tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38589893914405012332024-03-27T09:54:54.711-07:00The Lute's Progress,Being an occasional diary of the goings-on in my Vancouver lute making workshop,
written by me, Travis Carey, Lute Maker.Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-39141481717689666752024-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T12:00:43.006-08:00The Return of the Betterizer<p> Hi. I recently experienced a tiny brainwave in my workshop, and I'd like to share it with you.</p><p>I've got a couple of lute backs here, and both are for a 5 course late medieval plectrum lute. The one nearest is made of curly ash; the one behind is of curly sycamore.</p><p>In the foreground is a contraption that I have described <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2017/12/heres-thing-that-i-made-or-how-to-hold.html" target="_blank">in a previous post</a>, a locking turntable and block that are screwed up to the underside of the lute mold, and then held in a large ratchet clamp in my bench vise. The setup looks a little ungainly but it works great, since it allows me to hold the mold in practically any orientation. It's very useful when I'm building the back, fitting and gluing ribs, and working side-to-side (that is, working alternately on bass- and treble-side ribs), since I can simply loosen the knurled nuts under the turntable to spin the mold around. It's even more useful when I'm carving a lute mold, because that's an operation where it's helpful to see and carve the developing shape from as many angles and perspectives as possible.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDqG3efKu3MF7S6w6cxtPtwoi1UDxI1BnxEYK5GYuFUccWlr_ISDzBUTL3YF7hQ7no7buak3s6O0kFSeTMPGfY5p7uFwIRD0BFbcS70L3LigS6cmC2x74C1l4GGYSM3Z0J23n4hWM1z1LFB4CvQDS8BFufp43WNwTLaPjzWaGyqBJlSluD1ojFcnPfLc/s4160/IMG_20240111_114127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDqG3efKu3MF7S6w6cxtPtwoi1UDxI1BnxEYK5GYuFUccWlr_ISDzBUTL3YF7hQ7no7buak3s6O0kFSeTMPGfY5p7uFwIRD0BFbcS70L3LigS6cmC2x74C1l4GGYSM3Z0J23n4hWM1z1LFB4CvQDS8BFufp43WNwTLaPjzWaGyqBJlSluD1ojFcnPfLc/w640-h480/IMG_20240111_114127.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>So here's my brainwave. I decided to try attaching this universal-joint contraption to the lute back after it's been taken off the mold, to see if I could use it for scraping the back, resolving the rib lines, and giving the back a beautiful shape.<div><br /></div><div>Now, I always do some initial filing of rib joints and scraping of ribs while the back is still on the mold; it's necessary, for instance, to get a shape that's pretty close to perfect at least on the bottom end of the body, in preparation for fitting and gluing the capping strip. </div><div><br /></div><div>But once the capping strip is glued on, I'm usually happy to get the back off the mold and reinforce it from the inside: glue paper strips on all the rib joints (and sometimes across the ribs too), glue in the counter cap, fit the false belly, and so on. Generally I don't work with the shape of the back again until later in the construction process, <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/05/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">when I'm finishing out the whole lute in preparation for varnish.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The trouble with leaving rib/ body work till that late stage is that by then I'm working with an almost fully assembled lute, and there's no way to hold it completely steadily. The best way to hold it securely is in my lap, against the padded edge of my workbench. And as you can see, that puts me in the middle of a lot of wood dust (which I'm becoming more and more sensitive to every day.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8j_PaQAJDOG1noDzOeuEuIlrHjvDsXEq7tx6zOmBcyO2O8FIzKFtmVEZjtq8DgxZsI8ZrgZtzUAwuBvjh1sAp2nlHIDJaQD6HJq7GKIlF9ZLaLt_iWDlCv-kef4QDnpx1OnKDntxTwHRj5i0UD7lWRVEHt65T7CBSV06D8ZtYz75P3qOw-TgXoC0HI40/s2048/IMG_20200122_123508.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8j_PaQAJDOG1noDzOeuEuIlrHjvDsXEq7tx6zOmBcyO2O8FIzKFtmVEZjtq8DgxZsI8ZrgZtzUAwuBvjh1sAp2nlHIDJaQD6HJq7GKIlF9ZLaLt_iWDlCv-kef4QDnpx1OnKDntxTwHRj5i0UD7lWRVEHt65T7CBSV06D8ZtYz75P3qOw-TgXoC0HI40/w480-h640/IMG_20200122_123508.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>So, in an effort to separate me a bit from that cloud of dust, I thought I might try doing some of this work earlier in the process, by holding the back steadily in the vise.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's what I came up with. The false belly--the closely-fitted piece of panel board that temporarily maintains the shape of the body during the construction process--has been spot-glued into the completed back. I then pre-drilled four screw holes.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXtGZZQsK4QLHKEfjuknYKkG2A_4wQWIbnJTnA9nAidhlYh9U0tkD-hhcrdYrxwcDrkuRx2q67MMO9aVM57qEfT5DnTZLAxhdRPVMvz7AC-aFoxb6CDh2lTZfEu6WxuSs_xa2Pv5yJ8iXLNA4bUnsNB2bFKZdnkHOL4b_DbD1zw55p3QRzHhY6mwiqXM/s4160/IMG_20240111_113811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXtGZZQsK4QLHKEfjuknYKkG2A_4wQWIbnJTnA9nAidhlYh9U0tkD-hhcrdYrxwcDrkuRx2q67MMO9aVM57qEfT5DnTZLAxhdRPVMvz7AC-aFoxb6CDh2lTZfEu6WxuSs_xa2Pv5yJ8iXLNA4bUnsNB2bFKZdnkHOL4b_DbD1zw55p3QRzHhY6mwiqXM/w640-h480/IMG_20240111_113811.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I screwed the block/ turntable assembly to the false belly, with a coupe of #10-2" screws. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERH6rZ1UL657tGA7VQNxcDpkb3KeK3f_3owhcWVn8MUQxzi8npDNks3lWfYaLZ_G_EaZtHfanKDmVuthnhR86aoBUz094XplpbelwgKfTRENAy-TRzzYWy_DJ6JvBDverszszGNtpY84K8YYAnCNj-4HOHF8qMvUzlbXvG-5mRFyN524Y1D8x2QdZF_o/s4160/IMG_20240111_113751.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERH6rZ1UL657tGA7VQNxcDpkb3KeK3f_3owhcWVn8MUQxzi8npDNks3lWfYaLZ_G_EaZtHfanKDmVuthnhR86aoBUz094XplpbelwgKfTRENAy-TRzzYWy_DJ6JvBDverszszGNtpY84K8YYAnCNj-4HOHF8qMvUzlbXvG-5mRFyN524Y1D8x2QdZF_o/w640-h480/IMG_20240111_113751.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I then mounted the thing in the clamp in my bench vise. My only question at this point was whether the whole thing would be tight and sturdy enough to withstand the pressures of being worked on with files and scrapers (or whether, for instance, the spot-glues on the false belly might not hold.) The answer is: yes, it is strong and steady. I feel I need to be a little careful in handling the back when re-positioning it, but otherwise the assembly is very stable. </span></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnmqr6zI_HdVbxkcbVtJQq4kKBM-hHX-Iykx6D9RmdI_MmTLFFst-sk68dGEjf-gIFdoxBpS0ISIAHqgFDeItQdzy0lhp4y8bTyu4YNd4P680oCKsD_Nz3cjEw3fsmoEUHV6nWj34EBqLQ9u9kwnvIPfOtWuA_C4SLUfkYwFSOM-GCmyR-yAhelJfvcU/s4160/IMG_20240111_110509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnmqr6zI_HdVbxkcbVtJQq4kKBM-hHX-Iykx6D9RmdI_MmTLFFst-sk68dGEjf-gIFdoxBpS0ISIAHqgFDeItQdzy0lhp4y8bTyu4YNd4P680oCKsD_Nz3cjEw3fsmoEUHV6nWj34EBqLQ9u9kwnvIPfOtWuA_C4SLUfkYwFSOM-GCmyR-yAhelJfvcU/w480-h640/IMG_20240111_110509.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKv86h5eXfPFUMAq7TjkKBa3JVlu7SFoojXxCCx-3HH0tWAUPt9d06HbV5ZoRHJFVkEiqg_AiSbR7xRm8KYyHg6cKxQ7EjZijS1auyS-6SU-da6YZaDxkZQJMiHYP72aCYyKWTHO6LArrmz1KesEJn1T4DZ5T8KkdPbzNyjHIwb1rpPqDkreatoFg6O0/s4160/IMG_20240111_110439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKv86h5eXfPFUMAq7TjkKBa3JVlu7SFoojXxCCx-3HH0tWAUPt9d06HbV5ZoRHJFVkEiqg_AiSbR7xRm8KYyHg6cKxQ7EjZijS1auyS-6SU-da6YZaDxkZQJMiHYP72aCYyKWTHO6LArrmz1KesEJn1T4DZ5T8KkdPbzNyjHIwb1rpPqDkreatoFg6O0/w480-h640/IMG_20240111_110439.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4k445d_5yPudgAwOISAJD7lSfs3saEV7v0mqex2m9WJS8m1irySapSSUzz_sCmI87uZrgTFbNd29L8FntPbaPBd6Lb_6c4tLT7eM5-gk7D6sr0Ggn6JdugWhjrXSTj1eXQ12YvtYN0SiHx6M9_zWvZzLSFz3xiiNhleX9pQs4vdq4RJAGXVrEH2mmgw/s4160/IMG_20240111_110206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4k445d_5yPudgAwOISAJD7lSfs3saEV7v0mqex2m9WJS8m1irySapSSUzz_sCmI87uZrgTFbNd29L8FntPbaPBd6Lb_6c4tLT7eM5-gk7D6sr0Ggn6JdugWhjrXSTj1eXQ12YvtYN0SiHx6M9_zWvZzLSFz3xiiNhleX9pQs4vdq4RJAGXVrEH2mmgw/w480-h640/IMG_20240111_110206.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>That's my brainwave. It doesn't seem like a big deal, does it? And yet in a way, it is. It gives me a little more flexibility in assembling lutes, because it allows me to change up the sequence of construction. So, instead of waiting to the very end of the building process to resolve and tighten up all the rib lines, I can do it earlier on, and with more control. Or, I can do it later. It doesn't matter. The important thing is, I now have the choice. And the best part is, it didn't cost me a dime!</p><p>As some of you may know, I love betterizing: taking a contraption and adding to it or modifying it to extend its life or usefulness. I encourage you to betterize in your own workshop, and share the news with the world.</p><p>Here's a short video I made of the contraption in action. Enjoy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OUZp7swT_2A" width="320" youtube-src-id="OUZp7swT_2A"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-57207741437157889382022-07-15T21:48:00.001-07:002022-07-16T08:42:22.505-07:00The Barnard Street Studios<p>Hello, and welcome back to <i>The Lute's Progress</i>. Today marks a return to the blog after a brief hiatus, and I hope everyone's doing well out there, staying safe and sane.</p><p>With this post I want to inaugurate an occasional series about where I work, and how I'm set up in my workshop space. I'll begin by introducing you to the building, and then invite you into my shop upstairs. I moved into suite 212 in February of 2021. It's the first time I've ever been able to move into a space and lay it out the way I want, pretty much without compromise. It's the best shop I've ever had. </p><p>I must tell you, though, that the beautiful building where I have my shop is unfortunately not long for this world. For many years it, along with a couple of adjacent properties, was owned by a local family company. Late last year, however, the company sold the properties to a multinational property developer. In a short time--nobody can tell us quite how long--our building will be razed to the ground, and replaced with a five-story concrete monolith. The spaces within this hulking-fortress-like-monster-to-be will be sold as industrial condominium units, so if you've got a couple of million dollars to spare, you too can be the proud owner of a thousand square feet of uptight, airtight, airconditioned office and warehouse space for your import-export concern. If not, well... good luck to you in finding a new space to rent for your little fine-craft workshop.</p><p>So while it lasts, and for what it's worth, here's the building: 8696 Barnard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada. As far as I know it's never actually had a name, though these days some of us who have work spaces there have taken to calling it the "Barnard Street Studios." </p><p>Seems a bit fancy for what was, originally, a ladder factory. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJS_-Wr5wxMlOBT8q_bvGX2QHkqpbQyHO_P33CNY4cuLkw7MMmdkfjhBBqUcuiACwmZr3Gk8tWBOQwHjnqd0wAyOsXHxVgGf0cVS1bqIttSbtQ-1Z_wwrBWx6XYyRwStIzqYjGN9yssbr9CXWTjuH1CcJClzamxpE7_vJnT-B90SmpBp-N2EyzrTI/s4160/IMG_20220606_141522.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJS_-Wr5wxMlOBT8q_bvGX2QHkqpbQyHO_P33CNY4cuLkw7MMmdkfjhBBqUcuiACwmZr3Gk8tWBOQwHjnqd0wAyOsXHxVgGf0cVS1bqIttSbtQ-1Z_wwrBWx6XYyRwStIzqYjGN9yssbr9CXWTjuH1CcJClzamxpE7_vJnT-B90SmpBp-N2EyzrTI/w640-h480/IMG_20220606_141522.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Barnard Street Studios</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I'm told the building dates from the 1940s, but it's still very solid. It's been well maintained over the years, with a new roof and new siding recently installed. And, as they say, it has good bones: beams, pillars, and floor and ceiling joists of old-growth Douglas Fir. This stuff is so hard you cannot drive a spike into it (at least I can't.) You can see the joists, pillars and beams in my workshop--here's a shot.<div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXDD0nB45BTbpgYZfLJCDaXGqXzHf4YTYagEdg-g2z2DPTNekMIBZBuWwzJphLQRB3XPZCdr_gLrFrrL07CZlVt0ApCTxs2SskXW7kT73X9gV2VDHkPqA_xxbjViukVFqWmEoMEs_bjagiWDUGWLnVeux0uJuevOGNLU19d0ItJw2gqg1mX5aINv1/s4160/IMG_20220606_121049.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXDD0nB45BTbpgYZfLJCDaXGqXzHf4YTYagEdg-g2z2DPTNekMIBZBuWwzJphLQRB3XPZCdr_gLrFrrL07CZlVt0ApCTxs2SskXW7kT73X9gV2VDHkPqA_xxbjViukVFqWmEoMEs_bjagiWDUGWLnVeux0uJuevOGNLU19d0ItJw2gqg1mX5aINv1/w640-h480/IMG_20220606_121049.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Douglas Fir joists, beams and posts.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I know it was a ladder factory because I once met an elder gentleman from Vancouver who had been inside the building, in the factory, in the 1950s. No doubt the ladders were made of local timber, most likely old-growth Western Red Cedar. I imagine at that time, the raw logs would have been floated down the mighty Fraser River and sawn into lumber in one of the mills along the water, then the lumber delivered to the factory by boat or barge. The north arm of the Fraser is only a couple of blocks away, down the hill from the Barnard Street Studios. There's a nice park there now, where I can go after a tough day at the salt mines and clear my mind by watching the tugboats haul log booms and barges up and down the cold, turbid river.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtp4LC_IpXH4F44pY87tn_T2kIEVtysVSxqhvcvrps04ePlj-SPuaZ1c76HTOnKfNo_mzOG2b-tJeyDbLqUWWNAPC8NdI6OGm4RF0oinN5iZNVc3HlX1uSjC3qFAU8Q3N8XpLcW3iwBcuNAVYFC7PjqLnPWI2jIWHb6di8V1NPoEOJtkfAJSnSUnq/s4160/IMG_20220706_173338.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtp4LC_IpXH4F44pY87tn_T2kIEVtysVSxqhvcvrps04ePlj-SPuaZ1c76HTOnKfNo_mzOG2b-tJeyDbLqUWWNAPC8NdI6OGm4RF0oinN5iZNVc3HlX1uSjC3qFAU8Q3N8XpLcW3iwBcuNAVYFC7PjqLnPWI2jIWHb6di8V1NPoEOJtkfAJSnSUnq/w640-h480/IMG_20220706_173338.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">North arm of the Fraser River, at low tide. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is just to the south, across the river. The Strait of Georgia, the salt body of water that separates Vancouver Island from the mainland, is just around the bend, to the right.</span><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I first came to this building in the early 2000s, when I brought the second lute I'd ever built to show to Grant Tomlinson and ask his advice on lute making. Grant has had a workshop here since the late 1980s; when he arrived, along with lute maker and Early Music guru Ray Nurse and the guitar maker Eichi Izikawa, the whole second floor was wide open, and they were among the first to put up walls and divide the floor into workshop spaces. By the time I started bugging Grant about lute making, the building was alive and abuzz with people and their small businesses. It seemed like a happy place to work. <div><br /></div><div>I eventually got to learn about the place more intimately, when I received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts in 2008 and was able to work with Grant in his studio for an entire year. He chained me to a small bench by the door, and I spent the year learning the trade and craft, and observing how a professional lute maker organizes a day, a year, a career. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkSiJe7iF_ZQ6jPopjNHnPDtGBrj7Pazj8p0_dIHgCvF9lsat2KVkm7Km4E60WX53ucOiR82FZxuzeLD4ypj6PV9i9B1ytVgomjyDfcJa6w_t1zc6KQD_woFxrBT6IZkkNmfzTWRktgr67W1oB2dJVuVOId99IwVMtgmCEHvK4F37BxNkN_pDBMm4/s4160/IMG_20220520_162729.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkSiJe7iF_ZQ6jPopjNHnPDtGBrj7Pazj8p0_dIHgCvF9lsat2KVkm7Km4E60WX53ucOiR82FZxuzeLD4ypj6PV9i9B1ytVgomjyDfcJa6w_t1zc6KQD_woFxrBT6IZkkNmfzTWRktgr67W1oB2dJVuVOId99IwVMtgmCEHvK4F37BxNkN_pDBMm4/w640-h480/IMG_20220520_162729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A recent photo of Grant Tomlinson's workshop. Grant has the cleanest, best organized woodworking shop I've ever seen, and his way of working and setting up a space has been a great influence on me. (I did not work at either of these benches while I was with Grant.)<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>When the year of residency was finished, I was able to find a space to set up my own workshop pretty much right away. A small anteroom of an office down the hall was available to sublet, and I snagged it. It was tiny, hot, and L-shaped (being laid out around a stairwell), but I made it work. I carved this rose in that workshop: it was for an 11 course lute based on the Warwick Frei, which was my first professional commission after leaving Grant's shop. I set the belly in the south-facing window, and took this shot. I did a pretty good job on the carving, and it's the best rose photo I've ever taken.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8Pk0cx1IflPXkMMCSi1S_mqgfcXS9osBVN-84jH5aaCu1j0gDj1QpkKgT2zk_dc8yTalX_p6bed_T6ZOOVbgUqt7FXacMOb7M8sDeyYCMuOt0i3Y6qaHHPt48Lc2ICXEN-A6Q_tH2Rhgi-hNMhMvgj7XWqiWwXw2DJ3IM1sLzjoOlk6Wf62JAbKQ/s1600/WF%20bright%20rose.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8Pk0cx1IflPXkMMCSi1S_mqgfcXS9osBVN-84jH5aaCu1j0gDj1QpkKgT2zk_dc8yTalX_p6bed_T6ZOOVbgUqt7FXacMOb7M8sDeyYCMuOt0i3Y6qaHHPt48Lc2ICXEN-A6Q_tH2Rhgi-hNMhMvgj7XWqiWwXw2DJ3IM1sLzjoOlk6Wf62JAbKQ/w640-h480/WF%20bright%20rose.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Did I mention this space was miserably hot? It was also pretty miserably loud. It faced south, onto an alley/ parking lot, at the end of which was Peter Fenger's workshop. Peter and company made custom windows and doors for the big old houses in Vancouver, and there was a large dust collector out my window that ran pretty much constantly. I'm not sure how I stood that noise, but I did, for seven whole years as a matter of fact, in that small space. One thing a lute maker likes to have is some peace and quiet, every once in a while at least, to do things like tap a soundboard and trim the bars so that the finished lute will sound good. When the dust collector was shut off, it sounded to me like the whole world had suddenly gone completely silent. I could hear birds singing, my own thoughts suddenly ringing in my head. I treasured those moments, and made good use of them, I think. I made a lot of really good instruments in that space.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the Fenger shop, at the end of the alley. Peter retired recently, so the shop is pretty quiet these days--it's being used as warehouse space by one of the businesses in the main building.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-p1lsEtpPMpqmVsQh7mPzNs_sPGR1h_rAqvh0Bm_t_3kIEqw9bElzstXQ0i1UpIwvSYmBmfxj3AbFNoRTwzTFfZ5F0uNBqaAimN4_cWxjGVZ5CuxheZrSM1oWqGfjXB4EhXBoaOJLk3ALfhEzBKTjKTi5iS1utto3uoo9ecsEO5xYXiyL0rnxt-s/s4160/IMG_20220607_141511.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-p1lsEtpPMpqmVsQh7mPzNs_sPGR1h_rAqvh0Bm_t_3kIEqw9bElzstXQ0i1UpIwvSYmBmfxj3AbFNoRTwzTFfZ5F0uNBqaAimN4_cWxjGVZ5CuxheZrSM1oWqGfjXB4EhXBoaOJLk3ALfhEzBKTjKTi5iS1utto3uoo9ecsEO5xYXiyL0rnxt-s/w640-h480/IMG_20220607_141511.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>You see here some wonderful examples of the doors and windows that came out of this workshop. Here's another example of Peter's attention to detail, a handsome exterior door for one of the workshop spaces on the main floor.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuSw_tKO1HQiHBs83288jSrUkZGkZtMZcxzLv6NbwUcdt7G5NXpWzL7nd9aWlYKhZjAsdr-tfvLBrrnTyPoJN9ocQJv-F5QCc_LzIAGlFY6VtBicWxS4Y5D4cfwbBzxNr-n3NOpJIQK7hcnyXO-5J8CQ9am0MxTpcVXNIizFrj6ALzuAPrwRoExme/s4160/IMG_20220607_141529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuSw_tKO1HQiHBs83288jSrUkZGkZtMZcxzLv6NbwUcdt7G5NXpWzL7nd9aWlYKhZjAsdr-tfvLBrrnTyPoJN9ocQJv-F5QCc_LzIAGlFY6VtBicWxS4Y5D4cfwbBzxNr-n3NOpJIQK7hcnyXO-5J8CQ9am0MxTpcVXNIizFrj6ALzuAPrwRoExme/w480-h640/IMG_20220607_141529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Isn't that sweet? A door like this is emblematic of the whole building: solid, beautiful, and full of soul. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />By the way, I don't mean to begrudge Peter and company the noise they made in those years. They were working hard, putting in the hours, and I was too, as we all were in the Barnard Street Shops.</div><div><br /></div><div>Peter was also very generous to me, and a lot of other people in the building. Every Christmas season he distributed his fruitcake, and it was wonderful stuff, dark, sweet, spicy, soaked through with booze. In return I would give him a jar of apricot jam, his favourite he said, if Julia and I had made some that year--</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_810vejzb-3iVc7UG9U0vAeO-glbCx0aYy8lgOaNmifBQBH2fJUQIjc8UIlXlMKJhE7cJotDu3-11Ci3JZqhSiKOqxcpJIT8GCrmfMheD3WBvZBd2QYv61aa5_yc28R6EKpAQ5sYv2j_kafbUXz5-HDWYpI4ZYnjX0tsIwOtQxYYxnF1U2_xZPpp/s4160/IMG_20170805_083220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_810vejzb-3iVc7UG9U0vAeO-glbCx0aYy8lgOaNmifBQBH2fJUQIjc8UIlXlMKJhE7cJotDu3-11Ci3JZqhSiKOqxcpJIT8GCrmfMheD3WBvZBd2QYv61aa5_yc28R6EKpAQ5sYv2j_kafbUXz5-HDWYpI4ZYnjX0tsIwOtQxYYxnF1U2_xZPpp/w640-h480/IMG_20170805_083220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hand crafted in Julia and Travis's kitchen.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">--or if we hadn't, perhaps a jar of highbush cranberry jelly from the bush of Northern Saskatchewan, land of my ancestors.</span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXp7Iy54NqbjDSxiSD3M60S2pK4T2RTBkE9f5YM95LCNyNawXWHPeEbCU4WoFXQk2rMcX5pYQM1Z2BothyOlzfduAn58SpPkiNxW3g5JAHbHUBi3k9qkwhcjYjJn5G9M8KxNljmzNax-WWYExgMVeKHVn01dzmfLyTByaainGMqPh3iguEAGq7pWyx/s4160/IMG_20191023_224148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXp7Iy54NqbjDSxiSD3M60S2pK4T2RTBkE9f5YM95LCNyNawXWHPeEbCU4WoFXQk2rMcX5pYQM1Z2BothyOlzfduAn58SpPkiNxW3g5JAHbHUBi3k9qkwhcjYjJn5G9M8KxNljmzNax-WWYExgMVeKHVn01dzmfLyTByaainGMqPh3iguEAGq7pWyx/w640-h480/IMG_20191023_224148.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hand crafted in my mom's kitchen.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>One of the most amazing gifts I've ever received came from Peter, and it was a door. I was finally about to move out of the L-is-for-lute-shaped box after those many years into a slightly larger, fully rectangular space down the hall. This room was actually Ray Nurse's shop, though he was never resident in it while I was in the building; I was to sublet the space. Ray mainly stored his wood stash there, and we all used it as a sawing room. It was somewhat untidy and a bit dusty. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7wJRNMlPnO8Y0UBGfQY0scpgIwPfK4FYQ-1HwLUCeKiMoBn-B1b8RgHEWNwWTFzth7PeIh9oHPXf9pRNKCYwabiFy_bgR2jubPpglPcJ8mJc4e-6qz6CKnvifoLYWH4exIybtpdmxhKwudlwAo4o7GOQpt1ZtfvBGjn6w_Wi0ykkcl1i8S9Q9GBH/s4160/IMG_20170420_133136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7wJRNMlPnO8Y0UBGfQY0scpgIwPfK4FYQ-1HwLUCeKiMoBn-B1b8RgHEWNwWTFzth7PeIh9oHPXf9pRNKCYwabiFy_bgR2jubPpglPcJ8mJc4e-6qz6CKnvifoLYWH4exIybtpdmxhKwudlwAo4o7GOQpt1ZtfvBGjn6w_Wi0ykkcl1i8S9Q9GBH/w640-h480/IMG_20170420_133136.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ray's shop, Ray's band saw, Ray's wood, and another fine Douglas Fir post holding up the right edge of the photo. Taken in the midst of the moving-in disaster.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc6-PExBSeBIi16cEF8GFax02z91JqvhME_BGh3exaplcYiAzpGLUv_y3smECboKUfDsaHP764fwP_clSweSqwm-RWe1Cyk4_UYN5ULBtiF65Zy97J54sBtw43EjHx3oNe3dOUqf6rEAgVJGCdzBw1awOpzHZ9AhaY1IHYhWkVP4Hrlxo4S9GhYeS/s4160/IMG_20170420_133149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc6-PExBSeBIi16cEF8GFax02z91JqvhME_BGh3exaplcYiAzpGLUv_y3smECboKUfDsaHP764fwP_clSweSqwm-RWe1Cyk4_UYN5ULBtiF65Zy97J54sBtw43EjHx3oNe3dOUqf6rEAgVJGCdzBw1awOpzHZ9AhaY1IHYhWkVP4Hrlxo4S9GhYeS/w640-h480/IMG_20170420_133149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">More of Ray's wood. I was moving to the north side of the building, away from the noise of Peter Fenger's dust collector. That's some nice northern light coming through the window.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>As you can see, I was looking at a bit of a dusty mess to clean up before I could move in. Not quite the Augean Stables, but close enough for my liking.<div><br /></div><div>Since Ray, Grant and I still needed to use part of this space for the sawing room, my idea was to divide it with a temporary wall of 2x4 studs hung with thick polyethylene construction sheeting. That way, the dust from the machines would stay on one side, away from my dust-free (ish) hand workshop on the other. I had thought that I might just overlap the edges of the poly to make a temporary door, but Peter asked me one day if I would like a real door to use, since he had one kicking around his workshop, and would be glad to get rid of it. I said sure--and here's what he brought me.<br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWQxTFaeCp5w4pVJPvFqdlHsqK3inzvfGLI4t5Qa3ebcrD-sGEg162UJVobpWtrF1fHjEnlwhogKOutuia-ONCWPdabVsYT4jpZDQ6csJ0PGWc0EiKaQlEd7kk6jSyROzkSGkYNreyq704Z0Yj1KsyQRliEI93Pw2te_OXIEC42yDm4U5j0wcI4ok/s4160/IMG_20170601_180509.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWQxTFaeCp5w4pVJPvFqdlHsqK3inzvfGLI4t5Qa3ebcrD-sGEg162UJVobpWtrF1fHjEnlwhogKOutuia-ONCWPdabVsYT4jpZDQ6csJ0PGWc0EiKaQlEd7kk6jSyROzkSGkYNreyq704Z0Yj1KsyQRliEI93Pw2te_OXIEC42yDm4U5j0wcI4ok/w640-h480/IMG_20170601_180509.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Peter's door.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Y3v4aBlf4no7OhfXQV2HNz4iyrq1VpVW9ZtaV4cm3p6Knd-LAovRFtKifFjSDbq5eR_7GTOCj9h0BNWyOUYYlc4f7fkOgDtg5EMhtKR5F1HTgaYPQiSPQ3OMQNUxOt6B9Rjn-YY3v6d36uEMtVLKZdfSB4Kd0FdF7Bi63iDUlJ31NS5YZNmYV2AO/s4160/IMG_20170601_180449.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Y3v4aBlf4no7OhfXQV2HNz4iyrq1VpVW9ZtaV4cm3p6Knd-LAovRFtKifFjSDbq5eR_7GTOCj9h0BNWyOUYYlc4f7fkOgDtg5EMhtKR5F1HTgaYPQiSPQ3OMQNUxOt6B9Rjn-YY3v6d36uEMtVLKZdfSB4Kd0FdF7Bi63iDUlJ31NS5YZNmYV2AO/w640-h480/IMG_20170601_180449.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The view from Peter's door, looking into a small, crowded, cozy and productive shop.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA1Eqql7r55m_oENc2qnN0fAozuuvWoejVC7fb-heGsRF9l8cHdlQQPpygpUj-VkT7BYzwWf1sFZ6tNx_w8I4xpwhH36rOY4xiXddCeuCoZ1v41HOb9BrzZPDggT_88v7ZJi07-dMbplmt31XkyuqbUpZZztRMgSsnLNu0TbcxdyRNcgH9NFspO0G/s4160/IMG_20170601_180454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA1Eqql7r55m_oENc2qnN0fAozuuvWoejVC7fb-heGsRF9l8cHdlQQPpygpUj-VkT7BYzwWf1sFZ6tNx_w8I4xpwhH36rOY4xiXddCeuCoZ1v41HOb9BrzZPDggT_88v7ZJi07-dMbplmt31XkyuqbUpZZztRMgSsnLNu0TbcxdyRNcgH9NFspO0G/w640-h480/IMG_20170601_180454.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpLfvDZd0UQiz4lNtu19qVNveRHtiXHmBBAmCAyKJKKWwzIFvT9cISxV9dRwc_QYdtLj18Gj2L2fwbBqMRXRtJGVwqtml-AbDGUIfFXvR24L6c63hNiCZOpjWM5ZJNrkOlJWM_cmk2mk8QpEY_nUq4pmQEG_HlnpT-LTRF0hd3_gtQdhcoPE-DrPr/s4160/IMG_20170601_180505.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpLfvDZd0UQiz4lNtu19qVNveRHtiXHmBBAmCAyKJKKWwzIFvT9cISxV9dRwc_QYdtLj18Gj2L2fwbBqMRXRtJGVwqtml-AbDGUIfFXvR24L6c63hNiCZOpjWM5ZJNrkOlJWM_cmk2mk8QpEY_nUq4pmQEG_HlnpT-LTRF0hd3_gtQdhcoPE-DrPr/w640-h480/IMG_20170601_180505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Space was a bit tight, and a lot of the time I felt like I was working inside a cockpit. If I happened to buy a plank of wood to add to my stash, I'd pretty much have to reorganize the entire space to accommodate it. When the cases I'd ordered for my lutes came in, I wedged them between my workbench and an old chest of drawers that served as a storage chest. The bubble wrap the cases came with got wedged in anywhere it would fit.</div><div><br /></div><div>This suite was a sublet, and eventually I had to give it back to the leaseholder. A few nervous months passed while I looked for a new space... somewhere in Vancouver... somewhere in the lower mainland of BC... somewhere. Then, just in the nick of time, a suite came available in the Barnard Street building, just down the hall. It was much bigger than my current space (and more expensive), and I would finally be the leaseholder, not a sublet. I took a deep breath, and signed on the dotted line.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings us...here. Suite 212, 8696 Barnard St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. My workshop, and the World Headquarters of Travis Carey Lutes.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW4rp9cbnHjvABrtT8Oz5e3WM3sGQPEFd9-9-CQAObgy8CMFbtTdsYLokMBx3UMpzB5atAKt-cEyIA8aR2hrFc9K9D6lOfoGPMRMhj9m8UPcYDMLUMBEMoQdoP6DfYnJMpNHIodvLLSAN5OfCBdLeTeI8eSbOXkSOF5gR4OLYxdVbROuOvcdKIOoL/s4160/IMG_20220606_132352.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW4rp9cbnHjvABrtT8Oz5e3WM3sGQPEFd9-9-CQAObgy8CMFbtTdsYLokMBx3UMpzB5atAKt-cEyIA8aR2hrFc9K9D6lOfoGPMRMhj9m8UPcYDMLUMBEMoQdoP6DfYnJMpNHIodvLLSAN5OfCBdLeTeI8eSbOXkSOF5gR4OLYxdVbROuOvcdKIOoL/w480-h640/IMG_20220606_132352.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Care for a tour? Here's a little video I made to show you around. It's quick, but gives an idea of how the space looks, and how it's organized.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rLImAibBOvA" width="320" youtube-src-id="rLImAibBOvA"></iframe></span></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In further installments on this blog, I'll show you in more detail what the space is like, and how I set it up to work within.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope from this post you get a little sense of the building I've laboured in and built a career in as a fine craft artist for the last 13 years of my life. As you might be able to tell, I love the place. In general, I like the people who work there a lot--they are, by and large, very good neighbours. Plus, my colleague Grant Tomlinson is just down the hall, in 206. We rely on each other, giving support, advice, and cameraderie every day.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it's the building itself that continues to amaze me. Since the building sold, and our eviction--whenever it may come--hangs over our head, Grant and I have made some small efforts to find new work spaces in Vancouver. Let me tell you, they are as scarce as hens' teeth; and scarcer still are buildings made of wood, like ours is. We've had a look at spaces in one of those concrete, uptight, air-tight, air-conditioned buildings, and they do not even compare. Musical instruments cannot be built in such spaces. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because it's made of wood our building breathes like a musical instrument breathes. In summer we can open the windows and let in the fresh air; in winter, when it's pouring rain in the streets, we can shut the windows, turn up the heat, and dehumidify the shop to that certain magical spot, between 40 and 45% relative humidity, which is the prime space for assembling the various woods that go together to make a lute. Wood loves wood; wood wants to be with wood. For lute makers, and I dare say other fine craft workers who are housed here, the Barnard Street Studios building is an absolute gem.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a lot of talk in our part of the world about "saving old growth," trying to halt the destruction of the few, last, old forest giants that live in remote parts of the coastal mountains of British Columbia. A worthy sentiment, to be sure. But our building is also "old growth:" old trees, old lumber, old building, old Vancouver. I think the "Barnard Street Studios" is old growth that should be saved, too.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-Pru7gZzmCq68-3e0XV0jyNMiC3aB-CB2Ri4h9bMIn_pHYa98fyBZWxnFExXaHTVdUkjn-UeWTUc25dR9AQHzov42CIXhCuMWlOe43qDWy6ZsT01dQ6sBZ229nZ_mPIU2iUyISCCmJ0Tp7Zx-DA5Ki4MGN0qh9Emqz1ZYDCiM7IQje2PZp8SIgBE/s4160/IMG_20220606_121112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-Pru7gZzmCq68-3e0XV0jyNMiC3aB-CB2Ri4h9bMIn_pHYa98fyBZWxnFExXaHTVdUkjn-UeWTUc25dR9AQHzov42CIXhCuMWlOe43qDWy6ZsT01dQ6sBZ229nZ_mPIU2iUyISCCmJ0Tp7Zx-DA5Ki4MGN0qh9Emqz1ZYDCiM7IQje2PZp8SIgBE/w640-h480/IMG_20220606_121112.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-5364671808631449102020-12-21T16:26:00.007-08:002020-12-21T16:26:48.160-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 24: Frets, Strings and Sound<p>Hello my friends!--and welcome back to the final episode of the series wherein I show how I go about building a 13 course lute, with a body based on the archlute by Magno Tieffenbrucher, C45 in the Vienna KHM, and a peg box and bass rider arrangement based on the lute by Sebastian Schelle, E.633 C.218 in the Cité de la Musique, Paris. As always, I have much to show you today, and I'm afraid it will be a long post. I'll try to be gentle; and I thank you, in advance, for your kind attention. </p><p>Here comes the firehose.</p><p><i>Tying the frets</i></p><p>There are lots of good descriptions all over the internet of how to tie lute frets, but here's my version. I personally think the best description out there, which appears to be quite straightforward and give a good result, is Martin Shepherd's. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs_pXOoBVLU" target="_blank">The video's here</a>.) I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon. In Martin's version the knot comes around the neck in the opposite direction to mine. My advice: try 'em both, see which one you like best.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYPsbkRC8eE-iPUoIOATqXOrsampKHAgQhzTb8Z-1yKFWC0J12tpxIp9-g9NF5Gh1iZylZrEwaBT18Nn0V8VatHXE1hKgKSbiHLE8wW5ybxIzRTQbPSRWgHHK-q2TAgagRIKaUnE9RmM/s2048/IMG_20200403_112929.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYPsbkRC8eE-iPUoIOATqXOrsampKHAgQhzTb8Z-1yKFWC0J12tpxIp9-g9NF5Gh1iZylZrEwaBT18Nn0V8VatHXE1hKgKSbiHLE8wW5ybxIzRTQbPSRWgHHK-q2TAgagRIKaUnE9RmM/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_112929.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The tools and materials of the trade: a selection of fret diameters (from 1.4mm to 0.60mm, graduated by 0.05mm), a pair of pliers, a butane lighter, fingernail clippers, and a wood-burning tool.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHmtmGOXavU-2aujsEP1hBi-im9L-4GlWRZ679eL0TjVq9f64LgBpmmQ_MWR0qjV7SKMvbXCP-GGRvoeX9pWfkZLDIZHSTh7QLEEkc3K3cqwAqePQnvU-o-ud8BUxoWTMxWPPNsKVaPg/s2048/IMG_20200403_113017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHmtmGOXavU-2aujsEP1hBi-im9L-4GlWRZ679eL0TjVq9f64LgBpmmQ_MWR0qjV7SKMvbXCP-GGRvoeX9pWfkZLDIZHSTh7QLEEkc3K3cqwAqePQnvU-o-ud8BUxoWTMxWPPNsKVaPg/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Neck's all ready. Fret me!<br /></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-dWqyizHsiq33GTP2DMltcpUPaZcWy80bkiAaXkrxt5k8UIk8B9b1f1eIS7ZanLafE4VzaASGInF8zTcU9baaSXLnBpBGvZwQ20Dq3q5RYEGl0Brj1gt_Y0mMjc2kojAVwMkb-FvhNw/s2048/IMG_20200403_113102.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-dWqyizHsiq33GTP2DMltcpUPaZcWy80bkiAaXkrxt5k8UIk8B9b1f1eIS7ZanLafE4VzaASGInF8zTcU9baaSXLnBpBGvZwQ20Dq3q5RYEGl0Brj1gt_Y0mMjc2kojAVwMkb-FvhNw/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113102.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't use the pliers to pull frets tight--I only use them to crimp about an inch of the end of the fret, so that it's easier to tie the knot. (This is especially useful on larger-gauge frets, which can be quite stiff and hard to bend.)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAVOO4caakuMC_fn66yEP41SOe9u5QblRMqEOGwYNqBX8chzHJXvk-wp1hvY6La7YeTkwVp1uH8Ly5rGOAVRHQS7Crv36kTwMa-Q29mGtN4YseqgNbR0A7yiz2qJQecqi97vHugPncNs/s2048/IMG_20200403_113209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAVOO4caakuMC_fn66yEP41SOe9u5QblRMqEOGwYNqBX8chzHJXvk-wp1hvY6La7YeTkwVp1uH8Ly5rGOAVRHQS7Crv36kTwMa-Q29mGtN4YseqgNbR0A7yiz2qJQecqi97vHugPncNs/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113209.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I burn the tip of the crimped end.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DIJINsqY0APA03SsiKnpW9i8wxRgHdSXcu1JanAGJpWEhFb_petbE0a8XVIDxV-a36qOB7_7VNKSXU8nuZykVEbMvSFe89ADSToBxYV_ZDr_ucwR4AOdxqFPsdwAeeDzyAn__0pREXs/s2048/IMG_20200403_113300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DIJINsqY0APA03SsiKnpW9i8wxRgHdSXcu1JanAGJpWEhFb_petbE0a8XVIDxV-a36qOB7_7VNKSXU8nuZykVEbMvSFe89ADSToBxYV_ZDr_ucwR4AOdxqFPsdwAeeDzyAn__0pREXs/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113300.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And tie an overhand knot in that end. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P6MfayBADMWUnjmcOQrF76M5awYIXdhNqpw_Vp9dmd-IjQV1thcWGf1dw8lcb9BLvRUZQ8-1_mdWnbHYjTx80b4452iYZclztsoO6jLB9XFSW4lwmLhe3hjWSnEqalsZM4Yz_dvwSos/s2048/IMG_20200403_113341.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P6MfayBADMWUnjmcOQrF76M5awYIXdhNqpw_Vp9dmd-IjQV1thcWGf1dw8lcb9BLvRUZQ8-1_mdWnbHYjTx80b4452iYZclztsoO6jLB9XFSW4lwmLhe3hjWSnEqalsZM4Yz_dvwSos/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113341.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I pass that knotted end under the neck so that the knot emerges on the bass side. Then I slip the free end through the knot.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTa5zytkrH9YSOPsgrGwajf9tImn9Q9d29OaOekGl8A_3l4ka3-_QZWuf0wmlQ1uUYy77gt1s-mRHCRvGdDOB1gjI38GGfQZE81kEBmg-vk_ZxsIgz4ZHA1i-M6JcRsdZUgyZhk88Zc0/s2048/IMG_20200403_113507.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTa5zytkrH9YSOPsgrGwajf9tImn9Q9d29OaOekGl8A_3l4ka3-_QZWuf0wmlQ1uUYy77gt1s-mRHCRvGdDOB1gjI38GGfQZE81kEBmg-vk_ZxsIgz4ZHA1i-M6JcRsdZUgyZhk88Zc0/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I brace the fret with the left thumb, and pull the free end back toward me so that the fret tightens.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnxRuTnDAuvPVHE8uKUI8lR2ig-FmCMFjA2Q9_htQv-zQ43v_mIO4KMWNTOQZqWnzNJQD8S86pvEacD9SQXPkhRHw5AM5axRb_aAWioXjf-ocmVSI_5vB_0IFFQW7wvBY4FT4W6GDRDE/s2048/IMG_20200403_113618.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnxRuTnDAuvPVHE8uKUI8lR2ig-FmCMFjA2Q9_htQv-zQ43v_mIO4KMWNTOQZqWnzNJQD8S86pvEacD9SQXPkhRHw5AM5axRb_aAWioXjf-ocmVSI_5vB_0IFFQW7wvBY4FT4W6GDRDE/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113618.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I bring in the pinch-clippers to cut the end off, leaving a few millimetres...</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei11hhR52Y6NC_DbNjnULczie9pQZ2xCu_QZmvssnmgVwXfYbUIhUZ-DUTvHyWjp5QPuyOUMEed4bsTTg1RCwqRC2CmRpYM4yDvyVDmJ7DhIV1boMDcIDHqksOlwC4GBvjmKncXFPPzk/s2048/IMG_20200403_113757.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei11hhR52Y6NC_DbNjnULczie9pQZ2xCu_QZmvssnmgVwXfYbUIhUZ-DUTvHyWjp5QPuyOUMEed4bsTTg1RCwqRC2CmRpYM4yDvyVDmJ7DhIV1boMDcIDHqksOlwC4GBvjmKncXFPPzk/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113757.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And scorch the free end with the wood-burning iron. I like using this tool for this part of the job because I prefer to keep open flames away from the instrument, especially if there are strings on it. This one hasn't been strung yet, but when it is, it will have bass courses overhanging the edge of the neck.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz-k0SXdpgXl6iDzPXeTzp0qi0J4SUb9VyJIg5v33JPmalTWhmWb7XRAxZ3FG_XizdyW-WUN3FRmnYplAMPmaPin8exboAcKd2etYu0hhtz6-xMxBXftmWj9HsP6Sz1X_T_sfIblYNb0/s2048/IMG_20200403_113847.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz-k0SXdpgXl6iDzPXeTzp0qi0J4SUb9VyJIg5v33JPmalTWhmWb7XRAxZ3FG_XizdyW-WUN3FRmnYplAMPmaPin8exboAcKd2etYu0hhtz6-xMxBXftmWj9HsP6Sz1X_T_sfIblYNb0/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_113847.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The finished knot.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdARe9zbq2y1drR2iNLoHxdJ8FJpslDCx4Pq6-m_3SShy4D39A4MKC6qSg1GSrYHD6gyoH9xzMQttSdxKwApfqBD639dmMTMEylCMrtfjf2lpbPBZCfhgrLSnoVWr8CA_zHiwfvycNHyE/s2048/IMG_20200403_115517+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdARe9zbq2y1drR2iNLoHxdJ8FJpslDCx4Pq6-m_3SShy4D39A4MKC6qSg1GSrYHD6gyoH9xzMQttSdxKwApfqBD639dmMTMEylCMrtfjf2lpbPBZCfhgrLSnoVWr8CA_zHiwfvycNHyE/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_115517+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because it can make a groove and mar the neck as I pull the fret into place, I put a small slip of card under the knot. The problem is more acute in a pear neck than in one veneered with ebony, but I do it anyway, just in case. </span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnME6QLqEt_8XFgwbwrnSVL1x3zC0QA88LHFm8zpXdeGOp7nk7qERqxnjvk0oATH40-mx5PH6k3QGgiT805ImA0vrCS9i-C8-WGP7A1_1iIOKkg2Cz2pHaVOZLNpVF3cn3zAC0_7z-Gw8/s2048/IMG_20200403_114355.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnME6QLqEt_8XFgwbwrnSVL1x3zC0QA88LHFm8zpXdeGOp7nk7qERqxnjvk0oATH40-mx5PH6k3QGgiT805ImA0vrCS9i-C8-WGP7A1_1iIOKkg2Cz2pHaVOZLNpVF3cn3zAC0_7z-Gw8/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_114355.