OLF Challenge Ukulele

[TonyinNYC]

Since I was making a new top, I needed a new rosette. It had to be cheap so I took the center cut out of a walnut burl rosette and a piece of spalted maple I had in the scrap bin and joined them together.


Then I cut mostly through and sand it from the back to pop it out in the drum sander:


I installed it in the new top, made new braces from some scrap spruce, and glued the whole thing together. Here is where I am now (Titebond bottle is there purely for misdirection):


A little more work and I will be back to finishing.

[John Parchem]

Well that is one way to fix the first top. I really like the wood for the new rosette! Clever to get the three piece top like you did.

[TonyinNYC]

I spent a few late nights sanding the finish on the uke. Tonight I took the cordless drill with a foam pad and some compound and made it shiny.
Pics:
Top:


Back:


Side:


I sprayed a can of Deft nitro on this during hurricane Sandy, sanded it last night, and buffed it tonight. I have some work to do on the neck and then I can locate my bridge. I am going to need to figure out how to do that. Is there compensation added on a ukulele?

[Ray Ussery]

It looks nice Tony, you did the right thing replacing the top...I like Ken's also...everything is great except that lousy MOLD...unlike one of mine...I hope you bought it cheap from a 3rd party...Sheeeeeech....I get mad every time I even SEE one of those... grrrrrrrrr >

[Kevin in California]

It is turning out nice Tony, I bet you are glad you just replaced that top, and you really can't tell it is more than two pieces.

Kevin

[TonyinNYC]

Thanks guys!
I am so glad I replaced the top. It was not hard either. A warm knife, a little time, and POP!! Came right off.
Plus, I wasnt concerned about keeping it, so I just smashed it off where it gave me a hard time.

Ray, the mold was purchased before any unfortunate events ever happened. But it does burn my bottom that I have to use it!

[TonyinNYC]

I finished the uke. Not my best work, but good enough to play.
I better post pics before I forget. Here you go:







So there you have it. The heel is a little chunky, but I drilled my bolt hole too deep, so I had to leave it a little thick so I didn't sand through. The finish could be better, but I am not horrified by it. Had I known we were going to have more time, I would not have rushed the finish, but that's ok. It is for a relative, I made it with scrap, and it still looks OK.

Tony