> I have the Varquain Hmm - haven't thought about those in a while. Nice external drawings, but don't trust the internal details.
> and the Lambert guitar style plans... Those the ones from Michael Muskett? They're OK as a guideline, but there are discrepencies and errors. (I think Marcello's opinion was that they were good fire starter. I wouldn't go quite that far, but they do have problems.) > My question > is on the treaded part of the shaft where the wheel is screwed on.. > > From what I have noticed after the wheel is screwed on it doesnt have a nut > screwed on behind it to keep it from un-threading. Correct. > So if thats the case > what keeps the wheel from un-screwing and binding against the side of the > soundboard if the wheel is turned backwards like I have seen some do to get > the cotton off. Absolutely nothing holds it on, except for the tightness of the thread inside the wheel. > I have also seen some do this when they start playing I > guess to get the cotton in order for the best sound or somthing.... I'm > guessing the wheel stays put due to forward turning against the threads of > the shaft keeping the wheel screwed on tight... Correct. For this reason, we now machine the end of the shaft that sticks out of the body with a small set of flats for a box wrench. If the crank doesn't want to come off, the wheel will start unscrewing. The box wrench lets you grasp the shaft without damaging it. > I might be off... On the > one I made from the tolley plans I made the wheel opening large enough so I > could tighten a nut onto the shaft behind the wheel, but I wouldn't be able > to remove the shaft or wheel if I hadn't screwed the soundboard down instead > of gluing it.... Some wheels are just set in permanently. Removing the shaft and wheel of an old instrument can be very, very exciting sometimes. ;-) Alden > > Seth Hamon >