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I brace the instrument carefully while pulling the fret down into place.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1bIXoEooDd7lu8Xx7Cux8pQInlE1yXCauTNJ6pDJ_dElGlc9YpQtsgLI3ReWCwFIU-JfaronBS0Zkf7ME0TIXhJAK7KVSC3pl2ggkBbRmgf-w1J7Bz4EHWTbul8lFjo43ud7tryRTHw/s2048/IMG_20200403_114647.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1bIXoEooDd7lu8Xx7Cux8pQInlE1yXCauTNJ6pDJ_dElGlc9YpQtsgLI3ReWCwFIU-JfaronBS0Zkf7ME0TIXhJAK7KVSC3pl2ggkBbRmgf-w1J7Bz4EHWTbul8lFjo43ud7tryRTHw/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_114647.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've made a card marked with the (provisional) fret positions and their diameters. The end of this card rests against the front of the nut.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOc6NQ3AdV7JcklpBJpvf9kc8sKUiqQ6q-9pB0X1wEGhvUr3BhOGUDTAQBD656s-GdzYkV1X0WTB7_T12g-CV7wv2dphtJaK-iHL87VUZTZy3GzWQk8D6VYBCexlXAQ2JtlHz-OdyOVs/s2048/IMG_20200403_114705.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOc6NQ3AdV7JcklpBJpvf9kc8sKUiqQ6q-9pB0X1wEGhvUr3BhOGUDTAQBD656s-GdzYkV1X0WTB7_T12g-CV7wv2dphtJaK-iHL87VUZTZy3GzWQk8D6VYBCexlXAQ2JtlHz-OdyOVs/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_114705.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the fret in place. This baroque lute has 10 tied frets, and the 10th ties easily. I don't care much for having to notch the edge of the fingerboard to keep a fret in place, or to hang the fret on a button drilled into the middle rib. It's much easier and better just to pay attention to this detail in the lute's design stage, and ensure that the fret has room to stay where it's tied.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6g5nN-vL7kECqdCN-v8XQrL6RGZQ3KxSuEEh12-e9i8ErOt2N0tQYOiG9l5qFYypCyXvfUEqg1b9Hk7vFDGFS67BegDXGZsJCX2XS3_TPvZRCm3iXLOlGPdyBzvnYkUqUiPqFQNbrA/s2048/IMG_20200403_130651.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6g5nN-vL7kECqdCN-v8XQrL6RGZQ3KxSuEEh12-e9i8ErOt2N0tQYOiG9l5qFYypCyXvfUEqg1b9Hk7vFDGFS67BegDXGZsJCX2XS3_TPvZRCm3iXLOlGPdyBzvnYkUqUiPqFQNbrA/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_130651.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The compleat set. The frets are graduated along the neck's length. The largest, nearest the nut, has a diameter of 1.10mm.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Okay, moving on: let's get some strings on this fellow.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Stringing up</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>I start with the strings to the main nut. First, I lay out the position of the string grooves. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEVANy_TImyiIfutn21HZHQ5wyOPa_Dw4Npcm6_53ipq1ILRiU32CqtpchuguKiwpovTQBJBOEGbaQq14eAOwYLp_V7DZvrDalil_AFXDTmbKtrdZhTwYb_AdSoOhMwdzLBwWXxZ0qCc/s2048/IMG_20200403_141447.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEVANy_TImyiIfutn21HZHQ5wyOPa_Dw4Npcm6_53ipq1ILRiU32CqtpchuguKiwpovTQBJBOEGbaQq14eAOwYLp_V7DZvrDalil_AFXDTmbKtrdZhTwYb_AdSoOhMwdzLBwWXxZ0qCc/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_141447.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I shaped the nut (in the <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">previous episode</a>), I kept the treble edge square, for just this purpose: to match my card against it, and accurately mark the string locations.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dVnxdwDsNaWtlQq8Hd-COlYowmHcPB2qTsIFaVMxtGmGZQAxgmnUP5QsYXK7AaZ5C46ppiQVXt9LouWqb9RDehtDjR03J6yix1UqmhNLmtpNkOXOi9khgdt0yyoDhq2_FSdVoW8orJk/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_142018.jpg" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">In each of the string marks, I make a preparatory cut with an x-acto blade. I've run this blade over a fine file, which slightly serrates the edge and turns it into a kind of small saw blade. Each little kerf makes a secure place to seat a small tapered file, which ensures that string groove will be in exactly the spot I want it to be. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ASaMeDyYPk4zQ8F0P6Z9LmRvI_A_wrzXW2sITVi_N8aVKI_1yRcabKQKI3Ec5EkuyirMBAfl7wVa1PwPH-UtBL8T2PzAjhsNIi6OofUuD8z0abPke1BoiXSssauzoJC-SdLYGHkMogM/s2048/IMG_20200403_145156.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ASaMeDyYPk4zQ8F0P6Z9LmRvI_A_wrzXW2sITVi_N8aVKI_1yRcabKQKI3Ec5EkuyirMBAfl7wVa1PwPH-UtBL8T2PzAjhsNIi6OofUuD8z0abPke1BoiXSssauzoJC-SdLYGHkMogM/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_145156.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of the string grooves will be filed <i>in situ</i> on the lute, so I string one bass string in order to hold the nut in place while I work. (I haven't yet filed a groove for this string.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FHuxqsY2rDth6wIsBiWwbVLU1jO-anH1nn0WQjO1PXaayJbXEfyw1Um8v_8uB_KRT0_RHPVMou_a5jMfR8m9pzSm4Y8sAt6MER1VSJrATqfs9lv4oyee3e3d7bxslbn29bOmGrEc_R4/s2048/IMG_20200403_131423+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FHuxqsY2rDth6wIsBiWwbVLU1jO-anH1nn0WQjO1PXaayJbXEfyw1Um8v_8uB_KRT0_RHPVMou_a5jMfR8m9pzSm4Y8sAt6MER1VSJrATqfs9lv4oyee3e3d7bxslbn29bOmGrEc_R4/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_131423+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My tools of the trade for this job: two fine Grobet files (#4 and #6), a selection of graded spacers, a tube of metal polish, and a length of fine cotton yarn.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIgJnLtFOEZ4WqJlWEgzE3GWi6LGb1MazeAlnNf2AgBLnlk1bSox5k8gotb1FuEuBJNEWZb77CruMcaLs1MOwLrNeinGkFgRfJPta-BDmLknGdBuVwcSWbHkUf4_GC2iKEgEv-7M9tN0/s2048/IMG_20200403_145736.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIgJnLtFOEZ4WqJlWEgzE3GWi6LGb1MazeAlnNf2AgBLnlk1bSox5k8gotb1FuEuBJNEWZb77CruMcaLs1MOwLrNeinGkFgRfJPta-BDmLknGdBuVwcSWbHkUf4_GC2iKEgEv-7M9tN0/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_145736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I begin with the first course, seating my #4 file in the saw kerf, and making a fine, evenly-shaped groove. I don't file too deep: I only want to create a groove in which I can place my first course string, wind it on the peg, and check its height.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_66-moFsUH0mkdJL_mE_ouScPBTi3zQlPGiWUg2_O-U8p_2u683bxXmpkKY2-CWciWy3L6nW1ujCRZbZxSktStlMEGGLwIifBJI_geyYc6DmGAII2CsDymjPHj9sBYIKnB_3_paDPQU/s2048/IMG_20200403_145945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_66-moFsUH0mkdJL_mE_ouScPBTi3zQlPGiWUg2_O-U8p_2u683bxXmpkKY2-CWciWy3L6nW1ujCRZbZxSktStlMEGGLwIifBJI_geyYc6DmGAII2CsDymjPHj9sBYIKnB_3_paDPQU/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_145945.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I very lightly file the leading edge of the groove--not so much that it will create a buzzing, sitar-like effect; only enough to remove any sharp edges that can abrade the string.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOww0oBdlEZ7jhlU0DWCohv6AIa1AHkdnBqMkUX-rmJ8D-YyssNvi5GPwdVaSUcZ_YnJJDRmRnk3ulGTr-YOq01QEYRTr3DiUyjz-LIsse9jeBU04Pt5kKTJ2liHYpInomJBBIKveW59w/s2048/IMG_20200403_150313.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOww0oBdlEZ7jhlU0DWCohv6AIa1AHkdnBqMkUX-rmJ8D-YyssNvi5GPwdVaSUcZ_YnJJDRmRnk3ulGTr-YOq01QEYRTr3DiUyjz-LIsse9jeBU04Pt5kKTJ2liHYpInomJBBIKveW59w/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_150313.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I file the groove lightly with the finer #6 file, and then polish the groove with the cotton yarn charged with a little of the metal polish. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8-OJjUVDi_tDnVyzG3W8Qo9Y8-wCDyJE9lIXiuMfaupotfomfQ4D0FGTYRCjv40DDoHstuU7JRSRGnWP6-K8gE_R8idkT4vmzNTeTXGaq5Q-gztV3kFKSxw_emiPdSjIqPuChdLoqp8/s2048/IMG_20200403_150556.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8-OJjUVDi_tDnVyzG3W8Qo9Y8-wCDyJE9lIXiuMfaupotfomfQ4D0FGTYRCjv40DDoHstuU7JRSRGnWP6-K8gE_R8idkT4vmzNTeTXGaq5Q-gztV3kFKSxw_emiPdSjIqPuChdLoqp8/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_150556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then wind the string, and slip my spacer piece under it, beside the first fret, to check its height. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><div><span style="text-align: center;">This already looks pretty close: for the first course, I want a height of around 0.45 or 0.5 above the fret. Since the fret is 1.1 mm in diameter, that means I want the bottom of the string to be about 1.55 or 1.6 above the fingerboard. As you can see in this photo, there seems to be a tiny bit of space between the bottom of the string and the spacer. I think I'll file with the #6 file a bit more, then polish with the string, then check the string height again. </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGc92OXte4FvdVtlAP0IhKkiuxiHDc6xNtMpbmxHgofF00APXOhQ2Lz9Do0zICNZV_FoR9vkZHoE5oXseBtINJWiWN9Y6jxaW53tsOCneP0wU4iXSMeriA6xmWWO51mUXOlIplKTLmvg/s2048/IMG_20200403_151440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGc92OXte4FvdVtlAP0IhKkiuxiHDc6xNtMpbmxHgofF00APXOhQ2Lz9Do0zICNZV_FoR9vkZHoE5oXseBtINJWiWN9Y6jxaW53tsOCneP0wU4iXSMeriA6xmWWO51mUXOlIplKTLmvg/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_151440.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using side lighting can sometimes show more easily how much clearance there is between the bottom of the string and the top of the spacer.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>I've found that the best way to use this system for setting string heights is to file carefully, then polish, then check string height, and then repeat this sequence as necessary until the correct height is reached. I always have a final height in mind for each course (and that height increases slightly for each course as I move across the string band from the treble to the bass side.) The best way to ensure that I don't go too far is to use a spacer that is 0.05 mm <i>higher than the final height I want.</i> When I slip the spacer under the string and it nudges the string ever so slightly, that's when I know I have achieved the correct string height, and I can move on to the next course.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxUBTKlEzVuwh46mm1uzYGDloY88tGdWiAQ9855XOpRqD9iBfTJfmR04F2qX6JnEw6VYBGQx_TeiRR7l-ij9zLIcofWG9fgjSpPTdWwTX5YXc3qNu0sEKLaJkRIMZroen915pBBgQFEo/s2048/IMG_20200403_153617.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxUBTKlEzVuwh46mm1uzYGDloY88tGdWiAQ9855XOpRqD9iBfTJfmR04F2qX6JnEw6VYBGQx_TeiRR7l-ij9zLIcofWG9fgjSpPTdWwTX5YXc3qNu0sEKLaJkRIMZroen915pBBgQFEo/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_153617.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I usually wind the courses that I'm working on, and just keep them to the side of the grooves, so I can see how thick the string is and use the segment of the tapered file that best matches that diameter. I also broaden the groove (by using a wider part of the file) as the string goes around the curve on the back of the nut. What I'm doing there is actually easing the curve, making it slightly less sharp. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>When I'm working well--when I'm getting into the groove, so to speak--I can do a double course of strings in about 15 minutes. That means I will finish making the grooves for the first 11 courses of this lute in a little under 3 hours. Not too bad, for what might at first blush appear a bit of an overwhelming task.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4utr2R9i-uPmZxJR7nSRFmunkU7dWhlt-0TKTAjC7sQ9bJLpLV3yoXFYp8JCLnWk50W0FKXVGHjWbcWYKLNJ3piQUPpNpFgWaPEWKSy4WmZ-te5p2q0vLM991JmD-zxMXZIi-wMmS75c/s2048/IMG_20200404_101039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4utr2R9i-uPmZxJR7nSRFmunkU7dWhlt-0TKTAjC7sQ9bJLpLV3yoXFYp8JCLnWk50W0FKXVGHjWbcWYKLNJ3piQUPpNpFgWaPEWKSy4WmZ-te5p2q0vLM991JmD-zxMXZIi-wMmS75c/w640-h480/IMG_20200404_101039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>By the way, to wind the string onto the peg in the chanterelle tuner, I thread the string through the hole in the peg, then bring it around the back side of the hole and thread it through again. For the rest of the strings in the main peg box, I thread the string through and then loop it around and under, so that the free end of the string points away from the near peg box cheek--like so:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWv4OeU1sZJYZHTYcQx1OqIrwKuAauQZN_mxO_jGR2QSVU1NicREJnHNaRDP14zDIeEzXTp0s91OmlHPfM2JWjjXUQDvVBLM-rlRgvllP8sbXs8wu14j2NX2Jd5l_-dZoJ82fDhOvTzWQ/s2048/IMG_20200403_152141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWv4OeU1sZJYZHTYcQx1OqIrwKuAauQZN_mxO_jGR2QSVU1NicREJnHNaRDP14zDIeEzXTp0s91OmlHPfM2JWjjXUQDvVBLM-rlRgvllP8sbXs8wu14j2NX2Jd5l_-dZoJ82fDhOvTzWQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200403_152141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3F1kOpQGrNfP5QWwvN7q8388lPUE5gFbOykzyWtDEk3hasyNYr4dh_4DyqHl1A2FrwmZAuqkcrF1RzWx1TO0iPOzW3mEnLcBHJL79IfX2LBotfhyphenhyphenbB1hTjGepPFu273WkzwhVfKv1zTI/s2048/IMG_20200404_103417.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3F1kOpQGrNfP5QWwvN7q8388lPUE5gFbOykzyWtDEk3hasyNYr4dh_4DyqHl1A2FrwmZAuqkcrF1RzWx1TO0iPOzW3mEnLcBHJL79IfX2LBotfhyphenhyphenbB1hTjGepPFu273WkzwhVfKv1zTI/w480-h640/IMG_20200404_103417.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stringing the two lowest courses in the bass rider is pretty straightforward--I mark the positions, use the x-acto knife/saw, then file some grooves. I don't have to worry about how deep to make the grooves so that the string is a certain height...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jFWYEUKTYK0FQ5-1N3cc1TauDPtiXDzjG5pY2BxlxA_PdlshqgDw_micNFivridhnVmpT770OeFjZBQgf0jEOqkIG-cbuI_K_j2RlSSzjZ9k2ek_QRiItEkHjU4Om4PO0IG5OZyRpbU/s2048/IMG_20200404_105425.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jFWYEUKTYK0FQ5-1N3cc1TauDPtiXDzjG5pY2BxlxA_PdlshqgDw_micNFivridhnVmpT770OeFjZBQgf0jEOqkIG-cbuI_K_j2RlSSzjZ9k2ek_QRiItEkHjU4Om4PO0IG5OZyRpbU/w480-h640/IMG_20200404_105425.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">... but I do have to make sure the grooves are deep enough, and the outer ones curled in a little, so that the strings won't slip out of their grooves when they're brought up to tension.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxzStvVt2smz70h5wTCx01iAhB2Vfw69DaO9a7NAcsqFjBaBW5wRramEh_3O5AGVs-Tv2rMDuk8bkodULFgv4TpbKlGNsSzeja4XWb4GRbiunuccSzxftiQTy7RSw_kmHE-oBxUPseI8/s2048/IMG_20200404_105501.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxzStvVt2smz70h5wTCx01iAhB2Vfw69DaO9a7NAcsqFjBaBW5wRramEh_3O5AGVs-Tv2rMDuk8bkodULFgv4TpbKlGNsSzeja4XWb4GRbiunuccSzxftiQTy7RSw_kmHE-oBxUPseI8/w640-h480/IMG_20200404_105501.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At last--the lute is strung. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Now, all I need to do is start tuning--and keep tuning, and then tune some more, for days on end, until the instrument starts to settle into an equilibrium. The strings need to stretch, and the lute needs to flex slightly to accommodate the tension that's suddenly been introduced. The belly under the bridge may rise slightly, the neck may pull forward, and the action will likely rise by a couple of tenths of a millimetre. I expect all of these things to happen, and as I tune and play I keep an eye on how all these factors work together. Throughout this process, I also get my first real idea of how this lute is going to sound--and that's a thrilling, as well as a somewhat daunting, prospect. As with every lute I make, I've not only put a lot of work into this instrument, but more, I've put every ounce of knowledge, experience, intuition and musicality. I want the lute to sound beautiful--but will it? How can I know? Will it have strength, volume, projection? Will it have subtlety and soul? Will there be an evenness of response across the string band? Will it give everything the player asks of it? Will the treble sing? Will the sound of the basses break your heart?</div><div><br /></div><div>Only time will show these things, and it won't necessarily show them to me. In my workshop, I'll only get the merest glimpse of what this lute might sound like. Very soon I'll be giving it up to the new owner, who will be the one responsible for bringing it to life and giving it its true voice. My job, at this point, is to make sure that everything works--the strings vibrate without buzzing at the nut, the pegs are well fitted and lubricated, and the feel of the lute is friendly and comfortable. At this point, lute making is a matter of details; it were ever thus, but at this point even more so. So let us put the finishing touches.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Body Frets</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Now that the lute's finally well in tune, I can find the octave, calculate the correct placement of the frets, and nudge the tied ones into place and make and accurately glue the wooden body frets. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQa14JE9aUfZHoqeHsrET5GjeJ5D3GDqCvcp-RM8dUtOUvRXDONQN-ubm7RSkWlSsuJ6hZeWGtDPBwvsu5ERbDrs3VCkQflxyHdiiJrVY55DakM9zaiiUUJiwN344ikiIXjgcBfdBkkL8/s2048/IMG_20200412_154211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQa14JE9aUfZHoqeHsrET5GjeJ5D3GDqCvcp-RM8dUtOUvRXDONQN-ubm7RSkWlSsuJ6hZeWGtDPBwvsu5ERbDrs3VCkQflxyHdiiJrVY55DakM9zaiiUUJiwN344ikiIXjgcBfdBkkL8/w480-h640/IMG_20200412_154211.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To find the octave, I use a small piece of body fret shaped from a strip of ebony. I move it slightly up and down the string until I find the exact spot where the fretted note matches the harmonic at the mid-point of the string. (I could do that by ear, but for convenience's sake I use an electronic tuner.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzIOk6-pbSQFgZBqdAEOs3GLIbDHPp0WWcVLDJnT07ehwJ6lYi-PXkzCW2Ae2Z48tnu28ZWHDz0u34nc9JP7HP3yT59y7dhmIb9kj9gf_VsbnjKS9tv1KJjhgBh-LgeBP_a9Fdx636c4/s2048/IMG_20200412_154355.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzIOk6-pbSQFgZBqdAEOs3GLIbDHPp0WWcVLDJnT07ehwJ6lYi-PXkzCW2Ae2Z48tnu28ZWHDz0u34nc9JP7HP3yT59y7dhmIb9kj9gf_VsbnjKS9tv1KJjhgBh-LgeBP_a9Fdx636c4/w640-h480/IMG_20200412_154355.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">While holding the fret down, I make two light marks with a sharp, soft lead on each side. Then I lift the fret away and mark the mid-point. That mark is my octave.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>I can then measure the distance between that mark and the front edge of the nut, and double the number to give me the <i>playing string length </i>of the lute. This string length will be a little shorter than the physical measurement of the string from the bridge to the nut--usually a few tenths of a millimetre--owing to the physics of a string that's been stretched in order to be pressed down onto a fret. Once I have the playing string length, I can use it to calculate the accurate position of all the frets. I mark these positions on a strip of card, lay it down on the fingerboard beside the first course, and push or pull the tied frets into their spots.<div><br /></div><div>The 11th and 12th frets, however, I'll need to locate and glue down accurately on the belly. Here's how that process goes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want the ends of the body frets to basically follow the line of the treble edge of the fingerboard, so I lay down a short strip of masking tape on the belly that projects this line. I then mark the positions of the 11th and 12th frets on the edge of that piece of tape.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkcm6eaQrIc4v0JBsDZsSrCSkSgRfwV4Pn9U56kCvIcSuxpCKLFgYRz-UPylTYE-YHdZRJnGtjlvhj_7S2vUjHOLOLe07KKNR_DSLS_cHGxgS60XHoGs_bvgSp5fcGNyyaZlRp-xRtiE/s2048/IMG_20200412_162757.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkcm6eaQrIc4v0JBsDZsSrCSkSgRfwV4Pn9U56kCvIcSuxpCKLFgYRz-UPylTYE-YHdZRJnGtjlvhj_7S2vUjHOLOLe07KKNR_DSLS_cHGxgS60XHoGs_bvgSp5fcGNyyaZlRp-xRtiE/w640-h480/IMG_20200412_162757.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At each of these points, I lay down my small rule and measure how long the fret should be. I want the 11th fret to cover the first four courses, so I measure from the mid-point between the fifth and fourth course, to the edge of the masking tape. As shown, the 11th fret should be about 38.5mm long.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDAINyUtt8LCFt179W5xi-unMzi6JPrly7yvANHx1vojbVLW9qj6d3WL-fWHN2K2nS4qUXdRDQ8CkpAzIeLuNHGNEHlFMQIzhFiiqgFE7NycEvEt547yrdfRQJW5XoNP_3MnQdv6-FM4/s2048/IMG_20200412_162746.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDAINyUtt8LCFt179W5xi-unMzi6JPrly7yvANHx1vojbVLW9qj6d3WL-fWHN2K2nS4qUXdRDQ8CkpAzIeLuNHGNEHlFMQIzhFiiqgFE7NycEvEt547yrdfRQJW5XoNP_3MnQdv6-FM4/w640-h480/IMG_20200412_162746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 12th fret will cover the first three courses, and so will be 29.5mm long.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The last tied fret, the 10th, has a diameter of 0.80mm. The next fret in line, the 11th, can be a little taller, since the level of the belly begins to fall away slightly from the body neck joint. I'll make the 11th fret 0.95mm tall, and the 12th fret 1.05.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are my fret blanks--strips of ebony and hard boxwood. I usually leave it up to my clients to decide which they would prefer, and for this lute, it will be ebony. I use my pull-through scraper (the same one I used to size up spacers for the back--detailed in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">episode 1 of this series</a>) to make strips of fret material exactly 1.5mm wide, and of various, accurately measured heights. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ETkEydrzx2dUQnrOp6_AB4-QVNUJPobTkFBOgBzWJjC3JE9ptSgqhwJOW5w0rBSQd56o8N4856lNhsADIue4id9azeUthe7Ht49oJFXGvZoPl3y-W4N7AphAainBq9s1wORzrSa-j-4/s2048/IMG_20200413_120201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ETkEydrzx2dUQnrOp6_AB4-QVNUJPobTkFBOgBzWJjC3JE9ptSgqhwJOW5w0rBSQd56o8N4856lNhsADIue4id9azeUthe7Ht49oJFXGvZoPl3y-W4N7AphAainBq9s1wORzrSa-j-4/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_120201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I cut the fret material a little over-long, and then shape it pretty carefully with a fine file.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05yYqWYy3BopMeq25h1QVxFXWWTfd-MDpEpChZmIv0zPlWFo8Zb8yKyK-f11fgXvs_i1RzHtMG2EviXq9UcAkGFPtjqvj-XhVsuj2fVk8aD3F1mDNDIuNPWexwaYr9uuZFgWTzNMBFjw/s2048/IMG_20200413_121158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05yYqWYy3BopMeq25h1QVxFXWWTfd-MDpEpChZmIv0zPlWFo8Zb8yKyK-f11fgXvs_i1RzHtMG2EviXq9UcAkGFPtjqvj-XhVsuj2fVk8aD3F1mDNDIuNPWexwaYr9uuZFgWTzNMBFjw/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_121158.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hold it in a ledge jig to file a smooth quarter round on one end...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLhd9P0SyGm5TimSCwlZy9DmykTBTM7LLmdKBt7dmXA0noOsR073fJS087CrZfs5poPtXwIwUVKBi-WcAnSsioWnkTRpxz6ocU1pmqI-uuJeyB6y6VhqDGlrmFRTITDOGjBwza6MfM6I/s2048/IMG_20200413_121214.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLhd9P0SyGm5TimSCwlZy9DmykTBTM7LLmdKBt7dmXA0noOsR073fJS087CrZfs5poPtXwIwUVKBi-WcAnSsioWnkTRpxz6ocU1pmqI-uuJeyB6y6VhqDGlrmFRTITDOGjBwza6MfM6I/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_121214.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and then the other; then I flip it around to file the other edge. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_8RqYGwiRFzrsO57kkyqMkCHILQG8QwX028RbUKk7lq5VpqGrfqubiPItE2d1LhxT0P8KaH1Lt3HiwB4aW6TsjiS3iJlpYYCLFg7uupabKbLrqGkI7O_h-gf-OuRwBRaFcjYkBIAZMY/s2048/IMG_20200413_121625.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_8RqYGwiRFzrsO57kkyqMkCHILQG8QwX028RbUKk7lq5VpqGrfqubiPItE2d1LhxT0P8KaH1Lt3HiwB4aW6TsjiS3iJlpYYCLFg7uupabKbLrqGkI7O_h-gf-OuRwBRaFcjYkBIAZMY/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_121625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I cut the fret to the exact length, then dock the ends with a 45° stroke with a file.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJOT-xWX2zfZes01NNofX6lZ2dI9wmaGVWtebA989JvUqbp1s1JXqk6GeolBYDfq1PNWBC0R8RBexmbtwBb1sd4DeeUkfXlr1zM2jihFShM9TzLnwsdt9IwzDwY82hrBOzrudZcWNhxc/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_122959.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There they are: the shaped frets.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJOT-xWX2zfZes01NNofX6lZ2dI9wmaGVWtebA989JvUqbp1s1JXqk6GeolBYDfq1PNWBC0R8RBexmbtwBb1sd4DeeUkfXlr1zM2jihFShM9TzLnwsdt9IwzDwY82hrBOzrudZcWNhxc/s2048/IMG_20200413_122959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>I have a pretty slick routine for gluing the frets in place, which I'll show you now. Sadly it involves, first, de-tuning the lute and slacking all the strings to move them out of the way. That's all right though--it allows me to do a couple of other small jobs that are crucial to the smooth functioning of the finished lute. I'll get to them in a minute.<div><br /></div><div>First, as you saw above, I marked the position of each fret on a piece of masking tape. That mark shows where the treble end of the fret lies; now that I've got the frets made I can lay them down, in position, and stick another small piece of tape beside the bass end of the fret. I then mark the fret position on that tape too, and draw a line with a sharp, soft pencil, on the belly between those two marks.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsonITAPukJtebmQik9uWE-28Fi8fst3AZXHGb7_9perioo59KSOmPBgRFogVSGTADtXfsnw4gw1ERQs3sWBuYqcDLHRY6sE3-GCj8ZMlSuWOFnRXTlStV1Dpd-lK-nff-GpCvRmnXbi8/s2048/IMG_20200413_142130.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsonITAPukJtebmQik9uWE-28Fi8fst3AZXHGb7_9perioo59KSOmPBgRFogVSGTADtXfsnw4gw1ERQs3sWBuYqcDLHRY6sE3-GCj8ZMlSuWOFnRXTlStV1Dpd-lK-nff-GpCvRmnXbi8/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_142130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I scrape away that line, and along with it, a bit of the finish that I put on the belly in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/07/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">episode 18</a>, to expose a bit of fresh wood for gluing.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZOG1WHztov6sZltD_RBGzBp57F8TyGOvuS4wW7p0beriFHfk_oIYUHyfMuOEYDdlrv1i_OVUSr1YlJcUnC3bFe0FL8G49_CUVDxMBfkzChdc7JAtA3aCJt-aRV0kyWyvrkVoMSscmsc/s2048/IMG_20200413_142300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZOG1WHztov6sZltD_RBGzBp57F8TyGOvuS4wW7p0beriFHfk_oIYUHyfMuOEYDdlrv1i_OVUSr1YlJcUnC3bFe0FL8G49_CUVDxMBfkzChdc7JAtA3aCJt-aRV0kyWyvrkVoMSscmsc/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_142300.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't scrape away too much--just enough that the body fret will glue securely.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NqKQHe_2P5CF5XBP6snqSx4kC-AiKzuyGQ9Z2dPNzTzU8iX45b5nQ_IpnJ4ExGZ2opSLR66C98B2z33uru_fA6fbuyOtF9i2PoRvNZEY1WMFkmgkUFHh9XV-onjujj2Zv5CYlJAmXx0/s2048/IMG_20200413_143402.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NqKQHe_2P5CF5XBP6snqSx4kC-AiKzuyGQ9Z2dPNzTzU8iX45b5nQ_IpnJ4ExGZ2opSLR66C98B2z33uru_fA6fbuyOtF9i2PoRvNZEY1WMFkmgkUFHh9XV-onjujj2Zv5CYlJAmXx0/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_143402.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hot hide glue is my choice for this job. First, a quick, light coating on the bottom... </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruwyqyjdbZi9Q0Ps41Se5DuM4xPF0PgY3HlOXes1qbl3DKAcHgTT6TNvNrUmij5sFJBTOOIxZ0PNsd21i3110sJLy0I6ruREllW9SIRDIy5ovyYZln2S7SlcIdAhfO_1uuN8n6ljlT8A/s2048/IMG_20200413_143541.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruwyqyjdbZi9Q0Ps41Se5DuM4xPF0PgY3HlOXes1qbl3DKAcHgTT6TNvNrUmij5sFJBTOOIxZ0PNsd21i3110sJLy0I6ruREllW9SIRDIy5ovyYZln2S7SlcIdAhfO_1uuN8n6ljlT8A/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_143541.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and I get it stuck in place quickly, and hold both ends down while the glue sets a little.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroSz_hAleML0BcBEXjUrGux5UdPwcN8Sdv4-XUetgtXqcyjVTPstfaZ5bg41GLAzNh4G5bLqT011nQ9YsNj2wTs_iWHxpJKq_o4ci3itUbVzEUjtq425hfHnqjGzdMebU9yNJZlKzJBY/s2048/IMG_20200413_143611.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroSz_hAleML0BcBEXjUrGux5UdPwcN8Sdv4-XUetgtXqcyjVTPstfaZ5bg41GLAzNh4G5bLqT011nQ9YsNj2wTs_iWHxpJKq_o4ci3itUbVzEUjtq425hfHnqjGzdMebU9yNJZlKzJBY/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_143611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then my steel rule provides clamping pressure for a minute or two.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And that's basically it. When I have both frets glued in place, I wait a few minutes, then brush a drop or two of water over them to soften the bit of glue that's squeezed out. Then I can come along with a sharpened spruce stick and clean up the excess. It leaves a very nice result, I think.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvGu1YjcTpKpATCfD3YxfyqqhIaiRcMNw3LHpSxvINtsi2TEg4ZDtJMmJcXkhtUXFVHJyFw5kFs-SnbxRfbJxDOome0C24M11NuxCEbD7P-_XWWyDLXx_5S0e201Ah36Lgek_qA8Yc5k/s2048/IMG_20200413_152321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvGu1YjcTpKpATCfD3YxfyqqhIaiRcMNw3LHpSxvINtsi2TEg4ZDtJMmJcXkhtUXFVHJyFw5kFs-SnbxRfbJxDOome0C24M11NuxCEbD7P-_XWWyDLXx_5S0e201Ah36Lgek_qA8Yc5k/w480-h640/IMG_20200413_152321.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Now while this glue is firming up, there are a couple of other finishing jobs to do.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Fitting the strap button</i></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z_Mj9XLmzwZ9KtV8krcIEFvlxnLdWF1FmsbHul3C8yvNqiZw8A_6r1GGKhpPzQDIsSjM3c5Mj_ySFWuFKJmwijngL3v6QL-MKXkWTuVWstio2225_lejto-X34WTjOKVMirvjFfT9fE/s2048/IMG_20200404_105718.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z_Mj9XLmzwZ9KtV8krcIEFvlxnLdWF1FmsbHul3C8yvNqiZw8A_6r1GGKhpPzQDIsSjM3c5Mj_ySFWuFKJmwijngL3v6QL-MKXkWTuVWstio2225_lejto-X34WTjOKVMirvjFfT9fE/w640-h480/IMG_20200404_105718.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the last jobs I did before gluing in the belly (in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/01/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_19.html" target="_blank">episode 13</a>) was to drill a pilot hole for the strap button. Now, I'll enlarge and taper that hole with a reamer (the same small reamer I used to fit pegs in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">episode 23</a>.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I make strap buttons out of many different woods--pear, plum, boxwood, snakewood, holly. I usually turn a bunch every few years when I have the lathe out to make sets of pegs. The black strap buttons you see in the photo above are not ebony, but instead are boxwood, a softer material that I dye black and oil.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqrohCGS-y2nwMXYDZhWkJ4Td-OWxdLXc7KDqXDIKTXvP0Wk7AgnWJwqYXXJwOmyRRXXK8bY3RboL-JFvLrf3cp2-ZS59Z2Rg0fLdZBGVxRENF51uhEjpX_vGKmrxxKkXOHwjKQaQi9g/s2048/IMG_20200404_110332.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqrohCGS-y2nwMXYDZhWkJ4Td-OWxdLXc7KDqXDIKTXvP0Wk7AgnWJwqYXXJwOmyRRXXK8bY3RboL-JFvLrf3cp2-ZS59Z2Rg0fLdZBGVxRENF51uhEjpX_vGKmrxxKkXOHwjKQaQi9g/w480-h640/IMG_20200404_110332.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I shape the shank of the button with a flat file, looking to match the taper of the hole. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WEvYBdUjmy2og4uZ4KVquVxKlv7iiXNS9fdUau94NIs-uhNYL_aRodybs71A5q0nz-OUW6Jk5NRrciQJ92fqAE-agVgq_TlqOnJ9ZMhNiZPYT0p1F7Wv2LHWWtWSN7CFn8OpRDIy9Rw/s2048/IMG_20200404_110808.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WEvYBdUjmy2og4uZ4KVquVxKlv7iiXNS9fdUau94NIs-uhNYL_aRodybs71A5q0nz-OUW6Jk5NRrciQJ92fqAE-agVgq_TlqOnJ9ZMhNiZPYT0p1F7Wv2LHWWtWSN7CFn8OpRDIy9Rw/w640-h480/IMG_20200404_110808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've filed the correct taper in the button, then fitting is simply a matter of reaming the hole to the proper size.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM34qpArY_PB0vXDkx6Aed18K_o6FGoCn8pyJxbMepKdUMhirqxM65TBv3QpNBKgix1RO4Ep3sI7HEe4Xuw0OuyQ1jMUPKPqAl1NEDc6sXUtoX59GktkIxcemBw0mip3f4b6Ct4mja76I/s2048/IMG_20200404_111927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM34qpArY_PB0vXDkx6Aed18K_o6FGoCn8pyJxbMepKdUMhirqxM65TBv3QpNBKgix1RO4Ep3sI7HEe4Xuw0OuyQ1jMUPKPqAl1NEDc6sXUtoX59GktkIxcemBw0mip3f4b6Ct4mja76I/w640-h480/IMG_20200404_111927.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I generally don't glue the strap button; if it ever needs replacing, it's a pain to get a glued one out. If the button's well fitted, there should be no problem with it slipping out of its place during use.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><i>A few final tasks</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Now is the time, while the strings are off, to give both nuts a final shape and polishing.</div><div><br /></div><div>One priority here is to round over any sharp corners on the nuts that could injure the player. This is mostly a problem on the treble edge of the main nut. Up to this point, that edge of the nut has been left square, but now it should be rounded generously on the top, front and back edges (and even the underside can be gently relieved.)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFY9r-dL0Tx6u75hI7aSQje1jeObcOH2hd_32mOowtRoAvBA-_8Fnqa6zhHQ3wTJtLelcA6pfXkilh5_HZXFg9VdIaEdOBROBLz_0kg_ZYWjS05pWWqicBXv4X08zpy6gXzfM41RY60I/s2048/IMG_20200413_135423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFY9r-dL0Tx6u75hI7aSQje1jeObcOH2hd_32mOowtRoAvBA-_8Fnqa6zhHQ3wTJtLelcA6pfXkilh5_HZXFg9VdIaEdOBROBLz_0kg_ZYWjS05pWWqicBXv4X08zpy6gXzfM41RY60I/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_135423.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />At the same time, it can be a good idea to re-shape the top of the nut if the string grooves are excessively deep (they should be no deeper than half the diameter of the string, and some players prefer they be much less than that), or if there is excess material on the upper part of the back edge--where the strings should glide easily over a gentle quarter-round profile.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmquLEf3zdB1Bw0qqWQ1opV4DjzPHGMLUdjrW_k8fhS2f2Y5LdkNzJ_NpArq9PR8VG3RcMVG2UtuSE7kssR9Gei_c0e7L2FY16o8owyZyM11vhyphenhyphen_BwgsQLLk-QJdEunONXvQ56Jc85Wik/s2048/IMG_20200413_135635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmquLEf3zdB1Bw0qqWQ1opV4DjzPHGMLUdjrW_k8fhS2f2Y5LdkNzJ_NpArq9PR8VG3RcMVG2UtuSE7kssR9Gei_c0e7L2FY16o8owyZyM11vhyphenhyphen_BwgsQLLk-QJdEunONXvQ56Jc85Wik/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_135635.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>A final touch is to give the top and back of the nut, as well as the string grooves, a final shine with a little metal polish squeezed onto a fine-grit sanding block.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj2RfeFIlT2vi9hPR69falXs_w34yAJpVvhaM4EM9ZSczKRKOzuzgBCAQ9IFeAkwtW639wTguf-hbwwtGJbFF0QwcbH17qZDjru_FNB6D5qzkuwQQKOBBTCslaqsw5qGPUc6BDeBNUh8/s2048/IMG_20200413_140220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj2RfeFIlT2vi9hPR69falXs_w34yAJpVvhaM4EM9ZSczKRKOzuzgBCAQ9IFeAkwtW639wTguf-hbwwtGJbFF0QwcbH17qZDjru_FNB6D5qzkuwQQKOBBTCslaqsw5qGPUc6BDeBNUh8/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_140220.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwmh1jof5ZP3a6f7IiuKni22IOF2v9id6LwJiHBVX7oXh-tgL5cYblpRDSWEWYH2I47qd6N1ttiXuo3PEa4Rd-K2m9lzYmk1Ff1qlOOAeFDtGHWeURo03I52RhZ7MckWl8rQRwLW7Nxk/s2048/IMG_20200413_140506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwmh1jof5ZP3a6f7IiuKni22IOF2v9id6LwJiHBVX7oXh-tgL5cYblpRDSWEWYH2I47qd6N1ttiXuo3PEa4Rd-K2m9lzYmk1Ff1qlOOAeFDtGHWeURo03I52RhZ7MckWl8rQRwLW7Nxk/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_140506.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the big surfaces are polished, I also give the string grooves a final touch with the cotton yarn. Then I clean up all the excess with a soft cloth.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRHRQmOh9xtbQQc784tcQw02HVCEcLxsc2XCHYwv5gcJQMVDOMEqYktlR9ZGIb2Al9Sy9xxZtLWDf_xt96fRKxeCmjDn_lNO9gndlePBP4jyXLwO2eznqUAJSN4LhsPA60ydo7d-B5N8/s2048/IMG_20200413_150241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRHRQmOh9xtbQQc784tcQw02HVCEcLxsc2XCHYwv5gcJQMVDOMEqYktlR9ZGIb2Al9Sy9xxZtLWDf_xt96fRKxeCmjDn_lNO9gndlePBP4jyXLwO2eznqUAJSN4LhsPA60ydo7d-B5N8/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_150241.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both nuts are polished, and almost ready to receive strings again. But first...<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihir6gOQPBTPhhfSEmypRO0q-7WY6WOp1nWgGWcbNdZLrrOukqDHklwEeo71BLYPof3EMb4UAL1Ij3-1jC8pYi3nRhYPWJfPwL1bIMXw1EWU0WMV5Wn0treRJQ97NzuMpBu2FwyHOCSqA/s2048/IMG_20200413_140832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihir6gOQPBTPhhfSEmypRO0q-7WY6WOp1nWgGWcbNdZLrrOukqDHklwEeo71BLYPof3EMb4UAL1Ij3-1jC8pYi3nRhYPWJfPwL1bIMXw1EWU0WMV5Wn0treRJQ97NzuMpBu2FwyHOCSqA/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_140832.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll take the opportunity to lube the pegs one last time with soap. This is an operation that needs to be done frequently in the first few months of the lute's life; if it isn't, the pegs can become sticky and very cranky to use. (I'll include a small piece of dry hand soap in the case for the new owner.) After a while, they become well enough lubricated that they might in fact need to have a little chalk rubbed on the contact surface to make them stick properly--and I have included a piece of chalk in the case for that purpose, as well.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Now I can re-load all the strings in the peg boxes. For the main peg box, instead of starting with the first and stringing in sequence to the 11th, I wind the strings from both outsides in--that is, from the 1st course to the 6th on the treble side, and from the 11th course to the 7th on the bass side. This keeps the strings orderly and prevents them crossing in the peg box.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PCOea7kO4lI0xCe5vrCMe9ytUMJ7ytdp2q0bpsVj8LK4ePxnA5Bcw5JCk1AJ8bC1pNSJEiSBVchM1S8Xi0eBZlw3DSvnU_pO3C8kaSQX_P6aK623YUSBVPo-k-7kZ_EttRVnZoCUFhg/s2048/IMG_20200413_162308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PCOea7kO4lI0xCe5vrCMe9ytUMJ7ytdp2q0bpsVj8LK4ePxnA5Bcw5JCk1AJ8bC1pNSJEiSBVchM1S8Xi0eBZlw3DSvnU_pO3C8kaSQX_P6aK623YUSBVPo-k-7kZ_EttRVnZoCUFhg/w480-h640/IMG_20200413_162308.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4cc_poUO5Yuf1bioch9JzbQCKh3rH27T3EO7uUqW2BRhZZ2gjny_9u3RF4uowT-DB8bdN6K8MYmEM_uJnEDXnv1h5HpWPFQalsDoWK4wTtE8GM4xe6EnFc253BH1vH5KF1B9-nvubAU/w640-h480/IMG_20200413_165740.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think that's it. I think this 13 course lute is now finally truly finished, and ready to leave the workshop.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>I have one more task to complete, and it really has nothing to do with work on the lute itself. It's to make some sort of record of the lute, as it sounded on the day that Bob, my client, drove to my workshop and picked up his new lute. I felt that it might be a good thing to include in this blog a sound sample of this thing that's taken up some months of my working life to build, and many more months of my life to write about. <div><br /></div><div>Bob picked up his lute in the spring of 2020. At that time, the city of Vancouver (and the province of British Columbia) had been in a state of lockdown for some weeks, due to the outbreak of Covid-19. I held onto the lute while both of us waited for a break in travel restrictions, so that he could make the 5 hour drive into Vancouver to pick it up. I kept the lute in tune, and resolved to play it as much as I could while I had it; but I'm not a baroque lute player, and I had a new 7 course lute of my own which I had finished alongside the 13 course (I'll tell you about in a future blog post), and that was taking up most of my playing time. So, the 13 course was languishing... a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>One day, Bob decided he had waited long enough, and that the coast was clear for him and his daughter to make the trip. They got in Bob's truck; they drove; they picked up the lute; they drove home. The operation went very smoothly, Bob had his lute, and potential Covid exposures were kept to an absolute minimum.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bob had told me that they were leaving early, and hoped to be in Vancouver, at my workshop, by 1pm. I brought the lute with me to the shop that day, and waited. Around 12:30 I sat down with my phone camera to make an audio-visual record of the sound of the lute; I turned on the phone and started recording, just goofing around, doing what I thought was a dry run. I shut the phone off, and was getting ready for the real thing, the real "take one"--when there came a knock at the door. It was Bob and his daughter. I put the lute in its case, and handed it over. I never got a chance to do the real "take one."