John In Remote Kansas (JIRK) on LIK's cookie

Chip
If you're serious about doing a "scratch" construction job, a possible place to start
might be with LUTHIER'S MERCANTILE.
They have had a very complete catalog AND "Catalog-Handbook" that gives some excellent
info for beginners as well as more advanced crafters, and the catalog will give you a good
idea of what kind of parts and materials you are looking at getting (or at least wanting).
Their Catalog-Handbook is not (SOB) free. I paid them $10 about 10 years ago, but it may be more now (if still available.
I have placed a few orders with them - mostly for small stuff, and they have been really good people to deal with.
They have a web site at http://www.wco.com/~imi/catalog.htm, or you might mail them at:

P.O. Box 774
Healdsburg CA 95448

or phone: 707-433-1823.

(They have an 800 number for orders, but info is a toll call)

Another place to start would be one of the commonly available "book store" how-to books on a similar instrument - like a guitar.
Robert Benedetto's "Making an Archtop Guitar" from CenterStream/Hal Leonard is one of the better ones
and would probably have more info you could transfer directly to the bouzouki than some of the others I've seen. It's "pricey"
at about $40, but has some good "general principles" stuff that seems to be missing from most of the
flattop books.

I hate to recommend that you go spend money before you dive in, but these (and similar) sources have saved me a
lot of wasted effort on my little projects.

Of course, you are the one that knows WHAT you want to do - it's just a matter of making it as easy on yourself
as you can.

Luck & Patience