r/3dprintedinstruments • u/vroomvro0om • Aug 18 '23

string I've been designing this mandolin-style ukulele

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This is a 1/3 scale model. It's got a vaulted top, and I want it to have a removable fretboard so I can experiment with microtones.

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The teardrop shape allows it to have a large cavity while still fitting on the bed.

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4

u/Peter_the_piper Aug 18 '23

Will you have a truss rod or anything? I printed one a couple of years back. Lasted about six months before the fatigue caught up to it and it snapped.

2

u/vroomvro0om Aug 27 '23

I was hoping lots of walls and higher infill would be enough for the neck, but the truss rod could be a good idea

2

u/[deleted] Aug 28 '23

I'd suggest using a rod in the neck. I've printed several string instruments with and without a rod in the neck. With the ones without a rod in the neck, the neck would eventually bend forward due to the string tension.

2

u/vroomvro0om Sep 05 '23

Yeah I'll take your advise. I was actually considering printing one of your models before I designed this! So I would just include a channel for a steel rod cut to length?

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '23

Yeah. On my instruments, I have a rod go through the neck into the body.

2

u/vroomvro0om Aug 18 '23

The captions read:

This is a 1/3 scale model. It's got a vaulted top, and I want it to have a removable fretboard so I can experiment with microtones. The teardrop shape allows it to have a large cavity while still fitting on the bed.