</div><div><br /></div><div>And so, in the place of a real recording of the lute, I offer you this--three rather informal minutes or so of me making sounds with this 13 course lute. It's not a pristine recording, and I'm not much of a baroque lute player, but there it is--perhaps it will give you an idea of how this lute turned out. </div><div><br /></div><div>My series is done. Thank you for reading, commenting, listening. I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday and new year--and I hope to talk to you all again soon.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/osTk4gZoSPM" width="320" youtube-src-id="osTk4gZoSPM"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4cc_poUO5Yuf1bioch9JzbQCKh3rH27T3EO7uUqW2BRhZZ2gjny_9u3RF4uowT-DB8bdN6K8MYmEM_uJnEDXnv1h5HpWPFQalsDoWK4wTtE8GM4xe6EnFc253BH1vH5KF1B9-nvubAU/s2048/IMG_20200413_165740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-88637844287272404092020-11-07T20:11:00.002-08:002020-11-11T22:33:14.500-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 23: Nuts and Pegs <p>Hello friends, and welcome back to the blog series wherein I detail the historically-informed process of building of a 13 course lute with a body after Magno Tieffenbrucher, and a pegbox/ bass rider arrangement after Sebastian Schelle. This is the 23rd instalment, and the penultimate chapter in our story (I've always wanted to use the word 'penultimate' in a sentence unironically, and I think I may have just done it.) So that means that if I've planned my work and executed well, the next instalment, episode 24, will detail the stringing, and playing, of a completed lute.</p><p>To get to that point, I need to fit nuts and pegs on this lute. Both jobs are large and contain multitudes; so let us begin.</p><p><b><i>Fitting the nuts</i></b></p><p>There are two nuts on this lute, one on the bass rider and another at the end of the neck. Let's begin with the main nut.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkZh0CWJcBN-sc76eC0g4QrVMIWLl58lo-lQ6i7-zDESTpo1LY8WA_U2niYBkLM9WtJL2-dN_8bl3L_SS2rwdcTv7c-Kg3wc-dtkzHrJ1H4U2zBxH6ZddlFY64BK7GQcneSIyrVqXmFo/s2048/IMG_20200330_122849+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkZh0CWJcBN-sc76eC0g4QrVMIWLl58lo-lQ6i7-zDESTpo1LY8WA_U2niYBkLM9WtJL2-dN_8bl3L_SS2rwdcTv7c-Kg3wc-dtkzHrJ1H4U2zBxH6ZddlFY64BK7GQcneSIyrVqXmFo/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_122849+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I lay the long straightedge down the line of the first course from the bridge to the nut, to confirm the string length and the width of the nut. I don't think it would matter if the string length varied by a millimetre or two either way (though it won't--I've measured this string length dozens of times by now), but I do want a nut that is approximately 8mm from front edge to back. This looks very close to that number.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2KcQkJNrID2-cAJ7e-gPq80wFcmz7WAWZ-dH05wX0QCvw3nu1fvn0qAryfEsnBvhJhMYSxz7je5_s8y87XD5vMXua2ygMuWgXbkQ8Gu5EXSPnLcqI4it05evGL4VAi8z6BAH3chM3lw/s2048/IMG_20200330_131307+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2KcQkJNrID2-cAJ7e-gPq80wFcmz7WAWZ-dH05wX0QCvw3nu1fvn0qAryfEsnBvhJhMYSxz7je5_s8y87XD5vMXua2ygMuWgXbkQ8Gu5EXSPnLcqI4it05evGL4VAi8z6BAH3chM3lw/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_131307+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I need to cut the nut slot only partway across the width of the neck, which I do with a series of cuts made with my shop-made <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2012/06/betterizer.html" target="_blank">dremel router base</a>. I've clamped a block of wood on top of the fingerboard--actually, it's the caul I used to glue on the fingerboard, in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/03/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_21.html" target="_blank">episode 15 of this series</a>--and will use it as a fence for the router base to ride against. The masking tape is to keep the fingerboard from being scratched by the base as I push it across.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFBab3sRCSf5nUhTYlAMHWm2PCS-Fy-bA34xgi7hyphenhyphenZ4UC98O2VAPKb6wSizjXDuS1JHLef8bH2Ni8XnRkraMblDg6wshmSyqpd9opQjmOsNqGdtNIIUl-43lxeUrIeMD2m8zkn4a0Z-k/s2048/IMG_20200330_130825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFBab3sRCSf5nUhTYlAMHWm2PCS-Fy-bA34xgi7hyphenhyphenZ4UC98O2VAPKb6wSizjXDuS1JHLef8bH2Ni8XnRkraMblDg6wshmSyqpd9opQjmOsNqGdtNIIUl-43lxeUrIeMD2m8zkn4a0Z-k/w480-h640/IMG_20200330_130825.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the router, in position and ready to work. Bear in mind that though the fingerboard has a pretty pronounced curve, I want to create a nut slot that has a flat bottom. By making a number of shallow passes, and concentrating the cut toward the middle of the slot, I can create a channel that's flat enough to finish off with hand tools.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP88El3BnGBzB5bp0W-be-vjxaGpATaGJQic33kRDoS9BVzRk2SSznMseLiRs5NXyJO2C9FlwrSs1S11tLhtROXuz4vUn6zgE7p33t4YXMZrjbOXDoTI-dBC8pRVldgvzEfNTTO3b-Hf4/s2048/IMG_20200330_135136+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP88El3BnGBzB5bp0W-be-vjxaGpATaGJQic33kRDoS9BVzRk2SSznMseLiRs5NXyJO2C9FlwrSs1S11tLhtROXuz4vUn6zgE7p33t4YXMZrjbOXDoTI-dBC8pRVldgvzEfNTTO3b-Hf4/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_135136+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the rough result, to be finalized with chisels and files. As you see, the nut slot is actually going to be pretty shallow in comparison to the depth of the fingerboard and spacer piece beneath it. The length of the nut is determined by the width of the string band: the bass-side edge of the nut will be about 2mm outside the 11th course bass string. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>When finishing up the slot, I want the bottom surface very flat and square to the vertical edge (which is itself also very flat.) It's hard to put a straight edge on these surfaces to get a look, so I approach the problem from a different direction: I flatten the bottom and one adjacent edge of the nut blank, and use the nut itself to test the slot for flatness and squareness.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_O6KLg1HmwBnNp305_Zit7nj4ph6r3J0x3JAaxGnHAGsVtYb_WOZveA1jtmVbVaEwzA5Uy3d3Ujqdg_yE9EusCIUib7Xt7Yt6WS23MZtMnMTVclKSjrralN1qlHJOvN1IlcFFcj0zBw/s2048/IMG_20200330_123017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_O6KLg1HmwBnNp305_Zit7nj4ph6r3J0x3JAaxGnHAGsVtYb_WOZveA1jtmVbVaEwzA5Uy3d3Ujqdg_yE9EusCIUib7Xt7Yt6WS23MZtMnMTVclKSjrralN1qlHJOvN1IlcFFcj0zBw/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_123017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I rub the nut on a sanding block to get the final flatness.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK842uiaANiVtZuzE3mrQvMKkncSbNRfX8aFQGBngkPZ7EnQP5emV6ROn0H3LqYfBjiuT9eY6-aLQfVxf9C1FUGA_hlYQ3F3NhdSqg9wKgCNawvYEsv7BDlWUubaVFEH4jvgSHIQ_LAJg/s2048/IMG_20200330_124022+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK842uiaANiVtZuzE3mrQvMKkncSbNRfX8aFQGBngkPZ7EnQP5emV6ROn0H3LqYfBjiuT9eY6-aLQfVxf9C1FUGA_hlYQ3F3NhdSqg9wKgCNawvYEsv7BDlWUubaVFEH4jvgSHIQ_LAJg/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_124022+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are my flat, squared sides. I'll also dock the edge between them lightly with a file, so that the nut isn't held out by the inner corner of the nut slot. </span></td></tr></tbody></table>When I try the nut in the slot, I look at all surfaces and how they meet, making sure the nut doesn't rock on any high spots or ride over any gaps. I also make sure that the surfaces are perpendicular by checking if the nut will rock forward or back. When it's all snugly fitted, I square up the bass-side end to fit that corner of the slot as well.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7IfFRxXX41iXVjmcCEwAKaZg081w8cLsgBGpIL-nR2rggmXMVjcPQ2vE5SSFiCEHzuLTg9FYm1NU6FTIOUx94sjBnwYymGvDwDaRcXHebU39mccTz4H3tRwdyrtvIP5N0h9rEIDYu0M/s2048/IMG_20200331_132346.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7IfFRxXX41iXVjmcCEwAKaZg081w8cLsgBGpIL-nR2rggmXMVjcPQ2vE5SSFiCEHzuLTg9FYm1NU6FTIOUx94sjBnwYymGvDwDaRcXHebU39mccTz4H3tRwdyrtvIP5N0h9rEIDYu0M/w480-h640/IMG_20200331_132346.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I hold it in place, and mark the underside. I'll cut off the excess along the back edge and treble side with the band saw; then I'll true up the edges with a disk sander and sanding block. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGM1GZc-5t_FgsL2KQHFf5sQpwe0L8Qdj-VgSAkv_IweukNnDZLDN8YpKdz84hjJ2y20Ijp11Xz6dI1zC1lsRMXAWZSk-x8SIv3niOOp1v6PZhswh364uRqXlL25plIfOvzWbWkNlVQ0/s2048/IMG_20200331_133719.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGM1GZc-5t_FgsL2KQHFf5sQpwe0L8Qdj-VgSAkv_IweukNnDZLDN8YpKdz84hjJ2y20Ijp11Xz6dI1zC1lsRMXAWZSk-x8SIv3niOOp1v6PZhswh364uRqXlL25plIfOvzWbWkNlVQ0/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_133719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next step is to mark the approximate string height above the fingerboard. I put a 1.3mm spacer in front of the nut, and trace all the way across it with a sharp, hard pencil.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0jVCFmZse9QtOWXG4uNJktJbNLhBXh01Kl4z6sJAtNimnzoi83sSOrkQRElCdkXd6Z_l-bh5qG60YpAVAigpAU2X5u-_6TqW13ZjI3rXR6eQsgjcvYO6iH8yoTBG6B22CI2FgcWQqjI/s2048/IMG_20200331_133805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0jVCFmZse9QtOWXG4uNJktJbNLhBXh01Kl4z6sJAtNimnzoi83sSOrkQRElCdkXd6Z_l-bh5qG60YpAVAigpAU2X5u-_6TqW13ZjI3rXR6eQsgjcvYO6iH8yoTBG6B22CI2FgcWQqjI/w480-h640/IMG_20200331_133805.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These two curved parallel lines represent the level of the fingerboard, and the approximate top of the nut 1.3mm above it.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8zKiAG5LcG8N5XuVwuHSY86gK5W6GH8wROhX2LU6YbqDSVW_gPTSEmiJAHfadCNrJeWbhQ9pdXt4pG3Fsp5RjM290HSfksdjuLhID9135iiS0paYlcA_P9rdEx6D_ZZHjs-FetJBQ5E/s2048/IMG_20200331_134013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8zKiAG5LcG8N5XuVwuHSY86gK5W6GH8wROhX2LU6YbqDSVW_gPTSEmiJAHfadCNrJeWbhQ9pdXt4pG3Fsp5RjM290HSfksdjuLhID9135iiS0paYlcA_P9rdEx6D_ZZHjs-FetJBQ5E/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_134013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I now want to shape the top of the nut fairly close to that 1.3mm line, so I fit it into a jig to use with the disk sander. It's just a piece of hardwood with a notch cut in the end, and I use double-sided tape to stick the nut into the slot. </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37hXMdTUCDcTibs6txTVyGkmml2GdwFdMzgaeQ7jL3d5biuo8D8r3GsnSTmWfcJ9BLC32B_UCCVIhxrriThDQeckJP8ZN6pyp2RWSfUGunSHwWmoUAjw80wkDy9pFW8gMZzbkhwGR6fQ/s2048/IMG_20200331_134009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37hXMdTUCDcTibs6txTVyGkmml2GdwFdMzgaeQ7jL3d5biuo8D8r3GsnSTmWfcJ9BLC32B_UCCVIhxrriThDQeckJP8ZN6pyp2RWSfUGunSHwWmoUAjw80wkDy9pFW8gMZzbkhwGR6fQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_134009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then I adjust the sander table to 7°, which is the slope that I want on the top of the nut. </span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ17LY6xKnxfv-7vh9aqeIO8NRvuM0N0LKlzzNMtPErOObJONEolul_8Efeorf1MPzwO-vDTx9PuC2PEfIoDA6P3jxuLjA8JkDN8yi8lilAJ8H_2maixPWjpkMu9cpVrv4wisEbHfDQY/s2048/IMG_20200331_134538.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ17LY6xKnxfv-7vh9aqeIO8NRvuM0N0LKlzzNMtPErOObJONEolul_8Efeorf1MPzwO-vDTx9PuC2PEfIoDA6P3jxuLjA8JkDN8yi8lilAJ8H_2maixPWjpkMu9cpVrv4wisEbHfDQY/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_134538.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is about where I want to stop sanding. I've got a good general shape on the top of the nut, but I've also left it a bit higher than my 1.3mm line--a couple of tenths on the treble side, widening to maybe half a millimetre on the bass. It's best not to lower the nut too much at this stage; after I've put strings on the lute, I will be able to lower it very precisely.<br /></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoSaUNvMl8UDabAinmNQm2pTW5edGse2boxC0MxcI8Vt_AbljTO2NKKIvqaaOe3xHTurCWpWxPZBpAHDJRU7JhSlexweDxu8afwW05fKTCTQnuwHr2u-PFvZzO7btKlDfrr6Av7xg4tg/s2048/IMG_20200331_140358.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoSaUNvMl8UDabAinmNQm2pTW5edGse2boxC0MxcI8Vt_AbljTO2NKKIvqaaOe3xHTurCWpWxPZBpAHDJRU7JhSlexweDxu8afwW05fKTCTQnuwHr2u-PFvZzO7btKlDfrr6Av7xg4tg/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_140358.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use a coarse file, followed by finer files, to put a healthy quarter-round shape on the back side of the nut. I will also refine this shape after I've installed strings on the lute.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45oX0D_fBxQ5S5lkgb2u92p_njEU54m59xNxSs3DcIpjRhXPS5R08SL-XenLMku776Py1n1oN67E27gwxxkyvLYtFG-MWOAJ16vjOYUqmbuEiHemq7VYevubNPaIRZpGCMFPfwhPmTbk/s2048/IMG_20200331_140840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45oX0D_fBxQ5S5lkgb2u92p_njEU54m59xNxSs3DcIpjRhXPS5R08SL-XenLMku776Py1n1oN67E27gwxxkyvLYtFG-MWOAJ16vjOYUqmbuEiHemq7VYevubNPaIRZpGCMFPfwhPmTbk/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_140840.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the main nut, ready for action. For the time being I've left the outside treble edge sharp and square, which helps when I'm laying out the positions of the strings. I will round off and smooth that corner after stringing is complete.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXhSnu8Bs8T90a2dnjA8kUHBrkwOmWA_a2U1pjbZznzc0WR_m9VLvnI2OISh29zttJdVlMGNP4Rn-M-GkrsZHKkp5y1crPLn7sXzsUpAsIPT3kAtBXK6YhD3YzBYxZajZ8yYAtbXtKj0/s2048/IMG_20200330_120008+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXhSnu8Bs8T90a2dnjA8kUHBrkwOmWA_a2U1pjbZznzc0WR_m9VLvnI2OISh29zttJdVlMGNP4Rn-M-GkrsZHKkp5y1crPLn7sXzsUpAsIPT3kAtBXK6YhD3YzBYxZajZ8yYAtbXtKj0/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_120008+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The nut on the bass rider is a fairly simple thing to make. I've already cut and shaped the slot when I made the bass rider, so all that's needed is to shape the nut to fit it.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAI5JYNT-zNSytd_4b2YwZlFv0_rUlLkGVeNtP7ptXpd7ko5Qebb820W4OZXVVsujhpzwr9rTMwnwS8NZPrd5bfmrqnxMGgF8X1BgryvftplCeW0m9epeWYZ4KkT2jDxEVHIk63-hMZf0/s2048/IMG_20200330_115958.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAI5JYNT-zNSytd_4b2YwZlFv0_rUlLkGVeNtP7ptXpd7ko5Qebb820W4OZXVVsujhpzwr9rTMwnwS8NZPrd5bfmrqnxMGgF8X1BgryvftplCeW0m9epeWYZ4KkT2jDxEVHIk63-hMZf0/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_115958.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll leave this nut oversize in height and length for the time being. I've sanded an angle of about 10° into the top.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Fitting the pegs</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>At the risk of stating the extremely obvious, before I can fit the pegs I need to make them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Actually, I made a set of pegs for this lute long ago--a few months back, at about the time I made the bridge--which would be about the time of <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/12/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">episode 10</a>. I made them then for a few reasons. First, I like to get peg making done early because it creates a fair bit of dust, and I don't want it interfering with, say, the varnishing process (which might otherwise seem a logical time to turn pegs.) Second, making them alongside bridges means that I can dye both bridges and pegs black at the same time. Though this lute's bridge was not dyed, the ones I made for the other two lutes in this group were; so that's a small efficiency. Third, I like to make them early because if for any reason the new pegs want to change shape--twist, or bow, or go oval in cross section, for instance, as can happen to a piece of wood that's newly shaped--they will have ample time to do it. I always make spares when I turn a set of pegs, and when the time comes to fit them on the lute I can reject any bad ones, and use the remaining ones with confidence.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because I vowed at the beginning of this series to document all the major steps of constructing this lute, I would now like to take you back in time a few months, and describe the process of making a set of pegs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Actually, let's go back a little further than that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our story begins a few years ago, when I obtained a plank of Castello boxwood, <i>Calycophyllum multiflorum.</i> This South American wood is not a true boxwood, but nonetheless it's a very good wood for pegs--it turns well, dyes well, is dimensionally quite stable, and matches nicely the hardness of the pear wood that I use for my peg box cheeks. I've used it for years with excellent results.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVUXd_-LnYZfYfYY-OT3aJH2c_w_XL8-hUe9fbKC9ni_Kp5wAWSrBemj9CmOlw8odUV1FLRh342HM0bLH7OfYP_-hcgs1hehTFsAv12sYcrGwDknO1pfdpGWLzKGiPhA3kiqigLbwcp8/s2048/IMG_20200629_113932.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVUXd_-LnYZfYfYY-OT3aJH2c_w_XL8-hUe9fbKC9ni_Kp5wAWSrBemj9CmOlw8odUV1FLRh342HM0bLH7OfYP_-hcgs1hehTFsAv12sYcrGwDknO1pfdpGWLzKGiPhA3kiqigLbwcp8/w480-h640/IMG_20200629_113932.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3a3a3a; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(58, 58, 58);"><i><br /></i></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Every few years, during the regular course of resawing various woods for use in my shop, I cut up a plank like this into slabs about 12mm thick, which I stash in the rafters and let season for as long as possible.<br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb0VczR2uJObCbsCut8ttNKB3rWwbh_l3dyFIxFrCYGTHLpEG0SUHyI0UPhiY8x1pKJrpc2MwRLOkkcEOSr5r8fIxYrxvgqlGfi5yoKDeXd8PuLCUZXsl0JdHmaoshzoY_hgdSQQabok/s2048/IMG_20200629_113912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb0VczR2uJObCbsCut8ttNKB3rWwbh_l3dyFIxFrCYGTHLpEG0SUHyI0UPhiY8x1pKJrpc2MwRLOkkcEOSr5r8fIxYrxvgqlGfi5yoKDeXd8PuLCUZXsl0JdHmaoshzoY_hgdSQQabok/w640-h480/IMG_20200629_113912.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then once a year or so, when my stock of peg blanks gets low, I bring some of those strips down and cut them up. I use a pattern to lay out the blanks, following the grain of the piece and laying out different lengths to use the wood most efficiently. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrKKR-LIw3Yby-0D7H_juJp9ERQQYkgeEUjFp0HvHeldXFCAKCaeeJoV5QYt-Y79Q1gbVjwNwft_ltt4YEY2edu48TnNvvc3Zqvi1GOsI4_1fR0XjKI-U4dLeh1FZ3sc5DiJs2r2Ro3k/s2048/IMG_20200629_113920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrKKR-LIw3Yby-0D7H_juJp9ERQQYkgeEUjFp0HvHeldXFCAKCaeeJoV5QYt-Y79Q1gbVjwNwft_ltt4YEY2edu48TnNvvc3Zqvi1GOsI4_1fR0XjKI-U4dLeh1FZ3sc5DiJs2r2Ro3k/w640-h480/IMG_20200629_113920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I keep them sorted in this bin until I'm ready to turn.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXwR0AusS9wcDptn5lqAzCLkXb27CMhPUiPqK5sqYJb5U6XQzCs7h-mob9Js6ShqHHReJmDle3MSBK8XU-JC97SKmLqOKFkbVnxfPbt2KYqecrXxWrbhjHziHJYbUO-Y_Qdak_y5OjBE/s2048/IMG_20171207_120845.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXwR0AusS9wcDptn5lqAzCLkXb27CMhPUiPqK5sqYJb5U6XQzCs7h-mob9Js6ShqHHReJmDle3MSBK8XU-JC97SKmLqOKFkbVnxfPbt2KYqecrXxWrbhjHziHJYbUO-Y_Qdak_y5OjBE/w640-h480/IMG_20171207_120845.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And when I'm ready to turn pegs, like I was last fall, I go next door and ask Grant Tomlinson if I can borrow his dedicated peg-turning lathe. Here it is, in all its grandeur.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Truly, it's a wonderful machine, and I am tremendously privileged to be able to use it. Before coming to Vancouver to work in residence with Grant in 2009-2010 (generously supported by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts), I made a number of lutes with pegs that I turned by hand, on a <a href="https://toolmonger.com/2007/11/05/hot-or-not-shopsmith-mark-v/" target="_blank">Shop Smith Mark V</a> from the 1960s. It was a bit more work, but I got pretty fast at it, and got a good result. But a dedicated peg lathe is a sweet thing to have access to. <br /><div><br /></div><div>I took a number of shots of my peg turning process, but I think now that instead of showing you a lot of still photos, and painstakingly describing each step, I'll kill a whole flock of birds with one stone by sharing a short video. (That didn't sound so nice--maybe I'll just use the stone to frighten them.) </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a demonstration of peg turning on this pattern lathe that Grant and I did about three years ago, for a different project. In this video Grant turns a peg for an 8 course lute. For this baroque lute I used a different pattern for the peg head, but otherwise the process of turning the peg is pretty much identical. Please enjoy.</div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mLOY8lieVPg" width="320" youtube-src-id="mLOY8lieVPg"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>A couple of days at the peg making lathe gives me a pile of pegs that looks like this:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88HU9WhatZCS9JAr-7mjxQc58pxP1qOZTkVPIPtvsNM68IdyCIiWHlPBsUsM-duTVScN5pUDL0WflA2o9iDQESFtNkszK42U8oA03bj6i58Menb4ERWnqr7LRB9ogselb95QEQohgu0Y/s2048/IMG_20191004_140648.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88HU9WhatZCS9JAr-7mjxQc58pxP1qOZTkVPIPtvsNM68IdyCIiWHlPBsUsM-duTVScN5pUDL0WflA2o9iDQESFtNkszK42U8oA03bj6i58Menb4ERWnqr7LRB9ogselb95QEQohgu0Y/w480-h640/IMG_20191004_140648.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ones at the bottom of the photo are freshly-made; the ones at the top have had their faces shaped.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5TvMKQeQlhrOqO-jXe85tLXUoGDWGt7aqXr6bLIAmzDRXf6Jp-SiVMdUPrpHxLhZxtnHeXxOpdEoeoUAvAJXIj-4HF2iAgEJp3igQZh8aemnunoTnOGwRuUXpCViZSnziZqpAQ6dLOY/s2048/IMG_20191004_140719.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5TvMKQeQlhrOqO-jXe85tLXUoGDWGt7aqXr6bLIAmzDRXf6Jp-SiVMdUPrpHxLhZxtnHeXxOpdEoeoUAvAJXIj-4HF2iAgEJp3igQZh8aemnunoTnOGwRuUXpCViZSnziZqpAQ6dLOY/w480-h640/IMG_20191004_140719.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First with a chisel, to remove the bulk of material...</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEjAN_2QFNByNWGguQY7ZKGAfJaSPe_HHVefZlcXtpz73a2ODxt7aHJfu0d3xSYRmcXt0KjAQMe6loq9NQ1tvXk2wQxTIH0Me4AasjQQhge5_MLFSXjLLd7JruccR5uGExFEwjM7xQ5s/s2048/IMG_20191009_112914.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEjAN_2QFNByNWGguQY7ZKGAfJaSPe_HHVefZlcXtpz73a2ODxt7aHJfu0d3xSYRmcXt0KjAQMe6loq9NQ1tvXk2wQxTIH0Me4AasjQQhge5_MLFSXjLLd7JruccR5uGExFEwjM7xQ5s/w480-h640/IMG_20191009_112914.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...And then with a knife, to get a more subtle recurve and satisfying grip.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5gKYHwXXplVZDlR0eZDPl1XkWROM2khv7MUWa_qNmumdcsgDCz-M6KJml_7Hnv_BmjccVcN_TvqvtPkIkQXZQPQvfi5nKWT-4-sUZC2U3vD4pxIACxD3vlGq5EOP3JBvTmTjQdBNNQg/s2048/IMG_20191009_124643.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5gKYHwXXplVZDlR0eZDPl1XkWROM2khv7MUWa_qNmumdcsgDCz-M6KJml_7Hnv_BmjccVcN_TvqvtPkIkQXZQPQvfi5nKWT-4-sUZC2U3vD4pxIACxD3vlGq5EOP3JBvTmTjQdBNNQg/w480-h640/IMG_20191009_124643.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I dock the edges with small files...</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoazTqyYanQf1RBW_hmi84fwot-hPtZUgDdHYgwFjszvWtn-nmRWVPLsuirVlQBtYG61eazDcCXB-XCjyxazcBgqaeRMwQmbWZW_6ckT79e6r3OQ2BQm_pQMuhQ2DQr2I2UCoAQGlquUA/s2048/IMG_20191009_124755.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoazTqyYanQf1RBW_hmi84fwot-hPtZUgDdHYgwFjszvWtn-nmRWVPLsuirVlQBtYG61eazDcCXB-XCjyxazcBgqaeRMwQmbWZW_6ckT79e6r3OQ2BQm_pQMuhQ2DQr2I2UCoAQGlquUA/w480-h640/IMG_20191009_124755.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And also use them to shape the bobble on top.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNrel-mDfiDYbBKDKuq7v41zWrNPxY7ZIRPMmSwDjTTr4Aj7qEE4CKJzGIicQOTlWagp-hNvZm_fZoMGYJfkavkbVdbasQBfgdNWPUUryn5bU3SRFg4fE02Cb1GRZqs1SrThVACQ6_Yc/s2048/IMG_20191009_133958.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNrel-mDfiDYbBKDKuq7v41zWrNPxY7ZIRPMmSwDjTTr4Aj7qEE4CKJzGIicQOTlWagp-hNvZm_fZoMGYJfkavkbVdbasQBfgdNWPUUryn5bU3SRFg4fE02Cb1GRZqs1SrThVACQ6_Yc/w480-h640/IMG_20191009_133958.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A party of pegs! All ready for decking out in their best black-tie.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN3jVkG913An-aOCkUvzTAiwElvheSQPNYdAkDA80tDDEhmojXZEgNGp00D53KydYL-xwyKHY6cJWYurpabbEJsxJ_mAAWeIPZeOc9ADhwOMYfRVXlwHjN_YE8ObNRMvJ93yI_CH4Zeo/s2048/IMG_20191009_144232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN3jVkG913An-aOCkUvzTAiwElvheSQPNYdAkDA80tDDEhmojXZEgNGp00D53KydYL-xwyKHY6cJWYurpabbEJsxJ_mAAWeIPZeOc9ADhwOMYfRVXlwHjN_YE8ObNRMvJ93yI_CH4Zeo/w640-h480/IMG_20191009_144232.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My logwood-ferrous sulphate dye bath--identical to the one I used in the <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_30.html" target="_blank">previous episode of this series</a> to dye the peg box cheeks, bass rider and chanterelle tuner.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk5JuvdNaTlEHrGE4gft0xIsbhN7yTT1Qt42Pqj8WPuaMxyOLEBqXzxnCSxSNLDWllvhFyqqhunzyqUUC9UMRgI9hN7EDSgj2Vfmreeyf5IP-RCGktf1Pfd-Wt5nyQZPkLm3vuCSh4Ic/s2048/IMG_20191009_164441.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk5JuvdNaTlEHrGE4gft0xIsbhN7yTT1Qt42Pqj8WPuaMxyOLEBqXzxnCSxSNLDWllvhFyqqhunzyqUUC9UMRgI9hN7EDSgj2Vfmreeyf5IP-RCGktf1Pfd-Wt5nyQZPkLm3vuCSh4Ic/w640-h480/IMG_20191009_164441.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are three sets of pegs here, for the three different lutes in this group.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKai2U_Sv7pESsDia99Ec_8nkvwWHc31i826ZVmelAPRkxFiSKhDdu5WqEKeN5BJpi2ktE1LKavbN4WhDRe7bbp0ZeovioqILr2Saxu26jRbKAEcyZRYNG0KRWbTLcWQTK55M_DeWADA/s2048/IMG_20191009_164634.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKai2U_Sv7pESsDia99Ec_8nkvwWHc31i826ZVmelAPRkxFiSKhDdu5WqEKeN5BJpi2ktE1LKavbN4WhDRe7bbp0ZeovioqILr2Saxu26jRbKAEcyZRYNG0KRWbTLcWQTK55M_DeWADA/w640-h480/IMG_20191009_164634.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It works well to heat the dye, then pour it over the pegs.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXi0w24sJqt7wyCLjQRqn9A3M5ktiU-3sU78XslsurOUVbzoVJFr6vttvDs0CEartaWoyXCvCfK4mzRNsOsKzbsmaV13nQRWHGdxVj4vuwwzCVMhwdsn6wNAtG6rZoW39xS1KAua9GtM/s2048/IMG_20191009_175808.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXi0w24sJqt7wyCLjQRqn9A3M5ktiU-3sU78XslsurOUVbzoVJFr6vttvDs0CEartaWoyXCvCfK4mzRNsOsKzbsmaV13nQRWHGdxVj4vuwwzCVMhwdsn6wNAtG6rZoW39xS1KAua9GtM/w640-h480/IMG_20191009_175808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I lay the pegs out to dry between coats of dye and mordant.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I wash the dyed pegs and let them dry thoroughly before finishing their heads (and only the heads, not the shafts) with a coat of T&T oil. And then, I put all the pegs in a tray, and put the tray on a high shelf--and let them sleep for a few months, until they're needed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings us neatly back to the present day. Here we go with fitting pegs.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJF0BtZu2LUH9rf8YM-2c64T_YNcnu_x7VntoCCi7bCvgdFsIzhfSHmeRziVM9HZJsEMRR0s1WvhsMdSxnSylZXMmBxdapgMxSv9wHW488NJ9hI86YoIt5FhrhisexXDSecjrsYS58fAk/s2048/IMG_20200330_104738.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJF0BtZu2LUH9rf8YM-2c64T_YNcnu_x7VntoCCi7bCvgdFsIzhfSHmeRziVM9HZJsEMRR0s1WvhsMdSxnSylZXMmBxdapgMxSv9wHW488NJ9hI86YoIt5FhrhisexXDSecjrsYS58fAk/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_104738.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use a piece of 220 sandpaper, backed with a piece of leather, to remove much of the free dyestuff from the shaft of the peg (which can otherwise make the peg a little sticky.)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPWy4VvJIYwtimqowC0-zgLzMCVGX4vmz1tqMbW1lZRmyXzL_RSi9Fh7vBZGKYShfBxXFaBLHgjtg3IA_gY3LrB92w83CIRI0RCSewSmmMlFYKztg9QEppgOPCTbjXcDzZwndiNAxqXY/w640-h480/IMG_20200330_104752.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I apply even pressure while twisting and pulling the peg.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPWy4VvJIYwtimqowC0-zgLzMCVGX4vmz1tqMbW1lZRmyXzL_RSi9Fh7vBZGKYShfBxXFaBLHgjtg3IA_gY3LrB92w83CIRI0RCSewSmmMlFYKztg9QEppgOPCTbjXcDzZwndiNAxqXY/s2048/IMG_20200330_104752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbWUAWPlBoVGQ3NNGT3uNhB9Z8zj0W4C9BIXPlkAznDS64uHaBlxNcsbWQda4m4SXQjYjlLannr4V0C7yS0Us0cRo0iHxWQm5bhMNO1UXd4pM_EoIUQ9_EJhwCYvg6X4bdK8I1wZQgfY/s2048/IMG_20200331_143250.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbWUAWPlBoVGQ3NNGT3uNhB9Z8zj0W4C9BIXPlkAznDS64uHaBlxNcsbWQda4m4SXQjYjlLannr4V0C7yS0Us0cRo0iHxWQm5bhMNO1UXd4pM_EoIUQ9_EJhwCYvg6X4bdK8I1wZQgfY/w640-h480/IMG_20200331_143250.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my set, with spares for each part: main peg box, chanterelle tuner, bass rider.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH73MnnrTU6-UKRlmWZ9zhdEQflh2H0w-loZ7XWGLme45aDC5uwtcme82a9f5QKH5-t6fSjzuJDIgViTuOp_AWoKd4yRRetFx2iA6TF4BqCXnwrKcF-HF1JdbW7C0JHqBT0s3h1lUziQI/s2048/IMG_20200401_111634.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH73MnnrTU6-UKRlmWZ9zhdEQflh2H0w-loZ7XWGLme45aDC5uwtcme82a9f5QKH5-t6fSjzuJDIgViTuOp_AWoKd4yRRetFx2iA6TF4BqCXnwrKcF-HF1JdbW7C0JHqBT0s3h1lUziQI/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_111634.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tools of the trade: large and small reamers; a bar of dry hand soap; a soft brush; a 15 cm rule; a bamboo skewer. I've selected the best pegs of the bunch, and laid them out in order.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOe8450dGvI1hH2IUAAMkBdo4J6cW-824rH4q0CcWwoBWtREZoU08WLUFKdE0XZ6RX2P4jxfKlaM8Kg5AHYRmt-6DcAfDMpceiuiJy3sJ7ZkgzHOeog3hGxwusLCGQXUUKF5sjiwQdmY/s2048/IMG_20200401_112029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOe8450dGvI1hH2IUAAMkBdo4J6cW-824rH4q0CcWwoBWtREZoU08WLUFKdE0XZ6RX2P4jxfKlaM8Kg5AHYRmt-6DcAfDMpceiuiJy3sJ7ZkgzHOeog3hGxwusLCGQXUUKF5sjiwQdmY/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_112029.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I apply the hand soap liberally to my reamer before using it, and throughout the reaming process.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-_RDkafiZRs3xtSHOZRpjINZyhGBhOA_MCLEXZYA5SW1ZzEo86_oGF8_-HcmbTkqJr72lX6KS3Z4oah-2ROB7x3rjRn_-uHF-tWH4KOvqJ4Zan4azKufq30D9xW-AtEKO-NhW6zPyKA/s2048/IMG_20200401_112124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-_RDkafiZRs3xtSHOZRpjINZyhGBhOA_MCLEXZYA5SW1ZzEo86_oGF8_-HcmbTkqJr72lX6KS3Z4oah-2ROB7x3rjRn_-uHF-tWH4KOvqJ4Zan4azKufq30D9xW-AtEKO-NhW6zPyKA/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_112124.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't have to go too far before the reamer packs up with shavings between the cutter blades. I clear the channels with the bamboo skewer, apply more soap, and continue reaming.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihh_2HW8JYQYW9cUHdR-J-2xxcIaHHmmenFk1aMQS72rw89HjbBI-t7LXgOh3-0OWYEyXHViUKI4cj_R6zHXJuc7pZP2X-mnA742ZkhBrmgYIz6ECk3b6DARJQ_Xm_aWT2YFRc22jT43s/s2048/IMG_20200401_111738.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihh_2HW8JYQYW9cUHdR-J-2xxcIaHHmmenFk1aMQS72rw89HjbBI-t7LXgOh3-0OWYEyXHViUKI4cj_R6zHXJuc7pZP2X-mnA742ZkhBrmgYIz6ECk3b6DARJQ_Xm_aWT2YFRc22jT43s/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_111738.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I rub soap on the peg to lubricate it each time I try the fit in the hole--and because I don't want to merrily ream too large a hole in the peg box, I try-fit the peg early and often in the reaming process.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBzt2Gt1R2fV_sTCxh05Gfes2E_t45tD8FXzBVIZJugsOTb5ASfBuyQKRxTCUhLjFU-tVMunbyIUYHtRPrCYktP2alQ-rmKN63jkl_v0EhqfsRD7rbM9x7b4YOY13gLP61Gb4TjflZ98/s2048/IMG_20200401_113515.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBzt2Gt1R2fV_sTCxh05Gfes2E_t45tD8FXzBVIZJugsOTb5ASfBuyQKRxTCUhLjFU-tVMunbyIUYHtRPrCYktP2alQ-rmKN63jkl_v0EhqfsRD7rbM9x7b4YOY13gLP61Gb4TjflZ98/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_113515.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like the look of the way this peg is fitting. The contact area on the big end of the shaft is nice and evenly shiny all the way around, while on the small end it's a bit less shiny. This means that the peg is gripping mostly on the big end, which will keep it from binding and twisting (and being very difficult to tune) when a string is finally wound on it.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xazho7y5KW87Gm1I9o7rbCn89ybFjv6ksKeazXFeVitye1Eklewmhcwmavng4miprEopJn-_ooJ8PvDzhTL-5tw1Q4FjkMKNuRGnRMixAAoMyprEcR6_bKSm0krlwvuOzhUEthf11ts/s2048/IMG_20200401_113614.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xazho7y5KW87Gm1I9o7rbCn89ybFjv6ksKeazXFeVitye1Eklewmhcwmavng4miprEopJn-_ooJ8PvDzhTL-5tw1Q4FjkMKNuRGnRMixAAoMyprEcR6_bKSm0krlwvuOzhUEthf11ts/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_113614.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the time being, I fit all the pegs about 10mm from their final position.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMkFDld8KeBQNtMvPQgZbZXYLARLVp5loIFxKOtqfMi9yaFOhdQTC9FX-VNJx14SAo52O8MGJHVHcXg7OrIw7dno3VtY353H36uE_Il9B2JCqYTprcBXMzgt4u0Kdw2XevX-8j5lSqDU/s2048/IMG_20200401_113941.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMkFDld8KeBQNtMvPQgZbZXYLARLVp5loIFxKOtqfMi9yaFOhdQTC9FX-VNJx14SAo52O8MGJHVHcXg7OrIw7dno3VtY353H36uE_Il9B2JCqYTprcBXMzgt4u0Kdw2XevX-8j5lSqDU/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_113941.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do this preliminary fitting cautiously just in case I encounter something like this--a flat spot on one side of the big end (and it looks like small end as well) of the peg. Actually, there is often a matching flat spot on the opposite side of the peg, which means that the peg has gone slightly oval since I turned, dyed and finished it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM0zKpMp874zqwooi3QwPS8OJtr4gorPW2BBYzvhexWsixsPLEK-g1O8jSjlFsTurvgR2WN_Px7LHgUu7GZkSLSythnLe4tYVaoiYVLDc8VcQiwKE4eFpaXPwu6dEdgbeQzERb9P5PkU/s2048/IMG_20200401_114054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM0zKpMp874zqwooi3QwPS8OJtr4gorPW2BBYzvhexWsixsPLEK-g1O8jSjlFsTurvgR2WN_Px7LHgUu7GZkSLSythnLe4tYVaoiYVLDc8VcQiwKE4eFpaXPwu6dEdgbeQzERb9P5PkU/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_114054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rather than pitch it into the bin of lost causes, I correct the fit by carefully filing away the shiny, high spots on both the big and small ends. I rub more soap on the peg, and try fitting it; and I will keep correcting the shape of the peg until it is perfectly round, and the big end is a little shinier than the small end.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfAJYpexdrUBA1Td0TKXEpdUSwfKT4AiFfA1joY4pE-0Ce_qM2YSzGjY8dnfqOvMN5K-e-YbbrDOo4PCzOlQ4Xs5JyGvDcDrx5ko8UeMgvzlZ9VZpZK5lljID_3nm75ZeocJb92d4c8I/s2048/IMG_20200401_142857.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfAJYpexdrUBA1Td0TKXEpdUSwfKT4AiFfA1joY4pE-0Ce_qM2YSzGjY8dnfqOvMN5K-e-YbbrDOo4PCzOlQ4Xs5JyGvDcDrx5ko8UeMgvzlZ9VZpZK5lljID_3nm75ZeocJb92d4c8I/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_142857.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like so.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGRIqgLiibgzN5HjKl8WBA6S255Z65d0nClpJEv3fNNVubcNSRi2QsJv1d-ZAfAjzLdxpAjPI3FiTppfb4A9I9rBeBTeBO8EkqLi0kLCxhsU71j_uXZmOVhtYQKXpOHHOZoKQweF1XiE/s2048/IMG_20200401_130543.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGRIqgLiibgzN5HjKl8WBA6S255Z65d0nClpJEv3fNNVubcNSRi2QsJv1d-ZAfAjzLdxpAjPI3FiTppfb4A9I9rBeBTeBO8EkqLi0kLCxhsU71j_uXZmOVhtYQKXpOHHOZoKQweF1XiE/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_130543.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do a preliminary fit of all the pegs on one side of the main box, then remove them, and do all of the pegs on the other, and remove them, then lay them all out in order. I'm now ready to do the fine fit. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />For most of the last 5 millimetres or so of fit, I turn the reamer backwards, so that instead of cutting, the reamer's blades are compressing and burnishing the peg hole. The main reason for this is that the peg hole is made more 'finished' and durable--so that I can seat the peg where I want and with the fit I want (please see above), and the peg won't easily press further in and change that fit. It's also a benefit that seating pegs this way takes longer--many more turns with the reamer burnishing than with cutting. This means I can set the pegs a very accurate distance from the pegbox cheek.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W8lLe2-qslxA5P571ZpHjmnDK4Y2MkA6Vm7SLEKVhgCA82DIqhkbmGso2e9-wn898U_LYg-YQ6ZZ7Zo60PW-vhm-1hnsvknNF21440e4fIdp5ipV8u0Jgd4_YiqQ3VQP0dHGwMgHJL8/s2048/IMG_20200401_143110.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W8lLe2-qslxA5P571ZpHjmnDK4Y2MkA6Vm7SLEKVhgCA82DIqhkbmGso2e9-wn898U_LYg-YQ6ZZ7Zo60PW-vhm-1hnsvknNF21440e4fIdp5ipV8u0Jgd4_YiqQ3VQP0dHGwMgHJL8/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_143110.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like so: I want 12 mm to the collar, and about 35 to the end of the peg. As I go down the cheek fitting pegs closer to the tip, I will gradually shorten the distance by 1mm.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qatM0oAiL1wzvKqsXUT8hYt_NgdDCJNrGsOxjTa2kRBnP9W5LqGg7n0dDceoPhS-XjAyBV8j3G8Isvjd0RO11OfRqj1vWcNqyp_9C0Eky8C5_gFRaGJytXl_S2z5lkwanW9GOChlaUQ/s2048/IMG_20200401_154917.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qatM0oAiL1wzvKqsXUT8hYt_NgdDCJNrGsOxjTa2kRBnP9W5LqGg7n0dDceoPhS-XjAyBV8j3G8Isvjd0RO11OfRqj1vWcNqyp_9C0Eky8C5_gFRaGJytXl_S2z5lkwanW9GOChlaUQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_154917.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark the positions of the string holes--about 5mm from the wall of the peg box, on the big-end side.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9O1DtjkkzzQyMjXxEh144d4JZr1LICSFUjzhojEX-dB7ayem7AlgDqNRtda6y_Ki2IGV8-8nSiTt1oU17nW0Zm3uePlgjpY92_5KJopAiQEM4TGyYIrRBnEp0Mbcu1cpqLBSVBzvyA0/s2048/IMG_20200401_160657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9O1DtjkkzzQyMjXxEh144d4JZr1LICSFUjzhojEX-dB7ayem7AlgDqNRtda6y_Ki2IGV8-8nSiTt1oU17nW0Zm3uePlgjpY92_5KJopAiQEM4TGyYIrRBnEp0Mbcu1cpqLBSVBzvyA0/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_160657.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then mark where I want to cut off the end of the peg, by making one knife cut straight down then another cut from the side, show here, to form a small notch.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXWt51wlR8EWn3WUU_mLrHASB3yo1ptU3Z6gNneRU7nitHU3DfzpBjI5CthOoiCwhP8W3jDXDTBqxr3A2Qqz6AwQqM0_yhjEwD4VkvEos6UxdsVM-4khTbAa5fpx-ldj2Y4kyTOCtcUw/s2048/IMG_20200401_160818.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXWt51wlR8EWn3WUU_mLrHASB3yo1ptU3Z6gNneRU7nitHU3DfzpBjI5CthOoiCwhP8W3jDXDTBqxr3A2Qqz6AwQqM0_yhjEwD4VkvEos6UxdsVM-4khTbAa5fpx-ldj2Y4kyTOCtcUw/w640-h480/IMG_20200401_160818.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like so.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdH8BOUL77vcjXqimqFaMYvwR2GhsyiB4Rgx8ZRkgQxMtlPSWOeSpjbdPAsOwXVBBbjBH0SebcVd6f8_QTCPhell6AN_1Cbe5V4tFsdTh4UySGyOG3IN5EJhNQy_MXcdb1go_sFpo-5F4/s2048/IMG_20200402_114808.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdH8BOUL77vcjXqimqFaMYvwR2GhsyiB4Rgx8ZRkgQxMtlPSWOeSpjbdPAsOwXVBBbjBH0SebcVd6f8_QTCPhell6AN_1Cbe5V4tFsdTh4UySGyOG3IN5EJhNQy_MXcdb1go_sFpo-5F4/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_114808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The notch makes a very handy spot to seat my gent's saw to cut off the excess. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19-Pa87P4K9Oyo_Fw3YpaB63S2UIHFaATzDOhYm-jL-uxb729XqnvW6IsmO1kbxPq-Xac6cuHDE5pbSIGKgh8DM6zT7mdlMoB76TsWLHDO8Uor8l83Dh9JSqMM1PPCPDALdMQDffcFf0/s2048/IMG_20200402_124106.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19-Pa87P4K9Oyo_Fw3YpaB63S2UIHFaATzDOhYm-jL-uxb729XqnvW6IsmO1kbxPq-Xac6cuHDE5pbSIGKgh8DM6zT7mdlMoB76TsWLHDO8Uor8l83Dh9JSqMM1PPCPDALdMQDffcFf0/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_124106.