Musicmakers Dakota Mandola KIT User Manual

DAKOTA MANDOLA KIT

651-439-9120

harpkit.com

WOOD PARTS:

A - Neck
B - Fingerboard
C - Heel Block
D - Tail Block
E - Clamping Block
F - 2 Short Ribs
G - 4 Corner Blocks
H - 2 Mid-Ribs
I - Long Tail Rib
J - 2 Dowels, 1/4” X 1”
K - 2 Clamping Wedges
L - Back
M - 2 Braces for Back
N - Front (Soundboard)
O - 5 Braces for Front
P - Bridge

Q - Spacer Block (11”)

HARDWARE:

40” Fretwire
1 White Side Marker Rod, 5/64”
8 Gold Geared Tuners
w/bushings & 10 screws
Set of Mandola Strings
Tailpiece w/3 screws
White Nut Material
3 Wood Screws, 1
2 Tiny Nails
Drill Bit, 1/16” for tiny screws
Drill Bit, 5/64” for Marking Dots
Drill Bit, 7/64” for wood screws
Drill Bit, 1/4” for dowels
Medium Donut Ring
Assembly Instructions

-5/8”

DAKOTA MANDOLA KIT

Q

L

M

J

K

P

H

fig 1

A

B

E

F

C

G

Q

G

F

G

H

G

I

D

CUSTOMIZING OPTIONS

If you are an enterprising woodworker who wants to make this project special with
some sort of decorations, here are some ideas for you to think about. You may want
to order decorative materials now so you have them when you need them.

1 Medium Wood Rosette for the Soundhole, with Donut Ring

4 strips of Inlay Banding for trimming the Front and Back

N

O

We recommend assembling this kit with standard woodworker’s glue (such as Elmer’s Carpenters Glue or Titebond Wood
Glue). Don’t use Hotmelt glue, Superglue, 5-minute Epoxy, or the plain white School Glue for assembling the major wood
parts -- they are not strong enough for a high-tension instrument. There is no need to look for any special violin-maker’s adhe­sive. You may, however, see epoxy or superglue recommended in one or two steps for installing non-wood parts.

Every time you use wood glue on this project, it is wise to have a damp rag handy for cleaning up afterwards. It is always best
to scrub away any excess glue that squeezes out of the joints before it dries, especially on the outside of the instrument. Keep
your hands and workbench as clean as possible too. Glue smudges will show up vividly on the finished instrument.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

_____1. CAUTION: PLEASE DO NOT OPEN THE SEALED PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING THE FRONT
AND BACK PANELS UNTIL YOU REACH STEP #14. These two parts need to be kept very dry until you glue
the braces on them. Check over your kit parts to make sure you have everything (see fig. 1 above). Contact us right
away if you are missing parts so we can rectify the problem without causing too much delay for you. We also recom­mend checking off each step in the directions as you finish it. You might be skipping forward to another part of the
assembly while waiting for something to dry, and it helps to keep track of where you left off.

A NOTE ABOUT GLUE

2.

GLUING THE BODY FRAME

Tools Required for This Stage

Masking Tape Small C -clamps Cordless Hand Drill
Plastic Grocery Bag Spring Clamps Phillips Driver Bit
Wood Glue Damp Rag 7/64” Drill Bit

_____2. Begin at the heel where the
body will join the neck. Place the heel
block and the clamping block together
and drill two pilot holes into the clamp­ing block using the 7/64” drill bit pro­vided, as shown in figures 2a and 2b..

clamping block

Hold blocks
carefully on

a flat sur-

face so they

are flush

heel block

with each

other as you

7/64” drill bit

drill pilot

holes.

fig 2a

fig 2b

_____3. Find the two short ribs and look carefully for pencil markings that show “H” at one end. ese are the
ends that get glued to the heel block. Orient these pieces carefully: e end of each piece marked “H” will be
clamped against the heel block with the pencil marks facing the inside of the body (g 3a).

Tape the two short ribs to the heel block WITHOUT GLUE rst, and test the shape against the soundboard (front
piece) of the instrument. It is possible to fasten these pieces backwards and have them ared the wrong way!

short ribs

with “H”

Masking Tape

marks

fig 3a

against

heel block

“S” mark

at free end

fig 3b

Tape the short

ribs in place
WITHOUT
GLUE first.

Test the shape

to make sure it

matches the shape

of the sound-

board.

_____4. When everything checks out, put glue on the end of each short rib and tape them carefully back against heel
block as shown in fig 4a.

CAUTION: Don’t glue the
clamping block to this as­sembly! Put a thin plastic
barrier between the clamp­ing block and the heel block
so you can remove the
clamping block later.

Wood Glue

fig 4a

Install the screws into the
clamping block to draw parts
firmly together until the glue
dries (fig 4b).

3.

