First thing this morning I cut all the binding channels for three tenors. a messy, noisy and nasty process.
And here they are with one cut still to make, the channel for the end pieces. For that we have to retool the router.
Now it will follow the clamp on guide.
This gismo clamps to the bottom of the uke and the router cuts out the wood between the angled sides.
Now they are ready for the bindings.
The work table is pretty full again, Three ukes to get their bindings and Olga and Bill's tenors are about to get their first coating of French Polish
The beauty of the wood begins to reveal itself with the very first coating.
The bear claw begins to show
Rick is doing the French Polish while I am selecting the bindings for these three new ukes and sanding the radius into a fretboard seen in the foreground..
He is really concentrating on the baritone for Stuart Fuchs.
The binding choices are made. Now I have to bend them to fit and get them glued on. Out comes the hot pipe and a couple of hours later.
They are bent, all twelve of them. Only broke one in the process. I did not dampen them, seemed to work better. Bending is an interesting and demanding skill. Each wood is different.
I even got a couple of binding installed before heading upstairs for my much needed martini. What a day!!