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The same jig as in the pic above, turned tip-up in the vice, makes a handy holder for filing the tip of the peg end. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9C6YmJ65NocthPIya4XdJWojfo1uZRGzY_e6fuJ-5O-p7zjrPaO1iPBseHCDCg6vOsvZ66PZai0hnOBdYbsNm-YB-wOCqSdQN1pnciSkVBenhNnuvFca9bCfm126vm7tQhZlTCQAa_E/s2048/IMG_20200402_124407.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9C6YmJ65NocthPIya4XdJWojfo1uZRGzY_e6fuJ-5O-p7zjrPaO1iPBseHCDCg6vOsvZ66PZai0hnOBdYbsNm-YB-wOCqSdQN1pnciSkVBenhNnuvFca9bCfm126vm7tQhZlTCQAa_E/w480-h640/IMG_20200402_124407.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like to put a crown of about 0.5 mm on the tip of the peg.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPvmqUgFzjKRc_EhuuNlFzw9oRWTB7ZaHQd902fZfbyuiYVljvk0jep2RgVPrN4tT9Cmr-9o7DbshQGZM9u-U-ZYzIuHSpml6aslmQkWcNbRn-oIZRhYjpar_F0okZ5B2tC5mVxatpCE/s2048/IMG_20200402_124505.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPvmqUgFzjKRc_EhuuNlFzw9oRWTB7ZaHQd902fZfbyuiYVljvk0jep2RgVPrN4tT9Cmr-9o7DbshQGZM9u-U-ZYzIuHSpml6aslmQkWcNbRn-oIZRhYjpar_F0okZ5B2tC5mVxatpCE/w480-h640/IMG_20200402_124505.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I black the tip with a permanent felt pen, then hit it with a spot of T&T oil.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWJTtnjAwmJl5RQNafV-oguoO0-wvShyphenhyphenEBEuaAlcVWcngLKMJ9Z-7WYP7mqsDXhCQNf3gzlyOOfQVpebhQArtmVx2LmI6j_R3F_jAtUqts6A1MKWlpFxMBCh7uRoWahyphenhyphenhEt6jIAJQlU8/s2048/IMG_20200402_131321.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWJTtnjAwmJl5RQNafV-oguoO0-wvShyphenhyphenEBEuaAlcVWcngLKMJ9Z-7WYP7mqsDXhCQNf3gzlyOOfQVpebhQArtmVx2LmI6j_R3F_jAtUqts6A1MKWlpFxMBCh7uRoWahyphenhyphenhEt6jIAJQlU8/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_131321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">While I wait for that to dry, I lightly chamfer the peg holes. A round grinding stone for a dremel tool works fine for this job.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrPKshpGkm2_75o1JFcMP8gsDa3ZCXIQmVGIhM_zlrM6xewevlqepRoMDXa9Ngs-nVRIQKjMlFgGopZKV-wMZTqQguQNRyl09orIy_ifuPggt0eTbJAwvdxfhfw-spTaQK6flub_YoxE/s2048/IMG_20200402_145629+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrPKshpGkm2_75o1JFcMP8gsDa3ZCXIQmVGIhM_zlrM6xewevlqepRoMDXa9Ngs-nVRIQKjMlFgGopZKV-wMZTqQguQNRyl09orIy_ifuPggt0eTbJAwvdxfhfw-spTaQK6flub_YoxE/w480-h640/IMG_20200402_145629+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is now time to drill string holes in the pegs. My peg holder keeps them organized, and I can write the diameters of the bits I want to use, and stroke them off as I drill the holes. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62kh885OI6X5woVhMRFOZ7parTRlo6x3e1tdZvzrgZxbqTeniui42qHPF_8oRFYIkdhNjPPZtTFKVgqZX-FVlypX8RYnesxCBifL1wDamID_kV1TBQ6Th1MkGtZlIpO7p4pa3h0-0v8M/s2048/IMG_20200402_145313.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62kh885OI6X5woVhMRFOZ7parTRlo6x3e1tdZvzrgZxbqTeniui42qHPF_8oRFYIkdhNjPPZtTFKVgqZX-FVlypX8RYnesxCBifL1wDamID_kV1TBQ6Th1MkGtZlIpO7p4pa3h0-0v8M/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_145313.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My little holder (made of softwood, with a hole reamed through it) is quite secure, and backs up the drill so the hole won't break out on the bottom side.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRJ2bPSpQQZfsbq-MsLO7dGEonMv5ecaAeL_Pbf4C-Oq5ktEAmybjNRTA7VxAO84VzTijOv2xvF5NSpORzngmhQT5wCHpyNQKOgTBC7H-mhb2hxNyuNhHBDaOVtOtzji7dte5KuEvBaI/s2048/IMG_20200402_154309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRJ2bPSpQQZfsbq-MsLO7dGEonMv5ecaAeL_Pbf4C-Oq5ktEAmybjNRTA7VxAO84VzTijOv2xvF5NSpORzngmhQT5wCHpyNQKOgTBC7H-mhb2hxNyuNhHBDaOVtOtzji7dte5KuEvBaI/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_154309.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A small but important detail: to chamfer the edges of the string holes.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjX1ll-ztGVlmEx1n2MvfJg5X6mdxJbAtc8oF1v8CC75RmhvWyKXtkMTejuEazvs69KF9gGpmA4RmleKhuYQusCPuv89NVlEDhZOBE2xCvUZIdZPVUBXKfVr9966LgWYfm8QxNWCGP6I/s2048/IMG_20200402_154429.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjX1ll-ztGVlmEx1n2MvfJg5X6mdxJbAtc8oF1v8CC75RmhvWyKXtkMTejuEazvs69KF9gGpmA4RmleKhuYQusCPuv89NVlEDhZOBE2xCvUZIdZPVUBXKfVr9966LgWYfm8QxNWCGP6I/w640-h480/IMG_20200402_154429.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">So strings will not be bitten off!</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>A very, very final detail in fitting pegs is that I give the reamer a twist or two (backward, burnishing) in each hole to seat the peg 0.5 mm further in--so that the edges of the crowned tip of each peg sit flush with the peg box cheek. I think it gives a nice, finished look.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoN8T87LZfz0nOWbSqgYok5ymEDMg_ckImja3Zv-lEsQ0-ErqiXlc-Nx6BVov6yyaBQc1FH1T_gW0xw3EKv-NeuRHq1-09eNpFaKK7veZeaHzyf-mQ1pJX7p-KFTr7EOCZSKn9m09wdsY/s2048/IMG_20200402_161036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoN8T87LZfz0nOWbSqgYok5ymEDMg_ckImja3Zv-lEsQ0-ErqiXlc-Nx6BVov6yyaBQc1FH1T_gW0xw3EKv-NeuRHq1-09eNpFaKK7veZeaHzyf-mQ1pJX7p-KFTr7EOCZSKn9m09wdsY/w480-h640/IMG_20200402_161036.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And that is all, for the penultimate chapter in this story of a lute (it might be the longest penultimate chapter ever written; it's certainly the longest penultimate chapter of anything <i>I've</i> ever written.) There's a lot of detail here; it takes a lot of concentration to get through all these stages when making a lute, just as it does to get through all these stages when <i>writing about</i> making a lute. One cannot afford to lose focus in either realm. I hope to see you for the next instalment, the ultimate, concerning the fretting, stringing and playing of the lute, which promises to be as dense with detail as this one. In the meantime, please be well!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-7576878942479340152020-09-22T21:16:00.002-07:002020-09-22T21:18:12.090-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 22: Dyeing the Peg Box, Finishing Out, Oiling the Neck and Peg Box Hi friends, it's been a while, and I hope you're well. I'm itching to get back to the story of the 13 course lute in progress. Let me catch you up.<div><br /></div><div>Last time we spoke I showed you how I put together the peg box of this 13 course lute: building the box and veneering it, fitting and carving the chanterelle tuner and bass rider, and finally making the joint and fitting and gluing to the neck. A very satisfying process, and it all went quite well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now I've got a few more jobs to do before I can finish out the neck and peg box and apply a finish. I'll tell you about these jobs today.</div><div><br /></div><div>First, a look at the glued-up peg box. You can see here how much wider it is than the neck in this Schelle-style arrangement--about 10mm. (The way I think about the width of the peg box is that the inside of the bass side peg box cheek more-or-less coincides with the bass edge of the fingerboard.) The exposed extra width needs covering up: as in the original Schelle lute in Paris, I fit a thick piece of ebony onto the top of the box and against the edge of the neck and fingerboard.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGMLd1hByljwyKrBY3O5JjrfWdFEoBkWGvD8mkOX3srcfFzm2F31CrcEd-UvT76-G3JPjkHkTcoc9WE_F6TIdCaXixc_SxsiiAbNUlOS9m-RxOSf9xxrTIGANw5RAQe-SBXtMJ1gEdbE/w640-h480/IMG_20200321_161519.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZmMBv0s-7-qWYpPFpWLu0OIY1QJRVAl6ejgUUfhQdixNK-NharUS1KF7tg5DmBLTXVmcpyZlY5kWuSmdtz2dv25FJ4BgWNDIj_ddcclJMMsmNkFpiD0-kmnMYTYdngaCbo9XRsWcLxQ/s1600/IMG_20200323_110443.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZmMBv0s-7-qWYpPFpWLu0OIY1QJRVAl6ejgUUfhQdixNK-NharUS1KF7tg5DmBLTXVmcpyZlY5kWuSmdtz2dv25FJ4BgWNDIj_ddcclJMMsmNkFpiD0-kmnMYTYdngaCbo9XRsWcLxQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200323_110443.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The grain of the insert piece is parallel to the grain of the fingerboard.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCyG-dZydP4C2he-fVqIf2aNRK0tUFUXPMuEMIC7Dy-ZgIZFDhfcBfS6IFjdYf0-7HOruyWct4sZ6sL8-LbsvF4uqDVWHE2agtNAmNr-I7dHgWEIyl9JZo3_5lQODRTd-a7hcjef2adg/s1600/IMG_20200323_135850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCyG-dZydP4C2he-fVqIf2aNRK0tUFUXPMuEMIC7Dy-ZgIZFDhfcBfS6IFjdYf0-7HOruyWct4sZ6sL8-LbsvF4uqDVWHE2agtNAmNr-I7dHgWEIyl9JZo3_5lQODRTd-a7hcjef2adg/w640-h480/IMG_20200323_135850.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my fit. This will be fine, but I think I could have saved myself a bit of trouble in the fitting if I had left the edge of the fingerboard square (that is, not rounded over) in just this area.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaWn8fbYhFJIGyniX1y_Mv1DlI7_dX-dhEg9-Qni1Pm2MJgXo0Mqmkvsm3d88ixxWj6_hzdstO_z37-gmxIpW3wh_AL0e9SifRmHvMqA3nz4Z2f4ZL1Yu0og9YCeJABpv8emP4tzJd_0/s1600/IMG_20200324_120243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaWn8fbYhFJIGyniX1y_Mv1DlI7_dX-dhEg9-Qni1Pm2MJgXo0Mqmkvsm3d88ixxWj6_hzdstO_z37-gmxIpW3wh_AL0e9SifRmHvMqA3nz4Z2f4ZL1Yu0og9YCeJABpv8emP4tzJd_0/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_120243.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once it's glued in place, I can shape and trim the piece. A skew chisel seemed the best tool for this job (I think the position of the bass rider made it impossible to use the low angle block plane.) Please note that my left index finger is positioned well down the front of the peg box; if my chisel happens to slip, my finger is <i>not</i> going to be in the way of the cutting edge. Another item to note, as far as technique is concerned, is that I am holding the chisel close to the cutting edge for good control, and that my right hand orients the tool, while my left thumb applies the cutting force. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9xMl2_o72iqlURqmroACzZ2cRazg5heBCVo11VvZYbxDfDD5OwFhmIY6a87hqpnaeO-uH3XJrlITtp-uEA3-2T8gRibRBuaEjAXKW-LY2riHyrE-CcF4xEngafbA9CKdRX_CcP4JaY4/s1600/IMG_20200324_123130.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9xMl2_o72iqlURqmroACzZ2cRazg5heBCVo11VvZYbxDfDD5OwFhmIY6a87hqpnaeO-uH3XJrlITtp-uEA3-2T8gRibRBuaEjAXKW-LY2riHyrE-CcF4xEngafbA9CKdRX_CcP4JaY4/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_123130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use the same tool and techniques to trim the outer edge of the piece.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GKlrChqANtAZxsvZw5LA8c4DwnG8XxB4Jkj3Xpyt87DShgcgTd90LwAIlHTSzkTxDTxvelmBwFVx2ZtpfXXS6pa_eKANBqsAuWDKvRIrad8jROQEv3c9tI1uYS9LEYDdsAHtGAD3tVo/s1600/IMG_20200324_131726.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GKlrChqANtAZxsvZw5LA8c4DwnG8XxB4Jkj3Xpyt87DShgcgTd90LwAIlHTSzkTxDTxvelmBwFVx2ZtpfXXS6pa_eKANBqsAuWDKvRIrad8jROQEv3c9tI1uYS9LEYDdsAHtGAD3tVo/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_131726.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And though this looks a bit unlikely, it was the best position I could find for filing flush the back side of the piece. My left elbow rests upon the bench; the lute is well-braced against my shoulder and side of my neck, and against the two cork blocks on the bench.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFACEe7KN83GeZ9LKAjndCT70r8lbSNNvsuCTqYhWhehoYSL8KV_-4tY_aHPyi34X2CGz2BTvmJTja3VP6T_b_I4l6MTI7isiOBx5T0x185XiihliBvzlWT2j_sWKhCfsaqbUlDFbCVg/s1600/IMG_20200324_132026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFACEe7KN83GeZ9LKAjndCT70r8lbSNNvsuCTqYhWhehoYSL8KV_-4tY_aHPyi34X2CGz2BTvmJTja3VP6T_b_I4l6MTI7isiOBx5T0x185XiihliBvzlWT2j_sWKhCfsaqbUlDFbCVg/w480-h640/IMG_20200324_132026.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my result. As you see, on the upper surface the piece is shaped as a continuation of the fingerboard's curve.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7cQ6alL6loROrGXQNW-8r-zQAYaXnF62lAbv_NRtH6g00GhG7qBOYQzx4CQsK-DN3XJIsdgstTu8oZ-sufYPdglA38JBbX6Q2QI7wlBnnFED121Cemd46ahXWPCKLBOVb-LxQXs3gzI/s1600/IMG_20200324_142205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7cQ6alL6loROrGXQNW-8r-zQAYaXnF62lAbv_NRtH6g00GhG7qBOYQzx4CQsK-DN3XJIsdgstTu8oZ-sufYPdglA38JBbX6Q2QI7wlBnnFED121Cemd46ahXWPCKLBOVb-LxQXs3gzI/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_142205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">On to the next chore: I want to do a little more carving of the bottom block to get a good final shape, and remove some glue residue left from when I stuck the peg box on. (Again, the right hand holds the tool, the left thumb applies the force.)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9PlfTyUFq3cdpPKNmMR2oOjGZWCNkosq1r8s83PPPlmBqHOgNXXut9Z1g-j3aIwqEUenP3TMnOnQYMUAZuukGFeocX182MPO5EztKQG1KC-lGZajrqOF4-1Z-S9tmPaWcB32aUGds88/s1600/IMG_20200324_160742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9PlfTyUFq3cdpPKNmMR2oOjGZWCNkosq1r8s83PPPlmBqHOgNXXut9Z1g-j3aIwqEUenP3TMnOnQYMUAZuukGFeocX182MPO5EztKQG1KC-lGZajrqOF4-1Z-S9tmPaWcB32aUGds88/w480-h640/IMG_20200324_160742.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now it is time to dye certain parts of the peg box black. As on the original Paris Schelle, I will black only the bass rider and chanterelle tuner; I'll also dye the little tongue of neck wood between the peg box and the fingerboard. The inside of the peg box, as well as the peg box cheeks, will be left their natural colour. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq3doP9SPgMcY9RSuqN9o1PJd1m2Y9HRJo6fUUvOOHNgDymUCKlQlaJSwmagqDEZUkvJPJGBdsP4e1VGu9K_om7VtIWtaGUjwKHsDTR0m_0Aex0owYiOZ_Vpjl1QC5hMCcUglrAM4ug8/s1600/IMG_20200324_160800.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq3doP9SPgMcY9RSuqN9o1PJd1m2Y9HRJo6fUUvOOHNgDymUCKlQlaJSwmagqDEZUkvJPJGBdsP4e1VGu9K_om7VtIWtaGUjwKHsDTR0m_0Aex0owYiOZ_Vpjl1QC5hMCcUglrAM4ug8/w480-h640/IMG_20200324_160800.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This process involves carefully masking off the peg box cheeks. Though I will try to be as careful as possible when I apply the dye--especially where the dyed and undyed sections meet--I also want to make sure that the edge of the masking tape is pressed down very well to prevent colour bleeding. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KhSiKXZib7fUhLjKoxara3l6k1cov5WE-KMWkiNvbViMgVZFymfCz_aduRzqTsYkXgq8jVQSRmYuJEvhV602gkqNGkszW7UZiVBp4tdSUICUoKfB6K0f23EmOecWwIQR41WFVp_pGt0/s1600/IMG_20200324_161141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KhSiKXZib7fUhLjKoxara3l6k1cov5WE-KMWkiNvbViMgVZFymfCz_aduRzqTsYkXgq8jVQSRmYuJEvhV602gkqNGkszW7UZiVBp4tdSUICUoKfB6K0f23EmOecWwIQR41WFVp_pGt0/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_161141.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is my dyestuff: powdered logwood.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3VfAtuRP1LdEtOdK0ewA4SeqB65cCB-4Cnhx8nrv426VMtXfpLBplcXe0m13t0w3WgJI5lT0xsvXpSo2_gURZ3KqZSKDluI6nMyCvf7JhFRvVR2PG-Nsvz-HqrQY3O4NVpo7ahVjKmw/s1600/IMG_20200324_161220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3VfAtuRP1LdEtOdK0ewA4SeqB65cCB-4Cnhx8nrv426VMtXfpLBplcXe0m13t0w3WgJI5lT0xsvXpSo2_gURZ3KqZSKDluI6nMyCvf7JhFRvVR2PG-Nsvz-HqrQY3O4NVpo7ahVjKmw/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_161220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I measure a small amount into a jar that's about half-filled with distilled water. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe_ytyzH0D2mZt0kJ0CCOT6GzrWtUDH89KlPLDnVo7Amg5QfFFI4JpG_lLLBm58KULzMnhYXcX0NkfWqdXSJwHR7Q2Ct_hpqVegM0H26k0ep7-fBmdDqtHUmZOzOP7dLix6coTeT3mmI/s1600/IMG_20200324_161338.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe_ytyzH0D2mZt0kJ0CCOT6GzrWtUDH89KlPLDnVo7Amg5QfFFI4JpG_lLLBm58KULzMnhYXcX0NkfWqdXSJwHR7Q2Ct_hpqVegM0H26k0ep7-fBmdDqtHUmZOzOP7dLix6coTeT3mmI/w480-h640/IMG_20200324_161338.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The mordant: ferrous sulphate. I measure a similar amount into another jar half filled with distilled water, and then place both in a water bath, and heat, almost to the boiling point.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-T5M5Cwu4BgDNKrMnDEQxN_nHeJL9Gpj2rKQQ5IZtabo1o4Ps7xaLoAmKLPJrMAM4xLhv-qao2BWe3Sfc8-1JQON9sLvBuIWADTLPlOZKwnkUfrgiKMscjvtWhHnwYMcu8eweaNq58A/s1600/IMG_20200324_161759.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-T5M5Cwu4BgDNKrMnDEQxN_nHeJL9Gpj2rKQQ5IZtabo1o4Ps7xaLoAmKLPJrMAM4xLhv-qao2BWe3Sfc8-1JQON9sLvBuIWADTLPlOZKwnkUfrgiKMscjvtWhHnwYMcu8eweaNq58A/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_161759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is the set-up. The cloth over the belly helps to stabilize the lute, but it's mainly there to prevent any bits of dye from getting on the belly. I try to be very careful brushing dye and mordant, but a little flick of a bristle could send a tiny drop flying, with potentially heart-sinking consequences. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-Yhqus95JvPDWMq8riMQ2XBZ8vn-4T9wGFBlMULw2PnBiTfbADZLpPK0fCDnPYFc8O_nnJ2FpLFxzUtMS9W44bkoNEkhQkSubI56OtSBnENa5Zib4iIrZxqW-KC0aqV8bjyKpMEdFU0/s1600/IMG_20200324_163153.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-Yhqus95JvPDWMq8riMQ2XBZ8vn-4T9wGFBlMULw2PnBiTfbADZLpPK0fCDnPYFc8O_nnJ2FpLFxzUtMS9W44bkoNEkhQkSubI56OtSBnENa5Zib4iIrZxqW-KC0aqV8bjyKpMEdFU0/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_163153.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is what the logwood looks like going on first: it shows not black but red or yellow instead.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAFLPOWMNK-sNFxZkh_8C16mQNFZ4xdcKZW3S-GxKSPKFjW3kLyVcsOhCtG_No52mevTuesrNyxklUkIbuboaIIKEPc1L-iqn-7yR70xJ1x1c89QjQTOOF0NZha2D37ipIwgRJiczIRU/s1600/IMG_20200324_164629.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAFLPOWMNK-sNFxZkh_8C16mQNFZ4xdcKZW3S-GxKSPKFjW3kLyVcsOhCtG_No52mevTuesrNyxklUkIbuboaIIKEPc1L-iqn-7yR70xJ1x1c89QjQTOOF0NZha2D37ipIwgRJiczIRU/w640-h480/IMG_20200324_164629.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The mordant fixes and colours the dye--you can see it becoming black where I've brushed it on. The coverage is a bit motley at first, but by the time I do a number of alternate coats (dye-mordant-dye-mordant-dye, with a few minutes' drying time between), the colour evens out nicely.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>When the dyeing is done, I leave things to dry overnight and then next morning carefully wash the dyed areas with cold water and a toothbrush, to remove any traces of free dyestuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't take any photos of the finished dye job specifically, but you will see the result just a little farther along in this post, when I apply a finish to the neck and peg box. For now, I want to move along to the next job: giving the fingerboard a final shape, and setting the final action.</div><div><br /></div><div>You might remember my description of the tedium of shaping the fingerboard when I originally did it, in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/04/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">episode 16 of this series</a>. At that time--just before finishing out and varnishing the body--I left the lute's action about 0.1mm higher (measured at the 8th fret) than I want the action ultimately to be. This was to help account for any possible movement of wood and consequent change in the lute's action during the varnishing process. Even under normal circumstances wood never really stops moving and changing shape, but there are a couple of reasons to be wary of it during this time: first, the fingerboard had been glued on only fairly recently, and might still have been settling into its final shape; and second, the UV booth I use to cure the varnish--in which the lute is kept for around two solid weeks--is a fairly warm and fairly low-humidity environment. Both of these circumstances call for caution in shaping the fingerboard and setting the action. It's a lot easier to leave the action provisionally high a very small amount and then lower it later, than it is to try to find room to raise the action if, as often happens, the lute comes out of the light box with a slightly lower action than when it went in.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any case, I always find it a good precaution to leave the lute for as long as possible before working on it after taking it out of the light box (or indeed after a major gluing job such as the fingerboard), just to let it settle into shape in the ambient humidity of the workshop (40-45% r.h.) The process of cutting the rebate for the peg box, then making and fitting the chanterelle tuner and bass rider, gluing up, and dyeing, takes I would say at least a week; and that's enough time for things to have settled reasonably well, and for me to move on to the final shaping work.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDQBcNZUpFn3_K_ol_ROM33MuYk4_3CxCaAOXHqVUuoxbGtQXqenzmzmGGwe3u5-nib9Ku6hGZ2YFMvTVMBk7OtGbSun16wAs_oGXbzz3EPN9AgF_MgUVjhuOgE1Fx4m3x-zhznYlIYU/s2048/IMG_20200326_124533.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDQBcNZUpFn3_K_ol_ROM33MuYk4_3CxCaAOXHqVUuoxbGtQXqenzmzmGGwe3u5-nib9Ku6hGZ2YFMvTVMBk7OtGbSun16wAs_oGXbzz3EPN9AgF_MgUVjhuOgE1Fx4m3x-zhznYlIYU/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_124533.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mask off the entire belly against ebony dust. I lay down masking tape across the 'belly tongue,' then cover the rest with paper towel.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NkrqpTN4SpzpHImWPZjGqJ3T8MG8etyYwBR_t10bhGZgy8XY-M-foawM7dxRf6C8CXMhwVJWp3irCkgY3GwfAlF6ZGuH-eIWmKDxIOKydx2DHhYG57wrEWGEch9aFvzJuiWnBxtXEg8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSA0YN9Wfaxo3JxVDbUpAxoTxSu8gC931WoIZtMf_MbyZ3Y7wbShd6m-My5G8XlKAnj_8A0zj_7RYfcSojyOZpzMTII3Q7B0lfEm5ohjJLXak7d5RXnhxb8RluzzxlNTM8topcPhkPvQ/s2048/IMG_20200326_125047.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSA0YN9Wfaxo3JxVDbUpAxoTxSu8gC931WoIZtMf_MbyZ3Y7wbShd6m-My5G8XlKAnj_8A0zj_7RYfcSojyOZpzMTII3Q7B0lfEm5ohjJLXak7d5RXnhxb8RluzzxlNTM8topcPhkPvQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_125047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A cutout for the bridge allows me to string nylon fishing line on the first eight courses, and the 12th course. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I string lines only on the top eight because those are the only courses that are fingered (with rare exceptions, I am told) in the baroque lute's repertoire. It's not that the rest of the courses that cross the fingerboard are ignored--I will be keeping a close eye on the longitudinal flatness of the fingerboard under those courses--but I am not so concerned to know their specific stringheights. (I string the 12th course, by the way, because I want to see how the things are going to line up on the bass rider.) </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6vM8E-iRnpG4c6z1C_b7U_lQAoDxFFS61J8fJG2HSPJqEquo43vz0Og6925m8VnD4r9qW_UsL5OO3I-S_77btaGCLqixQPtTiQi5SGupUu3UykzNACXu5xO7KeCdBTV8mdBoVXRxKLU/s2048/IMG_20200326_130549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6vM8E-iRnpG4c6z1C_b7U_lQAoDxFFS61J8fJG2HSPJqEquo43vz0Og6925m8VnD4r9qW_UsL5OO3I-S_77btaGCLqixQPtTiQi5SGupUu3UykzNACXu5xO7KeCdBTV8mdBoVXRxKLU/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_130549.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you've looked at <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/04/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">episode 16</a>, then you'll already be familiar with this drill. Stretch the fishing line over a 1.6mm thick spacer at the first fret, then measure the height of the string above the fingerboard at the 8th fret with a spacer of appropriate thickness.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUHEH9BDeY6TpVwfOD2tocUzSVvLtBH3qz61AR2EU7_T_kPt3LGz3IPeH3chRe_qv2Z2Ya2rH5nJJ2V8JDsm1qFLUvbNmsxFNxcoXIEtIZ2jTapNIjkNRWIBOUg5DCtgVqHzzmC8C8n8/s2048/IMG_20200326_130555+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUHEH9BDeY6TpVwfOD2tocUzSVvLtBH3qz61AR2EU7_T_kPt3LGz3IPeH3chRe_qv2Z2Ya2rH5nJJ2V8JDsm1qFLUvbNmsxFNxcoXIEtIZ2jTapNIjkNRWIBOUg5DCtgVqHzzmC8C8n8/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_130555+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've made a set of these carefully-thicknessed spacer pieces just for the purpose. I find that having them a few centimetres long, rather than short blocks, makes them much easier to use, especially on the curved fingerboard of the baroque lute. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHOyf3iTaw72V8zrB_If2eUs17cbR6ELIhZfDuYI_2HdtaVh9gYI8H811WC3GGWPPHiKZwOf6HDFaqzdQMya1zv4ywA3ZvOy6JYIVBk3w7i_7LoJfUgZgceW8A1gRfFy4B9HQE7PyijA/s2048/IMG_20200326_132026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHOyf3iTaw72V8zrB_If2eUs17cbR6ELIhZfDuYI_2HdtaVh9gYI8H811WC3GGWPPHiKZwOf6HDFaqzdQMya1zv4ywA3ZvOy6JYIVBk3w7i_7LoJfUgZgceW8A1gRfFy4B9HQE7PyijA/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_132026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how I keep an eye on the flatness of the fingerboard: draw an array of lines exactly under each of the courses; set my straightedge upon each one, and sight along the bottom with strong back lighting; and then mark the high spots, and flatten them very carefully, with scrapers and sanding blocks. It's also important that the course lines be integrated with their fellows to create a smooth curve across the fingerboard.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6pKPXiFyRdmuTSAWHptThqu7C4A-FqkEKE4Y7ghLPFFJGNwzUpk93uVJU9O7rSvNPwTQY8BoghmzxTTbs8Rz9olZFx-xiQifC2oLJuVEHWUrgl5Zcth9P0Mw3akjLoLCl0a-i9Zv5sM/s2048/IMG_20200326_131040.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6pKPXiFyRdmuTSAWHptThqu7C4A-FqkEKE4Y7ghLPFFJGNwzUpk93uVJU9O7rSvNPwTQY8BoghmzxTTbs8Rz9olZFx-xiQifC2oLJuVEHWUrgl5Zcth9P0Mw3akjLoLCl0a-i9Zv5sM/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_131040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are my final action numbers. The fingerboard is also reasonably flat in long section, and nicely curved in cross section. I am now ready to erase my pencil lines and numbers, and move on to finishing out the neck and peg box.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYspNsVSF_EQL4_ZGX1ZhII6F1nSjxJQ6R2AFQOaeUHP7aYwnrgJm2forCrsk3X2gN-JqSPwdSnsRsqlWEilTtI1E99e1ScXslyb0K51yD6e0edF1rkk2IXcL6AzOMXzvQAI_f_d7yWM/s2048/IMG_20200326_150219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYspNsVSF_EQL4_ZGX1ZhII6F1nSjxJQ6R2AFQOaeUHP7aYwnrgJm2forCrsk3X2gN-JqSPwdSnsRsqlWEilTtI1E99e1ScXslyb0K51yD6e0edF1rkk2IXcL6AzOMXzvQAI_f_d7yWM/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_150219.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is accomplished with files, scrapers, and a piece of shave grass that I've cut open, flattened and stuck to a cork block with double-sided tape. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIMtxO6WxxeE8joQyBYW0OW1EH_VcIHbQsPVn2Qqs1QAbjWNZrFv8VSlxK2KqSIMY_dzs0h5-DrDnq1S6KNBeOlVU1HqHYXoaU4h7LASuWY3mDH_mfyevGZJ4y8cwY4hVuxFvXVs0_eo/s2048/IMG_20200326_150257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIMtxO6WxxeE8joQyBYW0OW1EH_VcIHbQsPVn2Qqs1QAbjWNZrFv8VSlxK2KqSIMY_dzs0h5-DrDnq1S6KNBeOlVU1HqHYXoaU4h7LASuWY3mDH_mfyevGZJ4y8cwY4hVuxFvXVs0_eo/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_150257.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few minutes of work with this gives the back of the neck and peg box a very warm, sleek feel. <br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNVDc0eqGcMM07SQIkW91zWWzNsxNEIMiInS9sEHSmOwatKAH2dIoK7OO3fie1xTtNBLCVxo_99XlH1j1egzrZMod30VjJrPR-khIIQYWgraSwsZHADRZieKn8HhBBr31NEOLoxHjlb4/s2048/IMG_20200326_152032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNVDc0eqGcMM07SQIkW91zWWzNsxNEIMiInS9sEHSmOwatKAH2dIoK7OO3fie1xTtNBLCVxo_99XlH1j1egzrZMod30VjJrPR-khIIQYWgraSwsZHADRZieKn8HhBBr31NEOLoxHjlb4/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_152032.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't touch the dyed parts in this finishing out stage, but I do give the peg box cheeks a careful going-over. (By the way, there turned out to be a nice, crisp line between the dyed bass rider and the pear peg box cheek. Same with the chanterelle tuner on the other side.)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQz1kTpM9AShR_hLEP7eikZFgeJQXRiQRwUd8Ob3yOps7jbrROj8nXDK26SQw0d8ir-SbvruO_qRtEnWGBSpPW702VIiUISOKrPPgw0Obi_wumFstH76wOs2rejMLDYUhnLrHbixxBFk/s2048/IMG_20200326_152706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQz1kTpM9AShR_hLEP7eikZFgeJQXRiQRwUd8Ob3yOps7jbrROj8nXDK26SQw0d8ir-SbvruO_qRtEnWGBSpPW702VIiUISOKrPPgw0Obi_wumFstH76wOs2rejMLDYUhnLrHbixxBFk/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_152706.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the final stages of finishing out is to chamfer lightly all the inner and outer edges of the peg box with a very fine (#4) file.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW1PzDTnZnaV6bmXlxkn5U7fqEDMS2c-4xzx02Oa4UD8R9NQuGpK5FzHRqSk9_oPjD_xkgHolfFC-jvnOMt0wMYpvjculpaLqZUmFkMDHy7KuE_Di423H_zpntdfciLr1RKTQTxlwasM/s2048/IMG_20200326_153205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW1PzDTnZnaV6bmXlxkn5U7fqEDMS2c-4xzx02Oa4UD8R9NQuGpK5FzHRqSk9_oPjD_xkgHolfFC-jvnOMt0wMYpvjculpaLqZUmFkMDHy7KuE_Di423H_zpntdfciLr1RKTQTxlwasM/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_153205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do this not only for the 'finished' look I get, but also to rid the lute of any edges and corners that might stab, slice, or otherwise maim the player. (And yes, I have seen and held lutes with such features.) On the tip of this peg box, for instance, I've not only chamfered the edges of the veneers, but also docked each corner with a single stroke of the file. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9QzpOS6dZ66AJQjjcTBz8tclR7pgPTzHvF1g6yGm1nefqC2M3q6rI00tI85ltN0dxLtEyOeKDyhSS3MV2oO-l4ZWV_SEtO-LV0bh9miyUe85LixC5oddQS4HW7tq5bcBJn-DpCf2Vfg/s2048/IMG_20200326_161814.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9QzpOS6dZ66AJQjjcTBz8tclR7pgPTzHvF1g6yGm1nefqC2M3q6rI00tI85ltN0dxLtEyOeKDyhSS3MV2oO-l4ZWV_SEtO-LV0bh9miyUe85LixC5oddQS4HW7tq5bcBJn-DpCf2Vfg/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_161814.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At long last, it's time to apply a finish to the neck and peg box. I begin by masking off the body...</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PM4jlgxA2L7Fml0C6_GY9nyxkZ5Ig4nQ0H-mVWQjZKNFCv88ks-pRlwP39NkG2iLOylEdisJGcE2ZRGmYpchy_rwYwKD4VyQVaGp6IORvw1tRQGhl6PV9e6E1CTWf0YsciEejm6NX84/s2048/IMG_20200326_162031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PM4jlgxA2L7Fml0C6_GY9nyxkZ5Ig4nQ0H-mVWQjZKNFCv88ks-pRlwP39NkG2iLOylEdisJGcE2ZRGmYpchy_rwYwKD4VyQVaGp6IORvw1tRQGhl6PV9e6E1CTWf0YsciEejm6NX84/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_162031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">... and the belly. By the way, don't feel bad about the fingerboard points not being oiled along with the fingerboard. They have already received a finish, along with the belly, prior to varnishing: the one-two-punch of casein size and marienglas ground coat, <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/05/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">described in episode 17 of this series</a>. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxWpdQDUDeMhI7k3-52OIFqpH0N9DS495ppfUYJRjRTcvkSU1es2nHLoD5E-XDNIdW5Nx75fV6w4p3m64pgtLmvXrX3TupSdJIaLs2ICSV0DIe4bADBvMXPBjhL6-ZBLhMdG3ZJNUjL0/s2048/IMG_20200326_173314.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxWpdQDUDeMhI7k3-52OIFqpH0N9DS495ppfUYJRjRTcvkSU1es2nHLoD5E-XDNIdW5Nx75fV6w4p3m64pgtLmvXrX3TupSdJIaLs2ICSV0DIe4bADBvMXPBjhL6-ZBLhMdG3ZJNUjL0/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_173314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My finish for the neck and peg box is Tried and True (T&T) oil. I brush a fairly conservative coat on neck veneer first, then turn over and do the same with the fingerboard. I then wipe away the excess with soft cotton cloths. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOyA8vgfWdp0pFYGnHL1bcDrpE3s0me2UD_h7rp3Q0v_Jgd7MbdJzPowQ9vi8dZ4SoRU2hbI-cv_Z2KtR5uAZp1TtEamuIGcvUm_tIZTbnX_WChxHY_QlP_Jrwou2C2ts1Zn6ggchsPo/s2048/IMG_20200326_173337.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOyA8vgfWdp0pFYGnHL1bcDrpE3s0me2UD_h7rp3Q0v_Jgd7MbdJzPowQ9vi8dZ4SoRU2hbI-cv_Z2KtR5uAZp1TtEamuIGcvUm_tIZTbnX_WChxHY_QlP_Jrwou2C2ts1Zn6ggchsPo/w480-h640/IMG_20200326_173337.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once I've completed a coat on the neck veneer and fingerboard, I move on to the peg box. I cover the inside of the box first, then the outer surfaces, including the bass rider and chanterelle tuner.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>You can see in the photo above that the logwood-dyed pear looks a little cold before oiling--an almost blue-black. But the T&T Oil really warms up the colour, and once the oiling is complete, the chanterelle tuner and bass rider match the ebony veneers really well. The result, after polishing with soft cotton, is positively sumptuous.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDloV6ZnRiehUVHaUktMs7ub0soFwNRQ5jaRsL-jL7-8-nR4VqnoHY2-o39v5Y-ljAxClOnMJ93w1fTiKh9SLNlAULrS3yaQ4RHAbJXufcI-AOrckTG5HgqzSLitI0RirMdJvG6BmY_8c/s2048/IMG_20200326_175344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDloV6ZnRiehUVHaUktMs7ub0soFwNRQ5jaRsL-jL7-8-nR4VqnoHY2-o39v5Y-ljAxClOnMJ93w1fTiKh9SLNlAULrS3yaQ4RHAbJXufcI-AOrckTG5HgqzSLitI0RirMdJvG6BmY_8c/w480-h640/IMG_20200326_175344.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJo4ix8hJu7tFJnri1H1QEOQcEdhIjHcMpw6y56MProZL_4ZpSB5-ZPvJHU97DGZFYx-eM5oFK1ZWuq0ikWeeLBeFuXar5pLc6heldJjElkKpcRgLf4wcpN8Hhnd-S2VQQmUjvtpPcfA/s2048/IMG_20200326_175352.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJo4ix8hJu7tFJnri1H1QEOQcEdhIjHcMpw6y56MProZL_4ZpSB5-ZPvJHU97DGZFYx-eM5oFK1ZWuq0ikWeeLBeFuXar5pLc6heldJjElkKpcRgLf4wcpN8Hhnd-S2VQQmUjvtpPcfA/w640-h480/IMG_20200326_175352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll remove the masking and hang this lute overnight in the light box, so that the oil finish has a chance to firm up before I move on. Next stage is fitting the pegs, which--along with a few other items, perhaps--will be the subject of my next post.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-19428911376910333672020-08-10T23:08:00.001-07:002020-08-11T19:30:10.055-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 21: Fitting and Shaping the Bass Rider; Gluing in the Peg BoxHello friends--welcome back to the ongoing tale of a 13 course lute. In our last episode, I fitted the pegbox, and glued and carved-in the chanterelle tuner. Today, I shall finish the pegbox installation by making, fitting and carving the bass rider, and then gluing the completed peg box into the neck.<br />
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I make the bass rider of quarter-sawn pear, the same material that I've used for the peg box and the chanterelle tuner. The piece I've selected is a couple of millimetres thicker than the finished dimension. There's enough material in this piece for two bass riders, so I'll trace them out back-to-back and rough in both at the same time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUSaQJJNJPKR6VYCoZgfdjZeI2lKkeJVsX_IKBmkPj_qxpGb6U-vSY8yGn8WaI2tw0rc9_spjJdMGGRzGMLFbEPvjKh8c8YMiq4_dbPBSxTsXvPAUlvbfiV-z_Pwioj2Ur3Gfb_Rw64g/s1600/IMG_20200225_131356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUSaQJJNJPKR6VYCoZgfdjZeI2lKkeJVsX_IKBmkPj_qxpGb6U-vSY8yGn8WaI2tw0rc9_spjJdMGGRzGMLFbEPvjKh8c8YMiq4_dbPBSxTsXvPAUlvbfiV-z_Pwioj2Ur3Gfb_Rw64g/s640/IMG_20200225_131356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My template has locations for peg holes and for some larger radii within the pattern that I will drill out with forstner bits.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm15ANCjOjgQExrhge7xxLWyrvWb8BAQqiAXA61XSESi754UTaClrBapusyY9GoPnLBKSxvalNoDdmf6xboj3TyNlKWOSyOBXbDZ02ormtIOPMGEPQPel7rhLcweYzZsSpi6T_26fLkM/s1600/IMG_20200225_142036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm15ANCjOjgQExrhge7xxLWyrvWb8BAQqiAXA61XSESi754UTaClrBapusyY9GoPnLBKSxvalNoDdmf6xboj3TyNlKWOSyOBXbDZ02ormtIOPMGEPQPel7rhLcweYzZsSpi6T_26fLkM/s640/IMG_20200225_142036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've screwed my blank down to a backing plate for a couple of reasons. First, I have to be able to drill through the material and into something beneath, so that the drill won't splinter out the backside of the piece. Second, I want to be able to clamp and hold the piece securely so it doesn't become a nasty out-of-control helicopter when I start drilling (I've seen it happen.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOGLz0lcMgIuY6qiwFdTbbMR50tYle0GMW-f8nAfCfqoDZRjxhiuTf6tyq2neKhlQBwn6zKWqsNaQchNIwpCqKf3GRloJUnQBDhOIpnRM6EjJfKJXl_JCHotp1TB76wpl-D5jeuLMxGU/s1600/IMG_20200225_143720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOGLz0lcMgIuY6qiwFdTbbMR50tYle0GMW-f8nAfCfqoDZRjxhiuTf6tyq2neKhlQBwn6zKWqsNaQchNIwpCqKf3GRloJUnQBDhOIpnRM6EjJfKJXl_JCHotp1TB76wpl-D5jeuLMxGU/s640/IMG_20200225_143720.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The backing board is clamped securely to the drill press table.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uRoSQGSgd9ZjZKnk-l4apdggHI8Zq13FgxG_KCRkAcOQNOH1wx7wgD2yphEA4tvz2B1hyNYEj_XvBeuIEo93oamV4tOcDytrCuVc7VbOsohihvoJIiRzfpz318GgjLQPtoJQKBCu7Hw/s1600/IMG_20200227_130230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uRoSQGSgd9ZjZKnk-l4apdggHI8Zq13FgxG_KCRkAcOQNOH1wx7wgD2yphEA4tvz2B1hyNYEj_XvBeuIEo93oamV4tOcDytrCuVc7VbOsohihvoJIiRzfpz318GgjLQPtoJQKBCu7Hw/s640/IMG_20200227_130230.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The pear is pretty tough material, and there's a lot of thickness to get through. To ease the stress on both the drill press and the bit, I take small cuts and lift the bit up frequently, and rub wax on the sides of the bit.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekD7KzO2d-wrB-rAZSZnm4G-uNDCrtWp7OPlQqdNcl7UMUWYmtOF3CEe6ofQ0i66C_IiGyrMWClTehy-WxfvP6yEXPxvXoOVfQoDeY-GyDFsLmCQzuslJpQ5R8NXX2sfdChbTHzBEysU/s1600/IMG_20200227_135308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekD7KzO2d-wrB-rAZSZnm4G-uNDCrtWp7OPlQqdNcl7UMUWYmtOF3CEe6ofQ0i66C_IiGyrMWClTehy-WxfvP6yEXPxvXoOVfQoDeY-GyDFsLmCQzuslJpQ5R8NXX2sfdChbTHzBEysU/s640/IMG_20200227_135308.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With all the peg holes and radii drilled, I use a coping saw to remove material from the teardrop cutout.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzJ6H1T2f8rMgaRMxeEyix8RCHTWf0BXxd8nE8TSLUxkxHwQPAj8HznMDJpaELMgq6cshuid5jLHRK8IaGVqGYd4SF5-oJAP_naouE8k5isGdJD8mn6K9VEuZTmwssX0y2Ibmu1RuKtQ/s1600/IMG_20200227_154527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzJ6H1T2f8rMgaRMxeEyix8RCHTWf0BXxd8nE8TSLUxkxHwQPAj8HznMDJpaELMgq6cshuid5jLHRK8IaGVqGYd4SF5-oJAP_naouE8k5isGdJD8mn6K9VEuZTmwssX0y2Ibmu1RuKtQ/s640/IMG_20200227_154527.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I can cut out one of the blanks on the band saw, and get to work shaping it in the swivel vise. I use a chisel to shape most of the outer profile, cutting in from both sides across the width of the piece. For the cutout, I use knives and a small gouge. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0GoRMrdLW7-XcuzseLIjnHP9N6u1LkP_HkpXddDnG7hiGoH7oXVkaPoAyW8Zd20FTatLrYSdD4w8C6HFrvNJ-F9Cj4fvS0c5UFN1MhCuLkaIH8JHCrR5HwNJRIgqy0nYrbCHSDfTZHo/s1600/IMG_20200227_154541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0GoRMrdLW7-XcuzseLIjnHP9N6u1LkP_HkpXddDnG7hiGoH7oXVkaPoAyW8Zd20FTatLrYSdD4w8C6HFrvNJ-F9Cj4fvS0c5UFN1MhCuLkaIH8JHCrR5HwNJRIgqy0nYrbCHSDfTZHo/s640/IMG_20200227_154541.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The overall shape looks pretty good for now. I've used my template to mark the approximate depth of the inside of the pegbox, and the approximate contours of the sides and foot.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7sOc_SCbsueE5IWESbsc9BB4Sb4TOTTB0qVTcbgGG0zEmyGYWkNsJ0-qnKVi0zSxwE_vzoEAqkfZmhNfgsWT7_Oxn-AC0a1WmSAvk2gGVgMBB5KbzeM_oJUJ50pqg5I6lZXtHVEZ9sU/s1600/IMG_20200316_140135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7sOc_SCbsueE5IWESbsc9BB4Sb4TOTTB0qVTcbgGG0zEmyGYWkNsJ0-qnKVi0zSxwE_vzoEAqkfZmhNfgsWT7_Oxn-AC0a1WmSAvk2gGVgMBB5KbzeM_oJUJ50pqg5I6lZXtHVEZ9sU/s640/IMG_20200316_140135.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now it's time to fit up the peg box temporarily, and see how the bass rider should align on it. This is my basic gluing rig for peg boxes (you'll see it in action when I glue the peg box at the end of this post.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis8qdCJrQfT1HDiAHuqDIDkwG4f1u75gs9iSb8jmeIo8HnLzyGBSH6eP4dOEV6-5lGRKTHJ7JySZOZV-WRSrQKccIV9wrutp3LLSD3bkKlX8g1BrMwwTvOzupXUjlphizstJtWkAj_VM/s1600/IMG_20200316_145936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis8qdCJrQfT1HDiAHuqDIDkwG4f1u75gs9iSb8jmeIo8HnLzyGBSH6eP4dOEV6-5lGRKTHJ7JySZOZV-WRSrQKccIV9wrutp3LLSD3bkKlX8g1BrMwwTvOzupXUjlphizstJtWkAj_VM/s640/IMG_20200316_145936.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a fairly good idea of how the bass rider fits on the peg box of the original Schelle lute in Paris, since I'm working with some very nice photographs of that instrument taken by Grant Tomlinson (as you'll see below.) However, I still need to clamp it to the peg box and stretch a string from the bridge to check its alignment, in both the horizontal and vertical axes, and adjust the position as needed.</span></td></tr>