Plastic

Bag Scrap

fig 4b

_____5. Find the 4 corner blocks. These are all the same, so they are interchangeable. Test-fit a corner to one of
the short ribs without glue to make sure your clamp will hold it firmly in place (fig 5a). We have included a couple
clamping wedges made of scrap wood in case you need them. When satisfied with the fit, glue and clamp a corner
to each short rib, making sure the rib fits all the way into the corner of the ledge (fig 5b).

Allow at least 30 minutes dry­ing time.

After the corners are dry, you
can remove the clamps. You
can also remove the screws
holding the clamping block to
the heel block.

fig 5a fig 5b

tight fit

_____6. Now you can glue the two mid-ribs
into the corners. These ribs should flare out­ward, as shown (fig 6). They are symmetrical,
so it does not matter which end you glue to the
first corners. Notice the use of clamping wedg­es to make it easier to clamp the parts together.

fig 6

corner blockclamping wedge

_____7. Continue by gluing the next two
corner blocks at the open ends of the mid­ribs, as shown (fig 7).

corner block

CAUTION: It’s possible to glue these parts
together crooked! Make sure all the parts are
pushed firmly into the corner blocks, that the
parts remain flush with each other, and that the
entire assembly remains flat. Lift the assembly
up and look carefully at each seam to make sure
it is tightly fit. Also make sure the whole as­sembly will lay on your flat work surface with­out rocking.

clamping wedge

fig 7

4.

_____8. Glue just one end of the long tail rib to one corner block, as
shown (fig 8). Let the entire assembly dry overnight (or 8 hours) before
proceeding to close the frame. If you proceed too quickly, the glue is
likely to break at one or more of the corners. It takes about 8 hours for
most woodworking glue to harden completely.

While you are waiting for this assembly to dry, you can skip to step #34
(page 15) and begin shaping the neck and peghead.

_____9. When this assembly has fully dried, you can use masking tape to
pull the final corner together roughly (fig 9a). Do this WITHOUT GLUE
first, just to make sure everything works easily for you, and no corner blocks
break free.

fig 8

Tape a clamping wedge to the joint and and then add your clamp, as shown in fig 9b, still without glue.

If the joint comes together correctly, then remove the clamp and tape so you can repeat the process with glue. Allow
this joint to dry another 8 hours (because it is under tension).

While waiting for
this last corner
to dry, go back
to shaping the
neck -- it’s good
to spend time
smoothing it to
fit your hand.

fig 9a

masking tape

fig 9b

nice tight glue joint

_____10. When dry enough to remove the last clamp, measure 7-3/8” from each end of the large curved rib and
mark it for locating the tail block (fig. 10a). Please note that this may not look exactly centered at this point because
the frame may be slightly skewed one way or the other. You’ll straighten it in the next step. Glue and clamp the tail
block in place as shown in fig 10b.

fig 10a

Center the

tail block

between

your

marks.

fig 10b

tail block

5.

_____11. Now you need to stretch the frame a little to fit the spacer
block between the heel and tail, as shown in fig 11. DO NOT GLUE
THE SPACER! This is just a temporary piece to hold the instrument
in the proper shape until you glue the soundboard in place. You will
remove it in step #25. Use clamps to hold each end if necessary.

ADDING INNER KERFING

Spacer Block

NO GLUE!

Tools Required for This Stage

Lots of Spring Clothes Pins (or Small Spring Clamps)
Rubber Bands, i f needed
Wood Glue
Damp Rag
Sanding Block, 60-80 grit (see fig 13 below)

_____12. Add inner kerfing inside the ribs to provide a wider “shelf”
of wood for gluing the front and back panels to the frame. These
wood strips are “kerfed” to make them flexible enough to follow the
curved ribs.

Cut or break the kerfing into the approximate size needed for each
space -- it does not need to fit perfectly (fig. 12a). In fact, it is easier
if you cut it slightly shorter than the space so you can easily slide it
into position.

kerfing flush with edge of rib, or slightly higher

fig 11

fig 12a

kerfing strips

fig 12b

CAUTION: FLAT EDGE UP! Pay attention to how you orient the
kerfing strips (fig 12b). Keep the flat edge flush with the edge of
the rib, or a tad higher, and wipe off excess glue with a damp rag.
Try to keep glue off the outside of the ribs, as that will show on the
finished instrument.

Glue and clamp kerfing in place using clothes pins or small spring
clamps (fig 12c). It may be helpful to add rubber bands to your
clamps to increase clamping pressure. Allow at least 30 minutes
for drying before removing clamps.

Glue kerfing around the entire inside frame, on both front and back edges,
as shown in fig 12c.

_____13. When the kerfing is dry, make yourself a long sanding block by
gluing 60 or 80 grit paper to the face of a straight scrap of wood at least
12 inches long and 3 or 4 inches wide.

