A Useful Creative Project

Mandolin Build- After a long painting dry spell, the creative urge boiled over into a new arena.  I had been looking to buy a mandolin but could not find anything that fit my specifications that also fit my budget.  The idea of building a mandolin started to infect my brain.  First: research.  There are DIY kits available from a number of sources.  I decided on a kit from International Violin of an A style without F holes. ( I want a round or oval hole.)  After it arrived, I looked it over and it seemed to me that there was too much already done (the neck, fretboard and frets-all assembled) but the big problem was that the neck was too thin.  Back it went!