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One of the great advantages of the Schelle peg box-bass rider combination is that, unlike other peg box-bass rider pairs of the era, this one does not slope to the side. Instead, because the peg box is made over-wide and extends out the bass side about 10mm, the bass rider sits in direct alignment with the bass side peg box cheek, and there is virtually no torque being applied by the 12th and 13th course strings. In my experience it's a much more stable arrangement than some other examples I can name--one being the 13c Burkholtzer in the Vienna KHM. I've never personally examined the Burkholtzer lute, but from the photos below I get the impression that the bass rider may have drifted outward somewhat over the years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6UAr4PxTF4ouRKensjktsrqWd3XY17irX7wM8KX1-3e1qQPkBp8O9vFbZQEBhZ5vhZtSsQjPtNTE42qT8azvMDgvpwtC_h5OG2LF4B9Zk0Xl1R8G9rSJQ0SOayqPvtpX7K7BkGSdf6Y/s1600/IMG_20180921_085819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6UAr4PxTF4ouRKensjktsrqWd3XY17irX7wM8KX1-3e1qQPkBp8O9vFbZQEBhZ5vhZtSsQjPtNTE42qT8azvMDgvpwtC_h5OG2LF4B9Zk0Xl1R8G9rSJQ0SOayqPvtpX7K7BkGSdf6Y/s640/IMG_20180921_085819.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Photo by Robert Lundberg, JLSA XXXII, 1999, p.42</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnJfxtISpSNgSNI3OftV9HUhUqA3-VvQ99vsYfsSi-SicLmWY-JrX4qXU_grS-TqZZa068outFTllQEh1nLNsDzkpmKppBlfTkEIVU7jWtGYKqcWTT2MQLYEfF5UzkWhNO4NYN1ChIGA/s1600/IMG_20180921_085546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnJfxtISpSNgSNI3OftV9HUhUqA3-VvQ99vsYfsSi-SicLmWY-JrX4qXU_grS-TqZZa068outFTllQEh1nLNsDzkpmKppBlfTkEIVU7jWtGYKqcWTT2MQLYEfF5UzkWhNO4NYN1ChIGA/s640/IMG_20180921_085546.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Photo by Stephen Gottlieb, courtesy Grant Tomlinson</span></td></tr>
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Perhaps I'm wrong and it hasn't moved a hair since it was built, but in any case it seems to me that such an arrangement is very vulnerable, an accident waiting to happen. Such an accident did, in fact, happen to an instrument based on the Burkholtzer belonging to a friend of mine, and he sent it to me to fix. My repair involved figuring out a way of removing the bass rider's tilt and straightening it out to improve its strength, somewhat like the Schelle bass rider. You can read about my solution to the problem here: <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2018/09/a-bass-rider-fix-for-nelson.html"> A Bass Rider Fix, For Nelson.</a><i> </i><br />
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Back to the task at hand. With the bass rider clamped to the peg box and aligned carefully, I am able to mark out locations both on the peg box cheek and the bottom of the bass rider. Then I can lay out the basic contours of the cheeks, and start carving out the recess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8tw2zJCvY5mrGdTccgIsud2rWl4IYwTmdYjalGJTvc454C_DkckrrO7PR88r5H3jaBfohs-BGaTzoO222s2CzpgRabU5Af31QPtWm8_FjSfQTUzxrnGMjT4xwYlNaf-S4JGeQaTMWOI/s1600/IMG_20200317_105650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8tw2zJCvY5mrGdTccgIsud2rWl4IYwTmdYjalGJTvc454C_DkckrrO7PR88r5H3jaBfohs-BGaTzoO222s2CzpgRabU5Af31QPtWm8_FjSfQTUzxrnGMjT4xwYlNaf-S4JGeQaTMWOI/s640/IMG_20200317_105650.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I set up the rider in a portable vise in the drill press, and drill a number of holes to a certain depth.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMGSFB9SMWNTCTabIIoC82b5zm_OlHKcnyVY5QH2KiJHr3w-uRFFLQ_wbbW5KB4x1HU2IgDTL-ig9UZYyz7zqXnCyQAu2KtvC8B1l-fesLYumedJ2-c7h1nic9pMNIIc9-67DJAj7yX4/s1600/IMG_20200317_111702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMGSFB9SMWNTCTabIIoC82b5zm_OlHKcnyVY5QH2KiJHr3w-uRFFLQ_wbbW5KB4x1HU2IgDTL-ig9UZYyz7zqXnCyQAu2KtvC8B1l-fesLYumedJ2-c7h1nic9pMNIIc9-67DJAj7yX4/s640/IMG_20200317_111702.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remove most of the material with gouges.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmorkdz0G87BcugPMUOHPhy81R-jufgy9Op_5_SCCeZVRJG4L4yuWVs1AGlrblZPJoIM1bfkkX-o1cfX2GFxOMH7iZ510G28VkyfkJl08uD-fCokVX1a-foGVoyQ3hkdQz9tanSHnGK-Q/s1600/IMG_20200317_133955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmorkdz0G87BcugPMUOHPhy81R-jufgy9Op_5_SCCeZVRJG4L4yuWVs1AGlrblZPJoIM1bfkkX-o1cfX2GFxOMH7iZ510G28VkyfkJl08uD-fCokVX1a-foGVoyQ3hkdQz9tanSHnGK-Q/s640/IMG_20200317_133955.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually I can work with small flat chisels to square up the sides and bottom.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbb_olmQHdVccZepYejqLYmbFKkZuPQOZ2cmFodMHCm-4XQx1J15x6BnRwW-Iw5hGRmekyTZXks3uJH5FK_0Rs31UpQtERwkAMyVjawsOeJwJ-qmJLLPUpPyWebTPyxqynd-zXARlSrU/s1600/IMG_20200317_144234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbb_olmQHdVccZepYejqLYmbFKkZuPQOZ2cmFodMHCm-4XQx1J15x6BnRwW-Iw5hGRmekyTZXks3uJH5FK_0Rs31UpQtERwkAMyVjawsOeJwJ-qmJLLPUpPyWebTPyxqynd-zXARlSrU/s640/IMG_20200317_144234.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also cut and file a small channel, into which the nut will eventually be fit.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohDZI92soHRzI5VdJxkmsU4WFgyN9Nu1RmkiHMMeWj42szzsn6qEKNXzHigJsebYEX-1orerGzSsN8PJT80VxI1HZ5apA23WbznPOJI5baIsP3nFssSujKribeT8AlQ1hXgiDzppx9Rg/s1600/IMG_20200317_153532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohDZI92soHRzI5VdJxkmsU4WFgyN9Nu1RmkiHMMeWj42szzsn6qEKNXzHigJsebYEX-1orerGzSsN8PJT80VxI1HZ5apA23WbznPOJI5baIsP3nFssSujKribeT8AlQ1hXgiDzppx9Rg/s640/IMG_20200317_153532.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I remove as much excess material as possible, with flat chisels, gouges and knives. (It's much easier to do in the vise than after it's glued onto the peg box!) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WvfgnBuL6cDKpFrF5C745HrjVGkJRzCRMH526Vnf2TcJrZoJ_Wns85jhUiM3B_49YLVdwNEZIezt2sOyD1yTSWpBB3r89i2ALb6LvAfIstGkCspw2wwbarXZVaRimCWS9XwsXCdqbUw/s1600/IMG_20200318_121145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WvfgnBuL6cDKpFrF5C745HrjVGkJRzCRMH526Vnf2TcJrZoJ_Wns85jhUiM3B_49YLVdwNEZIezt2sOyD1yTSWpBB3r89i2ALb6LvAfIstGkCspw2wwbarXZVaRimCWS9XwsXCdqbUw/s640/IMG_20200318_121145.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The small violinmaker's knife with a curved blade allows for very good control when removing material. (Notice the little piece of dowel, which makes the bass rider a lot easier to hold in the vise.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoNmeDuQx5lZQbdSF__hErJQmhVjGlO1vUGD5o9CmLIkjPe-osxjn-WS71-2XxdUkJM8OUgca3_-2a5owIBT5UqGXeoDR-KS_uj5u8cxubj1p94FeQjfd-oKzhGJLT8wKtdGeiISmcOc/s1600/IMG_20200318_140932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoNmeDuQx5lZQbdSF__hErJQmhVjGlO1vUGD5o9CmLIkjPe-osxjn-WS71-2XxdUkJM8OUgca3_-2a5owIBT5UqGXeoDR-KS_uj5u8cxubj1p94FeQjfd-oKzhGJLT8wKtdGeiISmcOc/s640/IMG_20200318_140932.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my working shape--I've still got a ways to go, but I think it's good for gluing in.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wKWGw95r5ObpgqrfWr94awaGXdFz4ovOmPd-XXfMx1buVxRnaCal_AWT7JH3uDlU8rAdSUB4jv411v8xZhSf6gYy8UlKw_lShzqMudEAgPra0ombgy2udiNJHfPRJTQqX9nLjStVFgA/s1600/IMG_20200318_152944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wKWGw95r5ObpgqrfWr94awaGXdFz4ovOmPd-XXfMx1buVxRnaCal_AWT7JH3uDlU8rAdSUB4jv411v8xZhSf6gYy8UlKw_lShzqMudEAgPra0ombgy2udiNJHfPRJTQqX9nLjStVFgA/s640/IMG_20200318_152944.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fitting the bass rider into the peg box is a lot like fitting the chanterelle tuner, <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">which I described in last week's episode</a>: the slot is about 2.5mm deep, with the front edge square to the cheek, and the back edge angled slightly. I have chiseled out this area by hand, but will run over it with my dremel router and then clean it up with files and a chisel. (The block of wood inside the peg box provides a flat surface for the router to ride on.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6eOH82gbZF16oN14s5nwHyEWZnU1q9AHRDWtQZG-IsYjYHoYyvFUYSnC-zfaToW9_Z3WMXFZZXb5wPKtAIwxnavjkzs4sXuJ3-OZSPSMsiJqHfoXfFAUiSWXcFuu_5yU4-CC_y0_nvo/s1600/IMG_20200318_170211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6eOH82gbZF16oN14s5nwHyEWZnU1q9AHRDWtQZG-IsYjYHoYyvFUYSnC-zfaToW9_Z3WMXFZZXb5wPKtAIwxnavjkzs4sXuJ3-OZSPSMsiJqHfoXfFAUiSWXcFuu_5yU4-CC_y0_nvo/s640/IMG_20200318_170211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the channel cut and the rider fitted into it, I can check the alignment one more time before gluing up.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dkGe93_aHbJG-jcxvrKE9lpG0qffEzInXBuvEppFY79oxfIPv6DZv-m234GA2sCfBSA_AEVp8oC569o5CGOghtLathHmq1P-y-XEenZyAdCb8rH2PL2qFaYFVfQqkmQ1oMVY4ecS-XQ/s1600/IMG_20200318_170259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dkGe93_aHbJG-jcxvrKE9lpG0qffEzInXBuvEppFY79oxfIPv6DZv-m234GA2sCfBSA_AEVp8oC569o5CGOghtLathHmq1P-y-XEenZyAdCb8rH2PL2qFaYFVfQqkmQ1oMVY4ecS-XQ/s640/IMG_20200318_170259.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my nylon fishing line stretched from the position of the 12th course octave on the bridge. I know how far away I want that string to be from the 11th course bass string, and I know how high I want it to be in relation to the nut slot on the rider. This alignment looks good to me--I'm going to heat up my glue, and get this bass rider glued into the peg box.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioolUdDkHokkzlmaCbjFqsNYVn0kywEoKGkr1ZQltFzDemf_9Asslt62xIb70hNK3xX3-7pUemdcNAAYm6rIuYdd4hHv9Am9qn1mRcv3pcZJCVHTHDEsos21SeRvIcpNdyh9GJlgXevMQ/s1600/IMG_20200318_173707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioolUdDkHokkzlmaCbjFqsNYVn0kywEoKGkr1ZQltFzDemf_9Asslt62xIb70hNK3xX3-7pUemdcNAAYm6rIuYdd4hHv9Am9qn1mRcv3pcZJCVHTHDEsos21SeRvIcpNdyh9GJlgXevMQ/s640/IMG_20200318_173707.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are all the pieces. Along with three c-clamps, I've got a small piece of spruce to protect the front of the foot, and a small shaped caul that fits in the back end of the rider. There's also a thick piece of spruce on the back of the peg box, to protect it during clamping.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0OSZlQDduWLg7CNgsyQWM8q_mzFOs4LCuqzX7CZp6zvkVnprBm8tedEXwkDthDTBu8qzJDc3Xp8YTeFnZTlA-k3USRfKRx-1Ox99DyHj3R6qYud8RgAcrCMJZODSCrnDiD9nXbm0dNY/s1600/IMG_20200318_175125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0OSZlQDduWLg7CNgsyQWM8q_mzFOs4LCuqzX7CZp6zvkVnprBm8tedEXwkDthDTBu8qzJDc3Xp8YTeFnZTlA-k3USRfKRx-1Ox99DyHj3R6qYud8RgAcrCMJZODSCrnDiD9nXbm0dNY/s640/IMG_20200318_175125.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The length of the foot means that unlike the chanterelle tuner, the bass rider needs to be clamped in place.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzMcO8IwU7JVpC3-R9AGeiIKPF-mluLQsT2SY3z5tAAx0-8IBiv8UyHOJF9_FhknX_3D3jPTeYGmO-CUZR8Vds_oqWq9AcIWn0jFQmf-BdNP5l1RatTqFSo7CU08NrzWCbdSXRajVLd0/s1600/IMG_20200320_110954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzMcO8IwU7JVpC3-R9AGeiIKPF-mluLQsT2SY3z5tAAx0-8IBiv8UyHOJF9_FhknX_3D3jPTeYGmO-CUZR8Vds_oqWq9AcIWn0jFQmf-BdNP5l1RatTqFSo7CU08NrzWCbdSXRajVLd0/s640/IMG_20200320_110954.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the glue has dried and I've cleared the excess away next morning, I can carve the piece in. I hold it on a piece of leather in my lap and work mainly with the small, curved-blade violinmaker's knife across the grain. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlEHGg77oCqj1VplxJOrSfk1ZaBohpjGEgeqfUdRpJ_XHKtfJFkpOzqvYxpBG95Qv9kzUGzXV_gcBfhF5V1TYkrCEZbgadO8BbSdM6MIvMon2WVmvzl1MIASBa1itYV8AV0G9Z90B0L8/s1600/IMG_20200320_114635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlEHGg77oCqj1VplxJOrSfk1ZaBohpjGEgeqfUdRpJ_XHKtfJFkpOzqvYxpBG95Qv9kzUGzXV_gcBfhF5V1TYkrCEZbgadO8BbSdM6MIvMon2WVmvzl1MIASBa1itYV8AV0G9Z90B0L8/s640/IMG_20200320_114635.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like the textured surface I get with that knife--it allows me to see the developing shape pretty clearly, and I can get a good overall form before moving on to finishing tools.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLaWJNcCUZDd_jffV0SiXfzrkM4E0n6iHVkxSWVhWSxRwebKvIJNft0XUfixYvp7hdiXYSKB8mODEfKhW5YTzg1BeLJuSlwNGdKH55NJ9cMYzXWnU6fbQvxIOnHJ3qdTt8uBGNyx5iJg/s1600/IMG_20200320_140719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLaWJNcCUZDd_jffV0SiXfzrkM4E0n6iHVkxSWVhWSxRwebKvIJNft0XUfixYvp7hdiXYSKB8mODEfKhW5YTzg1BeLJuSlwNGdKH55NJ9cMYzXWnU6fbQvxIOnHJ3qdTt8uBGNyx5iJg/s640/IMG_20200320_140719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The tools I use for that part of the process are a set of Japanese finger rasps from Lee Valley Tools; fine files; and small curved scrapers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJx978OdOpczJgVwqnoxsdLLR9Oj-FVgUaEF99LMWZXUbrzsTrq1Qfp4C-kzg-tce4I5p0rCJAM2N_ldeQkZMWJ5tAz_YW3sZCghzfwCWyhSwi1EmCbJo2g4R-5CHosMqDzGV3q3R4JQ/s1600/IMG_20200320_123026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJx978OdOpczJgVwqnoxsdLLR9Oj-FVgUaEF99LMWZXUbrzsTrq1Qfp4C-kzg-tce4I5p0rCJAM2N_ldeQkZMWJ5tAz_YW3sZCghzfwCWyhSwi1EmCbJo2g4R-5CHosMqDzGV3q3R4JQ/s640/IMG_20200320_123026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like the finger rasps--they cut well but aren't too aggressive, and leave a nice surface that can be finished with scrapers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMa-c8KxiKZ19uO0czqnRHJ94jTuFO5aZ6goP7OnlJmVrokNOtTiA7eOtKscnRSyB5A0fy42UBVp2IcuiZWRe_RWtkdjtNdF5oSTZ4b9mZK_uIDVX9gYdWsFP7Q3V0nEOKbxKIwiPA3c/s1600/IMG_20200320_140645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMa-c8KxiKZ19uO0czqnRHJ94jTuFO5aZ6goP7OnlJmVrokNOtTiA7eOtKscnRSyB5A0fy42UBVp2IcuiZWRe_RWtkdjtNdF5oSTZ4b9mZK_uIDVX9gYdWsFP7Q3V0nEOKbxKIwiPA3c/s640/IMG_20200320_140645.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my result: I think it's an elegant shape. The front leg needs to balance lightness with strength, as do the cheeks, and the width of the rider must gracefully taper to width of the peg box cheek into which it's glued. In addition, that teardrop cutaway wants elegant curves and well-chamfered edges (and I quite like the way it mimics, a little, the shape of the chanterelle tuner on the far side of the peg box.)</span></td></tr>
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It's a lot of fun to sit down and carve something like this, and actually figure out the shape of the thing by doing it. It's a process of continual discovery, a period of intense looking and observing--turning the thing in your hands, adjusting the light source, seeing how the curves and recurves work and evolve, trying to get a sense of the overall visual and physical balance. It's a very satisfying experience, one of the most satisfying of my whole lute making practice.<br />
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Of course, I'm greatly assisted in this work by the set of photographs I have of the Paris Schelle, some of which you see in the photo above. These were taken by Grant Tomlinson on one of his European research trips in the 1970s and 1980s. It's been my privilege throughout my professional career as a lute maker to have had ready access to Grant's entire collection of his photographs of historical lutes. I've also benefitted immensely by having access to the notes Grant wrote on those trips for all the lutes that he examined. He looked at instruments in museum collections in England, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium; dozens and dozens of instruments altogether, a real treasure trove of information. Many of the dimensions of the lute I'm telling you about building were adapted from measurements that Grant took in his travels. And, of course, the photos are extremely helpful in puzzling out shapes and details. I owe Grant a ton; I owe Grant a house.<br />
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Let me ask you a question. After reading that last paragraph, are you not the least bit jealous of me, and the access I've had to all this wonderful information about historical lutes?<br />
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Well, you needn't be. At least, you'll only have to be jealous of me for a little while longer. A few years ago, Grant approached the Lute Society of America and offered to give it his archive: hundreds of photos, and hundreds of pages of hand-written notes, on dozens and dozens of historical lutes. The LSA accepted, and for a few years now, Grant and Phil Rukavina, the LSA's web master, have been toiling away at scanning the pages of Grant's notebook, digitizing photo negatives (many of which had never been printed before), and getting the results up online. I know that it's been a great deal of work, for both of them, and I know that not quite all the work is done yet. However... a little bird has told me that the work is finally nearing completion, and in a little while, the whole world of lute makers will have access to this invaluable resource. I don't yet have a date, but when the launch happens, I will let you know. So please stay tuned.<br />
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But enough talk! Back to lute making. What's left to do is get this peg box, with all its encrustations, onto the neck of the lute.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzYJ36kXmIuPRa_6yCRR5Hh63dccIPvLOJXEF3R_JZmfuLz2nE-BPROtN1T8SNa4H8jQloIvxfPoUekZCfu5rgbJ5WX1xfYSBalqwvohnEhyphenhyphend0XHVU3NCgrgEvujmFB-Q_0CWdWKTa7Q/s1600/IMG_20200320_145001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzYJ36kXmIuPRa_6yCRR5Hh63dccIPvLOJXEF3R_JZmfuLz2nE-BPROtN1T8SNa4H8jQloIvxfPoUekZCfu5rgbJ5WX1xfYSBalqwvohnEhyphenhyphend0XHVU3NCgrgEvujmFB-Q_0CWdWKTa7Q/s640/IMG_20200320_145001.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've sized a number of times, with hot glue size, the base of the peg box, and the rebate for the peg box in the neck of the lute. When that size has dried--next morning--I re-flatten the peg box and re-fit it in the rebate. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LyzTOw0tMVRzRZwHsHDNRYtwTGRBM098LR2RynxioKk5UOUxQFx5_N3secRiuAtLbs6XBMHoq4FTbDH2FvDgfMEXU0djQqW7k-4M9xqbvVwaeqO5Mh-ImADznwtAlFNjOAmwFObfSL4/s1600/IMG_20200320_150409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LyzTOw0tMVRzRZwHsHDNRYtwTGRBM098LR2RynxioKk5UOUxQFx5_N3secRiuAtLbs6XBMHoq4FTbDH2FvDgfMEXU0djQqW7k-4M9xqbvVwaeqO5Mh-ImADznwtAlFNjOAmwFObfSL4/s640/IMG_20200320_150409.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My final fit. I'll warm up my glue, and get set up.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1tMr0eoiPXZUqYKOA2PeydPZPlgRs5IaKetfA2tnmmpFGFkk4FcCPtsJUUni9CcA-kq6bT-od5wRAqHa5vNC0Ru7MPGxMAqPjanxM0WhyQrTDV_q1nBUf-WfFBBA3-bWKwk-TGrQ60E/s1600/IMG_20200320_150811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1tMr0eoiPXZUqYKOA2PeydPZPlgRs5IaKetfA2tnmmpFGFkk4FcCPtsJUUni9CcA-kq6bT-od5wRAqHa5vNC0Ru7MPGxMAqPjanxM0WhyQrTDV_q1nBUf-WfFBBA3-bWKwk-TGrQ60E/s640/IMG_20200320_150811.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my peg box gluing jig: just a piece of ply with cork lining the underside, and an angled block screwed on. I use the jig for pretty much all my peg box gluing jobs--depending on the lute, I'll swap out the block for one with a different angle. I also need to adjust the distance of the block from the end of the neck, again, depending on the lute.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs4vFf3yT_AKBGjFfxeSC6STKWakCHnLUO8qTCP73lh9OUVRgr-47VmK7U3pGQ7OiNACxPdFPJopTGnSxxnElurgod3mIXNfVYlkerwGbYbYkt15-REZyUU_Dk6Ecbq76K3n5r-rjgp0/s1600/IMG_20200320_151101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs4vFf3yT_AKBGjFfxeSC6STKWakCHnLUO8qTCP73lh9OUVRgr-47VmK7U3pGQ7OiNACxPdFPJopTGnSxxnElurgod3mIXNfVYlkerwGbYbYkt15-REZyUU_Dk6Ecbq76K3n5r-rjgp0/s640/IMG_20200320_151101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is pretty much the whole set-up. Four cam clamps on the back end of the jig, one up near the peg box rebate. That should be enough clamping pressure to keep the thing from pulling forward when I glue in the peg box and put clamps on it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb8kdwkvdM5CTcgnBgD6NPJAeirCf0kLk8gNnPI7NaL8Jx7eZfXgoVpLGBrequQECr71UI20g1omT8rMvwCHCwsSMXZYTUQ1OzwJzJxPa-1cmc6X8ZMQwdfJd1J1CeJPwc4m25FKTRDU/s1600/IMG_20200320_151112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb8kdwkvdM5CTcgnBgD6NPJAeirCf0kLk8gNnPI7NaL8Jx7eZfXgoVpLGBrequQECr71UI20g1omT8rMvwCHCwsSMXZYTUQ1OzwJzJxPa-1cmc6X8ZMQwdfJd1J1CeJPwc4m25FKTRDU/s640/IMG_20200320_151112.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One feature I might draw your attention to here is the pair of wedges I've placed between the edges of the jig and the edges of the neck. I need them because of the fingerboard's rather extreme curvature. (If I use this jig on a renaissance lute, the flatter fingerboard means I don't need the wedges.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXgO9yGcsJM3yVh4MYINM69mM11nQanZ7QGHzj83RfSpEbHysYofvZdhPu158bNIQqLk3JBTtVLnBPAIyxXM2SV7eDT9B96Me_vSUKcU_EhggEuNDuWtUvZ_FWMXcJAzdFCUuhUds02s/s1600/IMG_20200320_151242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXgO9yGcsJM3yVh4MYINM69mM11nQanZ7QGHzj83RfSpEbHysYofvZdhPu158bNIQqLk3JBTtVLnBPAIyxXM2SV7eDT9B96Me_vSUKcU_EhggEuNDuWtUvZ_FWMXcJAzdFCUuhUds02s/s640/IMG_20200320_151242.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the basic posture of the instrument when I glue on the peg box--belly-down on the bench pad, propped up on the stems of the cam clamps. By the time I get the peg box on and a couple of ratchet clamps in place, the lute will be a little end-heavy. I've found that the best way to keep it from tipping over--and at the same time protect the lute from any mishap--is just to lay on pieces of fabric. I have a green velvet piece on the back, topped with a folded sheet of heavy green fabric (which I once used for a photo backdrop.) I'll probably put some towels on top of that too, just to be on the safe side.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z3FEPboqTqeGbZXKWwbYjxhz1-TcKbUkiI7y192afF0QDY57swpsFZpWkagROasE1wUs34NCm5ZnClg5li3C3gd-Dx-r03GBKu0-cnqEXOBuEwLc2fhgJa8dKakSbEIaBdgysRWZviA/s1600/IMG_20200320_151735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z3FEPboqTqeGbZXKWwbYjxhz1-TcKbUkiI7y192afF0QDY57swpsFZpWkagROasE1wUs34NCm5ZnClg5li3C3gd-Dx-r03GBKu0-cnqEXOBuEwLc2fhgJa8dKakSbEIaBdgysRWZviA/s640/IMG_20200320_151735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To locate the peg box for gluing, I hold it accurately in place and press a piece of 1/2" masking tape over the front of the joint, from the bottom block of the peg box down onto the end of the neck. I will then take a small, sharp knife and cut that piece of masking tape in two, exactly at the joint. When I glue up, I will be able to align the peg box by aligning the edges of the bisected piece of tape.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gOa-tP918DkM2hXshvfaAYQ99zUAi3fCtjKA-EozqY4_HCMYXs89zuPUB486kzhN1Zuzr2c4pzxVCQR4sGH4iHexEmpmAi9z1hw1Y2UqoPlAy0oU7Esgct8NXzL7u5y5C5rk8eijW8A/s1600/IMG_20200320_152037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gOa-tP918DkM2hXshvfaAYQ99zUAi3fCtjKA-EozqY4_HCMYXs89zuPUB486kzhN1Zuzr2c4pzxVCQR4sGH4iHexEmpmAi9z1hw1Y2UqoPlAy0oU7Esgct8NXzL7u5y5C5rk8eijW8A/s640/IMG_20200320_152037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is one of the dry runs I do to work out details before gluing up. In a minute, I'll take of the clamps, then check my glue. If it's hot and the right consistency, I'll heat both the peg box base and the rebate with the hair dryer, then brush hot glue on both. Quickly but calmly I'll place the peg box in the rebate, and rub it side to side ever so slightly, bringing the locator tapes into exact alignment. Then I'll place one cam clamp, and snug it, then the other, and then snug both. And that will be that. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl75tG53x21kwy5o0iouQ76HsTjt4nnqyJMQfnOVexlpGoIsbR1FN7JQ8x7-PFn1S828pi3RPhSSupO3VOtc55aLX-Qx2oYwIkrtFL5SvKlPXSIRgfLOck1ltslqoqbZIvrXzt7jO4LVA/s1600/IMG_20200320_152652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl75tG53x21kwy5o0iouQ76HsTjt4nnqyJMQfnOVexlpGoIsbR1FN7JQ8x7-PFn1S828pi3RPhSSupO3VOtc55aLX-Qx2oYwIkrtFL5SvKlPXSIRgfLOck1ltslqoqbZIvrXzt7jO4LVA/s640/IMG_20200320_152652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I look for good glue squeeze-out all around the joint. I will also paint some hot glue around all the edges of the joint, so that the glue, as it cools and contracts, will help to pull the two sides of the joint together. (I've used this technique many times during construction; see, for instance, <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/09/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">gluing on the neck, in episode 4</a>.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikorkP6bULD2rmhiKCcsOero5fQ8b0R3c68DJR8DiarCBInm2PsaWYUo4m3qPY9g6wWLV8ypYVGbQI25lXTrkW1LXf_vrjDa2n3jRe0l7hSAVtzsII9_yQ5PuFrnao9_AEYa_FF1MpnAc/s1600/IMG_20200320_152700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikorkP6bULD2rmhiKCcsOero5fQ8b0R3c68DJR8DiarCBInm2PsaWYUo4m3qPY9g6wWLV8ypYVGbQI25lXTrkW1LXf_vrjDa2n3jRe0l7hSAVtzsII9_yQ5PuFrnao9_AEYa_FF1MpnAc/s640/IMG_20200320_152700.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think the fitting and gluing went very well, and I'm looking forward to coming in tomorrow morning, cleaning up the excess glue, and seeing how things look. There are a few more little jobs to do before finishing out the peg box and neck, and I will tell you all about them next time. </span></td></tr>
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-71699773714214059882020-08-03T15:42:00.001-07:002020-08-06T12:33:05.787-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 20: Fitting the Peg Box, Making the Treble Rider Hello friends, and welcome back to the 13 course chronicle. In today's installment, I want to describe a couple of operations: measuring out and cutting the rebate for the peg box, and fitting the peg box into it; and making the chanterelle tuner, and fitting, gluing, and carving it in place. I had imagined that I would also talk about fitting and gluing the bass rider, and then gluing the peg box onto the lute, but I think that's a little much to bite off for one blog post. I'll save those tasty bits for next time.<br />
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Just to catch you up, I've made the basic peg box and veneered it with ebony, front and back. I have also, by now, completed the varnishing of the lute back. It took four coats of varnish, and it looks great. (You'll get a glimpse or two of it in this post, but I'll show you some nice pics of it a little later on.) So now it's time to put lute and peg box together, and start bringing this instrument down the home stretch.<br />
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The first order of business is to confirm the string length of the lute, and mark the neck cut-off. <span style="text-align: center;">From the very beginning of work on this lute--as far back as my original working drawing--I have allowed for an extra 5mm of length on the neck. This was meant as a bit of insurance against mishap, and against neck length lost in fitting and re-fitting to the body. Now I can remove all the excess length that remains.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCfxf_UKidvy77AgL2vk7SD-m05K7IoEqx9TSKZo9TCZHSJaSmkk-xnkHGeLRh9NDB3p8RZhY8ADg0fZlaJnnGG3rOLlJUT1OXqRblk4aN7CZwYkcEd2pdUauIa_gVH0McOJHG2Ui1pQ/s1600/IMG_20200310_133820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCfxf_UKidvy77AgL2vk7SD-m05K7IoEqx9TSKZo9TCZHSJaSmkk-xnkHGeLRh9NDB3p8RZhY8ADg0fZlaJnnGG3rOLlJUT1OXqRblk4aN7CZwYkcEd2pdUauIa_gVH0McOJHG2Ui1pQ/s640/IMG_20200310_133820.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark out the string length, and the width of the nut, with a long ruler.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_URcSg8UZ_bFUJtvp9mFLWeG8x54E3kND2790JVFu8D0iNhIThtf7nbcnZ2hjQ-roSspdc2osh5dncUMr0xG8X9DparBNAn-3h5YXOuuABk-p8BYLUbYcXwRldlaOvPovM927kyZBMPI/s1600/IMG_20200310_133743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_URcSg8UZ_bFUJtvp9mFLWeG8x54E3kND2790JVFu8D0iNhIThtf7nbcnZ2hjQ-roSspdc2osh5dncUMr0xG8X9DparBNAn-3h5YXOuuABk-p8BYLUbYcXwRldlaOvPovM927kyZBMPI/s640/IMG_20200310_133743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also measure and mark an accurate centreline on the neck, and from this draw perpendicular lines at those points. Because the neck surface is distinctly curved, it's difficult to use a flat square to mark them out. Instead, I use this piece of mylar with a centreline and squared end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnCdPkMMENnzU2Oubh56fYV7YsRxp3HjGbHcOhEsPnyPu8ofP3EwS7Rh-3mJYPtyTgFj-Y3bOeb_fEFV4Zh_qL-cOMtA5wTxUZp5aKTMvcGMX5jeyqljfsjjTH1N9ABBUTbPbicgjIb4/s1600/IMG_20200310_134444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnCdPkMMENnzU2Oubh56fYV7YsRxp3HjGbHcOhEsPnyPu8ofP3EwS7Rh-3mJYPtyTgFj-Y3bOeb_fEFV4Zh_qL-cOMtA5wTxUZp5aKTMvcGMX5jeyqljfsjjTH1N9ABBUTbPbicgjIb4/s640/IMG_20200310_134444.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I can make the cutoff, which I do free-hand. My weapon of choice for this operation is a 'gent's saw' from Veritas, with a lot of wax rubbed on the blade. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFBoko4KCi9QHoEj9SzV1AVvAnR6E941QpgrROk92FrNIP7SUYTz_k3YWq60MPW9MhtAIagXGNat0DUYfAnYVUOY-6tNyOzOT4tQb-MLGb8cLvAYogsQsD_H-RJOIF0b4y4Y3VZ-OzUI/s1600/IMG_20200310_135418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFBoko4KCi9QHoEj9SzV1AVvAnR6E941QpgrROk92FrNIP7SUYTz_k3YWq60MPW9MhtAIagXGNat0DUYfAnYVUOY-6tNyOzOT4tQb-MLGb8cLvAYogsQsD_H-RJOIF0b4y4Y3VZ-OzUI/s640/IMG_20200310_135418.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One useful consequence of having to make this cutoff is that I get an accurate record of the thickness and curves of the neck and fingerboard of this lute. I'll file this one away in a box with all the others, and use it for future reference. (All necks and fingerboards work out a little differently in practice, no matter what you plan. I think this particular neck/ fingerboard is going to be quite comfortable, and I will refer to it for future instruments.)</span></td></tr>
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I trim up the end of the neck with a low-angle block plane (taking very fine cuts, and stroking inward from each side), and files. Then I can start laying out the peg box rebate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay1R-08o2l7XEoZp7xHtpfKPuscMOMok7AgJeFizhlBbvo09gbhZxFySGlZovB9ScgRrJxnHGIfkuzbFhaOxV3HWtXGV8q_WbtBnyc1WxjrK5nn4CKdmfWV5Dw137LtdzZZgNrkJcJpc/s1600/IMG_20200311_114811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay1R-08o2l7XEoZp7xHtpfKPuscMOMok7AgJeFizhlBbvo09gbhZxFySGlZovB9ScgRrJxnHGIfkuzbFhaOxV3HWtXGV8q_WbtBnyc1WxjrK5nn4CKdmfWV5Dw137LtdzZZgNrkJcJpc/s640/IMG_20200311_114811.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">All the measurements for the rebate are taken from my working drawing. I first mark the neck thickness that I want, shown by the line drawn across the neck. I extend this line up the sides of the neck with the marking gauge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkOlgTqn-XnanFxUSpJZ1LazUuJpAw7Km9_2MHr0Q6aHo0FTr0Llqoef6PibS3Wxw5fh__jahjiRnKfekIL3NoynuQCpYlOhgB9d20evZn_DRkSEg1mHUlBtpb4qvNZ_o5m94qvZBOJo/s1600/IMG_20200311_115939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkOlgTqn-XnanFxUSpJZ1LazUuJpAw7Km9_2MHr0Q6aHo0FTr0Llqoef6PibS3Wxw5fh__jahjiRnKfekIL3NoynuQCpYlOhgB9d20evZn_DRkSEg1mHUlBtpb4qvNZ_o5m94qvZBOJo/s640/IMG_20200311_115939.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then 'tilt' those lines up the side slightly by eye, and mark them with a straight edge. For the back line, I mark the width of the rebate at three points--the centre of the neck, and at each side of the rebate. I then connect the three points by drawing a line with a flexible curve.</span></td></tr>
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By the way, I don't treat these lines as gospel, but as guides. No matter how beautiful my working drawing is, the actual lute neck and peg box will vary slightly from it. I leave a fair amount of room for adjustment, then when fitting work toward the lines using the peg box itself as my ultimate guide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rRGpzA9XX9Jl11EHB-ZxW4bvdsb0tMsag-5HBmXuVFJwLj8gUx0Q9XVqkGMlfj1HNkMnAT6bdPQ-e33OwflSO_XKUDcfO-bCEGpQzguMAWGCaNc3xOb2FaW6SnC_wA-kyjXh4NqMCFc/s1600/IMG_20200311_120344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rRGpzA9XX9Jl11EHB-ZxW4bvdsb0tMsag-5HBmXuVFJwLj8gUx0Q9XVqkGMlfj1HNkMnAT6bdPQ-e33OwflSO_XKUDcfO-bCEGpQzguMAWGCaNc3xOb2FaW6SnC_wA-kyjXh4NqMCFc/s640/IMG_20200311_120344.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With layout complete, I can clamp the lute neck securely to the bench edge. I use a spacer to raise the neck slightly off the bench, so that the belly doesn't rest on the bench (the green pad beneath it is there as a precaution.) There's a piece of leather between the fingerboard and the spacer piece, which prevents slippage, and protects the neck against marring during the fitting-up process. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5exqzv_LwaeIqMdqJQ8Mm_jcW5vXJIpears8EI6ByWaSEiZtY_-WAYSgW53-2oEm6egXsWSQR_a8y1l53hbIQrtEP-x4YKm2hc_MwaRqB8yxozf5FMzyf_L_fwH_MwTUlohfZy1nnYBY/s1600/IMG_20200311_132449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5exqzv_LwaeIqMdqJQ8Mm_jcW5vXJIpears8EI6ByWaSEiZtY_-WAYSgW53-2oEm6egXsWSQR_a8y1l53hbIQrtEP-x4YKm2hc_MwaRqB8yxozf5FMzyf_L_fwH_MwTUlohfZy1nnYBY/s640/IMG_20200311_132449.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use the gent's saw again, and make the cut at the back of the rebate first.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rG9SZUEq0ASx5Pi5siA_-ukVpiOvMmenAAnjOrhJpaBzpBdSZtrLz26ngLSOwK_oP9HvP4Y3iY0eurlX49GxaJqSmAqi8NvP0PHJ0I5rs1nCpMisFzqMGGKDtWwhJsAkQ0stG9I5Mh8/s1600/IMG_20200311_133220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rG9SZUEq0ASx5Pi5siA_-ukVpiOvMmenAAnjOrhJpaBzpBdSZtrLz26ngLSOwK_oP9HvP4Y3iY0eurlX49GxaJqSmAqi8NvP0PHJ0I5rs1nCpMisFzqMGGKDtWwhJsAkQ0stG9I5Mh8/s640/IMG_20200311_133220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then make a series of cuts to facilitate the removal of material in the rebate.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKHOlargceHgs7zmNRpBghsCfDIKY-sAkXBBv-35mqoJJI8Ks1xVlSDGiddpiGmDCpxuZczhve5qbWIg7nlfiMZesgl_dpFnbsvTw4OJOfiJITS6lYTjqN_jWrPcOVAio1IL9rb_m2Zw/s1600/IMG_20200311_133450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKHOlargceHgs7zmNRpBghsCfDIKY-sAkXBBv-35mqoJJI8Ks1xVlSDGiddpiGmDCpxuZczhve5qbWIg7nlfiMZesgl_dpFnbsvTw4OJOfiJITS6lYTjqN_jWrPcOVAio1IL9rb_m2Zw/s640/IMG_20200311_133450.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A 1" chisel, held close to the tip for good control, works well for removing the excess.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs936bAkmgEBHVDcobKoqLCvzKQNi9gC04A3Q0wmvAcjj4klQCEX7gMyaoQVRIt-5xQRQUhleH5lCrFL7YgUVaTjAzEuziAkUsKZPizBXwhyphenhyphenwpDtacVDvGJGQO5ODvWDvWLpGP2M1OfsY/s1600/IMG_20200311_135812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs936bAkmgEBHVDcobKoqLCvzKQNi9gC04A3Q0wmvAcjj4klQCEX7gMyaoQVRIt-5xQRQUhleH5lCrFL7YgUVaTjAzEuziAkUsKZPizBXwhyphenhyphenwpDtacVDvGJGQO5ODvWDvWLpGP2M1OfsY/s640/IMG_20200311_135812.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The same chisel works well for flattening the bottom of the rebate.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHA6HCok_onj1r2BBZ1cECHXvcZeB0Xl-UpWoPmiEhdA1BbOw3_CbsHLyVLiZe5Pjw3pBxUUvD3Wr91AOGI98w9YcpKrrB-4PkErudkvw08Nmi7XKFudSXbTSlZSxsvD77hau56dtzGU/s1600/IMG_20200310_145438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHA6HCok_onj1r2BBZ1cECHXvcZeB0Xl-UpWoPmiEhdA1BbOw3_CbsHLyVLiZe5Pjw3pBxUUvD3Wr91AOGI98w9YcpKrrB-4PkErudkvw08Nmi7XKFudSXbTSlZSxsvD77hau56dtzGU/s640/IMG_20200310_145438.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The peg box itself is the ultimate reference in fitting this joint, so I need to prepare it carefully. I first must flatten the back surface so that it's completely flat--especially in the bottom 10 mm or so, which will fit into the rebate.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeafJC-2Ao3zjVIAGbtGhAi6mxj9gz7ge_bp3CkyABOugXIl1yPNyjYsOEpGnqvMhDroliIs0gk22CodkpPcSBeQiCdrvhVUbv_b3GL9I95PIg36r2bPAxsOa_rjrXN4xesefPSiPa5o/s1600/IMG_20200311_140939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeafJC-2Ao3zjVIAGbtGhAi6mxj9gz7ge_bp3CkyABOugXIl1yPNyjYsOEpGnqvMhDroliIs0gk22CodkpPcSBeQiCdrvhVUbv_b3GL9I95PIg36r2bPAxsOa_rjrXN4xesefPSiPa5o/s640/IMG_20200311_140939.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I must also flatten the bottom of the peg box, having first made the angled cut-off with the band saw. (The angle is taken from the working drawing.) I use files and sanding blocks to get the surface I want, and I check the flatness with an engineer's square.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>[Edit August 6:]</i><br />
<br />
I feel I must pause here, and open up a small can of worms. If you have been following this blog series closely, you will recall that in an earlier episode--<a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_17.html">episode 8, to be specific</a>-- I described the process of planing a small slope or 'twist' in the upper neck surface. This operation was one of the jobs I did immediately before fitting the belly into the body, and the effect was to lower the action of the treble side of the string band in relation to the bass side. As I mentioned then, this technique is one of the keys to making an instrument with a very low and comfortable action; it's also something that I needed to take account of and plan carefully for, all the way back to the beginning of designing and making a working drawing of the instrument.<br />
<br />
Well, here is another place in the building process where I need to take account of this 'twist.' Since the treble side of the neck, at the nut end, is now about 1mm lower than the bass side in relation to the body, if I fit up my peg box perpendicular to the neck (viewed from the nut end of the lute), it's not going line up with the middle rib of the lute. Instead, it will lean a little askew, to the bass side. Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal, but with a long peg box like this one, the effect could be a little jarring. I compensate for it by tilting the cut-off of the bottom of the peg box slightly, making the bass side of the box about 1mm longer than the treble side. That straightens the peg box up in relation to the body. It's not hard to do, and it doesn't make fitting the peg box in the rebate any more difficult, so I just do it--not only for 13 course lutes, but for every lute I make (because I use the fingerboard 'twist,' to a greater or lesser degree, on every model of lute in my repertoire.)<br />
<br />
Is that clear?<br />
<br />
<i>[End of edit.]</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1VSWEkla_Hoyg617lwIC-EV83tDS0mSuMh2a-USyfiyPqu99961ToRI-PuDfrR3cgP-OxRkklAl3Wt40uf-zsiSCHm85HWr8UtDEbuxoFo5f4eXsJWcI3guPGXULmsQqbJCe8TroUZ8/s1600/IMG_20200311_141014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1VSWEkla_Hoyg617lwIC-EV83tDS0mSuMh2a-USyfiyPqu99961ToRI-PuDfrR3cgP-OxRkklAl3Wt40uf-zsiSCHm85HWr8UtDEbuxoFo5f4eXsJWcI3guPGXULmsQqbJCe8TroUZ8/s640/IMG_20200311_141014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">During the process, the back corner edge of the peg box becomes very sharp. Since I know that my rebate can never be made that sharply, I want to relieve this edge slightly, which I do with a stroke or two of a very fine file.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8lA24yEDBiEWxMpBGLl4k12trTiDiR-wrHpOltvuT5Bh9CANefpFrJFZrkLh0VBWx5JImZj1U0uyR-3L8rBbTDUMMEHr_pDHYsA5zuMUJrss1fQap-ZunW0EPKMj09uuYw9iJN9MPBE/s1600/IMG_20200311_141112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8lA24yEDBiEWxMpBGLl4k12trTiDiR-wrHpOltvuT5Bh9CANefpFrJFZrkLh0VBWx5JImZj1U0uyR-3L8rBbTDUMMEHr_pDHYsA5zuMUJrss1fQap-ZunW0EPKMj09uuYw9iJN9MPBE/s640/IMG_20200311_141112.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the peg box accurately shaped, with very flat surfaces on the back and bottom, I can get to work finalizing the rebate. These are the main tools of the trade: bevel-edged plexiglass sanding blocks. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I generally work on the bottom of the rebate first, coming down close to the lines I've drawn. I can check the flatness of the bottom surface with the engineer's square, but the best check is to hold the peg box in place, and look for gaps at edges and corners. I can also press the peg box down, especially at the outer edges, to see if I can feel any rocking. It should go without saying that by the time I've finished fitting the joint, there should be no rocking at all, and the peg box should be completely solid.<br />
