Making an F5 Mandolin

6 years in the Actually the original build time was 3 Once I stripped off the white plastic binding, and started to rebind with ebony wood, I ran into problems bending to the tight curves of the Scroll. . No matter how hot I got it, or wet or how much steam I applied, I couldn t make that wood bend around that tight without splitting. . I asked many expert Luthiers that build mandolins and they assured me it was possible, but I couldn t do it. .