The scariest part of building a ukulele is cutting the groove around both edges of the body to receive the binding. When the router bitt hits the wood you feel like you are cutting the instrument in half.
First you want to sand the overlapping edges of the top and back perfectly smooth with the sides. I also sanded the top to get it perfectly smooth. First 220 grit, then 320. When it was smooth I washed on a coat of 2 lb cut shellac to protect it for the rough handling to come.
Then I sanded the overhang around the back until my finger could no longer detect any overlap.
Then with a template, I marked the curve on the back and made the first of two cuts through the back and into the heel of the neck.
Here is the second cut from the other side using a fine toothed Exacto saw. These cuts come close to making the proper curve of the back. Later I will round the curve off properly with a file.
After the binding groove is cut I will saw the heel down even with the depth of the binding groove and chisel it off flat to accept a heel cap and purfling that will equal the thickness of the binding. Maybe I will get the courage to make the binding cut tomorrow. The stars have to be aligned in the heavens.
