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Tin reinforcement question

Hi all of you builders of funky instruments,

I have this pretty nougat tin from France lying around here and it yearns to be made into some kind of stringed instrument. I’m thinking short scale guitar with nylon strings, either a four stringer or a six stringer with three double courses tuned like a three stringer...

I don’t know yet whether I’ll make it a neck-through or even a “neck-around” (something like this:) I have only built instruments with wooden boxes so far and never worked with a tin – and that’s where my question comes in:

How do I reinforce this thing so that the pressure of the strings doesn’t cave in the fairly thin and flexible lid without dampening the vibration of the lid too much? How do you reinforce your tins?

All kinds of advice (and, even better: pictures) greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hans

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 9, 2018 at 3:29am

If there are no rules there is also no cheating...

I've been thinking about buying a Dremel but was kind of overwhelmed with the numerous different options... any advice on what kind of Dremel set to buy? The cheapest one and then acquire bits one by one or one of those big kits with dozens of different bits in it?

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Permalink Reply by Korrigan on April 9, 2018 at 3:24pm

I'd buy the Dremel by itself and shop AliExpress for bits and accessories. They've got a lot of Dremel stuff at very low prices.

For example I bought the flexible extension shaft there for $5; at my local Home Depot it costs $30

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 10, 2018 at 1:22am

Thanks! Does it matter whether it's a Dremel 3000 or a Dremel 4000?

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Permalink Reply by Korrigan on April 10, 2018 at 1:22pm

I have a 2000 and it's served my needs so for but the higher models have more features like lights, more speed variation, chuck systems, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 11, 2018 at 1:31am

If you have a 2000 and call it one your favourite tools, the 3000 should be good enough, I guess... (2000s do not seem to be on the market anymore over here) Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Hans on April 16, 2018 at 8:31am

Just bought this set for 30 €! (Store display model...)

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Permalink Reply by Korrigan on April 16, 2018 at 9:24am

Awesome, congrats!

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Permalink Reply by Alan Dillard on April 15, 2018 at 11:45am

Man! This eventually fatal hobby/obsession just keeps getting more spread out! Gotta look for some decent size tins, but first, finish 3 or 4 more license plates! Then there's the baritone/bass for a friend, too. At my age, someone is bound to get some supplies from my "estate"!

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 16, 2018 at 8:36am

Maybe instead of removing these Surgeon General warnings we should amend them... "Building CBGs seriously endangers your career, marriage, family life, and everything else you used to do in your free time!"