Oud? Ukelele? Oudelele! Now with more Oud-liness!

Oud? Ukelele? Oudelele!

I always wanted an 8 string uke. And I always loved the look of classical lutes / ouds. I had grand designs to make one one day... Then, I saw @jwnicholson 's uke model, and after printing one out - I realised I could model one to see how it felt! Hence, the Oudelele was born. 
So, this is a bowl backed, 8 string Uke, designed completely from scratch in open scad and inkscape. The tuners are a remix of @jwnicholsons Model 3 tuners, found here: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1158999-embedded-tuners#profileId-1164726. While his tuners are fantastically functional, I wanted a somewhat cleaner look for this model, so I embedded them into center of the head. 

Update: Additional print profile added with more Oud-esque features! Swap out for a fretless fretboard, put in a soundhold cover for a more authentic micro-oud!

Required Hardware:

• 13 x  #2 3/8" screws (m2.4 x 10mm) to fasten the head
• 2 x 200mm x 5mm carbon fibre rod for neck reinforcement (available from Amazon / Aliexpress) 
• One #4 1'' wood screw (4 x 25mm, not countersunk) to reinforce the head to neck joint
• 2 packs of Uke strings (For the Oud style - I used 2 sets of flourocarbon low-g tenor uke strings, so i could use a more Oud style tuning). 

Construction:

1.  Print parts. Also print tuners from here https://makerworld.com/en/models/1158999-embedded-tuners#profileId-1164726 - this profile contains the various lengths and orientations required to fit in the Oudelele head.
2. Carefully clean up the support on the internals of the head parts (this is the only support required in the model).
3. Insert carbon fibre rods into neck. Tap them down with a mallot (can superglue as required. Leave about 1.5mm (1/16") proud at the head end to use as alignment for the attaching the head.
4. Attach the back of the head to the neck. I like to use superglue here, and then use the screw as reinforement, but the screw will hold everything in place if you're too eager (I know you are!)
5. This is the tricky bit. An extra pair of hands is useful here. Almost all the tuner parts are unique, and only work properly in one position. I laid them out on the print plate in their relative location, but if (like me) you didn't pay attention when you grabbed them, heres the deal. 
   1. the pegs are all different lengths. Longest to shortest, they go from the neck end to the head end.
   2. the tuner pins are 5 different lengths. if you number the holes from 1 -> 8 starting at the neck end... 
      1. the bottom 4 have different thread direction to the top 4 (it makes tuning easier). 
      2. The 2 longest pins go into holes 3 & 4. 
      3. The two shortest go into 7 & 8. 
      4. The next longest go into holes 2 & 5, but these are different thread orientations, so make sure you get them right. 
      5. The last two are similar in length, but again reversed thread orientations. The slightly longer one goes into hole 1.
6. Now Quickly put the top in place, before everything goes everywhere! :D Make sure all the Tuners turn, and secure the top with screws from the back. Don't glue these, if you drop it and break any tuners, you'll want to be able to unscrew all this to replace them! 
7. Glue the neck into the body joint. If you can manage to clamp it, it's recommended. Too much superglue here will ruin the back, so be careful, and mask if you want it to look pristine!
8. Insert locating pins in neck, and attach the fretboard with superglue. This time, do clamp it. It works much better!  :D
9. Now do the same for the locating pins in the body, and glue on the bridge.
10. If installing the soundhold cover for the oud style - now is the time. It's tricky to do - what I did was use a couple of magnets and a screwdriver to hold the cover inside the body, applying a few drops of superglue at the edge and then holding in place carefully until it tacks! (Potentially you could try printing it in place with the body, but I haven't tried this!)
11. Glue on the backplate. 
12. String the instrument... Enjoy!