Tinkelele - Tin Can Ukelele Project

Posted by Daniel Castro on July 29, 2010 at 2:50pm

Hi there, folks!


I'm planning to build a Tin Can based Ukulele (or Ukelele, as you prefer), AKA TinKelele.


I already have most of the material and stuff involved on this project, including the most important: the Tin Can.


You can follow my project development through my Google Docs based tutorial:

https://docs1.google.com/document/edit?id=1jZfBiYaJp3-Ue5gWf9Zr7vygXfyLSYEgVOXidrv9Ceg&hl=pt_BR#


This tutorial includes links for some tutorial and guides on which I based some of the ideas and concepts I'm employing, as well as some 2d views exported from Google SketchUp, software I'm using for 3d modeling.


I'm open to receive your suggestions and comments.


Daniel Castro

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Tags: Box, Can, Tin, Tinkelele, Ukelele, Ukulele
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Replies

  • Diane in Chicago October 22, 2010 at 9:08am
    That is a really awesome tutorial! Thanks for posting that!



    Daniel Castro said:
    Hi there, folks!

    It's finally done.

    After a few weeks waiting for, my Tinkelele Project is finished.

    You can see details and images clicking HERE.
  • Daniel Castro October 22, 2010 at 6:59am
    Hi there, folks!

    It's finally done.

    After a few weeks waiting for, my Tinkelele Project is finished.

    You can see details and images clicking HERE.
  • Diane in Chicago September 11, 2010 at 9:35am
    Beautiful sound holes! How is the instrument coming along?
    Daniel Castro said:
    Hi there, Folks!


    Good News!
    F-Holes Cutting was successfull!

    I bought a dremel alike tool for this task, and it ran pretty well.
    Attached follows some images of this part of the process.


    I decided to use three pieces of wood glued together to form the neck. Below are the pictures of these pieces to be glued.


    Feel free to contribute with your suggestions.

    DC
  • Daniel Castro August 9, 2010 at 7:59am
    Hi there, Folks! Good News! F-Holes Cutting was successfull! I bought a dremel alike tool for this task, and it ran pretty well. Attached follows some images of this part of the process.

    I decided to use three pieces of wood glued together to form the neck. Below are the pictures of these pieces to be glued.

    Feel free to contribute with your suggestions. DC
  • Daniel Castro August 4, 2010 at 9:30am
    Folks,

    New views available on my Google Docs based Tutorial:
    https://docs1.google.com/document/edit?id=1jZfBiYaJp3-Ue5gWf9Zr7vyg...

    Now I guess the project is almost ready to become real, including Nut, Saddle, Frets and Tuning Pegs.

    Regarding Don's question above, I'm ordering a Dremel which will be used to cut the f-holes on the top.

    Feel free to contribute with your suggestions.

    DC
  • Daniel Castro August 2, 2010 at 1:41pm
    Don, Follows some adjustment I made to my project based on your suggestions, related to the relief area between the neck and the top.

    As we can see, both the neck and the internal structure where the lid will be fixed will be drilled in order to reduce the amount of wood inside the box. Thanks for the tips. Daniel Castro
  • Daniel Castro July 29, 2010 at 10:52pm
    Hi there, Don!

    You possibly can't realize the way or how much your comments opened my horizon and my sight. I'm considering all of your advices and working on it to deploy some improvement on my project and update it ASAP.

    Indeed, I don't have any jewelers saw or laser cutter, but I'm planning to cut the F holes using a dremel and some cutting bit. The tin can is really quite thin, and it's being a worry for me. I have also another option that is to replace the box lid with a wood sheet or at least to make a wood insertion for part of the the body top.

    Thank's a lot and keep following this project and contributing with.

    Don Thompson said:
    A few things. How do you propose to cut the F holes? Do you have a jewelers saw? lazer? The metal may be quite thin so you will have to back it someway. The neck through is way over kill plus it should not touch the top. You need a relief area between the neck and top. Kills vibration if it touches. That's bad. Too much wood in the inside the box part of the neck. Drill a series of large holes or cut a long slot. Allow enough space between the neck relief and the top to be able to epoxy a light wood support under where the bridge will go so it won't cave in badly. If you extend the neck out the rear and attach the string ends there, you can use a floating banjo style bridge. Lots easier to set up for intonation and string height. I don't know your scale length you are using but the fingerboard seems to extend far onto the top. That's it for now.
    Don
  • Don Thompson July 29, 2010 at 5:54pm
    A few things. How do you propose to cut the F holes? Do you have a jewelers saw? lazer? The metal may be quite thin so you will have to back it someway. The neck through is way over kill plus it should not touch the top. You need a relief area between the neck and top. Kills vibration if it touches. That's bad. Too much wood in the inside the box part of the neck. Drill a series of large holes or cut a long slot. Allow enough space between the neck relief and the top to be able to epoxy a light wood support under where the bridge will go so it won't cave in badly. If you extend the neck out the rear and attach the string ends there, you can use a floating banjo style bridge. Lots easier to set up for intonation and string height. I don't know your scale length you are using but the fingerboard seems to extend far onto the top. That's it for now.
    Don
  • Shelley July 29, 2010 at 2:58pm
    Super! Looking forward to seeing it!
This reply was deleted.