Thank you all for your input, this information is all very useful.  I
think I have a plan...

So, going by the dimensions of a standard 4/4 cello, my vibrational
length would be about 23.5".  It seems my best bet is to maximize the
overtones of the drone strings by having 1/12 of the total vibrational
length between the bridge and the center line of the wheel (for 23.5"
that would be about 1.96") this should, in theory, give me the first 6
harmonics of the string?  I guess I would want that fraction to be a
little less for the melody strings so that I get the most overtones I
can as the tangents shorten the length.   Im using an online fret-
calculator for my tangent positions.

As for the wheel itself, It seems an 8" x 1" wheel would be somewhat
properly scaled to my new dimensions?  I need to do some more research
before I start making the wheel.  I'm new to working with wood, I
mostly work with metal for my job so for ease I had planned on turning
the wheel out of a solid piece of walnut of preferably bigleaf maple
(as suggested by the Hackmann's website) can anybody suggest any good
wood alternatives?  Am I making a serious error by not using layers of
laminate (maybe laminate is not the right term to use) wood for the
rim?  I understand that some expansion will occur along the grain but
I am clueless as to how to laminate a wheel.

Thanks again for all your help.

On Jan 20, 3:25 pm, Graham Whyte <[email protected]> wrote:
> The vibrating length is varies depending on which key is pressed
> The part of the string on the peg/nut side of the depressed tangent does
> not vibrate
> Because the bridge to wheel distance is fixed, HG players cannot
> compensate for this as different keys are pressed
> Guitar and bowed instrument players can and do compensate
> In the 19th century Nicolas Colson made 2 styles of HGs with wheels
> closer and further away from the bridge
> Chris Allen has historic examples of both styles
> My own Colson has the wider spacing and is so rich and sweet
>
> Graham
>
> Anthony Shostak wrote:
> > George Leverett-Altarwind Hurdy Gurdies wrote:
> >> By increasing the distance between the wheel & bridge, you might gain
> >> a little in resonance (most noticeable in lower midrange frequencies
> >> to my ears), but then the arc of vibration of the strings increases
> >> too, and you may have issues of chatter against the tangents.
> > Really?  It seems to me that so long as the scale length remains the
> > same, the distance from wheel to bridge should not make effect the
> > viibrational arc, because the scale length is determined by the
> > distance from bridge to saddle.  Otherwise, the pitch of a violin
> > would be different when bowing close to bridge than when bowing closer
> > to the fingerboard.  No?
>
> > Anthony
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