<br />
With the bottom of the joint very close, I can pay more attention to the back side of the rebate. I check for flatness by pressing the peg box into the joint at the corners--if I see any side-to-side rocking at all, I know I've got work to do to flatten the back of the rebate.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstnbPrjgESBh8PuzCaFyOCZZK3K5rI_jqMt4c35OwI4_fCB7_Y14yrMPGAEE6AQT8HRUf35gG8-XE7GyKiHOFFiQg5qiE8L_2Y5HBToUMRl_j50rkFrU1VljhdOxyK_pkvMGAI2JRPxY/s1600/IMG_20200311_144219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstnbPrjgESBh8PuzCaFyOCZZK3K5rI_jqMt4c35OwI4_fCB7_Y14yrMPGAEE6AQT8HRUf35gG8-XE7GyKiHOFFiQg5qiE8L_2Y5HBToUMRl_j50rkFrU1VljhdOxyK_pkvMGAI2JRPxY/s640/IMG_20200311_144219.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One spot where the peg box can be held out is along the very back corner of the rebate. I clear this corner with sharp chisel and knife.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36WNTblNzeGw57grwNKNUC0VbB3eWJt0SU9F52cAhFCaGuLwRSvei9nb4P2l1Bz9hRJprxKbR6uEctxn2diPTgnXJRX3x7XjHa2M_ZU9O4UyprbcvtkvOGaVvSJXOr3S3LfKefLSwW40/s1600/IMG_20200311_142043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36WNTblNzeGw57grwNKNUC0VbB3eWJt0SU9F52cAhFCaGuLwRSvei9nb4P2l1Bz9hRJprxKbR6uEctxn2diPTgnXJRX3x7XjHa2M_ZU9O4UyprbcvtkvOGaVvSJXOr3S3LfKefLSwW40/s640/IMG_20200311_142043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">While I'm fitting the joint, I also want to keep an eye on the peg box angle. It doesn't particularly matter if the peg box angle matches exactly the angle that I've made on my working drawing. However, a few months back I made a case drawing from that working drawing, and it would be best if the lute conformed to that drawing as much as possible. I would hate to make a lute that didn't fit in its case! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNnqF-86DADFwBZNiDuSiBTH3jQPAzm01wtblWImP10qAgHHvnGH3Rwj8VWY-pyhAu8NsAwALUZJzwA51Fpa3CtyhjSO6tX6rqiGpp8etqvML2nImkEQs0WPodsfcY1GXuoq8z7jFqmc/s1600/IMG_20200311_153748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNnqF-86DADFwBZNiDuSiBTH3jQPAzm01wtblWImP10qAgHHvnGH3Rwj8VWY-pyhAu8NsAwALUZJzwA51Fpa3CtyhjSO6tX6rqiGpp8etqvML2nImkEQs0WPodsfcY1GXuoq8z7jFqmc/s640/IMG_20200311_153748.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my fit, and it is as tight as I can make it. I have a few operations to do before I glue the peg box on, and I will eventually size the joint (both the peg box and rebate surfaces) and re-fit it, but for now this looks very good. I can finalize the dimensions of the peg box, and start fitting my chanterelle rider and bass rider. </span></td></tr>
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By the way, don't be alarmed that the peg box looks a lot wider than the neck rebate--that extra width is on purpose. The treble side of the peg box fits flush in the rebate, while there is about 10mm or so of overhang on the bass side. You will see the reason for this in my next installment.<br />
<br />
My working drawing tells me what the final width of the peg box should be, and I can now plane the peg box cheeks down close to those final dimensions. However, as with the other parts of this fitting operation, those dimensions are ideal, and must be set aside in favour of the dimensions as I find them on the lute. So, I plane the bass and treble peg box cheeks alternately, keeping their dimensions as close to identical as possible, but I keep my eye on the developing fit of the treble side of the peg box in its rebate.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLF0_bwjSGeYi2buNUiyT4infuQBaZcPPc8gileDHLlmu5IIL3yHmOi32hwJ88GolgPgAQZUbG3JXLFJz8shy582VEE5Vj7Rk2pvCgztMotYy6IMl1YgYKX-0fsNAisNzpjnxuamTvyA/s1600/IMG_20200311_154521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLF0_bwjSGeYi2buNUiyT4infuQBaZcPPc8gileDHLlmu5IIL3yHmOi32hwJ88GolgPgAQZUbG3JXLFJz8shy582VEE5Vj7Rk2pvCgztMotYy6IMl1YgYKX-0fsNAisNzpjnxuamTvyA/s640/IMG_20200311_154521.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use my planing box and low-angle block plane to trim the sides.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRskRwJw0bDuSoxGW5fiyIN1PpjdZvW2sg1lrzm_FTjV-Zfh-IiJ221Lc-7wxlzYkAEZKQhugAoeSsQEM7mvSchfgRRoX9CIKYvXFb2uwpXAjLFCuZQAxcx7NnLUeYffL6lNKc9QHUu4/s1600/IMG_20200311_155625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRskRwJw0bDuSoxGW5fiyIN1PpjdZvW2sg1lrzm_FTjV-Zfh-IiJ221Lc-7wxlzYkAEZKQhugAoeSsQEM7mvSchfgRRoX9CIKYvXFb2uwpXAjLFCuZQAxcx7NnLUeYffL6lNKc9QHUu4/s640/IMG_20200311_155625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the fit that I'm looking at. I want the angle of the peg box cheek that I'm planing to fit the edge of the rebate as closely as possible. I (and I hope you) can see just the smallest bit of the bottom of the rebate in this photo. It's a pretty close fit, though I might just take one plane stroke on the outer edge of the peg box cheek (the left side of the cheek, as we view it) to bring it a touch closer to flush. Then I will check it one more time, and then (I hope) call it a final fit.</span></td></tr>
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With the peg box now at its final dimensions, I can start fitting up some attachments and doing some final shaping inside the peg box. First attachment is the chanterelle tuner.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYjxKi7Jksd2R6e9B93CvvWsgBCptyOBSHDGTpDNpeaUS7zCy67Lcgtd7Er7EbALC6wI9qivcXIItx4ValU6srTWcfu3dfmzC5zIMFaBoQRS1mnfxci73zVKapgSWdI2zAHniduaB_uQ/s1600/IMG_20200302_160455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYjxKi7Jksd2R6e9B93CvvWsgBCptyOBSHDGTpDNpeaUS7zCy67Lcgtd7Er7EbALC6wI9qivcXIItx4ValU6srTWcfu3dfmzC5zIMFaBoQRS1mnfxci73zVKapgSWdI2zAHniduaB_uQ/s640/IMG_20200302_160455.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I cut blanks from a piece of quarter sawn pear.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRUoiob2zwU11j6UvkBXn5b4b7-27no6tgu_euiEE79Q_iSovFa961Py-o-I0t0SuNNemlmB_C8TeO7jj_Iij9D1JbRvEFIsNYLrITPbscaagrLFYeyYQU_tqC2N201uoimFlD5DXfh4/s1600/IMG_20200312_104607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRUoiob2zwU11j6UvkBXn5b4b7-27no6tgu_euiEE79Q_iSovFa961Py-o-I0t0SuNNemlmB_C8TeO7jj_Iij9D1JbRvEFIsNYLrITPbscaagrLFYeyYQU_tqC2N201uoimFlD5DXfh4/s640/IMG_20200312_104607.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After cutting out and shaping at the bench, I mark the cheeks and take the piece to the band saw.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnCXOsl-5JkrmOmj6y_ZT8Ab36NcDe2GJS_Af8jeHWHgqydhxUei5ZTNHjTnnNXheOvyIQ0m2qbn9BzCFnyu4xpCvajSGsqIofk1yiiuZJLhTMTQuII2h3JlFLtPiaPRngd15sfFVis/s1600/IMG_20200312_121003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnCXOsl-5JkrmOmj6y_ZT8Ab36NcDe2GJS_Af8jeHWHgqydhxUei5ZTNHjTnnNXheOvyIQ0m2qbn9BzCFnyu4xpCvajSGsqIofk1yiiuZJLhTMTQuII2h3JlFLtPiaPRngd15sfFVis/s640/IMG_20200312_121003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The photo's a bit out of focus, but you get the idea: wedges tilt the piece so I can do the cutout at the correct angle.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT875E5aT1g466_1FjGC_5SpmOyZZ3UsZaL-wUpWtG35vMtRSUQMILxEY2mQ0BzeVOKLXhCTo12loIq0GYpRjiznOrU_acxgYCXWI-A36F8VdCztY1__S6FDPOhn0UaKLF1wQ2kcVqwo/s1600/IMG_20200312_132453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT875E5aT1g466_1FjGC_5SpmOyZZ3UsZaL-wUpWtG35vMtRSUQMILxEY2mQ0BzeVOKLXhCTo12loIq0GYpRjiznOrU_acxgYCXWI-A36F8VdCztY1__S6FDPOhn0UaKLF1wQ2kcVqwo/s640/IMG_20200312_132453.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I can finish shaping the piece with files in the swivel vise. As you see, I've relieved the inside corners with a small file. (I do it at this stage, because it will be much more difficult to do once the tuner is glued into the peg box.) The little dart at the back edge is a feature I use for pretty much all the chanterelle tuners I make. It's derived from the Schelle bass rider (which you'll see next episode), but I think it gives a nice finished shape to the chanterelle tuner too. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ90O1W_tvhL6dQmhQDgqpsuS3_tqF9efCOYbwJqv9V0mQdy-h-nGJEB9LFUzWLxTABTqdTOND4a4QD9cW2f7ypk6J0A8aq0JayGpkpV9FVYUoWfkKjcsTJEIQ9qgQuRr0M4KgV-vSIM/s1600/IMG_20200312_140831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ90O1W_tvhL6dQmhQDgqpsuS3_tqF9efCOYbwJqv9V0mQdy-h-nGJEB9LFUzWLxTABTqdTOND4a4QD9cW2f7ypk6J0A8aq0JayGpkpV9FVYUoWfkKjcsTJEIQ9qgQuRr0M4KgV-vSIM/s640/IMG_20200312_140831.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are my marks for the chanterelle tuner rebate. The front line is perpendicular to the peg box cheek, while the back line is at about a 10</span><span style="font-size: large;">° angle.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsjVWoGVKv3v3WZRHbYp2GToEoXM3LDi1pKoscXkzk5acAxXRP-rvIKiE5hLXbFN0zXuKXfFHcSvYWdCjHlXXYOxw2P5RsGXBIPQMGKMnT_gAE4e90-V4EVjEZFHyHDPGMZztaHOiit4/s1600/IMG_20200312_141433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsjVWoGVKv3v3WZRHbYp2GToEoXM3LDi1pKoscXkzk5acAxXRP-rvIKiE5hLXbFN0zXuKXfFHcSvYWdCjHlXXYOxw2P5RsGXBIPQMGKMnT_gAE4e90-V4EVjEZFHyHDPGMZztaHOiit4/s640/IMG_20200312_141433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the chanterelle tuner's location marked, I can carve in the bottom block, using a pair of skew chisels. (A little water brushed on the block makes this carving a lot easier.)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTL1yMU1W2B1O6kfV4BU-1seZLlDRowxxg44ZCHmoELuO6YEAFKEv6CDur90F0giI8mcKPsFvZTM_egQ_GZrgp7xaB_BHalehfWeH1HgbKCZpUN3B1gv8nFAT3uVvlIDNGjhqmi_HjsU/s1600/IMG_20200313_104025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTL1yMU1W2B1O6kfV4BU-1seZLlDRowxxg44ZCHmoELuO6YEAFKEv6CDur90F0giI8mcKPsFvZTM_egQ_GZrgp7xaB_BHalehfWeH1HgbKCZpUN3B1gv8nFAT3uVvlIDNGjhqmi_HjsU/s640/IMG_20200313_104025.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I cut these lines for the rebate flared at a slight angle outwards. You can't see in this photo, but I've drawn a line with my marking gauge at a depth of 2.5mm, which will be the depth of the rebate.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1xxYnna0h6yGY_-2gtKXDhqPVG43SNocPrD6w4_vk09VSf6I5MnqqDFmRTbSAQLOV0BnoQacP0las7nOrNt5uCGyH5Hp3fyTacKB-K7jCxkahEVdf8HLneC3aLBk2ARxjy8tKjKJ_Co/s1600/IMG_20200313_110107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1xxYnna0h6yGY_-2gtKXDhqPVG43SNocPrD6w4_vk09VSf6I5MnqqDFmRTbSAQLOV0BnoQacP0las7nOrNt5uCGyH5Hp3fyTacKB-K7jCxkahEVdf8HLneC3aLBk2ARxjy8tKjKJ_Co/s640/IMG_20200313_110107.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remove most of the material with my dremel router base.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk6gaCwO5BN7D_HcAbCkJ8moQt3g4MjJ8QkVpuf9sEv5jf2mCt7qkSTSffJUtVk0ZkQiCSx7UmxWsThjx7uaIne-7ENjPII_3YQe394Ke2aYbtCqvoBhJs8TkazZ30eGC9OLekMCQNxY/s1600/IMG_20200313_110654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk6gaCwO5BN7D_HcAbCkJ8moQt3g4MjJ8QkVpuf9sEv5jf2mCt7qkSTSffJUtVk0ZkQiCSx7UmxWsThjx7uaIne-7ENjPII_3YQe394Ke2aYbtCqvoBhJs8TkazZ30eGC9OLekMCQNxY/s640/IMG_20200313_110654.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, I still need to finish the rebate with chisels and files.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VKH0GzTEsrjBwYt-8Unw3WuVFTenf9Newne5qGEzC35ELaT3jDieJfV7NyL-BEWzJZyQj68N0Sjde__tkgth4b1-XuLBJ0mZ1sj-umYOt6z2_YMOxInMIyOj0CJ773YRqUFUmEXCS4c/s640/IMG_20200313_112350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm about to start fitting the chanterelle tuner into the rebate. What I'm doing here is marking the bottom of the tuner, for reference, with a series of lines at the same angle as the back edge of my rebate.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VKH0GzTEsrjBwYt-8Unw3WuVFTenf9Newne5qGEzC35ELaT3jDieJfV7NyL-BEWzJZyQj68N0Sjde__tkgth4b1-XuLBJ0mZ1sj-umYOt6z2_YMOxInMIyOj0CJ773YRqUFUmEXCS4c/s1600/IMG_20200313_112350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpD_hG8scjEJyh1OckNIGnMuLyVzHXuBidVGhPxcSBVNxIxGwBhgJTLP8Ei9ZHEL9mUiRpz2RoZn7WfZ6rYUfJmwuyRLAfNYv3R59xdEyr9Nn1VGauBBuvFPUJFvPfF2fNpb3s4MvaF8/s1600/IMG_20200313_112611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpD_hG8scjEJyh1OckNIGnMuLyVzHXuBidVGhPxcSBVNxIxGwBhgJTLP8Ei9ZHEL9mUiRpz2RoZn7WfZ6rYUfJmwuyRLAfNYv3R59xdEyr9Nn1VGauBBuvFPUJFvPfF2fNpb3s4MvaF8/s640/IMG_20200313_112611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then fit the tuner by trimming the back edge, with my low angle block plane set very close. I follow the reference lines, and tilt the plane slightly to get the correct compound angle at the back edge.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgstqCxKi1jUGBf0k_mziA3yPDbE2Z_JxElaBTBVyKfwzymYVjTR-OHpunusxsXVwtQbz4unv1LOTkyMmkZCJOXUEd_ysw46nbi7UaozM7U6iVsQH7YDmELbbeF7-WFHN1GUQA1ZAWydU/s1600/IMG_20200313_113920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgstqCxKi1jUGBf0k_mziA3yPDbE2Z_JxElaBTBVyKfwzymYVjTR-OHpunusxsXVwtQbz4unv1LOTkyMmkZCJOXUEd_ysw46nbi7UaozM7U6iVsQH7YDmELbbeF7-WFHN1GUQA1ZAWydU/s640/IMG_20200313_113920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I proceed very carefully, checking the fit often. The front edge is at 90°, so I don't have to worry about that. The angled back edge is the only one I trim.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh2UGWnEtD9_SEDiG5K3ENvPyu3PA0pv3pV1OVewn9MoFVWJX1dSNsb3Q2yl2uB0vUPb_KLTQW2_ovwfVQ4SgPwSrxud92Ebfrx1QzZUxCJozo9QHCmoilNNqqmTzCzgyVbYwW2yl2ig/s1600/IMG_20200313_114139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh2UGWnEtD9_SEDiG5K3ENvPyu3PA0pv3pV1OVewn9MoFVWJX1dSNsb3Q2yl2uB0vUPb_KLTQW2_ovwfVQ4SgPwSrxud92Ebfrx1QzZUxCJozo9QHCmoilNNqqmTzCzgyVbYwW2yl2ig/s640/IMG_20200313_114139.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's easy to see how the fit is developing, and which angles need adjusting.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNysljv21bqgOXxdQrfRlOXowz4WDrSwnpsrcmIpobHufFnUuTNRo-qhyOPBaBOF2g3UuKBQxbb0vuAv-VraHuhvU9QSfwQZRNnzguER5gz0QJpfPgny8uiWL8h50cTOIjLzpyluVsYnI/s1600/IMG_20200313_114510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNysljv21bqgOXxdQrfRlOXowz4WDrSwnpsrcmIpobHufFnUuTNRo-qhyOPBaBOF2g3UuKBQxbb0vuAv-VraHuhvU9QSfwQZRNnzguER5gz0QJpfPgny8uiWL8h50cTOIjLzpyluVsYnI/s640/IMG_20200313_114510.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Almost there.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtViGrBqPukt3t1BhNIplYvIAXC2-2k0zpeCQMDb-MfaRbJ3z7875PT31U-JgZzAX7dhEIC3kP9FSgAq10w5MW19ChCpZO17mRc3OLqCOvJ7oYMSZDXvjKyU0TDlS65xz-qPs6AzpTlg/s1600/IMG_20200313_115101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtViGrBqPukt3t1BhNIplYvIAXC2-2k0zpeCQMDb-MfaRbJ3z7875PT31U-JgZzAX7dhEIC3kP9FSgAq10w5MW19ChCpZO17mRc3OLqCOvJ7oYMSZDXvjKyU0TDlS65xz-qPs6AzpTlg/s640/IMG_20200313_115101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There it is: the fit is nice and snug. The tuner overhangs about 1mm inside the peg box.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78qIvemV-th3dAhxVmjnkoR_P8oHXzIG_3in9ODPhs0OhjRH8dqWjORUJYU9TbDTi1jvGyhus5KsguCrGk7XQE2mTISyJ1Y-msulcQowY9iUnisA8nZTnU6n0wyl0wxibAeWeu1Fj_GA/s1600/IMG_20200313_130015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78qIvemV-th3dAhxVmjnkoR_P8oHXzIG_3in9ODPhs0OhjRH8dqWjORUJYU9TbDTi1jvGyhus5KsguCrGk7XQE2mTISyJ1Y-msulcQowY9iUnisA8nZTnU6n0wyl0wxibAeWeu1Fj_GA/s640/IMG_20200313_130015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now that that's fitted, I can do a last little bit of carving inside the peg box: a little bird's mouth in front of the chanterelle tuner.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And now that the peg box cheeks are at their final dimensions, I can fit an ebony veneer cap at the tip of the peg box.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_R9LI3WGA9kNylRw8m51UbSH4QvR1g7OHgWMA2FxLnFoeM7_M7pE8JK3R75s2VSOmoJyYEuM4Zi4JwnIzlrAoCXwvNaLlpEj88wKFnHf-0nJ9zKG7dzGVnmXP9vfONrotXz5Ch2bvpU/s1600/IMG_20200313_135017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_R9LI3WGA9kNylRw8m51UbSH4QvR1g7OHgWMA2FxLnFoeM7_M7pE8JK3R75s2VSOmoJyYEuM4Zi4JwnIzlrAoCXwvNaLlpEj88wKFnHf-0nJ9zKG7dzGVnmXP9vfONrotXz5Ch2bvpU/s640/IMG_20200313_135017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A bit out of focus, but nice and flat.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi661WH15B19_ZpUsaRaCGQjb3X_7HBrAlx-jYh58BkpaQCl5ryvmtMklNYVnTzwUy1pkSIeT3qUnAH4h-FjRJ3Yo1DrN56WibvLPwD0UPcSTpo1e_huM_rjpmA4NtPZHZqzO_Wpa_E-Ls/s1600/IMG_20200313_135045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi661WH15B19_ZpUsaRaCGQjb3X_7HBrAlx-jYh58BkpaQCl5ryvmtMklNYVnTzwUy1pkSIeT3qUnAH4h-FjRJ3Yo1DrN56WibvLPwD0UPcSTpo1e_huM_rjpmA4NtPZHZqzO_Wpa_E-Ls/s640/IMG_20200313_135045.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I glue this piece on at the same time as I glue on the chanterelle tuner. The veneer is slightly larger than the peg box tip, and I've backed it with a piece of plexiglass.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_Vk76F1XM1CvCoPA27CBsUOoy0PVo8iKVG4tRrNhBK04FMgGEArnXK-izuPKc2eHvYE7AVHJG63F_7UePQ5JvA2Pm6wJJH88mTqTLntBLvVACtU0kRAoanZNeecKejRkfadn57yt1hY/s1600/IMG_20200313_140817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_Vk76F1XM1CvCoPA27CBsUOoy0PVo8iKVG4tRrNhBK04FMgGEArnXK-izuPKc2eHvYE7AVHJG63F_7UePQ5JvA2Pm6wJJH88mTqTLntBLvVACtU0kRAoanZNeecKejRkfadn57yt1hY/s640/IMG_20200313_140817.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I put hot hide glue on it, stick it in place, and hold it there for a few minutes to let the glue set.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtqBK-Bju5k0ei8-shSpmsQCN-ESgFlhT_XetUTRohHzVwn1rlNhyphenhyphenY_HxhC8SBJ36e0xnS9G5N_UHa1Y1j8QcP1hO-3I1t0iMCq1ibtDHdqudb70qNq8J6h3CZEGBskntuKsPUU8Rc-U/s1600/IMG_20200313_140912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtqBK-Bju5k0ei8-shSpmsQCN-ESgFlhT_XetUTRohHzVwn1rlNhyphenhyphenY_HxhC8SBJ36e0xnS9G5N_UHa1Y1j8QcP1hO-3I1t0iMCq1ibtDHdqudb70qNq8J6h3CZEGBskntuKsPUU8Rc-U/s640/IMG_20200313_140912.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I start putting pieces of tape on it, with light pressure at first, then longer pieces with a stronger pull.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjrJd5dXv-foNRrWONXgcma8INNanj4S7X3SYsuaa1Ed6ZQX-AYgHv7BgKQlJmZFFWeu7pDa6237I4mhsMrjUXxXUWMXFZchXdaPdaLGDRX2QgrXBumk_ZzoeMWOFXluT6NEI02O5CWE/s1600/IMG_20200313_140948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjrJd5dXv-foNRrWONXgcma8INNanj4S7X3SYsuaa1Ed6ZQX-AYgHv7BgKQlJmZFFWeu7pDa6237I4mhsMrjUXxXUWMXFZchXdaPdaLGDRX2QgrXBumk_ZzoeMWOFXluT6NEI02O5CWE/s640/IMG_20200313_140948.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqQ2fqr1toBuenLOUXscw2M_kBJT-zrFT9XINXGOGBH4ssm88ViQyD2caqu2gXpGuR-OP47o7R995wqYoGxj77a6ceLmWT8inzVyRmX8LqWUiOi3Gs7MsJYbRWzXG9PhyphenhyphentTo7d7K5d5M/s1600/IMG_20200313_141209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqQ2fqr1toBuenLOUXscw2M_kBJT-zrFT9XINXGOGBH4ssm88ViQyD2caqu2gXpGuR-OP47o7R995wqYoGxj77a6ceLmWT8inzVyRmX8LqWUiOi3Gs7MsJYbRWzXG9PhyphenhyphentTo7d7K5d5M/s640/IMG_20200313_141209.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That should be plenty of clamping pressure. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3xdF_dVHDaI2vq4PqVZG8hK-fdFancpjyfUPc4q4Pv9vmPFqDN_Te6Y7K7tm4dTlPrTj_t2Jnb0XLhSerMDP9Jm0MOp-pStztG4-NDVSiVps3ZFXFfHKtGsMCqIU9l8G_-ridzrbjL8/s1600/IMG_20200313_141521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3xdF_dVHDaI2vq4PqVZG8hK-fdFancpjyfUPc4q4Pv9vmPFqDN_Te6Y7K7tm4dTlPrTj_t2Jnb0XLhSerMDP9Jm0MOp-pStztG4-NDVSiVps3ZFXFfHKtGsMCqIU9l8G_-ridzrbjL8/s640/IMG_20200313_141521.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here is my gluing rig for the chanterelle tuner. Actually, this is the very first time I've ever used a shaped caul like this to glue in this piece. I'm not sure why--maybe it was because I knew I'd be blogging about this, and wanted to glue it 'properly.' But to tell the truth, I don't think it needs this. I usually just put glue on both surfaces, and slip the tuner in place. The compound angles at the ends of the rebate provide excellent clamping pressure, and the tuner will not move. (It will also never come out of its place on the finished instrument, unless there's a sledgehammer involved.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzW-0DMPTowpZZeKP4SqRvZTon4NcYZpwhwI2ui6W4rTdpiyTra4KGrF7qQ16uad_OjAjfuxt5g-4ouwmllJIy9BTn4gOt6zL6VDFLrMRXMsnwPNTM4Zbfl9jnxkTJx1Xv98Sd-k6aoQ/s1600/IMG_20200316_102006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzW-0DMPTowpZZeKP4SqRvZTon4NcYZpwhwI2ui6W4rTdpiyTra4KGrF7qQ16uad_OjAjfuxt5g-4ouwmllJIy9BTn4gOt6zL6VDFLrMRXMsnwPNTM4Zbfl9jnxkTJx1Xv98Sd-k6aoQ/s640/IMG_20200316_102006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next day: trimming veneer. I do this with my low angle block plane, which works well even on end grain, which is what I have here. However, I must dock the corner (with a chisel) first, or the plane will tear away the side of the veneer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZuwRn_zo4Aw0XEfYgBbpXofBb0QyEn-NGK50PJqR1MCtPwA2zh2WabJ-lXX0je2tYhl9LoTQD0HPVDI7elBAktBFdeNdSGPn_gLVA2MUjCAjbjEFKIfVOZhkjbxFjSFYOvBM5_N7FMo/s1600/IMG_20200316_103558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZuwRn_zo4Aw0XEfYgBbpXofBb0QyEn-NGK50PJqR1MCtPwA2zh2WabJ-lXX0je2tYhl9LoTQD0HPVDI7elBAktBFdeNdSGPn_gLVA2MUjCAjbjEFKIfVOZhkjbxFjSFYOvBM5_N7FMo/s640/IMG_20200316_103558.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That's my result with the block plane--all that's left is to make flush with files.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPYMoNEWcXjgJ3o4u_mtW8JPK5lFJVGOTBYhg-ogUEpUGyw8mO3RwhHnAuJY11iQvn36q_L0-fI5_alqVRLd5c7CF8o0mRitxMUMfMLUvreJoAvhCLVY9ly-Xy-KxtKYs6VA2Yii_zf8/s1600/IMG_20200316_103959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPYMoNEWcXjgJ3o4u_mtW8JPK5lFJVGOTBYhg-ogUEpUGyw8mO3RwhHnAuJY11iQvn36q_L0-fI5_alqVRLd5c7CF8o0mRitxMUMfMLUvreJoAvhCLVY9ly-Xy-KxtKYs6VA2Yii_zf8/s640/IMG_20200316_103959.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like so.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9JdLQ4IfXMT2a1-VzjIYepz7M44ezz-sehXhnU4H9gNiFytKQAYSzPC7XaBKE9koIJA6_fQ1hgngJTPEjUj79tk_tHA2Zgk-EqY2GIQ_ULGQAOkuh-terhke_cX2YKb4RNLjdxDtSjg/s1600/IMG_20200316_104219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9JdLQ4IfXMT2a1-VzjIYepz7M44ezz-sehXhnU4H9gNiFytKQAYSzPC7XaBKE9koIJA6_fQ1hgngJTPEjUj79tk_tHA2Zgk-EqY2GIQ_ULGQAOkuh-terhke_cX2YKb4RNLjdxDtSjg/s640/IMG_20200316_104219.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here's my chanterelle tuner, with excess glue removed, awaiting in-carving. I've sketched a few lines to guide my shaping.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmbVGRrXcDI2NAppvgf-oX2jEjAyO7lus3z8MsK_gcFLexkdysAnTuXJXRnZrKn-4i50SVD9w31B2Vd9N7kw9-ARPM44B2PEv3SMqSnHv4aV8hLSGUuen-qCmIRELLq0DOmyoor_KDG4/s1600/IMG_20200316_110553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmbVGRrXcDI2NAppvgf-oX2jEjAyO7lus3z8MsK_gcFLexkdysAnTuXJXRnZrKn-4i50SVD9w31B2Vd9N7kw9-ARPM44B2PEv3SMqSnHv4aV8hLSGUuen-qCmIRELLq0DOmyoor_KDG4/s640/IMG_20200316_110553.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's not the easiest piece to hold--I brace it up against the bench edge with a piece of leather to guard against marring or denting corners or edges. I do most of my work with a small, curved knife blade, cutting across the grain.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5Io6tHmDhhDzSUBT233gjKRAVf3Tet4fRsXTigeZG61ek7TasOOqLlJjQaH_a8yrFUND0jkHodETyuiAtEFDL4vaJRgfoZ4YCaiyNIhhUpR4PYuc_S9Z3E5I5jiKyL5J7cHYNy0QsSQ/s1600/IMG_20200316_131357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5Io6tHmDhhDzSUBT233gjKRAVf3Tet4fRsXTigeZG61ek7TasOOqLlJjQaH_a8yrFUND0jkHodETyuiAtEFDL4vaJRgfoZ4YCaiyNIhhUpR4PYuc_S9Z3E5I5jiKyL5J7cHYNy0QsSQ/s640/IMG_20200316_131357.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also use fine files, and a number of small scrapers that I've made from x-acto blades. The curved scrapers are most useful for this job.</span></td></tr>
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Here are some views of my final shape on the chanterelle tuner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSH2nhlyODVhuA22QEqpqLUK4Q8637AoiQwWDLYXhOBrHG1mIDBZKImvQv9Igo2HBwiqSCZErU92EoOFDaMpyJi82rO-Z5Sh3Or9odttqKZiwES2_bBCgxTjcWH54XS6fhsW5B1J6NDg/s1600/IMG_20200316_131315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSH2nhlyODVhuA22QEqpqLUK4Q8637AoiQwWDLYXhOBrHG1mIDBZKImvQv9Igo2HBwiqSCZErU92EoOFDaMpyJi82rO-Z5Sh3Or9odttqKZiwES2_bBCgxTjcWH54XS6fhsW5B1J6NDg/s640/IMG_20200316_131315.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmnOO_y4gH_gDZSS1ECnDW3giaRRzQ-hdC8xVNxJu3AMRA6bta9Bv3A8aokWoZ8xw1Y6YqgOJz4iBJ96ezhUumpUCerybbQDoaVxQxElFprhSE2hilpVWKWvtZ5a_hBvb30pAu2Nh91s/s1600/IMG_20200316_131323+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmnOO_y4gH_gDZSS1ECnDW3giaRRzQ-hdC8xVNxJu3AMRA6bta9Bv3A8aokWoZ8xw1Y6YqgOJz4iBJ96ezhUumpUCerybbQDoaVxQxElFprhSE2hilpVWKWvtZ5a_hBvb30pAu2Nh91s/s640/IMG_20200316_131323+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Qp0YE-f8pPoDwjcHJib2wtChW7MpIG0ndzsSSHhfqTLPa4ZYQynmGZOWW1DO0dLjxRuoTpeDsstYu2MAV3V5HhItHTgjhmahETd4dmSjCHNys4DxNsyAmyhw9_1qsE8Vpxk3P6qjl0I/s1600/IMG_20200316_131305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Qp0YE-f8pPoDwjcHJib2wtChW7MpIG0ndzsSSHhfqTLPa4ZYQynmGZOWW1DO0dLjxRuoTpeDsstYu2MAV3V5HhItHTgjhmahETd4dmSjCHNys4DxNsyAmyhw9_1qsE8Vpxk3P6qjl0I/s640/IMG_20200316_131305.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's a rather complex shape to make, and it's large enough that there's a danger of ungainliness if it's not done right. I try to get my lines smooth and a little stout, I would say; I don't want them to be weak. </span></td></tr>
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The final shape of the outside of the tuner is not based on an historical lute, but is of my own design. I shape it to recall the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazar_(amulet)" style="text-align: center;">nazar</a>, the 'evil eye' charm that one sees in many middle eastern and south asian countries, which I first encountered on a trip to Istanbul many years ago.<br />
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And that is all for today. Next time: the bass rider, and gluing the peg box in place.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-7399287614434439632020-07-26T15:17:00.024-07:002020-07-26T22:48:23.193-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 19: Making the Peg BoxHello, and welcome back to my detailed documentation of how I build a 13 course lute.<br />
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If you've been following along, you'll know that I'm in the midst of varnishing this lute. However, while the whole pre-varnish and varnish process takes two or three weeks in total, it only takes up a couple of hours of my time every couple of days--which leaves me plenty of time to make the peg box (and some other stuff, which I'll tell you about in a later episode.) Because it's a 13 course lute, this will be a fairly complex thing, and will eventually include a chanterelle tuner and a bass rider. Those two features will be added to the peg box after it has been fitted to the neck. For today, I'll only talk about making the basic box. </div>
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I make the peg box out of five pieces of pearwood: two strips for the cheeks, a block at the tip and the bottom, and a back plate. There are also ebony veneers on the front and back, though not on the sides of the cheeks.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdAdEwex-y3SVPz7K5OK_vsBo08hDmXGhaYPRskVZk4OpZ98ZXb8wCp36z6izpqWT-bdVRah5lrXCqvP8obIGXcJzqloIyNlgVk0Ma6dw_TzhyphenhyphenyGtezJGgyCT2_LoeA9abpmus96lz2Q/w640-h480/IMG_20200214_135621.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I begin with the cheeks, first planing one side very flat with the low angle block plane in my planing box. (This side will be to the <i>inside</i> of the peg box.) I note the direction of runout in the piece--that is, the direction that planes the easiest--and mark it. I want to arrange the two cheeks so that, when the peg box is complete, I will be able to plane the outside of the cheeks easily from the bottom of the peg box to the tip. (As you will eventually see, this is essential for fitting the pegbox accurately in its joint in the neck.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7XLLHnr0-KdR3Muzqy-RrCh19-lcs8E3b8oXS6fbJmJlzotbnXq0Cfj0uvtiaZkOTd-BB0qUFNdpcRC_tO24pC1RDV4h-57jBTj_EQVwER15OGt-ABgAlBp6PI_hdDoCBUJ0yuVpq78/s2048/IMG_20200214_140422.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7XLLHnr0-KdR3Muzqy-RrCh19-lcs8E3b8oXS6fbJmJlzotbnXq0Cfj0uvtiaZkOTd-BB0qUFNdpcRC_tO24pC1RDV4h-57jBTj_EQVwER15OGt-ABgAlBp6PI_hdDoCBUJ0yuVpq78/w640-h480/IMG_20200214_140422.jpg" title="dimwits!" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the planing directions sorted out, I also know which surface will be to the <i>bottom</i> of the peg box. I use my shooting board and bench plane to shoot that bottom edge flat and perpendicular to the side.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3e8EcF5r1zcOeTzRvNY79ZJvyLoNsLGR3YQAXWmkOFHqVWhThoIKytIc83G6ezkCIY218eHZctLpKxLZdszngYs0w_MU5-5Au1SlVxL1bpoxm1o1lTBizjADW5-bExTdFwXBZ5ImIb4E/s2048/IMG_20200214_162006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3e8EcF5r1zcOeTzRvNY79ZJvyLoNsLGR3YQAXWmkOFHqVWhThoIKytIc83G6ezkCIY218eHZctLpKxLZdszngYs0w_MU5-5Au1SlVxL1bpoxm1o1lTBizjADW5-bExTdFwXBZ5ImIb4E/w640-h480/IMG_20200214_162006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can then start fitting pieces together on a little building-board. This jig is just a piece of (flat) mdf, with the dimensions of the peg box marked out accurately. I've covered it with a piece of packing tape, to guard against the frame getting stuck to the jig when I glue up. (By the way, at this point the peg box cheeks are both a little over-wide, over-long, and over-tall.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySODeZVcYn7W_3kS49tkujvItG5xhQ3BWqAph7tmJqDq7Icg4ocu9QNZeV5xf7Z-YxU3LRkLrcc8J8NAUoVfVU98sqmOpeKNX7MJWqPtB8y9cy7wl30CK5MmlRAblzWWTs84ncUI8sEM/s2048/IMG_20200219_130431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySODeZVcYn7W_3kS49tkujvItG5xhQ3BWqAph7tmJqDq7Icg4ocu9QNZeV5xf7Z-YxU3LRkLrcc8J8NAUoVfVU98sqmOpeKNX7MJWqPtB8y9cy7wl30CK5MmlRAblzWWTs84ncUI8sEM/w640-h480/IMG_20200219_130431.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To make the bottom block (and the tip block, too), I use a little sliding bevel to get the angle I'll need on the sides of the blocks. Then I can mark out my material, cut it out on the band saw, and shape the piece with a disk sander very close to the final dimension.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fEeUzH-4EaF8HBB7eg-x_PQ-4WD60_ZnyrySd7EZCgheKIXpb2hlh8TvMJXmuEkZ7OV9tvkXEsaTT91AgKoUkcINPtcIFryrd1ayjnFgl1x0Eqg14zKmtziQXNndVP-ZeCnKvcSbbjs/w640-h480/IMG_20200219_145625.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do the final shaping of the blocks at the bench with files. Clamping both cheeks to the bottom block, as shown here, helps me to see whether my pieces have flat, squared surfaces--the better to build a strong box. </span></td></tr>
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Just a word on grain orientation, for all the pieces so far. The cheeks are quarter sawn, showing the quarter to the outside of the peg box. The bottom block and top block are also quartered, but they show their <i>end grain</i> to the front and back of the peg box. This is for a couple of reasons. First, the bottom block, when it's fitted into the neck rebate, will match long grain to long grain with the neck, making for a stronger glued joint. Second, having the top and bottom blocks show long grain to the inside of the peg box makes them less liable to absorbing water, which is used to clean up dried glue after assembly. (If instead end grain were shown to the inside, the blocks would easily absorb water, swell, and crack, in very short order.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVxF2xyS81tTVkVQz5N4bmzE1wnslLmpumOUmcyQSlMD7_yXYk48TQ_KcwvO29vDaNvbIObbZ4BMFQfDrW_wazYByohlNYJaiaW4-UqK9wv1yh6lIpFAUuXz4ZD6cyToNC0hoOt9OTKE/s2048/IMG_20200219_151609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVxF2xyS81tTVkVQz5N4bmzE1wnslLmpumOUmcyQSlMD7_yXYk48TQ_KcwvO29vDaNvbIObbZ4BMFQfDrW_wazYByohlNYJaiaW4-UqK9wv1yh6lIpFAUuXz4ZD6cyToNC0hoOt9OTKE/s640/IMG_20200219_151609.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the basic gluing set-up. I'll do the bottom block first, then the top: brush glue on the contact surfaces, slide into place, clamp down to the building-board, then across from cheek to cheek. I don't have a pic of the full glued-up thing, but perhaps you get the idea.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKkYbpQ9iC5E4bvVpEhRMpDFGn8aBMlVqaii1rK9Ak8s0JUxYm7fHxMlujImLLhgbMoq5IxVQ2Z8MeBNZrV5oeJr_RdJFYgXBVwce_8CgDWTtbI5llnn-r8BHYwKbJLvhEU5ceOWyu8k/s2048/IMG_20200220_103827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKkYbpQ9iC5E4bvVpEhRMpDFGn8aBMlVqaii1rK9Ak8s0JUxYm7fHxMlujImLLhgbMoq5IxVQ2Z8MeBNZrV5oeJr_RdJFYgXBVwce_8CgDWTtbI5llnn-r8BHYwKbJLvhEU5ceOWyu8k/s640/IMG_20200220_103827.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The result, next day. Note the extra-tall bottom and top blocks, to facilitate clamping. I can now set this aside, and prepare the back plate. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4focau-o6PyRcFgxYHu11peOsNppDG0GaX5spoVGhsJyN9T3Hv5LbBBNmCsOq3LuyMFgnMSoPBZf69Dke7nw6XaD8ozvnAkyJIPyHIfOuqYY4En4-v7QGZ9xTned9G30XghN7vowEngU/s1600/IMG_20200220_143129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4focau-o6PyRcFgxYHu11peOsNppDG0GaX5spoVGhsJyN9T3Hv5LbBBNmCsOq3LuyMFgnMSoPBZf69Dke7nw6XaD8ozvnAkyJIPyHIfOuqYY4En4-v7QGZ9xTned9G30XghN7vowEngU/s640/IMG_20200220_143129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The back plate is a piece of quarter-sawn pear that's a bit oversize in length and width.</span></td></tr>
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The back plate will taper in thickness by about 1mm along its length. Overall final thickness--including veneer--will be about 4mm at the bottom to 3mm at the top. This means that at this point, I want the back plate to be about 3mm thick at the bottom, and 2 at the top.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0GVL1kOSA2Isf3lMbbiRYlywFLzoCsqfVk6g0nfsf6tXhvVWk_ppKmz3wvO6U1QR3XaTgKcX-En344KpaAs0rRjTGHLcjQlXeX3OWpXUW8AgfTNjQ9zUFvEjYyFTK01ShwWgUBiG_1E/s1600/IMG_20200220_143136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0GVL1kOSA2Isf3lMbbiRYlywFLzoCsqfVk6g0nfsf6tXhvVWk_ppKmz3wvO6U1QR3XaTgKcX-En344KpaAs0rRjTGHLcjQlXeX3OWpXUW8AgfTNjQ9zUFvEjYyFTK01ShwWgUBiG_1E/s640/IMG_20200220_143136.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can labour away with a low angle block plane at the bench to achieve this taper, or you can use this handy little jig on the thickness sander: just a piece of 400 grit paper backed with layers of masking tape to create a piece that tapers 1mm in thickness over its length. (The thinner end is to the left, thicker to the right.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmcVc750dTtqm4LusUX9_8lHHfoo-QkCBLzZXwzJhKs7orQYdsG0fLilCkSRn2k-kqijiRNP-PqUM7YGgPHYU1tr2Dk_bj6aT4Nik70rv307vB9ULdCYGJOlSc9duyBSlRfCAeFOuOm4/s1600/IMG_20200220_143120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmcVc750dTtqm4LusUX9_8lHHfoo-QkCBLzZXwzJhKs7orQYdsG0fLilCkSRn2k-kqijiRNP-PqUM7YGgPHYU1tr2Dk_bj6aT4Nik70rv307vB9ULdCYGJOlSc9duyBSlRfCAeFOuOm4/s640/IMG_20200220_143120.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The jig is easy to use--just tape it to the feed table, put your plate on top, and run it through the sander. However, you need to be sure to orient the back plate correctly: the thinner end (tip end) goes to the thicker end of the jig; the thicker end (bottom end) goes to the thinner end of the jig.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMMDsUbXuAv_nqfzxR7Sfx6iGp7zAqbon75F2x6z2Dshjnv2Uv3Rr8HdKlCqkeH_K1ZZLCW4MTNnZ5rd-be7k9eMW2jV-inAUhm6twPogux2xEjz_L4tr82f8QB4wvUvZt5Vtt6ltl6g/s1600/IMG_20200220_165206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMMDsUbXuAv_nqfzxR7Sfx6iGp7zAqbon75F2x6z2Dshjnv2Uv3Rr8HdKlCqkeH_K1ZZLCW4MTNnZ5rd-be7k9eMW2jV-inAUhm6twPogux2xEjz_L4tr82f8QB4wvUvZt5Vtt6ltl6g/s640/IMG_20200220_165206.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The only practical way to put this part together is to glue the veneer to the back plate first, before gluing to the peg box frame. Here's my setup, ready to glue: lots of clamps; the thicknessed ebony veneer and pear back plate, double-side taped to their respective sides of the gluing press. I warm both surfaces with the hair dryer, brush glue on both surfaces, then stick them together fast and get even clamping pressure in place.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiHJSDkrNLjQFJN__ko6WDOc8R-FMgVBd3qVTHJPyjpuZVdqvw6ak1ALF0PA62a-kZKOhGnXpIuPOMolDgwm4SWYze5g6fBL8Ouk8y6fRSf6qvK3RHNIsvNw_HItcRAu5oLcBJafror4/s1600/IMG_20200220_170825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiHJSDkrNLjQFJN__ko6WDOc8R-FMgVBd3qVTHJPyjpuZVdqvw6ak1ALF0PA62a-kZKOhGnXpIuPOMolDgwm4SWYze5g6fBL8Ouk8y6fRSf6qvK3RHNIsvNw_HItcRAu5oLcBJafror4/s640/IMG_20200220_170825.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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By the way, for gluing the veneer and back plate together, I use hot hide glue into which I've mixed a little alum. This is to guard, as much as possible, against the back plate curling up as it dries, which is one of the small frustrations of using hide glue in instrument construction. (I discussed this issue, and the use of alum, in a little more detail in an earlier post in this series, <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 6: the Rose</a>.)<br />
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But no matter what precautions I take, the back plate will curl a little (from the sides), and there's not much I can do to stop it. The best thing I can do to thwart the process is get the back plate glued to the frame as soon as I can.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttO2SNtcLfgeo8SHSTbsPB_5MGTFYVOpN5WTKoZyltVlM-Ym4TF7RAGD6WS3NrI3DMGvUNmrlPWhfx92ogPY7Kl12by4OjgPlekrFMqbzVfzZFOJFLacT38bODqaVK9SEyXukIHEtFjw/s1600/IMG_20200220_133138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttO2SNtcLfgeo8SHSTbsPB_5MGTFYVOpN5WTKoZyltVlM-Ym4TF7RAGD6WS3NrI3DMGvUNmrlPWhfx92ogPY7Kl12by4OjgPlekrFMqbzVfzZFOJFLacT38bODqaVK9SEyXukIHEtFjw/s640/IMG_20200220_133138.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Step 1: Size the end grain on the bottom and tip blocks. This is to ensure the best possible adhesion between the blocks and the back plate. </span></td></tr>
