Absolutely. Even if I wasn't building a period piece, this is what I would use.
My pieces are from an old steamship shaft bearing, they have been under extreme heat, pressure, and in moisture for a long time, and are nearly as hard and stable as iron. I have to machine them on my metal lathe. The woodworking equipment won't work. Chris *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 2/25/2007 at 12:33 AM Reymen Marc wrote: >contempory: so bearings in lignum vitae? >Marc >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Chris Nogy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 10:11 PM >Subject: Re[4]: [HG] Now that I have some design parameters...the carved >body question > > >>I have the same concerns, and nave never tried to push the limits of the >>wood. I like to work in maple, cherry, and walnut, and there are >>relatively hard and dense woods, but are prone to fracturing (especially >>the hard maple). >> >> So when I hollow out the body of an instrument, I leave some wood proud >on >> the inside (if I have the walls of the instrument hollowed to 3/16, for >> example, I leave a 'hill' of wood that is 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick), >centered >> on the spot where the tailgut peg will go into the instrument. I try to >> do a nice job of blending the extra wood in so there is no sharp corner >> where it would be prone to breaking off. This has not failed me yet. >> >> If I am going to carve the body of this instrument, I will leave the >area >> for the front axle bushing quite thick, and where the other string pins >> are I will leave a solid flared strip of wood proud (from the belly to >the >> top) at each location. I will probably use walnut, and inlay either >> padauk (yeah, I know it's not medieval, but after the orange tones down >it >> looks great with walnut) or maple veneer strips to make it look as if it >> were glued up of 5 pieces, while maintaining the integrity of the full >> carved construction. >> >> I already have 2 soundboard blanks picked out, they are carpathian red >> spruce and are really pretty. >> >> For everyone else out there, what was the earliest example of ornate >> rosettes and purfling that anyone has found? I know that cut soundholes >> are present in the earliest of stringed instruments, but when did they >> start getting really fancy? >> >> Chris >> >> >> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** >> >> On 2/24/2007 at 11:57 AM Karl Christoffers wrote: >> >>>Greetings Chris, >>> >>>Just for the sake of completeness sake, and since I do >>>not think anyone else has mentioned it ... >>> >>>In Marcello Bono's plans packet for the Bosch >>>hurdy-gurdy (purchased some time ago from Michael >>>Muskett), Marcello gives the builder three options for >>>the body of the instrument. They are: contemporary >>>lutherie construction (with curved back and belly), >>>carving the body out of one block of wood, and gluing >>>up smaller blocks of wood to give the mass of a carved >>>body without needing to start with a serious block of >>>seasoned wood. Marcello does not give any cautions in >>>the text to indicate there are possible problems with >>>any of the construction options for the builder or >>>player. I rather like the third method of gluing up >>>the body so I would not have short grain into which >>>the strings will be anchored at the tail of the >>>instrument. >>> >>>However, since you have already carved instruments, >>>you already know whether short grain in the tail of an >>>instrument is a problem or not. Is it? >>> >>>-Karl Christoffers >>> >>> >>>--- Chris Nogy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>>> I have made several hollowed bodied instruments >>>> >>>> www.nogy.net, look at the rebec or the crwth or the >>>> citole or the lyre pages. >>>> >>>> But this instrument, the citole from the Cantigas, >>>> is one of the design starting points I am trying to >>>> explore, as well as King David's Crwth, the gittern >>>> from the British Museum, etc... These instruments >>>> were popular and common body shapes, I assume that >>>> it would not be out fo the question to build a gurdy >>>> with a shape similar to other instruments that were >>>> being built. >>>> >>>> I am just really curious to know if this method has >>>> any specific design characteristics that would make >>>> it unsuitable for a gurdy (a medieval gurdy, not a >>>> modern one). >>>> >>>> I have wood in sufficient dimension and am >>>> experienced in making a jointed body in his style as >>>> well. I know that if it had to be a jointed carved >>>> body, then it would have to be jointed in 3 sections >>>> so that the axle would have the full support fo the >>>> center. But for a smaller gurdy, which most of the >>>> medieval illustrations I have seen seem to imply, >>>> there are lots of species of hardwood that grow >>>> large enough and can be seasoned well enough to do >>>> this job. >>>> >>>> Chris >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>____________________________________________________________________________________ >>>Looking for earth-friendly autos? >>>Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. >>>http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ >> >> >> >> >>
