--- Seth Hamon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > What kind of gurdy is in this book... Guitar shaped, lute, > etc...... Seth
Well, it's "Dewitt". I'll try to bring it and The Book down to San Antonio, if I don't see you sooner. I have a lot of pictures on a CD ... somewhere.... Also I got a lovely picture years ago that Henry Boucher sent of the two that he and Nicolas made. The attachment don't work anymore. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Bennett, > > Ah, I'd forgotten the large piece needed to make that part: > > 12" x 5-1/8" x 1-3/8" > > Depending on the wood you are using, it's certainly possible to find > a piece > of that size. 6/4 stock, 6" wide, 12" long is fairly commonly > available. > Laminating is also a reasonable approach here. > > I think I mention in the Supplemental Notes on this instrument that > from an > engineering standpoint, this part is a good solution, but it's a > nightmare > from a fabrication viewpoint. Try making one from 2x6 construction > lumber > before you commit your good wood to it. ;-) Especially if you have a > woodstove. ;-) On the 26th try, I finally cut out the top side and the bottom side on a band saw. Then I cut a center piece and laminated the outsides to it. I shimmed out the center piece with darker wood, because the outer edges came up shy once the radius was cut. (I understand the principle here, but I'll be danged if I can explain it.) Then you can just burn up the corners in your hypothetical stove, they won't supply as much heat that way, but you could make up the difference with CHEAP(er) wood. We had a big fireplace. All my ruined leftovers made a nice, hot (expensive) fire. I also cut the radius of the tailblock to 19 1/2 inches ( same as the soundboard and back) so I wouldn't have to deall with as much toolage. After you get over THAT hurdle, we can discuss radius sanding boards, and how to make a keybox separate from the SOUNDBOX. I haven't tryed that yet, but Alden mentions his Radiused Sanding board in the suppliment. I suspect that the time involved in making that tool will more than repay you vs the time spent tooling that radius out by hand. Even if you wind up hand-working it is still very difficult to work with that wall in the way..... I also want to stress that the plans (nor the supplement, last time I looked) mention braces on the BACK or sides. You could use the same pattern as the TOP braces, just leave out the loopy parts. That same shape as the first brace near the pegbox should do it. The SIDE braces are thin slats that run up and down between the back and top braces. I'm thinking 3-4 mm here is thick enough. I base that on some other plans, but they are not accessible at the moment (alright, they're out in the shop and I can't find a flashlight to work the combination lock.) I would seriously doubt that I am the foremost authority on building this type of Gurdy, but I may have found more ways to screw up. I will gleefully tell you where the known pitfalls are. Good luck. Keep in touch. Roy Trotter.
