I found a huge and lovely board of Honduran Mahogany in the wood store today. 2 inches thick, eleven inches wide and perhaps 12 feet long. I could not resist and purchased 64 inches of it. Brought it home, cut it into 16 inch lengths and began making necks for future tenors. a big job but lots of fun and satisfaction.
I was able to rip each piece into four neck blanks. Here I am just beginning the first cut. I am using a 1/2 inch blade on the band saw.
Each blank is 2 3/4 inches wide, the width of the head stock on the completed uke. but I must cut the shape on the two inch side. I use a trusty old acrylic pattern that I have used for years.
Here they all are, marked with pencil and ready to saw. I changed to a 1/4 inch 6 tooth blade to be able to make the tight curves at the throat.
Here is the goal. I nice husky neck with just one glue lamination piece. The 6 tooth blade cut the wood like butter and I got excellent 90 degree results.
Seven more to cut, then lots of gluing on the feet and I will have a years supply of tenor necks stacked up and ready when I need them. Very pleased with the quality of the wood. A good find.
I also had the fretboards now glued on #s 144 & 145, so it was time to shape the necks.
The unshaped neck is always wider than the fretboard. This Japanese rasp makes short work of getting the excess wood down close.
 Then a finer rasp brings it even closer. The final shaping will be done with scraper and sandpaper. |  Next will be to add the peg head plate and then the neck can receive it's final shaping |
It has been quite a day in the workshop
