The Neck
Traditionally on f style mandolins, ears are used to make up the full width of the peg head to save having to use an excessively wide piece for the neck. I did this on my mandolin too, even though the peg head is much smaller than an f style peg head.
The Template
Here is another one of
those handy paper templates. I couldn't get the whole pattern on one
piece of paper so I had to draw out the rest.
Side Profile
I used the bandsaw to
cut out the side profile. The top of the neck was already planed flat
and smooth to accept the fretboard.
Top Profile
These are the ears I
mentioned earlier being glued to the neck. When they dried, I belt
sanded the top
and bottom faces smooth, and glued on templates for the neck and peg
head profiles . This was again cut out with the bandsaw. I
used the piece cut out from the under the neck, while cutting the side
profile, to hold the neck's top face parallel to the
table of the bandsaw while cutting the top profile.
Drilling for the Tuners
This picture is a bit
decieving. I actually drilled the holes for the machines before I
cut the profile so I had something to clamp onto.
Finished
This is the
"finished" neck before carving.
