Absolutely correct. It has been under extremes of pressure, moisture, and heat for years, and it very, very tough.
I like working new Lignum Vitae as well, it is easier but still fun. Chris *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 2/25/2007 at 11:04 AM Reymen Marc wrote: >Hello, >I like lignum vitae to but i work with new wood >that is very easy to work on with standard wood tools >it is just like oak. So i think your wood has these toughness just because >of the way it was used before... > >Marc >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Chris Nogy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 1:38 AM >Subject: Re[6]: [HG] Now that I have some design parameters...the carved >body question > > >>I should have commented further. Since Lignum Vitae as we know it is a >new >>world wood, it would not have been used in 1350 in Europe. I don't know >>what would have been used as a bearing, probably just hard wood with the >>hole made by burning with an iron slightly smaller than the shaft, and >the >>hole worked by the shaft itself. >> >> But I like working with Lignum Vitae, it is just therapeutic turning >> something so dense, hard, and tight grained. I like boring it, and >> machining it in thousandhs of an inch, and the finish a good sharp tool >> gives. There is also something about holding a piece of wood that >weight >> THAT much for such a small piece - it is one of the remarkable anomalies >> of nature, wood that in so many ways responds like metal. >> >> I just like it. >> >> 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/ >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> >> >> >> >>