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The technique I use to size these blocks is one that Grant Tomlinson taught me, and I think he learned it from Stephen Gottlieb when he apprenticed with him in the 1980s: cold size. Rather than brushing on hot size straight from the glue pot--which might be absorbed too quickly and swell and distort the blocks too much--I put a little bit of full strength glue in a small dish, add about the same amount of water from the water bath, stir around with my fingertip until the mixture cools, and then apply it to the surface with my fingertip. I apply this size once, wait a few minutes, then apply it again. I let it dry for an hour, and then I can get back to work on the piece.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINikw3lRMxUulKEegpEyPMa96qrWBU-64dFDuOVNWYXbci6hIwAOlGZSeVSq8EI91wXR6EfBrIRLdxjsb2KMbPRKLIbo-aS2n956CovRwHk5Y5yswkLpseMC9_w3__Jd3xYpVvXTlKLM/s1600/IMG_20200220_133057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINikw3lRMxUulKEegpEyPMa96qrWBU-64dFDuOVNWYXbci6hIwAOlGZSeVSq8EI91wXR6EfBrIRLdxjsb2KMbPRKLIbo-aS2n956CovRwHk5Y5yswkLpseMC9_w3__Jd3xYpVvXTlKLM/s640/IMG_20200220_133057.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Cold size,' about to be mixed. I was sure I had mentioned this technique another time, earlier in this series or in another post on this blog, but I can't find it now. (If someone else knows where the reference might be, please let me know and I'll link to it.) I use cold size in at least one other place in building a lute, and that is on the top block, after it's been carved, in preparation for having lute ribs glued to it when I put together the back. I should have described it <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">here, in the first post in this series</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwuEfNMuAovE_dwixrYTWq_eohVYDZUvkbkYREsfAMVdLVii-WjYjfB9Kw-wbB9XDKqEHA9pI3D6_HYGen7nKUHBTdYhRJQqnSMc9d3tKUxylWXFlcQBeck1V2x_DbLOlSjS6G9iBK5w/s1600/IMG_20200221_103723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwuEfNMuAovE_dwixrYTWq_eohVYDZUvkbkYREsfAMVdLVii-WjYjfB9Kw-wbB9XDKqEHA9pI3D6_HYGen7nKUHBTdYhRJQqnSMc9d3tKUxylWXFlcQBeck1V2x_DbLOlSjS6G9iBK5w/s640/IMG_20200221_103723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But back to the task at hand. When the cold size is dried, I flatten the backside of the peg box frame one last time, on a sanding plate. I also scrape the pearwood side of the back plate, in preparation for gluing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEhljuyBS_KSOnn-zLzmu76kg9CLQtY8HPF3xPu_fmOZ8AtlF2sYxrd8LkIN7TPzYqV2aX3r2VM7IyNc5uhkl888vvqz8s6F5ZDR8YxSkvlqB7INAUbOJJxQPYyY77G_l-HnzinaVh2Q/s1600/IMG_20200221_154837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEhljuyBS_KSOnn-zLzmu76kg9CLQtY8HPF3xPu_fmOZ8AtlF2sYxrd8LkIN7TPzYqV2aX3r2VM7IyNc5uhkl888vvqz8s6F5ZDR8YxSkvlqB7INAUbOJJxQPYyY77G_l-HnzinaVh2Q/s640/IMG_20200221_154837.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm afraid I don't have any pics of gluing the frame and back plate together--just the end result, shown here. As you can see, the back plate is a bit over-long and -wide compared to the frame. I should also say that I use the building board for a gluing caul to put this together, and use a couple of wooden cam clamps on the bottom block, one on the tip block, and many down each peg box cheek.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmebKk-Tx7Zy19drmnOjgnbedza3vUDHp8UCACcCbuctWEwpzDHvNh9sWMrR_G9IpC85fyLxCxP1wauJHpixnwdeuS0d8UoSSg39OPXrfKz7fSE_u0oC8_cUUvUsMAMxB7fyQ5jnwFpRU/s1600/IMG_20200222_095036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmebKk-Tx7Zy19drmnOjgnbedza3vUDHp8UCACcCbuctWEwpzDHvNh9sWMrR_G9IpC85fyLxCxP1wauJHpixnwdeuS0d8UoSSg39OPXrfKz7fSE_u0oC8_cUUvUsMAMxB7fyQ5jnwFpRU/s640/IMG_20200222_095036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the plate glued on, I can use my low-angle block plane to trim the excess of the back plate and take the peg box a little closer to its final dimensions. (I still leave a millimetre or two extra of width on each cheek; I'll do the final trimming when I fit the peg box into the neck rebate.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg6gnLZvhXwx1f-39G36lNn2XLwAJmrT3BD0XDgmLpCRXEHiL3xO-kW04zLyiFhf1AJUhrCHbZ1oWQIv1dYB3BvjTSBUy0aOc3Xhd6tb4Q2JT0hg_npEaRG6KhhbrfZAAwe3BMKItBZw/s1600/IMG_20200222_103507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg6gnLZvhXwx1f-39G36lNn2XLwAJmrT3BD0XDgmLpCRXEHiL3xO-kW04zLyiFhf1AJUhrCHbZ1oWQIv1dYB3BvjTSBUy0aOc3Xhd6tb4Q2JT0hg_npEaRG6KhhbrfZAAwe3BMKItBZw/s640/IMG_20200222_103507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also use the low-angle block plane to take the peg box to its final depth (which tapers from the bottom to the tip.) I try to get this front surface very flat, in preparation for gluing the front veneers. (The LA block plane works very well for flattening the end grain of the bottom and tip blocks.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqQ0UWA3ip3EmyvfImAKn7_Dn6dKFvOe96SctlAIoX1Q7amHkgMN9YWMmcChLtpJUuUN6AHENSij6Sci0VwA3reY3crbL-Ch8vXyEQoaFLS706ZRLAxe7QpSvyR51UUg2GYVVXttw34I/s1600/IMG_20200222_134936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqQ0UWA3ip3EmyvfImAKn7_Dn6dKFvOe96SctlAIoX1Q7amHkgMN9YWMmcChLtpJUuUN6AHENSij6Sci0VwA3reY3crbL-Ch8vXyEQoaFLS706ZRLAxe7QpSvyR51UUg2GYVVXttw34I/s640/IMG_20200222_134936.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Front veneers. I fit the sides first, and will glue one at a time. I clamp the piece on dry first, without glue, and try to place the veneer so that there's a very small overhang over the peg box cheek. You can see I've got three clamps on a plexiglass caul holding the veneer in place. The clamp on the right side of the picture is just there to hold the peg box securely on the building board.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvernEUTtIhmUeCy24ZaJI9oDVkSh7q6ym_NZgTtoU4QQzcdrsoDOByrroUux0bDXBbqkGvSl_qU2ir0bgyTDi8wWl0wEh-QnxmLhmc90H-r_37Nq85GQzuEO5uSDDbMKSGk6xHK9Xdw/s1600/IMG_20200222_135031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvernEUTtIhmUeCy24ZaJI9oDVkSh7q6ym_NZgTtoU4QQzcdrsoDOByrroUux0bDXBbqkGvSl_qU2ir0bgyTDi8wWl0wEh-QnxmLhmc90H-r_37Nq85GQzuEO5uSDDbMKSGk6xHK9Xdw/s640/IMG_20200222_135031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've got a bunch of plexiglass cauls for this job, and they're long enough to accommodate one, two, or three cam clamps. I clamp the entire veneer in place, then remove a couple of clamps from one end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwb7o6EiqZHP9q-4C54b5l7UKbEpYmkNXC4TX0VpOkDRW-th84IALddLTEbUckqKUFkSU3ZtS85vTGEOfTRfbCCgux0_EFZh_D4WzLnjADR8_o1smNsE16AeHw6SAh6aJ06n6KFY76pI/s1600/IMG_20200222_135058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwb7o6EiqZHP9q-4C54b5l7UKbEpYmkNXC4TX0VpOkDRW-th84IALddLTEbUckqKUFkSU3ZtS85vTGEOfTRfbCCgux0_EFZh_D4WzLnjADR8_o1smNsE16AeHw6SAh6aJ06n6KFY76pI/s640/IMG_20200222_135058.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can lift the flexible veneer, and get glue between it and the cheek, then position the cauls, and clamp. Then I can remove the clamps and cauls from the other end of the veneer, lift that, get glue on the underside, and clamp it down.</span></td></tr>
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This sort of clamping technique--getting the piece accurately clamped in place dry, then removing some of the clamps, applying glue, clamping, moving on to the next section--is something I do pretty often in this work (for instance, it works great when gluing the capping strip to the body, which may be viewed <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html">here, in the first instalment of this series</a>.) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sJ7gcF1TWAtTQU1gp0rFcwu7De6SdjHgmq0ueKMZZ4q5KbUyH0rrkfnMIixxqDxM6xloLWf5aXDkrNoYMmKxF5o0cVoIqSS0K0-piS0LmnDpfeBUW0uDJIWMgCYJo5oAjqBUIH6yT6c/s1600/IMG_20200224_151049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sJ7gcF1TWAtTQU1gp0rFcwu7De6SdjHgmq0ueKMZZ4q5KbUyH0rrkfnMIixxqDxM6xloLWf5aXDkrNoYMmKxF5o0cVoIqSS0K0-piS0LmnDpfeBUW0uDJIWMgCYJo5oAjqBUIH6yT6c/s640/IMG_20200224_151049.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also need to glue veneer over the tip and bottom blocks; so first I'll give them a smear or two of cold size, then fit the veneer piece with--you guessed it--my low angle block plane, and a shooting board.</span></td></tr>
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You can see in the photo above that there is some hardened glue squeeze out inside the peg box, both from when I glued on the back plate and when I glued on the front veneers. I will remove this by brushing cold water on it, letting it soak, and then scraping the softened glue out with a sharpened stick. I have to be careful to use water sparingly for this job; if I'm too generous with it, the back will swell, and probably warp, and likely crack. Best to work patiently, in this case.<br />
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At this point, the basic peg box is almost complete--there's one more job I need to do before I can be ready to cut the rebate in the neck and fit up, in preparation for fitting the treble and bass riders.<br />
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That job is: drilling the peg holes. I have a couple of photos of this operation, and I believe there to be a wealth of information about this process in them. Let me point out a few highlights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8DfLwq2Yrk9EY_TrpzTlacC4nXjNzaRZAeEfNXI6GWZ3_n_W4rs2hXM0XcJW-2sKilLO2wC9KX7xSwEbBc3PVMKhE7l3IAmYkTJFdl0VqIdNVNeNkh2MNrHJhokIOOAbWFaxDzTRZgg/s1600/IMG_20200304_112500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8DfLwq2Yrk9EY_TrpzTlacC4nXjNzaRZAeEfNXI6GWZ3_n_W4rs2hXM0XcJW-2sKilLO2wC9KX7xSwEbBc3PVMKhE7l3IAmYkTJFdl0VqIdNVNeNkh2MNrHJhokIOOAbWFaxDzTRZgg/s640/IMG_20200304_112500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here we are at the drill press, pretty much ready to start drilling holes. I have a right angle holding jig to which I've clamped the peg box; I've also oriented the box along its centreline, so that the peg holes will be drilled perpendicular to it. On the back side of the jig, there's a big lead brick that somebody in the last 50 years or so left in the space in the building where I have my workshop. I use this brick to weight the jig down, so I may drill very accurate holes.</span></td></tr>
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I would draw your attention to one other feature of the photo above, and that is all the bits and blocks of wood I have placed on the inside of the peg box. These are scrap pieces of jelutong (leftovers from lute mold making.) I've fitted two long strips up against the insides of both peg box cheeks, and then braced them against the cheeks with blocks. The strips and blocks provide backing for the drill bit; if there were no backing, the bit would break out and splinter the inside of the cheek.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AgBID56CyS6sVpIBb0FGPRxy04Kc0zO68kYvPjl_MTqJV8-EXingErRXw3d31cLnjdU8lZU4xOgEw_TokCUsDBqFBpNW2PRTvQZT8vFdYClbnh69H8EeTdHDuTog20Z9aXlUWztmpZ8/s1600/IMG_20200304_112451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AgBID56CyS6sVpIBb0FGPRxy04Kc0zO68kYvPjl_MTqJV8-EXingErRXw3d31cLnjdU8lZU4xOgEw_TokCUsDBqFBpNW2PRTvQZT8vFdYClbnh69H8EeTdHDuTog20Z9aXlUWztmpZ8/s640/IMG_20200304_112451.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A reverse shot, showing one other feature of this job: the marking out of the peg holes. I've drawn a line down the centre of the cheek, and marked the exact position of each peg hole along it. I've pricked each mark with an awl, and I'll drill pilot holes at each mark. I've also drawn a circle around every second peg hole, showing where I'll use a larger drill bit for the larger end of the peg. Uncircled marks will get a slightly smaller hole, for the smaller end of the peg. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLaWVHTuReUkF3HLpvS0Z90L3swja8dvdMLGB8RyUP4E76wYPrf6TTUThkDHWCSQA96szz3VyCm5ymH4k8ai8_JjVs-gV_pvSd3dd5cJbNNDNqhrCuQP_t1AQfEYC0Xd1cT1uBjXhes8/s1600/IMG_20200304_125543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLaWVHTuReUkF3HLpvS0Z90L3swja8dvdMLGB8RyUP4E76wYPrf6TTUThkDHWCSQA96szz3VyCm5ymH4k8ai8_JjVs-gV_pvSd3dd5cJbNNDNqhrCuQP_t1AQfEYC0Xd1cT1uBjXhes8/s640/IMG_20200304_125543.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The completed box, ready to be fitted to the neck.</span></td></tr>
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That's about it for this instalment, my friends. It's pretty straightforward, technical lute making; not too much art, I'd say, but a lot of craft. I'm saving the art for the next instalment when, at last, I will show you how I fit the peg box to the neck, and fit, glue, and carve the chanterelle tuner and bass rider. I may even describe gluing the peg box on. It promises to be a long, and possibly fascinating post. I hope you'll come back and join me for it!<br />
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-48864272874758531472020-07-03T15:16:00.000-07:002020-07-05T22:23:48.224-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 18: Making and Applying VarnishHi my friends--I hope you're well. It has been a while since I posted, so let's get to it. Today I want to talk about my varnish: what it is, how I make it, and how I apply it to a lute.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSplJlfLaT1BEya6DN42v1f6_ZHB09V2SJRnpze8bJ0yI_Nm3rssi3W1ZbEJd7dUSFKhZf8bHWzm_DgNoz8gG0oKKtHGLI3Tk8zqpnhrVJXr73Jke6a2y8yng9E8l_ep3w_NXmobMf8VE/s1600/IMG_20200702_150337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSplJlfLaT1BEya6DN42v1f6_ZHB09V2SJRnpze8bJ0yI_Nm3rssi3W1ZbEJd7dUSFKhZf8bHWzm_DgNoz8gG0oKKtHGLI3Tk8zqpnhrVJXr73Jke6a2y8yng9E8l_ep3w_NXmobMf8VE/s640/IMG_20200702_150337.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A selection of varnish samples on various kinds of woods (honduras rosewood, curly maple, yew, and ash.) I make a varnish sample to go along with every lute that I build.</span></td></tr>
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First, a note of caution. The process of varnish making that I'll be talking about today can be quite hazardous if proper precautions aren't taken. I don't think anyone should attempt to make this varnish without being properly trained. Please don't use this blog post as a 'how-to' for varnish making; it's a description (and not a very complete one), not a set of instructions.<br />
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The stuff that I make and use is a terpene resin varnish that's commonly called Fulton Varnish, after the person who formulated it, William Fulton, an aerospace engineer, violinmaker and varnish researcher and experimenter. Fulton published the results of his work in a series of articles in <i>The Strad</i> in the early 1970s; I was introduced to his techniques by Grant Tomlinson in the early 2000s. Grant had been working with Fulton's recipe for years, so by the time I came along he had worked out pretty much all the kinks (and there are a number of kinks that needed working out.)<br />
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You may have heard of modern violin makers' search for the 'Secrets of Stradivarius,' the lost methods of the old masters that, if only we could recover them, would allow us to build violins with the magical soul of the old instruments. High on the list of 'secrets' is the oil varnish used by the old Cremonese masters. Of course, varnish alone won't make a great violin (or a great lute), but if it's a good varnish, it will do a few things: be beautiful, in finish, lustre and colour; be stable over a long period of time; and be reasonably simple to make and apply. Fulton's varnish fulfills all of these requirements.<br />
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The old makers' varnish is not exactly a 'secret,' in the sense that it's somehow being purposely hoarded or withheld. It's simply a recipe, or more accurately a technique, that's been lost over the centuries, supplanted by the products of the industrial age. Mass-produced finishes took the place of the old and locally-made, even shop-made, varnishes. By the time instrument makers realized that these newer products might not be--<i>ahem</i>--all they were cracked up to be, the old techniques of making oil varnish were mainly lost. Human cultural memory is short.<br />
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Many old recipes for making oil varnish survive, but Fulton took seriously the idea that the ingredients named in them might not be quite the same stuff as their modern equivalents. For instance, one of the main ingredients in some of these old recipes is 'turpentine.' When I say that word, you may think of the clear, distilled liquid thinner for paint and varnish. But Fulton realized that the turpentine of 300 or 400 years ago would have been very different: more contaminates and oxygen in the mix, gummier, thicker and browner, more like the sap of the coniferous trees from which it had been derived.<br />
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So Fulton decided to take the modern distilled spirit of gum turpentine, and turn it back into the turpentine of 3 or 400 years ago, by oxygenating it (bubbling air through it with an aquarium bubbler) and exposing it to ultraviolet light (in the form of sunlight) over a number of weeks or months. The result of this back-engineering is <i>polymerized terpene resin</i>. Here's what it looks like in a gallon jar: dark brown in colour, and about as viscous as blackstrap molasses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtgWFKDZnnDGowAZQPWubXa2pdQcQ1Vtgzdq4QLy3NPXo1mxPTWk1jZ_X_1fHPr8yjzQBYOwc1guzRCRD5Ye-wetsnTHc8zhj2PuDh-MQUyh_0VmYkq7tZ89LFhS9tFig_Wa-I6aPEAs/s1600/IMG_20190928_122314+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="948" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtgWFKDZnnDGowAZQPWubXa2pdQcQ1Vtgzdq4QLy3NPXo1mxPTWk1jZ_X_1fHPr8yjzQBYOwc1guzRCRD5Ye-wetsnTHc8zhj2PuDh-MQUyh_0VmYkq7tZ89LFhS9tFig_Wa-I6aPEAs/s640/IMG_20190928_122314+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of the turpentine evaporates during the polymerization process. The piece of masking tape shows the original volume of turps in this batch, so you can see that I'm left with less than half the original volume.</span></td></tr>
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This particular batch of polymerized turpentine was made not by me but by Grant Tomlinson, and had sat high up on a shelf in his workshop for many years. Over the time I've known and worked with Grant he's shown me many techniques of the lute maker's craft, but few as valuable as varnish making. I first assisted him making a batch of varnish in 2005; then in 2010, Grant assisted me in my own first attempt. Last September, when the picture above was taken, I attempted to make Fulton varnish flying solo for the first time.<br />
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Now I said above that Fulton's varnish is reasonably simple to make, but that doesn't quite mean that it's <i>easy</i> to make. For one thing, the cooking process creates some pretty noxious fumes, so it must be done outdoors. This, in turn, creates some logistical problems, such as where to cook and when. When I made varnish with Grant in 2005 and 2010, we made it in the parking lot of the building next to our shops. This worked fine until a couple of summers ago when Grant was showing our colleague Wilma Van Berkel how to make varnish. That Sunday, I recall, was a beautiful day, with a slight breeze, which cleared away the fumes quite nicely; but unfortunately they were blown pretty directly toward an apartment building nearby, and partway through the cooking process an alarmed resident came over to see what in the world was going on, and whether she should call the fire department. I figured that this time, I should try to find somewhere more remote to do my cooking.<br />
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As for when to cook, since it is done outdoors, a clear day (or at least one without rain) is a necessity. In Vancouver, the end of September pretty much marks the end of decent summer weather; temperatures turn colder after that, and soon the rain--the torrential, unending months of it--begins. The window of time for me to do this cooking was running out fast. If I didn't do it soon, I would have to wait until spring.<br />
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I called my friend Bob, who has an acreage in Langley, about an hour out of town, and asked if he would host me. I warned him about the fumes, and he said it would be no problem, he wouldn't mind a bit.<br />
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So one Saturday morning in September I woke up, checked the weather forecast, and decided it was time to go. I drove to my workshop, loaded up my equipment, and headed out to Bob's. Here are some highlights of my varnish making day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdJxzIBzu53yx2yaAKfWqmrIGgMT5BY9lxoZyLTfOGel1utiBgs7OmF9ll5L09BdFs0498S9yJ_Z15XtKODIHcNoRYzC29QJotU0BQFlmXcpElk1hOEDRTyP7hrlClcxZcn9dxI8cQig/s1600/IMG_20190928_122324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdJxzIBzu53yx2yaAKfWqmrIGgMT5BY9lxoZyLTfOGel1utiBgs7OmF9ll5L09BdFs0498S9yJ_Z15XtKODIHcNoRYzC29QJotU0BQFlmXcpElk1hOEDRTyP7hrlClcxZcn9dxI8cQig/s640/IMG_20190928_122324.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The full scene at Bob's beautiful acreage. I'm set up quite far away from a couple of houses on his property. You can see a yellow extension cord running to my work site from the outdoor kitchen a few feet away.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfDBCPpbAjhexMNBdEBDLLxQgS1ek5Xda_oTwuvFk6DeWt4W8Cj0tk96yKvqYWUi9C2cIZkipzzTkH6qUSRsXPau8iS-M2WP-lUPAHwDO3Ec8io6vctj_Cu4HboacftJ0u2r5tVcyiBU/s1600/IMG_20190928_122314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfDBCPpbAjhexMNBdEBDLLxQgS1ek5Xda_oTwuvFk6DeWt4W8Cj0tk96yKvqYWUi9C2cIZkipzzTkH6qUSRsXPau8iS-M2WP-lUPAHwDO3Ec8io6vctj_Cu4HboacftJ0u2r5tVcyiBU/s640/IMG_20190928_122314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is the basic set-up. A milk crate provides a handy box for carrying equipment, and provides me with my seat. On the plywood, there are a hotplate; a cast-iron pot for cooking the resin; a pot lid for checking varnish hardness and colour; a pair of neoprene gloves; a heat diffuser for the hotplate; a lab thermometer (that reads to 400° C); and the jar of polymerized gum turps. Closer to the camera are wet towels, in case of emergency; and a tub of water, the presence of which I'll explain in a second.</span></td></tr>
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On this day, my varnish making is divided into two parts. First, I must heat the polymerized gum turps to a certain temperature in the cast iron pot to make a brittle resin. I begin by pouring the gum turps into the pot, and heating slowly, stirring with the thermometer and keeping an eye on temperature. Around 125°C, a reaction takes place in which some volatile substances in the turps cook off, in the process creating a considerable amount of heat. This <i>exothermic reaction</i> can cause a rapid (and potentially dangerous) rise in temperature, as well as the creation of some heavy noxious gases. The tub of water in the photo above is available in case the reaction gets out of hand: I can lift the pot from the hotplate and dip it into the water to lower the temperature quickly.<br />
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In the event, there was very little exothermic reaction created by this particular batch of gum turps. I think one of the reasons why is that the batch was made long ago by Grant Tomlinson (he figured it might have been made twenty years ago), and it had simply mellowed, the volatile substances having dissipated over the years. Another possible reason why there was not much of a reaction is that the batch was <i>not</i> made using a certain chemical--manganese napthenate, to be specific--which Fulton recommended using as a catalyst in the original polymerization process.<br />
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Once past that rather tense phase of cooking, I could pretty confidently take the temperature of the gum turps slowly higher, ultimately somewhere above 300° C, the temperature needed for making a beautiful amber-brown shade of resin. (Lower terminal temperatures are used to create lighter-coloured resins and varnishes.)<br />
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Here I am, your humble narrator, enjoying the cooking process on a lovely late summer day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCfHlxqEp3wQRIRKClCNMFqTZPrGQlksgmFYReeigZ7tISLUyUr2qx7AQKcIkztfA8B3D5Sm8kTjoNBB6ZkrK4gXLsskJ8O7nZoaRFX5RgZRUd39xvFdEE3uZ0YzWS4uVRCTAAM5W5VA/s1600/IMG_20190928_125141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCfHlxqEp3wQRIRKClCNMFqTZPrGQlksgmFYReeigZ7tISLUyUr2qx7AQKcIkztfA8B3D5Sm8kTjoNBB6ZkrK4gXLsskJ8O7nZoaRFX5RgZRUd39xvFdEE3uZ0YzWS4uVRCTAAM5W5VA/s640/IMG_20190928_125141.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This photo is courtesy of Bob, my host, who took a break from driving his tractor and cutting the grass while I made varnish. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp77d3EZ4hmz2lU9mhO4gdZ8dDxcEzDrE6iBI47gSLvZDSulAh2PAaGhnZgz7KvE5D1e2JQ-JvkfQUGdJX9vWLlbvP1YRlLYWQUY0jaVhsJe51q-vV5txPEKhf3x-ePHm7a0EFK1vYydU/s1600/IMG_20190928_143603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp77d3EZ4hmz2lU9mhO4gdZ8dDxcEzDrE6iBI47gSLvZDSulAh2PAaGhnZgz7KvE5D1e2JQ-JvkfQUGdJX9vWLlbvP1YRlLYWQUY0jaVhsJe51q-vV5txPEKhf3x-ePHm7a0EFK1vYydU/s640/IMG_20190928_143603.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is the result of the cooking the resin, after removing from heat and allowing to cool. Although it looks like a liquid, it is a solid--I've converted the gum turps to a brittle resin.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohQP7cw1s9t7h51tj1KUwFXyyuy7bvFXj_32ECMs38xVR2YWeUActk6UeOdy5XiJ3cCjWJKQrmTUcAbSvWU2J5jMPkOGD1FX0cQoFEUuGdReZX6dpWbQX-M2lHH9BV9wICcvW-r5KSEA/s1600/IMG_20190928_143842+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohQP7cw1s9t7h51tj1KUwFXyyuy7bvFXj_32ECMs38xVR2YWeUActk6UeOdy5XiJ3cCjWJKQrmTUcAbSvWU2J5jMPkOGD1FX0cQoFEUuGdReZX6dpWbQX-M2lHH9BV9wICcvW-r5KSEA/s640/IMG_20190928_143842+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I just need to remove it from the pot, which I do by breaking it up with a hammer and screwdriver. I will use some of this brittle resin for the second stage of my cooking day, where I actually cook varnish. The rest of this brittle resin I will put into a jar and keep until I need to make varnish next--which hopefully won't be for a few years. (The brittle resin will keep indefinitely.)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhot0B6OL6bzmt56kfVYguJGrCxt8WBjtuwawlOJsjE_6gWrCNTMKKd3PLYYZ3O9CMlYk5fQPwKoQGIsQstntg7zAJCbVm_Pa24SlQPiOz761K0O8QSPQlQXkDBDaexVdK0wn7507ydqH4/s1600/IMG_20190928_144523+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhot0B6OL6bzmt56kfVYguJGrCxt8WBjtuwawlOJsjE_6gWrCNTMKKd3PLYYZ3O9CMlYk5fQPwKoQGIsQstntg7zAJCbVm_Pa24SlQPiOz761K0O8QSPQlQXkDBDaexVdK0wn7507ydqH4/s640/IMG_20190928_144523+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The varnish-making part of the day can now begin. I crush a certain amount of the brittle resin in a mortar, and mix it in another pot with stand oil. Then I heat this mixture steadily, over the course of about an hour, to around 300°C.</span></td></tr>
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I don't have any photos of this part of the process, because I was busy doing it and paying pretty careful attention, and Bob had left the area. But here's what happened. I sat beside the hot plate, stirring constantly with the thermometer, taking temperature readings every minute and jotting them down in my notebook. Even small variations in the rate of heating, as well as the amount of time the varnish is held at the terminal temperature, can make differences in the quality of the varnish. I keep careful records of the cooking process, in the hope of tracking down the origins of these subtle differences.<br />
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Fulton's recipe calls for holding the varnish at the terminal temperature 'until a firm pill stage is reached.' I'm not exactly sure what he means by that, but here's what Grant taught me to do: take the thermometer from the pot and let a drip of varnish fall onto the cold pot lid. Let the drip cool for a few seconds, then tap it with your fingertip and lift away. The varnish will stick, and you'll pull away strands of beautiful amber varnish that billow and drift in the breeze. The longer you hold at the terminal temperature, the finer and longer these gossamer strands will become.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZD_Y3omALjB49q7HRGe_nW4mTYSM2vWoInTCGjRHuMBeehTLHF_5Ju6nwGd0Xt8Z9xO4aI7d1Aq1znCkjwYGw3XEJofTcB3BIsQpXXrBLanjW5cP2Npaui_RMDqE8KWJ-_v_n-RDYCA/s1600/IMG_20200630_135433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZD_Y3omALjB49q7HRGe_nW4mTYSM2vWoInTCGjRHuMBeehTLHF_5Ju6nwGd0Xt8Z9xO4aI7d1Aq1znCkjwYGw3XEJofTcB3BIsQpXXrBLanjW5cP2Npaui_RMDqE8KWJ-_v_n-RDYCA/s640/IMG_20200630_135433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Sorcerer's Pot-Lid. Who can tell the varnishes it has known!</span></td></tr>
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And then, when you judge that the varnish can become no finer, you take it off the heat and let it cool. You can't keep heating indefinitely; your varnish will gel in the pot. That's about it. When the varnish has cooled to below 150°C, you can add some distilled spirit of gum turps as a thinner, and then filter into jars. Here is the final product.<br />
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It's lovely stuff. Can't wait to make a lute, and slap on a coat or two.<br />
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Which leads us to the next part of today's post: applying the varnish.<br />
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For this part of the process I decided to make a series of short videos on my phone. This marks a first for <i>The Lute's Progress</i>: I've never done a video demo before. I don't want to get your hopes up or anything--they aren't the highest of fidelities, I'm not used to talking to a camera, and my framing of the shots may leave a little to be desired. (For instance, in none of the videos can you see my face clearly. That may be either a glitch or a bonus feature; I'll leave it to you to decide.)<br />
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But I couldn't think of a better way to illustrate what I was doing in flattening off the previous varnish coat, and then brushing on the next one. It's not a process that lends itself to taking a bunch of photos, as I usually do, then writing descriptions. So, with all their faults, I humbly present these videos and hope that you can get a reasonably clear idea of what I'm up to when I apply a coat of oil varnish.<br />
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And that will be that for this time. Next time, I'll tell you about making the peg box. Cheers!<br />
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<i>Video #1: Removing dust particles</i><br />
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<i>Video #2: Flattening off the varnish</i><br />
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<i><span id="goog_1514344478"></span><span id="goog_1514344479"></span><br /></i><i>Video #3: Brushing varnish on the first few ribs</i><br />
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<i>Video #4: Brushing varnish on the last ribs and capping strip</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-55840672809672033812020-05-03T21:27:00.001-07:002020-05-05T08:04:45.900-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 17: Finishing out, Prep for VarnishHi again, and welcome back to the workshop. How are you doing during the Great Hush of 2020? I'm still here making my lutes; and I hope you're keeping well, wherever you are.<br />
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Let's get to it. I've got a bunch of things to do to prep this 13 course lute-in-progress for varnish, including some preparatory seal- and ground-coats to the body and belly. First, however, I need to finish out the instrument.<br />
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But what does 'finishing out' really mean? To me, it means going over the entire lute, very methodically, to give it a complete and final physical shape. I've got a checklist of tasks that I go through from top to bottom, which bring the lute to a certain point of completion. This checklist ensures two things: first, that I don't miss out on any details in shaping the lute; and second, that the process doesn't go on forever. I have a task; I do it; I cross it off the list; I go on to the next. Magically, it seems, the lute gets done.<br />
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A small item to begin. Remember back in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_25.html" target="_blank">episode 3 of this series</a>, when I bent and glued the ebony veneer onto the neck core? I used two pins to locate the veneer when I glued it, one near the nut end, and one in the middle of the neck. Those two holes are still in the veneer. The one at the nut end will eventually be obliterated by the peg box rebate, so I don't need to worry about that one. The one in the middle, however, needs to be filled.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6InfzFGwDkmHv7Qyo_kiBGEpEaAn3jyHpAQBsfzakWAe2K2M3zKSnCuS4_mFx59nPQpeCzWsrKwx3T7XnN4ID_tVlzlYJ5z8XfjiZngX9rJ_ucl14YkmE2Xk0I9ynuZYvw6ijHQgwbA/s1600/IMG_20200120_151310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6InfzFGwDkmHv7Qyo_kiBGEpEaAn3jyHpAQBsfzakWAe2K2M3zKSnCuS4_mFx59nPQpeCzWsrKwx3T7XnN4ID_tVlzlYJ5z8XfjiZngX9rJ_ucl14YkmE2Xk0I9ynuZYvw6ijHQgwbA/s640/IMG_20200120_151310.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With a jeweller's pin vise, I drill the hole to a slightly larger diameter.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQm_5tB9W9pD2Xy6-JJ_q-3a9b186_Ubl5MCbeGXXt1l2KcOIu6wM_Ei-fh8c72PXiL9FY_JqzRbRXb9XWMr5sDb4DQGGEoZmbTaAEqelbe2t0pxASSEEuxrzvnRN1CFLEfBuiZFTvDQ/s1600/IMG_20200120_151541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQm_5tB9W9pD2Xy6-JJ_q-3a9b186_Ubl5MCbeGXXt1l2KcOIu6wM_Ei-fh8c72PXiL9FY_JqzRbRXb9XWMr5sDb4DQGGEoZmbTaAEqelbe2t0pxASSEEuxrzvnRN1CFLEfBuiZFTvDQ/s640/IMG_20200120_151541.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then, with files and a scraper, I make a dowel from a scrap of ebony that fits the hole. I glue it in, and when the glue's dry, I nip it off, and file it flush.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirQ9gSA__LGTS4cHn2wLGz7vwJyS1R55EYEJCfIpdaApN8mGjDIoAXX5EEKiipl0GlhBp2U0tfq0le643LIPNBPhSJS73lJdJtLTDD3GEvy5SLMFoXWTbpQcZfsTJIezad1rR3WlCEsI/s1600/IMG_20200122_094016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirQ9gSA__LGTS4cHn2wLGz7vwJyS1R55EYEJCfIpdaApN8mGjDIoAXX5EEKiipl0GlhBp2U0tfq0le643LIPNBPhSJS73lJdJtLTDD3GEvy5SLMFoXWTbpQcZfsTJIezad1rR3WlCEsI/s640/IMG_20200122_094016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next up: rectify the body-neck joint. My result was pretty good when I veneered the neck and glued it to the body, but you can see here a small area where the match isn't quite exact. I'll make it exact with files; then I'll go on with the files to give a good shape to the back, starting with the top block area adjacent to the body-neck joint.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji37Ec3mGMlhwmU7moi0Ase_3H_aVzM4FMjC14agUJ6RJQB-iSXImqquR0JQAebzF1-osx4N5qSPQaPs9jfjpU2e5tSjqi9bm6pHh5nTbWY2qkcbEyyc9ZNtcO0I6FgsYeMXLM1CNqbgo/s1600/IMG_20200122_093729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji37Ec3mGMlhwmU7moi0Ase_3H_aVzM4FMjC14agUJ6RJQB-iSXImqquR0JQAebzF1-osx4N5qSPQaPs9jfjpU2e5tSjqi9bm6pHh5nTbWY2qkcbEyyc9ZNtcO0I6FgsYeMXLM1CNqbgo/s640/IMG_20200122_093729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I move on to the rest of the back, and give the whole thing a final shape. This part of the process probably takes the longest of all the steps I'm describing in this post. I work with files and some small, curved scrapers, using strong side lighting to see how tight the rib lines are. You can see in about the centre of this photo that the rib above sits a little higher than the one below; I will file and scrape in that area until the facets of the ribs, and the line between them, are rectified. I then do the same thing with all other problem areas, all over the back of the lute.</span></td></tr>
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I was going to say "I will file and scrape in that area until the facets of the ribs, and line between them, are <i>perfect," </i>but that's not exactly correct. Perfection is an ideal state, and therefore unattainable; I merely work until I have achieved a satisfactory result. I look at the lute in all sorts of different lighting situations; I set it aside and do some other work for a while, so that I may come back to it with fresh eyes. Each time I come back to it, I find a new spot to work on. Until I don't!--and then it's time to check this task off the list, and move onto the next one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7JKidVnjswNlq6hhhN8MkkW2azsZMRWSciQHczwT8MS95yvNIbb4gIWTEV3ZMM-mT6B2Gm9jy4r7C6P0_6gKp7LsIw8BGRs214hKlQXrggoWWvNw7BjTEAmVN6BPDxHYYE_8VYlP80g/s1600/IMG_20200122_123508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7JKidVnjswNlq6hhhN8MkkW2azsZMRWSciQHczwT8MS95yvNIbb4gIWTEV3ZMM-mT6B2Gm9jy4r7C6P0_6gKp7LsIw8BGRs214hKlQXrggoWWvNw7BjTEAmVN6BPDxHYYE_8VYlP80g/s640/IMG_20200122_123508.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a good shot showing how I brace the lute when I'm scraping the back--between my knees and the well-padded edge of the workbench.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ji1SYdCPo-VeyAp86hZFn5bRYH6h3tDq-w1-YN4NgYkmgLYKq6GFOZ7DwVsqwyIWWoYP9zA3yj9n-dBXqlxFwbZib83bXrhNhQJjpklFtXnl8pG4GLoAtl85cPSYVbmiYWJiABApHgo/s1600/IMG_20200122_123752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ji1SYdCPo-VeyAp86hZFn5bRYH6h3tDq-w1-YN4NgYkmgLYKq6GFOZ7DwVsqwyIWWoYP9zA3yj9n-dBXqlxFwbZib83bXrhNhQJjpklFtXnl8pG4GLoAtl85cPSYVbmiYWJiABApHgo/s640/IMG_20200122_123752.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have made a few scrapers for myself with different curvatures. I match the scraper I use to the width and curvature of the rib I'm working with.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdfBeRS857fEA6lU1r-W8dqDmXVT8ys-j1JJuxn1HfwR-uQ31RQwnYgJQLhDedxlXDS_DGf1xQUgKPNJSyBQ84h0UPtL6xXdPVxGwQ8onBfWu7bz29X91wG_ZE0un63ESdDwlyOVMKYE/s1600/IMG_20200123_151524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdfBeRS857fEA6lU1r-W8dqDmXVT8ys-j1JJuxn1HfwR-uQ31RQwnYgJQLhDedxlXDS_DGf1xQUgKPNJSyBQ84h0UPtL6xXdPVxGwQ8onBfWu7bz29X91wG_ZE0un63ESdDwlyOVMKYE/s640/IMG_20200123_151524.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">From there, I move onto finishing out the neck. I mask off the top of the body (don't want ebony dust to get into the freshly-scraped back), and work with a series of files.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsVXFAW4udrKrnOLW50AxGqdD_c1tATqvWlDzemjByCom1NtnWTJq8g8A2FQmo5ddQMxNYKVDZlxQ9jPsQcfeqJqN_h7KQ-2aCc9MpB5Cs5g1a_g64z0DT5WRHe9RAAfv8VVJW52_e14/s1600/IMG_20200123_153109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsVXFAW4udrKrnOLW50AxGqdD_c1tATqvWlDzemjByCom1NtnWTJq8g8A2FQmo5ddQMxNYKVDZlxQ9jPsQcfeqJqN_h7KQ-2aCc9MpB5Cs5g1a_g64z0DT5WRHe9RAAfv8VVJW52_e14/s640/IMG_20200123_153109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I get a good overall look with my finest file, I move onto burnishing with shave grass. In this photo, you can see, at bottom, a segment of shave grass, and in the middle, a segment of shave grass that I've slit open, flattened, and backed with a piece of masking tape. I can then use this flattened piece with a cork sanding block (seen at the top), to get a very nice burnished surface on the neck veneer. </span></td></tr>
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Just a word about the scraping and burnishing process. You may have noticed that I have not mentioned the word "sandpaper" here, and that is because in finishing out this lute (and the other two in this group), I resolved not to use that material. In the past, I have finished out the veneers and backs of my lutes with a series of sandpapers of ever-finer grits, but I decided with this group--and, I hope, from now on in my lute making practice as a whole--not to use it to finish out necks and backs. (I have never used sandpaper on the bellies of my lutes.) I decided to do this for two reasons. First, over the years I have developed sensitivities to wood dust, especially ebony and rosewood. Sandpaper creates a lot of dust, so by eliminating it from the finishing-out routine, I hope to significantly reduce my allergic/asthmatic sensitivities. Second, I have long believed that while sandpaper offers a certain convenience in finishing out, it also tends to give an instrument a kind of 'rounded over' look overall, diminishing the crispness in texture that I would prefer to see in surfaces and edges. I'm not talking about creating sharp edges here; quite the contrary, in the next few photos I'll describe how I methodically eliminate any sharp edges that might interfere with the comfortable playing of this instrument. In this context, I am referring only to the visual aspect of the lute, how it catches the light, and the eye of the beholder, to create a bold visual interest.<br />
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So for the back and neck veneers of this lute, the finishing out process is as follows: file, scrape, and burnish with shave grass. That's it.<br />
