The fires seem to be out up here. My house is still here, more important the shop. I’ve been working on ukuleles today, inlayed the fret board tenor with ebony key dots I turned on the lathe and sliced off with the razor saw. They fit tight, plus a drop of superglue as they dry. I’ll sand them off flush then add frets, all but two for alignment pins. I also routered the fret board bottom to fit over the sound board using a jig, nice fit.
I’ll need to widen the jig to fit the bass fret board, but that should just improve it as the straight edge is for the sound board top.
This week I’ve been in the city helping my sister’s guy Elliot some on the Oakland property, lights, painting and such while dodging the fire. It’s been advisory evacuation for my place, but neighbor Jana said it got scary across the river close.
The cops have been at the railroad tracks checking residence until this morning so I guess we’re clear. Many homes across the river lost.
My friend from Arcata showed up this afternoon, we checked out my truck, in need of fluids, topped up now, oil, coolant and battery. Ready for tomorrow to move the gypsy wagon home again from Cotati.
I’ve done a lot on the ukuleles with the time off. All the liners are in, hot bent to as close to perfect, mind the walnut is fragile to bend in thin strips. Several broken liners, glued in place, they’ll be fine, sanded flush and then some narrower at the neck joint, as it should be, though not planned. I had a lot of fun inlaying a simple roset on both sound boards using my Dremel router attachment modified to fit my Foredom. I bent a piece of matching woods, mahogany and walnut on each to fit using the hot pipe half way around and matched for the full circle.
I cut the sound hole mostly through, then used a knife to free the hole, sanded smooth. I also prepared the soundboard ribs for the tenor using old growth doug fir and a mahogany bridge backing. This will be on the inside. Much done.
8shotoflove8 