11.Remove the fretboard, turn the mandolin over, and draw a line on the end of the neck where the body intersects it as shown in Figure 11. Extend this line around the neck using a straightedge.
Figure 11. Marking bottom of neck.
12.Remove the neck from the body.
13.Use a 4-in-1 shoe rasp to file the end of the neck down to the line you drew in Step 10 as shown in Figure 12. Shape both sides of the neck, then sand smooth with #220 grit sand- paper.
Figure 12. Shaping end of neck.
14. File the end of the neck down to the line you marked in Step 11. This will make the bottom of the neck even with the mandolin body.
15.Apply a thin coat of wood glue into the dowel holes in the mandolin body, insert the dowels and wipe away excess glue.
16.Spread a thin layer of wood glue on the heel of the neck, the dowels, and the body where it will connect to the neck.
17.Press the neck firmly onto the dowels.
18.Use rubber strips or clamps to hold the neck in place until the glue dries (Figure 13).
Note: If using clamps, use wooden blocks and pads to protect the instrument.
Figure 13. Example of gluing the neck.
19.Scrape away excess glue with a sharp knife when it sets, then allow the glue to dry for 24 hours before the next step.
H8067 Flat Iron Style Mandolin Kit |