Hi David, Thanks for your response to my query - to me it does make a lot of sense. Compared to the process Rob outlined, it does involve a lot more drawing, and plenty of accurate cutting out, but all working to well-defined parameters... I guess it appeals to the engineer in me!
Best regards Din > -----Original Message----- > From: David Van Edwards [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 05 December 2007 17:18 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: 'Rob Dorsey'; 'Jon Murphy'; 'lute-builder' > Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: Lute - Baroque Guitar > > Dear Dan, Din, Jon, Rob etc, > > I have nothing against solid moulds as this shows > http://www.vanedwards.co.uk/moulds.htm > > In practice I use skeleton moulds for lutes with fewer than > 19 ribs and solid moulds for those with more. I find the > skeleton better for aligning ribs while building and they are > certainly quicker to make, which is why I showed them in my > courses. It even has historic precedent in the Arnault of > Zwolle manuscript. There are no historic moulds surviving, so > for all we know the original makers all used skeleton moulds, > though not in MDF, that horrid but useful material! > > However in answer to Din's query I normally build up my solid > moulds in exactly the same way as the skeletons but with each > cross-section defined on paper first, which ensures the shape > remains as designed and allows me to make then hollow at the > same time. This makes the large theorbo moulds light enough > to handle with ease. After the cross-sections are all glued > up, the protruding corners are simply chiselled off leaving > the exact mould shape, as I show in the lower picture. It's a > nice metaphor to think of carving the air space and in fact > that's what I'm doing, but on paper first. Perhaps I'm more > used to seeing the 3D shape within the drawings having done > it so much. > > Thirty years ago, when I first started, I used to build > without a mould in just the way Dan describes (following Ian > Harwood, who I think first came up with the idea) and it's > certainly a very quick method. But it's difficult (but not > impossible if you build a jig for each rib) to build the more > complex shapes which are not semi-circular in cross-section > and only a few of the historic surviving lutes are like that. > Most involve twisted and assymetric ribs and I came to prefer > these shapes, hence the large number of moulds. > > As ever there are many routes to the same end......... > > Best wishes, > > David > > > At 16:25 +0000 4/12/07, Din Ghani wrote: > >Jon, > > > >I wish I had your carving skills - next time I make a lute > I'd like to > >try a solid mould, but the thought of producing a complex shape with > >accurately curved lines and surfaces out of a lump of wood terrifies > >me! I'm sure with your experience of carving you will be > able to work out how to go about it. > > > >I just about managed to carve the neck block with fairly accurate > >facets, following detailed instructions from David, and > using the lines > >and facets from the completed mould to guide the carving. > >Unfortunately, as far as I can see, Lundberg's book does not even > >mention how the facets on the mould are cut. Rob, I hope you > might be > >able to give me a clue, having learnt directly from him. I > assume there > >is a systematic method, not relying just on a steady hand > and a sharp eye? > > > >At heart, I guess I'm more of an engineer than a craftsman... > > > >Regards > > > >Din > > > > > > > > > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Rob Dorsey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> Sent: 04 December 2007 14:22 > >> To: 'Jon Murphy'; 'lute-builder' > >> Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: Lute - Baroque Guitar > >> > >> Jon, > >> > >> I've made molds from pine lumber which works fine albeit > harder to > >> carve but the best is bass wood or boxwood. > >> Basswood carves like butter and is easy to finish. As an > >> avant-garde touch, you can carve the mould without facets so that > >> the number of ribs can be varied or a multi-rib (39 or > >> so) can be made if you're feeling particularly industrious. > >> > >> Best, > >> Rob Dorsey > >> http://RobDorsey.com > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Jon Murphy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:08 AM > >> To: lute-builder > >> Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: Lute - Baroque Guitar > >> > >> All, > >> > >> I think Rob has convinced me to can my skeletal form and make a > >> solid one. I like the idea of sculpting the air within the > body, and > >> as a woodcarver I have all the tools and skills for > shaping a solid > >> form. The confidence I'll gain from having > > > the form fully shaped will probably get me off my butt to > >> make the body of my incipient lute. > >> > >> Dan's method is attractive in the apparent speed of the process, > >> but I doubt I could accomplish it without being "hands on" at his > >> workshop (which is tempting, but June is a long time away). > >> > >> Best, Jon > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> To get on or off this list see list information at > >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >> > > > -- > The Smokehouse, > 6 Whitwell Road, > Norwich, NR1 4HB > England. > > Telephone: + 44 (0)1603 629899 > Website: http://www.vanedwards.co.uk >
