How To Make A Cookie Tin Ukulele

This is one of the prettiest instruments I have ever made. I had home depot custom mix the wood stain and I whitewashed the fretboard. The entire neck has 6 or more coats of satin rub on polyurethane. Fine steel wood was used in between coats.

 This is a vintage cookie tin, or biscuit tin. If you've never made a cookie tin banjo, use a tin that you don't care that much for to practice on before cutting up a rare one.

                               The tuners will go here

The medium fret wire will go here for the nut, the others are small fret wire for a mandolin. Use a fret calculator (https://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator) or an old ukulele as a guide, making sure the distance from your nut and sliding bridge will work for the size cookie tin you are using. 

 center the neck,  mark width on tin with sharpie

 Tin cutters a must. Use caution.

 silicone under bent part will keep it from vibrating/rattling, I wiped off excess later.

 Measure precisely for a tight fit for the blocks that will be glued to the neck.

 I tap the tin with a sharp point before drilling the hole for the screws.

 The faux nut is made out of a domino.  The 1st fret is actually the nut where the pressure of the strings are. The grooves on domino are sawed deep and and only act as string guides. This design build works and keeps the strings closer to the fretboard which makes it easier to play.

The top is is cut to fit around neck at fretboard.

I didn't know it at first, since I am a guitar player... when you string a ukulele, there is a technique to it at both ends. If you don't do it right, the strings will not stay tight. There is a great tutorial on youtube on installing ukulele strings. 

                            a piece of wood cut for the bridge

She loved it!