Good Morning!  Things are going well in the shop.  I have quite a few repairs to do, so I have been spending half my days working on those and half my days working on the A-style Mandolin.  As I have mentioned before, I like to use all hand tools when making an instrument.  For cutting the outline, I use a Gramercy bow saw.

This is one of my favorite tools to use. Then, after I cut the outline, I mark the thickness of the borders with my great uncle Mike’s thickness gauge.

He and I have the same initials, so many of my older tools from him have “M.M.” on them as seen in this picture.

Before I start carving out the plates, I like to sharpen my gouges.

Now, it is time to carve!

Until next time,

Martin