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Re: Concert Ukulele (Ready for Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 16 May 2021, 20:34
by novocaine
Malc2098 wrote:Just to the right of the picture is a tube of paper espresso cups ready for mixing the epoxy. In my odds and sods drawer is a pack of lolly sticks to mix the resin and hardener.

I aim to use very little, so that there is little mess to clean up. But I shall be purloining one of Mission Control's silicone bowl cleaners to squeegee the mix into the pores, and I do want to clean that and reuse it. (But I won't be putting it back into the kitchen drawer! :) )


Silicone wont need cleaning. Let the epoxy dry then peel it off.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Ready for Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 18 May 2021, 13:34
by Malc2098
Best way I've found of preventing overspray going through the soundhole.

Sanding sealer protecting the soundboards before staining the mahogany darker and then the pore filling operations.

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Re: Concert Ukulele (Ready for Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 18 May 2021, 20:17
by Malc2098
I've stained the Sapele instrument with 50/50 mahogany and walnut. It looks darker in the photo than it really is.

I shall leave the Acacia instrument natural, otherwise I think it will lose its character and look like mahogany.

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Re: Concert Ukulele (Ready for Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 18 May 2021, 22:03
by NickM
Getting there! The balloons are a great idea.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Started Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 20 May 2021, 17:05
by Malc2098
This is my first attempt at pore filling by using finishing resin. This is the first coat. Using a silicone spatula seems a good way fo squeegeeing the resin into the grain.

I forgot to add that I made a trial run on some stained scrap Sapele and the stain was lifted when scraping the resin. So I sprayed a coat of sanding sealer on both bodies and the stain remained where it should.

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I think that Sapele grain is going to show off nicely if I can get all the finishing right.

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The Acacia grain is coming up nicely, too.

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Another coat tomorrow after light sanding back to almost wood.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Started Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 07 Jun 2021, 14:31
by Malc2098
There will be a delay while mission control and myself have a well earned COVID break away.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Started Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 03 Jul 2021, 13:18
by Malc2098
Back from our tour of the Oxford and Grand Union Canals.

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Mission Control and myself along with The Squire! Right, that's all the holiday pics you're going to get!

Look what's was waiting for me when we got back, all the way from Spain!

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European Spruce for the soundboard, Padauk for the back and sides, Purple Heart for the bridge, fretboard and headstock veneer. This one is going to be a Taylor style Dreadnought.

While on the cruise, we stopped off at the Veneer Hub in Leighton Buzzard and I got to choose my own Padauk, Purple Heart, Dyed Black Lime and Natural Lime for me to build a stock of binding and purfling.

https://www.thewoodveneerhub.co.uk/pages/about-us

Anyway, that will all be a new WIPs. I am still sanding back and re-filling pores on the ukuleles.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Started Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 03 Jul 2021, 20:57
by Robert
I was in Devon for a week starting 2 days before you posted you were off somewhere. You missed out on having to give a workshop tour ;)

Good idea going away though as the weather was lousy and we came home early. rest of the country had a heat wave all week.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Started Pore Filling)

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2021, 09:48
by Malc2098
Robert wrote:I was in Devon for a week starting 2 days before you posted you were off somewhere. You missed out on having to give a workshop tour ;)

Good idea going away though as the weather was lousy and we came home early. rest of the country had a heat wave all week.


That's a shame. We don't get many visitors these days.

We got the heatwave. I burned both my arms on the first day, standing there, holding the tiller.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Pores filled)

PostPosted: 07 Jul 2021, 15:42
by Malc2098
I've filled the pores using the resin method. The easiest tool to spread the resin comes from the big blue Swedish homeware store and is intended to scrape out cake mixing bowls, but it scrapes resin over these contoured surfaces brilliantly.

I've sanded back using 240 and 320 grit, and now I'm trying to setup a temporary spray booth on the deck/verandah, but have come indoors 'cos it's persistently raining down.

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Re: Concert Ukulele (Time for nitro!)

PostPosted: 08 Jul 2021, 12:44
by Malc2098
First coat of nitrocellulose in makeshift spray booth.

Eleven to go!

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Re: Concert Ukulele (Time for nitro!)

PostPosted: 08 Jul 2021, 12:47
by Andyp
Malc, How did you get over the supply issues I thought you were having with your Spanish supplier?

Re: Concert Ukulele (Time for nitro!)

PostPosted: 08 Jul 2021, 13:04
by Malc2098
Andyp wrote:Malc, How did you get over the supply issues I thought you were having with your Spanish supplier?


