While researching mandolin history for The Mandolin Project, I came across mention of a book entitled Violins and Other Stringed Instruments - How to Make Them, publsihed by Cassell & Co, London in 1908 and edited by Paul N. Hasluck. He was the editor of numerous manuals on how to make things, incluing various aspects of woodwork, bootmaking, electic dynamos, and my favorite, motor bicycle building, which involves casting your own cylinder from cast iron. (it is available as a pdf download on the web)

Violins and Other Musical Instruments covers building the violin family, a Japanese one-string violin. the mandoline, guitar, banjo, zither and dulcimer. As this book is now out of copyright, here is the chapter on Mandoline Making. It is ten pages and I have scanned them in two at a time and spread them over five web pages. Eventualy I will get the rest of the book scanned as well and made available. A fascinating English look at instrument making from a cenury ago.