This type of sanding block will rest across the frame of the body, allowing
you to sand the edges perfectly flat (fig 13). The goal is to remove glue
blobs and to sand any high spots down flush with the ribs.

fig 12c

use plenty of clamps

fig 13

6.

PREPARING THE BACK PANEL

Tools Required for This Stage

Pencil Spring Clamps
Wood Glue Chisel or Razor Knife
Damp Rag MaskingTape

_____14. NOW YOU CAN OPEN THE SEALED BAG AND REMOVE
THE BACK PANEL (DARKER MAHOGANY PIECE). IF YOU ARE
WORKING IN A HUMID ENVIRONMENT, PLEASE STORE THE
FRONT PIECE (SOUNDBOARD) IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED (DE-

HUMIDIFIED) PLACE UNTIL YOU GET TO STEP #16.

Center the frame of the instrument on the inside face of the back panel
and outline the inside edges onto the back panel with a pencil, as shown
in fig 14a. Note the center lines at each end of this panel, and the two
horizontal lines marking the positions of the inner braces.

Once you have the outline of the instrument on the back panel, you can
position the two back braces over the lines marked and check how they
fit. If they cross your outline, mark where to trim them so they will not

interfere with the kerfing strips inside the frame (fig 14b).

NOTE: The two back braces are arched on the bottom so that when
you clamp them to the back, the back will become arched.

NO GLUE

ON

SPACER

spacer block

fig 14a

center line

Use a sharp chisel or razor knife to trim the braces to length. Note:
Some builders may prefer to cut little “pockets” (notches) in the kerfing
to receive the ends of the braces. That is the more professional method of
fitting, but it is more difficult than trimming the braces shorter.

Then you can glue the braces in place, taking care to keep them from slid­ing out of position under clamping pressure.

HINT: Use masking tape to hold the braces in place while you put a
clamp at each end (Fig 14c). This will produce an arched back because
of the curve in the braces. Double-check the middle to see if you might
need to add some weight in the center to achieve a firm glue joint along
the entire brace. You can prop the back on a block of wood to support
the middle, and then add weights to the center of the braces, if necessary.

Use tape to keep

braces from
slipping out

of position when

adding clamps.

fig 14b

Mark and cut

braces to length.

fig 14c

CAUTION: Don’t glue the back to the frame yet!
We glue the soundboard in place first (next page).

Store the back panel in an air-conditioned space until
you need it again near the end of the project. That’s
when you will close the box by installing the back.

7.

PREPARING THE FRONT (SOUNDBOARD)

Tools Required for This Stage

Pencil Spring Clamps
Wood Glue Chisel or Razor Knife
Damp Rag MaskingTape
Sandpaper (60-80 grit)

Pencil

Outline

fig 16

Notice the Center Lines!

fig 17a

_____15. We highly recommend making
yourself a clamping pad for the body of the
instrument out of 3/4 plywood or particle

Clamping Pad

3/4” thick

board (fig 15). Cut it at least the size of the
soundboard, or a little larger.

fig 15

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SOUNDBOARD

The front panel (soundboard) is the lighter colored piece made of solid Sitka Spruce,
and has a sound hole cut through it. If this panel has been exposed to high humidity

for more than a few hours, you will need to dry it out in an air-conditioned (de­humidified) room for a few days to shrink the grain. This will help prevent cracks

from developing in the future. Hint: Another easy way to dry it out is to place it in

the oven at low heat (200 degrees) for 6-8 hours. Put clean tin foil under it to protect it
from any grease on the rack.

_____16. The inside face has pencil marks showing the placement of the braces.
Place it on your work table with the inside facing up.

Center the frame of the instrument on the soundboard and outline the interior in
pencil (fig 16), just as you did for the back panel. Make certain the frame is cen­tered in relation to the sound hole and the tail end. Slide the frame up toward

the top of the panel to make sure there will be room for the top brace and
the “donut” for the rosette.

_____17. (OPTIONAL)

If you purchased
a decorative rosette for the sound hole, you’ll
need to glue a “donut ring” (fig 17a) inside the
sound hole now to provide a ledge for gluing the
rosette in place. It is easiest to see the correct
position of the donut ring if you look from the
outer face of the sound board (fig 17b). Glue
this ring to the inside of the soundboard now,
before installing the braces.

fig 17b

THIS

fig 18a

_____19. Position the X braces in place first, without glue,
and then arrange the three shorter ones as shown in fig. 19.
Trim the ends that are too long, just as you did for the back
panel.

When satisfied with the fit, glue and clamp the X braces in
place first, making sure to put glue in the joint where they
cross. Use clamps and/or weights to hold the X braces in
place firmly.

fig 19

When the X braces are dry, go ahead and glue the other
small braces too, as shown in fig 19.

