StewMac UKULELE KIT - Install the Linings

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When you’re comfortable with your clamping setup, put
glue on the neck and tail blocks.
Put a little glue on the narrow edges of the sides that butt
together, too. If the neck and tail blocks quickly absorb the
glue, add more to make sure you have a slightly wet gluing
surface. You don’t want a glue-starved joint.
Clamp the blocks and sides, and let them dry for 1-2 hours.
Use warm water to clean up any glue squeeze out. Titebond
and Fish Glue cleans up nicely after 10 - 15 minutes. It is still
wet enough to remove, but rubbery enough to make clean
up less messy.
Install the linings
The exible wooden linings will be glued to the edges of the
sides, ush with the top and back. These strengthen the body
and provide a wider surface for gluing the top and back.
For rm gap-free pressure all along the linings, you’ll need at
least 12 Mini Clamps for Linings to glue one lining strip. Using
even more, closely spaced together, ensures that the linings
are pressed to the sides at every point along the curves.
The linings are oversized and will need to be trimmed before
glue up.
The easiest way to do this is to carefully install a piece of blue
painters tape ush with the top edge of the ukulele’s side.
Take your time to ensure the tape aligns perfectly with the
top edge of the side. Carefully trim the tape exactly where
it meets the neck block and the tail block. Before removing
the tape, place a visible mark at the apex of the waist.
Remove the tape and align the mark on the tape to the apex
of the waist on your pre-bent lining. Carefully align the tape
to the top edge of your lining.
At the end of the tape make a pencil line.
Technically, the pencil line at the ends of the tape should give
you a perfect t. However, due to small errors in alignment of
the tape when measuring the sides, and when tting them
to the linings if you cut to the pencil lines the linings will be
a smidge too short.
To account for this make a mark 1/16" past the trim line at
the ends of the tape, draw a square line and cut the lining
at these locations.