I know I should not be building anything, I have some tendons that are causing me pain and I have my right hand in a brace that limits what I can do. This has been stopping me from completing the necks on my last few builds. So why do I think I can make a neck for a uke? It is so small, I would be finished in no time. Besides the neck will be spruce and it carves like butter.
In reality it took more filing and sanding than I expected, in all not too bad though. I decided to do a cigar box rather than make a regular body because of project creep. I wanted to keep it simple after a few additions it became a carved archtop then I scaled back to the least work possible using a cigar box. Well almost, that would have used the back as a sound board, which would not have been too bad as the back is plywood, the top and sides are a pressed pulp kind of thing. I decided to replace the lid of the box with some wood I had laying around. The neck is a piece of straight grained 2"x3" I cut and glued together. I am using a 'kit' that I got online consisting of tuners, a bridge and nut and saddle.
Trimmed the edges of the top pieces to join them.
Glued them together. Added neck and tail blocks along with linings for the top.
Debated on the brace pattern for the top. Decided to go X braced as compared to a fan brace, thought it would get more of the top vibrating.
Carved them some, no idea if it is enough or too much. Roughed out the neck.
Some trimming and cut some walnut for the fretboard.
Glued the sound board on, couple of coats of poly and glued on the bridge.
Somehow I made the fretboard a touch narrower than I wanted. I'll fix that in Mark II.
The neck needs a wedged shim between it and the body. Who would have though a cigar box would not be square (a gentle hint, me). Actually the neck came out fairly nice. Almost a shame to do what I intend to do to stick it on the box.