NOT THIS

_____18. Find the two braces that are notched to fit
together forming an “X” (figs. 18a & 18b). These can
be joined two different ways, and we want the longer
legs to be spread as wide as they can go (fig 18a).
This will give you the maximum bracing strength on
the soundboard. Test fit the X to the soundboard, just
to be sure you have it correct.

fig 18b

fig 20a

8.

_____20. Now you can taper the edges of the X-braces if you like,
using a chisel, coarse sandpaper or a sharp knife (fig 20a). We recom­mend leaving the braces full height for stability, but you can bevel the
“shoulders” to lighten them up a little. A lightweight soundboard will
sound the best.

We also like to chamfer (bevel) the inside corners of the corner blocks
and the tail block (but NOT the heel block) to give the soundboard a
little more room to vibrate (fig 20b). Basically, we like to have about
the same amount of glue surface at each corner as there is on the kerf­ing strips. Us a file or coarse sanding block to do this on both sides
(front and back) of the frame to achieve the best sound.

GLUING FRONT (SOUNDBOARD) TO FRAME

Tools Required for This Stage

Pencil 6 Clamps (minimum)
Wood Glue Damp Rag
Clamping Pad

_____22. Test fit the soundboard to the
frame, looking carefully around the entire
circumference to make sure the sound­board will make good tight contact with
the edges of the ribs all the way around
(fig 22).

NOTE: There is no front or back to the frame until you glue the front to
one edge, so you can choose either edge.

cham fered blocks

fig 20b

If you find a blob of glue or other ir­regularity or unevenness that prevents a
tight fit, go back to step 12 and use your
coarse sanding block to level off the edg-

fig 22

es of the ribs.

_____23. Continue test-fitting the frame to the sound­board WITHOUT GLUE, carefully lining it up on the
center of the soundboard. Leave the spacer block in place
for this step so the body maintains the proper length and
shape (fig 23).

Take your time here. Darken the center lines on each
part, if necessary, so you can easily see when the frame is
centered on the front panel.

Outline the outside of the frame on the soundboard
in pencil when you have it positioned where you want
it. This will help you re-position quickly when gluing.

Make sure you have enough clamps to do the gluing job
shown in step 24 -- test them to make sure they open far
enough and reach in far enough to press the frame down.

Tight fit when pressed together

DRY FIT

FRAME

TO
SOUND
BOARD

NOTE: We always clamp the frame down against the sound­board, as shown here, rather than placing the soundboard on top
of the frame. This leaves everything open and visible while you
install the clamps so you double-check for proper alignment as
you work. It also ensures that whatever excess glue squeezes out
around the edges will not run down the outside surface of the ribs
and make a big mess to clean up.

fig 23

Line up centerlines

9.

_____24. When you are ready to proceed, squirt a good
bead of glue all the way around the frame, including the
corner blocks, heel block and tail block, as shown in figure
24a. You want enough glue so that a little excess will
squeeze out when the parts are clamped.

Then flip the frame upside down and replace it over the
soundboard within the outline you drew in step 23.

Clamp the heel and tail ends first, making sure the center­lines match up. Then put a clamp on each corner piece,
as a minimum (fig 24b). If you see areas that need more
pressure, add more clamps.

Allow 2 hours for drying before removing clamps.

fig 24a

_____25. When this assembly has dried, remove the
spacer block and save it for later (Step 41).

_____26. Trimming the excess soundboard material flush
with the ribs of the instrument requires some special care.
DO NOT attempt to cut off the overhang with a hand-held
jigsaw or a coarse hand saw. The spruce wood is fragile,
so you must work it carefully.

There are several possible tools for this delicate step, and
we’ll try to give you some guidance for whichever one
you might have available. If you don’t have any of these

fig 24b

tools, this is a great excuse to go out and buy something!

OPTION #1: HAND COPING SAW -- If you are working with just hand tools, a cheap coping saw will cut the
excess soundboard very easily. We recommend trimming a little wide, leaving 1/8” or so overhang that can easily
be sanding down flush.

OPTION #2: BAND SAW -- If you have a bandsaw available, it will do this job very quickly. But be very careful
not to cut into the frame of the instrument. A band saw could ruin the whole project in the blink of an eye!

OPTION #3: BELT SANDER -- If you have a stationary belt sander, you can sand away the excess soundboard
material quite easily. But take care to prevent sanding too deeply -- you could gouge the frame if you are not
watching closely.

OPTION #4: ROUTER (figs 26a & 26b): This is our preferred trimming tool because it is fast, safe and accurate.
Take care, however, to move the router in a clockwise direction around the soundboard (fig 26-b). This is called a
“climb cut” because the router bit is pulling the machine that same direction, “climbing” through the wood. If you
push the router against the spin of the bit, you will likely chip the soft wood and cause damage to the edges. You
don’t need a large router for this step, but you can certainly use a larger one than shown here.

10.