I managed to find a phone number for HMRC. The person told me that for private use, for example like me as a hobbyist, then quote 'GBPR' for the EORI number to the supplier in the EU, or to the customs handling agent in the UK, if necessary.

I updated my EORI post on this forum.

Anyone else has concerns then the HMRC numbers are: -

General enquiries 0300 3229434

Business enquiries 0300 3227067

Re: Concert Ukulele (Time for nitro!)

PostPosted: 08 Jul 2021, 13:09
by Andyp
Malc2098 wrote:
Andyp wrote:Malc, How did you get over the supply issues I thought you were having with your Spanish supplier?


I managed to find a phone number for HMRC. The person told me that for private use, for example like me as a hobbyist, then quote 'GBPR' for the EORI number to the supplier in the EU, or to the customs handling agent in the UK, if necessary.

I updated my EORI post on this forum.

Anyone else has concerns then the HMRC numbers are: -

General enquiries 0300 3229434

Business enquiries 0300 3227067


Sorry, :oops: I’ll go to the back of the class for not paying attention.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2021, 18:32
by Malc2098
Both instruments have had 12 coats of nitro and have been lightly scuffed with 320 grit after coats 3, 6 and 9. They have a 3 day break between coats 6 and 7, and now they've had a light scuffing with 600 grit after coat No 12.

Time to let more solvent escape and the lacquer to cure for a couple of weeks.

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In the meantime, maybe it's time to make some proper doors to replace the Long Term Temporary OSB doors you can see in the background. ;)

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2021, 20:44
by NickM
Ooooh shiny!

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2021, 20:56
by novocaine
There is nothing in this world more permanent than temporary fix that works.


Ukes are looking grand too.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 17 Jul 2021, 07:29
by Andyp
How tall are those doors? Or how tall are you?
How do you not bang you head on those clamps every time you enter the workshop?

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 17 Jul 2021, 07:36
by 9fingers
With internal bolts on both of the doors in the photo, I conclude that there must be an alternative entry method.
Bob

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 17 Jul 2021, 07:45
by novocaine
Given Malcolms former profession we know he must be 6ft. :lol:


Yes yes, i know that rule was revoked many moons ago.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 17 Jul 2021, 19:17
by Malc2098
:D Very drole, you lot!

This is the main entrance, as described in a WIP last year.

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The one that I need to upgrade is the tradesman's entrance that I use for sawing or planing longer lengths of timber.

Re: Concert Ukulele (Nitro curing time)

PostPosted: 17 Jul 2021, 19:23
by Andyp
Malc2098 wrote::D Very drole, you lot!

This is the main entrance, as described in a WIP last year.

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The one that I need to upgrade is the tradesman's entrance that I use for sawing or planing longer lengths of timber.


Last year!
I've been asleep since then. :)

Re: Concert Ukulele (Cutting back the lacquer)

PostPosted: 23 Sep 2021, 18:03
by Malc2098
Back on to the main subject then......

....you may have seen my post about Micro-Mesh in 'Finishing'. Well here are the two parts of the Sapele Concert Uke having been rubbed back to 12000 Micro-Mesh. It's amazing stuff, much better than W&D for this sort of work.

(The Acacia Uke has had a little prang in the workshop and I have to try and do some dent removal! :oops: )

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Re: Concert Ukulele (Fitting the Neck and the Bridge)

PostPosted: 03 Oct 2021, 15:43
by Malc2098
There's been a delay. Stuff going on. In the course of a fortnight, we've had a birth, a death and an 80th birthday party.

Stuff still hasn't settled down. Funeral to arrange, flat and contents to sell. I've been to see and hold the baby. I've also hugged my 80 yo sister who, with my B-i-L, haven't been out for getting on for two years. It was good for them to spend some time with close family.

Anyway, I glued the and bolted the neck on. Actually, the neck is bolted and it's only the fretboard overhang that is glued. And I forgot to take photos. Sorry. Had stuff on my mind.

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Scraping the nitro finish in order to glue the bridge in place.



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Clamping the bridge 381mm from the nut to between the first and second strings.




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Alice Sophia giving me the ole sideways look! :) (Admin, thanks for rotating.)

Re: Concert Ukulele (Fitting the Neck and the Bridge)

PostPosted: 03 Oct 2021, 16:06
by Andyp
Congrats Malc. She’s gorgeous.

That’s quite some week you have had.