The Amazing Mrs Buddhu got me a StewMac Campfire mandolin kit for Christmas. I have no woodworking experience, but the instructions are clear and the construction simple.
A few days ago I was carving the brace bars for the top. I had to cut notches in a couple of places for where two bars overlap. I have a workbench set up in the dining room with a vice/vise (select preferred spelling according to location), but I elected to hold the brace in my hand while cutting the small notches. I was only making small cuts, so what could go wrong?
What actually does go wrong in situations like this is that the knife slips and slices a canyon into your left index finger.
I should have gone to hospital, but it was almost time to go to a friend’s birthday party, so I pinched the wound shut and taped it up really tight. Over the course of three days or so it has stopped bleeding, but it’s going to be some time before I can stop taping it.
Worst thing is that it’s the index finger on my mandolin fretting hand. The finger tip isn’t hurt, but the tape make it really hard to bend the finger to play. And we are supposed to be playing a Burns Supper gig on Friday, not to mention tonight’s session.
Back on topic, that sounds bloody sore. Hope it gets better quickly.
I’m also intrigued by the mandolin kit itself, how easy is it all to put together? I’m always thinking about building my own electric guitar from parts (as a cheaper option to my dream ESP custom job) but never sure how easy it is.
My mate Patrick sliced a finger when doing emergency repairs to his melodeon (using a knife instead of a screwdriver). The finger healed and moves fine but even after 18 months there’s still no feeling in it.
I managed to slice my little finger 5 months ago when cutting a block of parmesan cheese with my new and sharp kitchen knife. There is no feeling in the tip of the finger. weird sensation… I haven’t really grown used to it yet
I hurt one of my fingers nearly two weeks ago, but via collision with an immovable object rather than sharp implements. The bone isn’t broken but I can’t bend it very far. I’m hoping whatever is wrong heals, but if not at least it’s the least-used finger for concertina playing - the right pinky.
I’ve been doing woodworking most of my life and still have all my fingers. Oddly enough, the scars usually have come from non woodworking activity. 6 stiches from the knife used t carve a ham, another scar from a sheet metal job, various scars from Pyscho kitty
2 years ago I nearly severed the entire pad from my index finger in a slammed door. This happened at 5 AM while I packing in prep to go to a festival. No time for a doc, so I cleaned the area, laid the flap of skin back in place and wrapped the better part of a roll of tape around it. It took a year to get most of the feeling back.
I had to figure out some new fingering postions that weekend!
If you have gotten past the point where you are using a lot of gauze wrapping around it, I have found that the cloth based adhesive bandages are much more flexible than the regular plastic ones…
You have my sympathy, Buddhu. My left hand is covered with scars from all sorts of things I was trying to make. Every whistle has a memento on my hands.
And two days ago I carved a lump out of my thumb while slicing an apple.
Still carrying a scar from my Stew-Mac banjo, circa 1986. No nerve damage, though, and most importantly I learned somethng from it. Give it some time, the mando will wait. Best of luck!
Note to self: get one of those gloves that avanutria mentioned. Better still, get two.
chrisoff: the Campfire kit is great. It’s a flat top in the Army & Navy style. Spruce top and maple back/neck/sides. The top and back are not cut to shape, and the neck needs final profiling, but the sides are pre-bent, which helps.
Basically you shape the plates (as I say, flat top so no arch carving to do); glue neck and tail blocks to the sides; glue in kerfed lining, carve and fit braces to induce a slight arch to the plates; glue top and back plates to sides.
The neck needs final shaping and sanding. The finger board is pre-slotted for frets, so just needs profiling and fretting with the fretwire supplied. There’s a steel bar to put in the neck then the fretboard is glued on. After that the neck simply bolts on.
The nut and bridge are supplied as bone and ebony blanks respectively and need shaping and slotting.
The only area of slight controversy is the single bolt neck joint, but having looked at it carefully I think it should be fine. I may add a second bolt, or even a tenon/mortice or dowel joint of sorts, but honestly, fot this first try I reckon the bolt will hold it fine.
It’s great fun, and even a woodworking newbie like me can follow the steps so far.
I ripped my whole thumb nail off doing some work on a wood lathe..fractured the bone under it and it took about 9 months to grow back…that was about 2 years ago…still feels funny if you push down on the nail…
good luck on the recovery! finger injuries are downright painful!
I tore my thumbnail off once… well it was a slow process. I jammed it against a big wooden door really frickin hard, which tore up the blood vessels under it I guess, 'cause under it started to fill up with blood, which’d then harden under it, then more blood, etc… until it all just couldn’t hold on anyumore. That was like five or six years ago, and until this year my thumbnail always grew slightly deformed.
Yes, that’s weird the way that happens. I slammed my index finger in a car door when I was four. To this day, that nail grows in two layers partly overlapping. Neat, eh?
)
