Ukulele Build Photos
Trenton with finished ukulele
Unboxing the kit
Kit came with pre-bent sides, top and back, bracing, kerfing, mahogany neck, walnut fretboard, one length of fret wire and a great big green rubber band
Back braces are curved
The back braces are curved to stabilize the thin wood
Gluing braces on top
Gluing braces on back
Using clamps and shims for even pressure, braces are glued to the back for strength
Fitting pieces in jig
Using a jig to hold sides together for gluing
Gluing neck block
A block of plywood is used to provide a gluing surface where the sides come together at the neck joint
Using clothes pins to hold kerfing
Lining strips, also called kerfing, are glued to the sides to make them rigid and provide more gluing surface for the top and back
Fitting the back
The interior label is applied before fitting the back to the sides
Kerfed linings and interior label are in place
After gluing, braces are marked and trimmed to fit into notches in the side kerfing strips
Gluing top to sides
That big green rubber band acts as a clamp to hold the top to the sides and kerfing strips while the glue dries
Rubber bands hold back while glue dries
One big green rubber band is wrapped around hooks on the building jig to clamp back and sides during glue up
Gluing fretboard to neck
Applying grain filler to Mahogany
10 coats of Tru-Oil
Gluing the bridge
Low tack masking tape keeps glue off the finish
Gluing the bridge
A clamp and shims holds bridge while glue dries
Leveling the nut base
A small piece of sandpaper is used to shape the nut bed for a perfect fit
Nut glue up
The nut is held by a dab of glue and the string tension
Filing groves in the nut
Stringing up
Strings are GCEA. Tuned with the song ‘my dog has fleas’
Case is ready
Fitting into case
Spec sheet and hang tag attached
The hang tag and spec sheet are placed in the case with the completed instrument
Specification Sheet Trenton Single Cut Ukulele
Insert Card Trenton Single Cut Ukulele
