and #5 from scratch, one will be a quilted back flattop A model, and the other will be either an A or F model archtop, built with a flamed maple back. I have a verbal agreement to build #6 from scratch as well but we haven't worked out the details. So it looks like things are moving right along for me as a beginning builder. I have acquired some more tools lately. I picked up an old Stanley #7 joining plane, and a Stanley #5 plane as well. I got a good deal on an old Craftsman 12" bandsaw in great shape, and a fantastic deal on a 50s vintage Craftsman table saw. Anyway, here we go with building #2 and #3.