I got an email from a fellow in West Virginia who is building his first ukulele. He wanted to buy one of the oval rings that I use to line the side sound ports on my instruments. I have lots of them in various woods and was happy to sell him one for $8.00. Then he wrote again asking if he could buy a set of bindings pre-bent for a tenor uke.
It just happens that I have a lot of lovely white curly Koa binding, and I had just bent several sets of it for tenors a week or two ago. The binding comes with b/w/b purfling attached. One of the leading luthier supply houses sells this for $12.00 an un-bent piece. I was able to sell him four pieces, pre-bent for a tenor uke, for $30.00. But then how to mail it to him.
Cutting up a heavy cardboard box and using lots of strong packing tape, this is the clap-trap package I came up with. Another big piece over the top, all taped down heavily and I think Tony will have his binding and sound port ring in a few days. It goes into the Post Office in the morning. Anyone else out there building a tenor?