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The biggest and sharpest edge on the lute, at the moment, is the edge of the fingerboard. I want to ease the fingerboard edges and create a radius in an orderly way not only so that it's comfortable to handle, but also so that gut frets will tie more easily and lie flat against the fingerboard. (A too-sharp fingerboard edge will make the frets sit up off the fingerboard, which will interfere with the sound of the first one or two courses.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT9vh167bXENk6K2h4zpbz-f70njoPTCNwjgRd-mDQJi1BvmjALXlO6sq1V5hTMbCF70Z7zaYGvoc2LgJNhHn2fkX5hwJmUSgA5ZBOLGgXb40HRBNSrJVb2zpCtUDKDbt4bgpTYH-Y6s/s1600/IMG_20200123_153521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT9vh167bXENk6K2h4zpbz-f70njoPTCNwjgRd-mDQJi1BvmjALXlO6sq1V5hTMbCF70Z7zaYGvoc2LgJNhHn2fkX5hwJmUSgA5ZBOLGgXb40HRBNSrJVb2zpCtUDKDbt4bgpTYH-Y6s/s640/IMG_20200123_153521.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use a file to chamfer a 45˚ surface about 1-2mm wide on the edge of the fingerboard. Then I use the file to relieve these two new edges I've created, until the fingerboard edge is smooth and well-rounded.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCAypYyJkqJKFiJbgYR1wAmGO4Ug52P0wWLpwubpGkTElcjls21kCi7_QfzHqTjMvi_0ETHKmOIj7OOb2jBAk0-hmLh0Lng_XZqEb54Zuhi04w1bcZIJPqrwW8mTJP9Ucxu3jbEPFrkg/s1600/IMG_20200124_144736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCAypYyJkqJKFiJbgYR1wAmGO4Ug52P0wWLpwubpGkTElcjls21kCi7_QfzHqTjMvi_0ETHKmOIj7OOb2jBAk0-hmLh0Lng_XZqEb54Zuhi04w1bcZIJPqrwW8mTJP9Ucxu3jbEPFrkg/s640/IMG_20200124_144736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then carry on to the belly edge-binding. Again, I use a fine file to make a 45˚ chamfer that goes about halfway down through the thickness of the binding.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewk9HD01VGpjgPBvCMsGg0F6I7Ch0lspTJ8R4X1Q5rIXnD-unpkSfMqPVyVBNgxDygri8WlMI9BqhwP9wd4wqnzNWj8hsCcNU2WkYAoueLqaq9XHxr1yWBr1gvgfyZPM_I9TPMV0lDTM/s1600/IMG_20200124_145032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewk9HD01VGpjgPBvCMsGg0F6I7Ch0lspTJ8R4X1Q5rIXnD-unpkSfMqPVyVBNgxDygri8WlMI9BqhwP9wd4wqnzNWj8hsCcNU2WkYAoueLqaq9XHxr1yWBr1gvgfyZPM_I9TPMV0lDTM/s640/IMG_20200124_145032.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I round those two newly-created edges over, until I've got a very friendly-feeling edge. Remember, the bottom of this belly edge will be resting on the player's leg, and the player's arm will rest against the upper bottom corner of the belly. The "softness" of these edges is, in my opinion, a crucial part of making this a very playable instrument.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDQg_pLnZJNfcs5HF3qhyphenhyphen72RhCkf6qIWDAfxy5OnJQAew6B_hyphenhyphen1Z72xz_cfRlrj5pyYiHMtIg_vnWZemKG3z4_nuDPKCyCRIc539vm71uVka5jtpojh7kghcsqTpzjuCbdEsc_K-am18/s1600/IMG_20200124_145506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDQg_pLnZJNfcs5HF3qhyphenhyphen72RhCkf6qIWDAfxy5OnJQAew6B_hyphenhyphen1Z72xz_cfRlrj5pyYiHMtIg_vnWZemKG3z4_nuDPKCyCRIc539vm71uVka5jtpojh7kghcsqTpzjuCbdEsc_K-am18/s640/IMG_20200124_145506.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where these two chamfered edges meet, I ease off the rounding over, and try to match them simply and crisply.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UJ_RcniludgZR_0tY_UIuOA682eb2gpyFsk9CW7umSlCQFZffMLXXf2YE7kgFapudp9ciQcSSNob2wCQuRxiP_PxPsnjU03GLGLFnjGhVRxPHkHLB5wtzUIbbfeROL3AOd1YQ3A_5kE/s1600/IMG_20200124_143558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UJ_RcniludgZR_0tY_UIuOA682eb2gpyFsk9CW7umSlCQFZffMLXXf2YE7kgFapudp9ciQcSSNob2wCQuRxiP_PxPsnjU03GLGLFnjGhVRxPHkHLB5wtzUIbbfeROL3AOd1YQ3A_5kE/s640/IMG_20200124_143558.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finishing out the belly is fairly straightforward: I scrape it carefully with a small, sharp, flat scraper along the grain, in whatever direction works best...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBfODID71fTnoObx0A6y6DDWWFZsr6ArMIALwlZkj8nO7pmIAuD2CCrhCDedTjAEHaOltzI80Wzuf7T8iPdwD7lGHouYDNJGBoPqePciiPPYUkVhln-isAKDSfAjzhtoBR8oqyh9iLlI/s1600/IMG_20200124_144417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBfODID71fTnoObx0A6y6DDWWFZsr6ArMIALwlZkj8nO7pmIAuD2CCrhCDedTjAEHaOltzI80Wzuf7T8iPdwD7lGHouYDNJGBoPqePciiPPYUkVhln-isAKDSfAjzhtoBR8oqyh9iLlI/s640/IMG_20200124_144417.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then I burnish with shave grass. This stuff works best on the spruce if it's rubbed across, but held slightly askew, the grain.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XraRMsnsRq_uR5yqx5j1m5qrzNGS7Tsi6E4SQ5MvJ-LdETZ0rqeQkPXIoJnodejiC7_R9aFlZpOd_bnyygaBBKH6ykxugzqjqcAfOTUmSDvkUT5rzxRtyye4RIN3eqp0mcP_23cno3I/s1600/IMG_20200124_154340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XraRMsnsRq_uR5yqx5j1m5qrzNGS7Tsi6E4SQ5MvJ-LdETZ0rqeQkPXIoJnodejiC7_R9aFlZpOd_bnyygaBBKH6ykxugzqjqcAfOTUmSDvkUT5rzxRtyye4RIN3eqp0mcP_23cno3I/s640/IMG_20200124_154340.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the day, I wet the belly with distilled water, to raise the grain. I let this dry overnight, and next morning scrape and burnish the belly one more time.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh304yBnWLcyyjCnB9xGCiado0GIGwVPEuAe3X2Re-hBwSdTj46RzweCNnMsWwFfWWAx8f3GkMs_oHsq4oRnzuHmPspaLc2neskOPN1geIJcRHdVus0arGq6cmlVGr8XwVNTJ9qXa0Dp8A/s1600/IMG_20200128_122735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh304yBnWLcyyjCnB9xGCiado0GIGwVPEuAe3X2Re-hBwSdTj46RzweCNnMsWwFfWWAx8f3GkMs_oHsq4oRnzuHmPspaLc2neskOPN1geIJcRHdVus0arGq6cmlVGr8XwVNTJ9qXa0Dp8A/s640/IMG_20200128_122735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then seal the rose with a brushed-on coat of Tried and True oil. Then I hang the lute in the UV light box for a couple of days, to let it tan up a bit, before I begin applying ground coats before varnishing.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Two days later....</i><br />
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I bring the group of lutes out of the light box, and make ready to apply the first seal coats to the belly and back. The first thing I need to do is mask of the neck and fingerboard carefully.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAXcqOCUOdUzDOD79q7RdsZ3tfjr7BxrfVkExKWd6VjtMyR2FPpohyA-3jC1Aw4dD0xbrisSqV4aBUg668G_2IG9MhdfvpY9eZoPzaoBoQYcJqKn1kWoRwBPLQyYYhJ0uqjz0f-ilLeY/s1600/IMG_20200128_125145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAXcqOCUOdUzDOD79q7RdsZ3tfjr7BxrfVkExKWd6VjtMyR2FPpohyA-3jC1Aw4dD0xbrisSqV4aBUg668G_2IG9MhdfvpY9eZoPzaoBoQYcJqKn1kWoRwBPLQyYYhJ0uqjz0f-ilLeY/s400/IMG_20200128_125145.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyekpz0cS9ip-dE70Ow9Je1d2uVf4MqVEYvkWqtXvBky_cY-kF72E9z_hzLTTQFFLgtTuMG7S-d4IEEUMoQZCtk7OfjsdGMafBMc3KqEiQZh_ixuceYJ1z4vgjYwgg8jKIfri6ZugFIyU/s1600/IMG_20200128_125316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyekpz0cS9ip-dE70Ow9Je1d2uVf4MqVEYvkWqtXvBky_cY-kF72E9z_hzLTTQFFLgtTuMG7S-d4IEEUMoQZCtk7OfjsdGMafBMc3KqEiQZh_ixuceYJ1z4vgjYwgg8jKIfri6ZugFIyU/s400/IMG_20200128_125316.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Then I mix up my sealer: a dilute mixture of casein glue. I use about a tablespoon of low-fat dry curd cottage cheese, a small amount of artist's slaked lime, and distilled water.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsxbKWm2jwWZ_Z0JKhJHyPgSkpdDrURTG_FqgmU8FwujIJqFAd7_NGR3-h-EiBzWSaM4AsCZxCg2c3Hnzr_y_HtXjyFpZZjH_UVCdS_z0CCY1oQT-t7zWqH5bQLfjV3bcehrKvY-DNzM/s1600/IMG_20200218_112633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsxbKWm2jwWZ_Z0JKhJHyPgSkpdDrURTG_FqgmU8FwujIJqFAd7_NGR3-h-EiBzWSaM4AsCZxCg2c3Hnzr_y_HtXjyFpZZjH_UVCdS_z0CCY1oQT-t7zWqH5bQLfjV3bcehrKvY-DNzM/s640/IMG_20200218_112633.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stirring the slaked lime to prepare for use. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV_7gpQd8rULoHQk5-vMZ8n6iT9imMqkWy1vKl94iQD5PuHUg26yTmNb-7U5diGXGAbmT5U2MZxNqARWAX4Qm34Wyl4BgwHGj8m3_to7ORVkr0nzTPTp-kIZ7iLI5ooVVBVYL01gjfc0/s1600/IMG_20200218_131338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV_7gpQd8rULoHQk5-vMZ8n6iT9imMqkWy1vKl94iQD5PuHUg26yTmNb-7U5diGXGAbmT5U2MZxNqARWAX4Qm34Wyl4BgwHGj8m3_to7ORVkr0nzTPTp-kIZ7iLI5ooVVBVYL01gjfc0/s640/IMG_20200218_131338.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dry curd cottage cheese.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEftU1dVKPNzgQdGxkf3LXHkgfflLDCoP9nxVMeTArC7yb5xHpDaaLo5d3jdZJmEWziwU3jkskk1j6nfhgXLEK-uPKcM2HIIgeORDn9uQzAMDfqjo8We55EMeBcQGQQ7-ccjzYQaDFeVk/s1600/IMG_20200218_132114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEftU1dVKPNzgQdGxkf3LXHkgfflLDCoP9nxVMeTArC7yb5xHpDaaLo5d3jdZJmEWziwU3jkskk1j6nfhgXLEK-uPKcM2HIIgeORDn9uQzAMDfqjo8We55EMeBcQGQQ7-ccjzYQaDFeVk/s640/IMG_20200218_132114.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I grind the cottage cheese first to minimize lumps, then mix in the slaked lime. Finally, I dilute with distilled water.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYGI1WcmQjGceOxWL8Dcmax605BHbjHHcpEavZacOjvUQ4nuKRlgeQ308xTx-t3MxD_XsaQ78NyPGqKhk6_JH_ICtVDEAMtIV-4QlVUtrpNPYVXDzK6Z4Lg11Vf-5tw7jC-VhLdwFZGQ/s1600/IMG_20200218_133752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYGI1WcmQjGceOxWL8Dcmax605BHbjHHcpEavZacOjvUQ4nuKRlgeQ308xTx-t3MxD_XsaQ78NyPGqKhk6_JH_ICtVDEAMtIV-4QlVUtrpNPYVXDzK6Z4Lg11Vf-5tw7jC-VhLdwFZGQ/s640/IMG_20200218_133752.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I begin padding it on the front of the lute with a soft cotton cloth, starting out above the bridge, and working around the rose to the top of the belly, and around and down the belly below the bridge.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLEFKIqdbT_IdveOvwPW50KvB_Qi9QEJpnOQhuertkiNy1ZSNobhzSIMxalIIvKEPfkUuC6HctlNwmbY17_FbBi8fCXKpbMchOi5SaZdYBu7d1v5wROkKBQO0iYjHNMraOwPQLzLeALw/s1600/IMG_20200218_134000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLEFKIqdbT_IdveOvwPW50KvB_Qi9QEJpnOQhuertkiNy1ZSNobhzSIMxalIIvKEPfkUuC6HctlNwmbY17_FbBi8fCXKpbMchOi5SaZdYBu7d1v5wROkKBQO0iYjHNMraOwPQLzLeALw/s640/IMG_20200218_134000.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Around the bridge, I apply the size with a small brush. I'm a little sparing in my application of the size around this area.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPU-0bTu1sJhoTL0A5fhC9R304N40a-PnUzXtyxZ9FoYfqAQwwpoaEA4Uz7uNO_Ybi3_PVk-123ciY9gtt1WicgUBH_75tUvhAm1Vt9VP575SU45R2n4bZXUBeeAJDFQ6001M0aBXpm8/s1600/IMG_20200218_134346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPU-0bTu1sJhoTL0A5fhC9R304N40a-PnUzXtyxZ9FoYfqAQwwpoaEA4Uz7uNO_Ybi3_PVk-123ciY9gtt1WicgUBH_75tUvhAm1Vt9VP575SU45R2n4bZXUBeeAJDFQ6001M0aBXpm8/s640/IMG_20200218_134346.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I keep applying the size for a few minutes until I have a nice, even coat. Then I take a fresh cotton cloth and wipe the belly down, along the grain, to remove any excess specks of cheese that may not have been ground down well in the mortar.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3hfhLJ-2zpr9jQinlRPTCWHgJw6Kx4KoPe4xo6WpNhsOjnyA8UHNWs-0B4bBNTed7GzVaUTuMq8_gXm2WBFCRWz3bxv_TPbLQwoP64Vo8WDRsH-_7GqURY1aVkWXTpLTiFo7ukYmneM/s1600/IMG_20200218_141132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3hfhLJ-2zpr9jQinlRPTCWHgJw6Kx4KoPe4xo6WpNhsOjnyA8UHNWs-0B4bBNTed7GzVaUTuMq8_gXm2WBFCRWz3bxv_TPbLQwoP64Vo8WDRsH-_7GqURY1aVkWXTpLTiFo7ukYmneM/s640/IMG_20200218_141132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next step is to apply the casein size to the back of the lute. This time I apply it with a wide, soft brush, and brush along the length of the rib. (Notice also in this picture that I have swapped out my green cloth bench pad for a large piece of card stock. During this stage, and during varnishing, I handle the lute by holding onto the neck with my left hand, and allowing the edge of the lute to rest on the card.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kmdhYw0xyz2UakEz6UpWcqPjF24RJMui7zoHM00WCY0Lmwp7ahqF-6_UOvr_bsDUm-kxPB4Q2Gf-LiSCF-YLnKGiRmtRS7ZUSIJiVhxXe2zhK3ht10LB15c4ugD0pTbRkMoSlsQKGrI/s1600/IMG_20200218_140818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kmdhYw0xyz2UakEz6UpWcqPjF24RJMui7zoHM00WCY0Lmwp7ahqF-6_UOvr_bsDUm-kxPB4Q2Gf-LiSCF-YLnKGiRmtRS7ZUSIJiVhxXe2zhK3ht10LB15c4ugD0pTbRkMoSlsQKGrI/s640/IMG_20200218_140818.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this time I also apply my size/seal coat to a sample of the same material as the back of the lute. From now on, whatever I apply to the lute, I apply to this varnish sample.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicd0E_D8s66gj2q0DRy-lPy8V80LxwzZ6Nm9OmvM6gKElX9wmGIs35GxpLArcN9M6qmmztUpIhaqZc14aGlqIOLTJY9zNNuN5Pwn4UNTrqWdPxz1dspOPPINoRFZbAy4xGTT-lcoDDUhE/s1600/IMG_20200218_141302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicd0E_D8s66gj2q0DRy-lPy8V80LxwzZ6Nm9OmvM6gKElX9wmGIs35GxpLArcN9M6qmmztUpIhaqZc14aGlqIOLTJY9zNNuN5Pwn4UNTrqWdPxz1dspOPPINoRFZbAy4xGTT-lcoDDUhE/s640/IMG_20200218_141302.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've applied an even coat, I wipe down the back with a fresh cloth to remove any large bits of unmixed material. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And--back in the light box for another couple of days, to let the seal coat harden up.<br />
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You might be asking: why apply a seal coat at all? Well, there are a number of reasons. First, a coat of dilute glue such as this will consolidate the wood fibres of the belly and back, and create a flatter surface on which to apply layers of varnish. Second, the seal coat will help with adhesion of varnish coats. And third, and most important, the seal coat will actually create a barrier between the wood and the varnish coat, which in the case of rosewood (which this back is made from) and yew wood (which another lute in this batch is made from), is essential. Both rosewood and yew have oils in them that, unless the woods are sealed off somehow, will interfere with the bonding and curing of varnish. For years I used a coat of shellac as a sealer for rosewood and yew, but that stuff is problematic for a couple of reasons (for one, it's a bit anachronistic to be using in an 'early' instrument such as this.) Grant Tomlinson introduced me to casein, and I've used it for a few years now. It works well, and it is easy to apply.<br />
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Okay--one more coat, this time a ground coat, the purposes of which are to penetrate and strengthen the wood of the belly and back, to give added depth to the finish, and to promote adhesion of the coming varnish layers. The three ingredients: marienglas, Tried and True oil, and my own oil varnish.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPT7JtFmXq6NsQNQAsDSs7S5q6PeNuSt1DAAAo0TCPCYMFjNswb86mNk5DyTq7GN7K7Ae34VM9zO86dqTRo4zs9xLxcL3OQyEhpV8cDV0CGTqL21I7_56w5FM4DarQpgHuNfGcqXUlRM/s1600/IMG_20200221_134729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPT7JtFmXq6NsQNQAsDSs7S5q6PeNuSt1DAAAo0TCPCYMFjNswb86mNk5DyTq7GN7K7Ae34VM9zO86dqTRo4zs9xLxcL3OQyEhpV8cDV0CGTqL21I7_56w5FM4DarQpgHuNfGcqXUlRM/s640/IMG_20200221_134729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The three ingredients are measured out on a glass plate.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTUuFLEFhpPXpU9pPGJvDg3-M5ZEQNk15tbVSnTUtxEaEmaSwbcZ4_EPGAaMl5T3BL4ceZiMAzid4ovJRp5AvggiF52insBx_JVLSMNwOsPL5i4foCP_gaW2Hx22IxxD4wWSmT3bVnYA/s1600/IMG_20200221_135514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTUuFLEFhpPXpU9pPGJvDg3-M5ZEQNk15tbVSnTUtxEaEmaSwbcZ4_EPGAaMl5T3BL4ceZiMAzid4ovJRp5AvggiF52insBx_JVLSMNwOsPL5i4foCP_gaW2Hx22IxxD4wWSmT3bVnYA/s640/IMG_20200221_135514.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mix them together with a muller.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU-naUIE1ebABbTC7mpSfid_n7HIg_7-bTc-v2NT6T4FmCnO1b1RT7ji5RjtcABub7uSGroYFOpi0CsvuPc9BZpjkq9drkn9P443B4TN-_L_tfnQXoZkCPKbqmDDVMN7VxbxNUwcQkjo/s1600/IMG_20200221_140027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU-naUIE1ebABbTC7mpSfid_n7HIg_7-bTc-v2NT6T4FmCnO1b1RT7ji5RjtcABub7uSGroYFOpi0CsvuPc9BZpjkq9drkn9P443B4TN-_L_tfnQXoZkCPKbqmDDVMN7VxbxNUwcQkjo/s640/IMG_20200221_140027.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I dilute the mixture with spirit of gum turpentine...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNsxkScD6bv766EFPEvF0hc_mb_dbtRcpaXmu36nWkuRNwR70WItM2Cg53csG1ms6qJ6j1gQu35C32wVMksHWPejEkKh2y4V1BHyaZ8IlevmgLoXeFR7sKM7UApXceJ_ZxlxrSpV85Hk/s1600/IMG_20200221_142421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNsxkScD6bv766EFPEvF0hc_mb_dbtRcpaXmu36nWkuRNwR70WItM2Cg53csG1ms6qJ6j1gQu35C32wVMksHWPejEkKh2y4V1BHyaZ8IlevmgLoXeFR7sKM7UApXceJ_ZxlxrSpV85Hk/s640/IMG_20200221_142421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then apply it in a thin layer to the belly with a cotton pad, in much the same way that I applied the casein size.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvF4PkdCOqYAa3mDIVKudxmE0noq5gp90pA27loiNMhjiyfkCnHam4n3Wd4NHVmQTpP4WJ13iG108dpxKTU-hY1EmZZCjfJnYFztk_DKpXRAHJeTTdtMeOcUyl6BP4fQm3uCUkZ9AyDM/s1600/IMG_20200221_142723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvF4PkdCOqYAa3mDIVKudxmE0noq5gp90pA27loiNMhjiyfkCnHam4n3Wd4NHVmQTpP4WJ13iG108dpxKTU-hY1EmZZCjfJnYFztk_DKpXRAHJeTTdtMeOcUyl6BP4fQm3uCUkZ9AyDM/s640/IMG_20200221_142723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I apply this coat to the bridge...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12uqAPpDKFlQxkEKNkGHjpNRet6WlfC4_EfJMlB4Qm4mf669cHBf6VonEK97xW-Y36XMyvZ-aOVN05j1FhgQmExjDNIovSL5cFcO3NjcT8-N8Kx21b_2OtGnZ9Es7ckmiFDJojHfzV1s/s1600/IMG_20200221_143033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12uqAPpDKFlQxkEKNkGHjpNRet6WlfC4_EfJMlB4Qm4mf669cHBf6VonEK97xW-Y36XMyvZ-aOVN05j1FhgQmExjDNIovSL5cFcO3NjcT8-N8Kx21b_2OtGnZ9Es7ckmiFDJojHfzV1s/s640/IMG_20200221_143033.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As well as to the rose (I use a very dry brush in doing so.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjkzCs8tmkwCkzo8dBj7kSL1aZWroez_s38YPAKv1nSTy_hZO9BEenXp5Lhsd9GdZqD2l3j-VrPRBcQ0NmIsZ_0y4FAtUzd63gs8FfPY54mZL0k5L9XVNrO_ID3Wf_6xP-uPQjrTIceY/s1600/IMG_20200221_143920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjkzCs8tmkwCkzo8dBj7kSL1aZWroez_s38YPAKv1nSTy_hZO9BEenXp5Lhsd9GdZqD2l3j-VrPRBcQ0NmIsZ_0y4FAtUzd63gs8FfPY54mZL0k5L9XVNrO_ID3Wf_6xP-uPQjrTIceY/s640/IMG_20200221_143920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As a final touch, to even out the coat, I brush gently but quickly across the grain with a broad, soft brush. (By the way: this is the final coat of finish I put on the belly of my lutes.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMrJ7y01wuqPzDB4v70_W2klBipuFE6qVMwJXIyMMHLiHF6o76yrrcqFkAltFnVUrDXJSvq_LvQAJGdnrvgde-0lR0CH8oPXotuNHdtukP9Lfi_Zq9K2G8oIEaIg-G9zgOdBrC793cLE/s1600/IMG_20200221_150144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMrJ7y01wuqPzDB4v70_W2klBipuFE6qVMwJXIyMMHLiHF6o76yrrcqFkAltFnVUrDXJSvq_LvQAJGdnrvgde-0lR0CH8oPXotuNHdtukP9Lfi_Zq9K2G8oIEaIg-G9zgOdBrC793cLE/s640/IMG_20200221_150144.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I apply a coat to the back of the lute, using a cotton pad.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPovJRkJ64gVcQ4xpCcIQq9vNF1Io36gNaWoqZMgOZIbPn81T9QROhyphenhyphen0HBjjYARoA7iUWN2bFxYFOCFxNRMRw3ubUqN_KTKuTRBZGwcbwo68OfrKVW9xaQc9wXkfOfMv6Cfn2II9wcn00/s1600/IMG_20200221_150342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPovJRkJ64gVcQ4xpCcIQq9vNF1Io36gNaWoqZMgOZIbPn81T9QROhyphenhyphen0HBjjYARoA7iUWN2bFxYFOCFxNRMRw3ubUqN_KTKuTRBZGwcbwo68OfrKVW9xaQc9wXkfOfMv6Cfn2II9wcn00/s640/IMG_20200221_150342.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love the way the lute starts to look at this stage--I can already begin to sense the glow of the wood below just these preparatory layers. I'm quite excited to put a few coats of varnish on this lute!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4NH0ynnATVwHcSw3nJjAvb3dbcdHiHN1fFxdrBnf42sz6apja93tzHwEiy31MLv0oIQ08TLqF4rm9NrZ0VlOQcWP6G2DtQAc7u3Z0lzBxTHTjv-rylFxsMPDX58nkKZKGQzjqUGayKU/s1600/IMG_20200224_100646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4NH0ynnATVwHcSw3nJjAvb3dbcdHiHN1fFxdrBnf42sz6apja93tzHwEiy31MLv0oIQ08TLqF4rm9NrZ0VlOQcWP6G2DtQAc7u3Z0lzBxTHTjv-rylFxsMPDX58nkKZKGQzjqUGayKU/s640/IMG_20200224_100646.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is my batch: from left to right, the 13 course in rosewood, a 7 course in yew, and an 8 course in rosewood.</span></td></tr>
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Next time, I will tell you about my varnish, and I will show you how I varnish a lute back. There might even be moving pictures....<br />
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Stay well, and I'll see you next time.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-38865321480906013432020-04-18T14:36:00.001-07:002020-04-18T14:36:52.405-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 16: Shaping the Fingerboard and Setting the ActionHi friends, and welcome back to the series. Hope you're all well, and taking advantage of the downtime caused by the Covid-19 quarantine to make the art you've always wanted but never had the time to do before. Or tidy up the house. Or do your taxes. Or read a good post-apocalyptic novel.<br />
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Here in Vancouver, it has never been a better time to ride a bicycle. The air is clear, birds are singing and the streets are snowed under with cherry blossoms. It is a strange--and in some ways, strangely good--time to be alive.<br />
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But I want to go back today to a former time, a time before the Great Hush of 2020. If you recall, I had just glued a curved fingerboard on the 13 course lute I'm building.<br />
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I've taken off the clamps, and now--a small problem. I've glued the fingerboard to the neck--but I've also managed to glue the caul to the fingerboard!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpsqYKo0r46kzjbsnB9U0AM9FE-bffK9ZlEcsk_IryTX8AIy7W42J9Hn6Ef6sWGIoYI-lWGKyjw87UvLc4jzIDBqoBLQSoSUpLZXhdaglzGPUI9IPWxneQntHQF5qAFbtJQ1wdZEMGWw/s1600/IMG_20191213_101715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpsqYKo0r46kzjbsnB9U0AM9FE-bffK9ZlEcsk_IryTX8AIy7W42J9Hn6Ef6sWGIoYI-lWGKyjw87UvLc4jzIDBqoBLQSoSUpLZXhdaglzGPUI9IPWxneQntHQF5qAFbtJQ1wdZEMGWw/s640/IMG_20191213_101715.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm pretty sure that the caul is stuck only along the edges, so as I use strips of paper towel to soften the squeezed out glue along the joint, I also try to soften it along the edges of the caul.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN60bCHfJkxr4k03SyQuHh4eJpE42z6PpQ0DlU40WyVz-zKeSN0fPT3oO8aKiwrKs-o5XiVogDbgrUQBCYOhsBeYuz0qt0XhcX9bhg-z28AnkJ1r_efegMH7w8MBWDp32uMktFlxgFAO4/s1600/IMG_20191213_111217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN60bCHfJkxr4k03SyQuHh4eJpE42z6PpQ0DlU40WyVz-zKeSN0fPT3oO8aKiwrKs-o5XiVogDbgrUQBCYOhsBeYuz0qt0XhcX9bhg-z28AnkJ1r_efegMH7w8MBWDp32uMktFlxgFAO4/s640/IMG_20191213_111217.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually, I get a little impatient and gently tap some wooden wedges in from the sides. The caul comes up with a bit of damage, but it's only to the cork lining, which I can easily replace next time I use it. (Apparently, I placed a gluey thumb down on the fingerboard before placing the caul.) Note to self: cover the caul with plastic wrap!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnF-KUseUQhHLuAgoNG71hE-VM6mj2fS-Jt417vCKnV3cfQBjJuRFw-ExWySrxB0WyDDyQK25lAU1-899f4wy39BtG4jJzUM6yR5P6sh_dOuOUOwVoIZFfV-qfDj_-Yh0dyqF0-Uhr_4/s1600/IMG_20191213_114711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnF-KUseUQhHLuAgoNG71hE-VM6mj2fS-Jt417vCKnV3cfQBjJuRFw-ExWySrxB0WyDDyQK25lAU1-899f4wy39BtG4jJzUM6yR5P6sh_dOuOUOwVoIZFfV-qfDj_-Yh0dyqF0-Uhr_4/s640/IMG_20191213_114711.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Okay, the fingerboard edge is cleared of glue. You can see the overhang I have left to remove.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7DirusIcEqoTlZoyHQ0Qu_nIk9Rg-aCJfsmT2KqrGxsFhHnN-M9PLFxNEK-NmruQ6e7YumbAT6a5J6HQDJDGEqEzALeG58n4pY884Wfplm4KV67I5FKcrpOHLAxR8ae1LXtiJxqRk6Y/s1600/IMG_20191213_114717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7DirusIcEqoTlZoyHQ0Qu_nIk9Rg-aCJfsmT2KqrGxsFhHnN-M9PLFxNEK-NmruQ6e7YumbAT6a5J6HQDJDGEqEzALeG58n4pY884Wfplm4KV67I5FKcrpOHLAxR8ae1LXtiJxqRk6Y/s640/IMG_20191213_114717.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a close-up of the joint. Not bad!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HjGI0ITn5PbOgQQOvAN2avGE02vzrInyg-3dl4MkDYbfouu9qmAr1iDn64wO-DedG2T1_R4ltgm-TzcS822VP3CU3TgGoxdVcxpEmxBYCH2oXU6A4kx52zB-yWtjXtnF_lc3e306RN8/s1600/IMG_20191213_115042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HjGI0ITn5PbOgQQOvAN2avGE02vzrInyg-3dl4MkDYbfouu9qmAr1iDn64wO-DedG2T1_R4ltgm-TzcS822VP3CU3TgGoxdVcxpEmxBYCH2oXU6A4kx52zB-yWtjXtnF_lc3e306RN8/s640/IMG_20191213_115042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I make a start shaping the fingerboard down at the body-neck joint. I need to plane (very carefully) and then scrape to get the fingerboard close to flush with the belly tongue.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZDapN-jOsj9E8yxJArq7MSP-exS6I7lk9a4MNbc0brafv8ypy99usO3FbTLLFExSPgqaAbIx2cZ9DGhqNTKWeTstsKUjfGlb0bNR8KCRRtqoTMdrf-Msg8QbcHOystJlN6hHHM1BH64/s1600/IMG_20191216_142837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZDapN-jOsj9E8yxJArq7MSP-exS6I7lk9a4MNbc0brafv8ypy99usO3FbTLLFExSPgqaAbIx2cZ9DGhqNTKWeTstsKUjfGlb0bNR8KCRRtqoTMdrf-Msg8QbcHOystJlN6hHHM1BH64/s640/IMG_20191216_142837.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Getting close...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTw4lrFOj1hzds1pnz5etWSAij_yE0KL6GXPzBPbiC45L_Dszq04_UaYWkz4vaZj9YewJDzI8f_5gbq6v9yhVIhsMB_ZLP3OSNfnBHV2-f89q_cP4PmtuygwMKSrykfG07zmgr1Ms7Dsk/s1600/IMG_20191216_170623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTw4lrFOj1hzds1pnz5etWSAij_yE0KL6GXPzBPbiC45L_Dszq04_UaYWkz4vaZj9YewJDzI8f_5gbq6v9yhVIhsMB_ZLP3OSNfnBHV2-f89q_cP4PmtuygwMKSrykfG07zmgr1Ms7Dsk/s640/IMG_20191216_170623.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There we are. I don't use any sandpaper around this area, only scrapers from now on.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtr7Uozpk7SItUrtRLLWvAAAcj7SPJxT2ZRCDh0fgH5RgCb3a52GH-ITC4SaBBelnDQaxw06gt5iqGisTyrRfVvtj2ntmlUMmv-7x-sgkzITdnJJ-cebmRdWU5lezdmSBpWd37bYBIk4/s1600/IMG_20191216_124313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtr7Uozpk7SItUrtRLLWvAAAcj7SPJxT2ZRCDh0fgH5RgCb3a52GH-ITC4SaBBelnDQaxw06gt5iqGisTyrRfVvtj2ntmlUMmv-7x-sgkzITdnJJ-cebmRdWU5lezdmSBpWd37bYBIk4/s640/IMG_20191216_124313.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I begin to trim the overhanging edges of the fingerboard with a standard block plane. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The idea here is to get the edge pretty flat along its length, and pretty close to perpendicular to the mid-section of the neck (that is, to the glued line between the mahogany neck core and spruce fingerboard spacer.) Notice how I've got my left thumb hooked over the edge of the neck down by the body, to guard against accidentally whacking it on the recoil stroke of the plane.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqfVsq6OKTnzNkdH9o5AE3Fvrj4q1j881Zf_NObx5yinlhCE2_8k3zRrk9EKLI1Lp6lmvj04bc9GGhyg0XtAqimMR8-dy9b-EKFx8QH1nYhIj79BekHdUpVDE_VkrG7B3nHIgLVX2ZK4/s1600/IMG_20191216_125356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqfVsq6OKTnzNkdH9o5AE3Fvrj4q1j881Zf_NObx5yinlhCE2_8k3zRrk9EKLI1Lp6lmvj04bc9GGhyg0XtAqimMR8-dy9b-EKFx8QH1nYhIj79BekHdUpVDE_VkrG7B3nHIgLVX2ZK4/s640/IMG_20191216_125356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Down by the body-neck joint, I set aside the block plane and work carefully back toward the body with a chisel (a skew chisel works well for this job.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQruRCsWmWk5-VFHmmsAe_njvNHn2nFs2B2TQ0zS1-Uhb317-AU4GWfQJ_LukhcKxzPI-QQ7lX2thHs2QJwTufCnDr1yAaEqob0YlwfnJI5rjtzZZUAlcmrr4uXOypr3vZIg-19s_XTy0/s1600/IMG_20191216_132405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQruRCsWmWk5-VFHmmsAe_njvNHn2nFs2B2TQ0zS1-Uhb317-AU4GWfQJ_LukhcKxzPI-QQ7lX2thHs2QJwTufCnDr1yAaEqob0YlwfnJI5rjtzZZUAlcmrr4uXOypr3vZIg-19s_XTy0/s640/IMG_20191216_132405.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the opposite side of the neck, drawing the plane toward me is the way to go.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3KS_ihRpWT7q0F6gMIvfP5_-G4N7DJZ_d2JZrucmnz_63oU17_oNBQr93UKovUHU2GZ4n-xqwbhGxUodevBcEdGVdMDvRqkqfJJj-2x7J0DSdA3Cb1KQEKeLzAeNf8rNzBBjzmf88cs/s1600/IMG_20191216_171311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3KS_ihRpWT7q0F6gMIvfP5_-G4N7DJZ_d2JZrucmnz_63oU17_oNBQr93UKovUHU2GZ4n-xqwbhGxUodevBcEdGVdMDvRqkqfJJj-2x7J0DSdA3Cb1KQEKeLzAeNf8rNzBBjzmf88cs/s640/IMG_20191216_171311.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The plane and chisel get me close, but eventually I need to start working with files.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IZPe6JUgQdMosUnl6rWFKf1FXcHqcjKlHIy7ZLRxewPiAlyq8wl1V_BoFZjSDUg7k3F49-HQXViJdFoQ4YXAePn3D1E7OE0d0TQgwHi3bUorCIpdI7kKpcD8xSMPXLEaidTI6s-1sSk/s1600/IMG_20200106_142503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IZPe6JUgQdMosUnl6rWFKf1FXcHqcjKlHIy7ZLRxewPiAlyq8wl1V_BoFZjSDUg7k3F49-HQXViJdFoQ4YXAePn3D1E7OE0d0TQgwHi3bUorCIpdI7kKpcD8xSMPXLEaidTI6s-1sSk/s640/IMG_20200106_142503.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A slight boo-boo with the file: I've chipped out a little bit of the fingerboard edge. This particular piece of ebony has quite swirly, interlocking grain, which is very tough, but also tends to chip and tear out. I need to fix this little problem before I can go on.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ED_Ml9Ki_RzFtJC6nO_2JllwL6BEyt4wHMG6zL_QxwMRlej2c6IueyBMrjN5k9v4dcpknnFDjiTM08JdGoWFQNUhg2UVtW0mXEZK8kHoPWW-Q2-5_F2QV4A3flSR8WIm_lI81CKlReU/s1600/IMG_20200106_143049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ED_Ml9Ki_RzFtJC6nO_2JllwL6BEyt4wHMG6zL_QxwMRlej2c6IueyBMrjN5k9v4dcpknnFDjiTM08JdGoWFQNUhg2UVtW0mXEZK8kHoPWW-Q2-5_F2QV4A3flSR8WIm_lI81CKlReU/s640/IMG_20200106_143049.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I add one drop of cyanoacrylate glue to a little pile of ebony dust that I've made with a file and a scrap of ebony.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJr93XZhbzqtGQryQBWVCAStF5jwm4pSiyTB5Nv6PwbQOjmZFXvFiWg7eDKM_5u0wPCAnfiLBS7NyI2W5eKlu_k03h69kyvJghQ1M6jUcaS9rrWgu9HLpQv0BdsLpxC-sKQb9Er3EN6bE/s1600/IMG_20200108_122610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJr93XZhbzqtGQryQBWVCAStF5jwm4pSiyTB5Nv6PwbQOjmZFXvFiWg7eDKM_5u0wPCAnfiLBS7NyI2W5eKlu_k03h69kyvJghQ1M6jUcaS9rrWgu9HLpQv0BdsLpxC-sKQb9Er3EN6bE/s640/IMG_20200108_122610.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I apply it like putty with a palette knife, and wait for it to dry thoroughly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDXcd-HU-OpiOhXN06aOiYoddJu3BtdcepD0G69VOaxYiG9c5CUHxFjbTiSTeDKLrvtJpTslNQymPnhXwny_LhcyO43xzUTP_M6tQSa561V0nNsZqeYKWD7RN23ZnggndAl5A9DwLcuE/s1600/IMG_20200108_134047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDXcd-HU-OpiOhXN06aOiYoddJu3BtdcepD0G69VOaxYiG9c5CUHxFjbTiSTeDKLrvtJpTslNQymPnhXwny_LhcyO43xzUTP_M6tQSa561V0nNsZqeYKWD7RN23ZnggndAl5A9DwLcuE/s640/IMG_20200108_134047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I can go ahead and shape the area with the file. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQsOT7Ro2F9rwpLu92J-cM_7YITkR3DoTRFZokFiUCT_2_8Zrbs6ypSSqhIgy4SFFSj1D0rEA-p4Ss8dOrlH_YNdPlYYXb-KsTARBaw-kMxkcbYl5ZDtO-P7UfrlhwocUMj6lYYBzD-I/s1600/IMG_20200108_140045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQsOT7Ro2F9rwpLu92J-cM_7YITkR3DoTRFZokFiUCT_2_8Zrbs6ypSSqhIgy4SFFSj1D0rEA-p4Ss8dOrlH_YNdPlYYXb-KsTARBaw-kMxkcbYl5ZDtO-P7UfrlhwocUMj6lYYBzD-I/s640/IMG_20200108_140045.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using a straightedge with a strong back light shows me how close to flat the edge is (I like to get it as flat as I can.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFjkH9E6LZWJgJUBE7WWHeqDq3ea5gdg20vWCrlAbrBAAqtdNAOQbBvsX0HcbUotxtcr0VyY_jq_0wRCwUMRhCwX3jT1yNwyKE8IS3bl7qQQrchVhu41t1o5C-N5UOeCOT2bCKkVCSPc/s1600/IMG_20200108_142511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFjkH9E6LZWJgJUBE7WWHeqDq3ea5gdg20vWCrlAbrBAAqtdNAOQbBvsX0HcbUotxtcr0VyY_jq_0wRCwUMRhCwX3jT1yNwyKE8IS3bl7qQQrchVhu41t1o5C-N5UOeCOT2bCKkVCSPc/s640/IMG_20200108_142511.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">On smaller areas, the file works best...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vMunQjhFFR6dBCWsbO3cPW3WJk7YiqHDLmGJu53jXlwagW63-sbhMBbfzOXSLyw9XkuLvzFzY01r6Ql6Tx3XVvBBn_S0ZC5XdH2UHAcESd-5mXJYEOVR4M6xgydqpRgQkLAfU5kjd5k/s1600/IMG_20200108_144538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vMunQjhFFR6dBCWsbO3cPW3WJk7YiqHDLmGJu53jXlwagW63-sbhMBbfzOXSLyw9XkuLvzFzY01r6Ql6Tx3XVvBBn_S0ZC5XdH2UHAcESd-5mXJYEOVR4M6xgydqpRgQkLAfU5kjd5k/s640/IMG_20200108_144538.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But over larger areas, a sanding block is the way to go.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqZzYYUDYYwx124i0m-oK20O3ry57lg2yh_ZpbtWdt5PR3r_20m7sypPnAqg3L3Kvd8Tb1QydHBSLK0uDGgkGptJCV6vvC4HqJidvou9OZ3SNmWCFXGgBAZMf0MVkal4lpTreh7ucGjY/s1600/IMG_20200108_144657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqZzYYUDYYwx124i0m-oK20O3ry57lg2yh_ZpbtWdt5PR3r_20m7sypPnAqg3L3Kvd8Tb1QydHBSLK0uDGgkGptJCV6vvC4HqJidvou9OZ3SNmWCFXGgBAZMf0MVkal4lpTreh7ucGjY/s640/IMG_20200108_144657.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That's my edge. I don't know if it's visible here, but I leave the fingerboard just the tiniest bit wider than the edge of the neck. I'll be rounding over the fingerboard edge very soon, and will use that extra half-millimetre or so to blend the underside of the fingerboard into the neck.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6EEFe51KWXS0dJBhvyLhsImRk1ha4KRO2rNAV7rFt6gjk9kwfd0ejeMwAKrUgwN3dA5e1TBa9fuvhZYiL4qeNPrs6Ti2E1JWBaeaQLrhJtl7kgw_-ksGSEuryxVMyORtypv8HiFB0I4/s1600/IMG_20200108_145203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6EEFe51KWXS0dJBhvyLhsImRk1ha4KRO2rNAV7rFt6gjk9kwfd0ejeMwAKrUgwN3dA5e1TBa9fuvhZYiL4qeNPrs6Ti2E1JWBaeaQLrhJtl7kgw_-ksGSEuryxVMyORtypv8HiFB0I4/s640/IMG_20200108_145203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Right now, I try to keep the joints and edges square and tight. When I finish out the lute to get it ready for varnishing, I will take an overall approach to the whole lute, rounding over the fingerboard edges, half-binding edges, and so on, hopefully in a uniform and coherent way.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFxYFPwgee-uP9_4vdQLsx0xO6VTcerk63eWnlRtb11zvktUMOvkDmJlax55E6POoKlX9QSKwz55tUfkrBzGMWZumohWk5GY6EWcZJE-EOA2Ufv_OmBEBGl2efoNOI0uNg-XSV8mbT0E/s1600/IMG_20200108_160128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFxYFPwgee-uP9_4vdQLsx0xO6VTcerk63eWnlRtb11zvktUMOvkDmJlax55E6POoKlX9QSKwz55tUfkrBzGMWZumohWk5GY6EWcZJE-EOA2Ufv_OmBEBGl2efoNOI0uNg-XSV8mbT0E/s640/IMG_20200108_160128.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, though, I have to finalize the action. I've already scraped flush the body-neck area, so I now need to focus on the fingerboard from about the end of the belly tongue to the end of the neck. I'm using a Japanese scraper-plane here, pulling it away from the belly.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This swirly ebony tears out so easily that at a certain point I needed to put away edge tools, and just use sanding blocks. I try to avoid using sandpaper in lute making for both aesthetic and health reasons; but sometimes, with difficult material like this, I just have to surrender to the modern woodworking world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcu4HC-ck3VyDhO2UcKo9BViX3xhZtYloNQsQYeOSROfP9nHz2tnk-H7YdVv0umSAhTF_BMcU8I8ssv_Xiakk8Ut7QBbTZJJ_bo6TPZQ6q1zyNINqMhuNDT87gjyuvRapJZHJ8gGy57Y/s1600/IMG_20200109_131601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcu4HC-ck3VyDhO2UcKo9BViX3xhZtYloNQsQYeOSROfP9nHz2tnk-H7YdVv0umSAhTF_BMcU8I8ssv_Xiakk8Ut7QBbTZJJ_bo6TPZQ6q1zyNINqMhuNDT87gjyuvRapJZHJ8gGy57Y/s640/IMG_20200109_131601.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As usual, to check the action I have pieces of fishing line tied to each course on the bridge; I pull each one tight over a spacer at the first fret position, and then read the height at the eighth fret by slipping wooden spacer pieces under the string. The spacer used at the first fret, by the way, is 1.6mm, which represents the nominal height of the first tied fret (1.1mm) plus the necessary clearance for the string not to buzz (0.5mm).</span></td></tr>
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One other thing: in the photo above, note that I have masked off the upper part of the belly with a couple of pieces of masking tape, to keep ebony dust from contaminating it.<br />
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I feel I must pause here in order to try to convey to you the exquisite boredom of the work that I'm about to describe. I don't want to rush over this part, and give the mistaken impression that it's a quick job, Bob's your uncle, and we're off to the next stage. No. This job, shaping the baroque lute fingerboard to set the action before varnishing, is, to me, the slowest, most tedious, most excruciatingly boring bit of business in all of lute making. Here is the sequence:<br />
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1. Scrape, or shape with sanding block, all, or some, or small, strategic areas of the fingerboard, in order to lower the action at the nut end and/or the body end of the fingerboard, as appropriate.<br />
2. Carefully vacuum all ebony shavings and dust from the work area. Then wipe the fingerboard (from the body toward the nut end) with a piece of paper towel, to remove the finest dust particles.<br />
3. Re-draw the trajectories of each of the courses as they cross the fingerboard from the body to the nut. Re-draw the positions of the 1st and 8th fret.<br />
4. Pull each piece of fishing line for each course tightly over the 1.6 spacer at the first fret, and slip spacers of various thicknesses under the fishing line at the 8th fret, to gauge the specific string heights of each of the courses. Write these numbers down beside the 8th fret mark.<br />
5. Take the straight edge in hand, and with a strong backing light, hold it on the fingerboard exactly on the marked position of each of the courses and sight underneath it to see where the fingerboard is high, or low. Mark the high spots.<br />
6. Take a moment to consider a strategy in the next bout of fingerboard shaping. How far do I need to go, and in what areas? Is there a discernible pattern--for instance, is the whole central area of the fingerboard high (or low?) Can I work in a larger area, or must I restrict myself to the line of only one course?<br />
7. Begin again at 1. Continue repeating this sequence as necessary, until the action is set, and the fingerboard well-shaped (that is, smoothly curved in cross-section, but very flat in long section.)<br />
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Sound boring enough? I don't think so. I'd like to make it more boring, but I don't think I can. You'll just have to trust me on this (or, better yet, try it yourself.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg5SGzjKwSx0pwU5m2pUdCxkxi5O08X4Iftb-D9NDnnklkKu48gM9Z9yZKnLlJawqcNvvuYgYQ2UdIOQHRxTdR9ketK_D63WQpiIQTRxRp1Dmu_HZhoBu-qFyEMc8EJjCEzDABeezzNc/s1600/IMG_20200108_163534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg5SGzjKwSx0pwU5m2pUdCxkxi5O08X4Iftb-D9NDnnklkKu48gM9Z9yZKnLlJawqcNvvuYgYQ2UdIOQHRxTdR9ketK_D63WQpiIQTRxRp1Dmu_HZhoBu-qFyEMc8EJjCEzDABeezzNc/s640/IMG_20200108_163534.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a bit of an illustration, from rather late in the process. The squiggly lines are the high areas; the numbers are, of course, the string heights at the 8th fret.</span></td></tr>
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Getting the final action is a job that can take an entire day, or more, depending on how well I am concentrating. If I can, I like to bite the bullet and get it done quickly. Ebony dust is bad for my health--I have asthma, and it's become a bad trigger. I wear a face mask, long sleeved clothing, and a cloth tied over my (short) hair. Periodically I need to go to the washroom and wash my face and hands. At the end of the day, I remove all work clothing, put it in a bag, change into street clothes in an outer room, and leave, pausing only to wash up carefully once more before getting on my bike and riding home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_B-B7qnLA_pVLW1uDbBILz-BrplySEU_Y-ArDlizoZnx6qaDIKBJxQaE1ApjnPJNUrpdCaz0c5F69BX9TwC_JZUlThDGkAXzdewgWRn7MFugvbBGbgUVxMdA2KEc7nAqv-noNc41tgU/s1600/IMG_20200109_135743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_B-B7qnLA_pVLW1uDbBILz-BrplySEU_Y-ArDlizoZnx6qaDIKBJxQaE1ApjnPJNUrpdCaz0c5F69BX9TwC_JZUlThDGkAXzdewgWRn7MFugvbBGbgUVxMdA2KEc7nAqv-noNc41tgU/s640/IMG_20200109_135743.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are my final action numbers for a baroque lute measured at the eighth fret. </span></td></tr>
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Just a word on that--these are 'final' action numbers before varnishing only. I fully expect to have to re-shape the fingerboard at least one more time before the lute is done. Why? Well, over about the next 3 to 4 weeks, this lute is going to spend quite a bit of time in the UV light box, a warm environment; and even though I'll be running a humidifier in the vicinity, the neck, and fingerboard, will continue to subtly change shape. Not too, much, I hope... But I think I've left myself enough leeway in setting the action thus far, that I will have the flexibility to make some small corrections later on.<br />
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By the way, the distance in time between the earlier photo and this one--showing string height differences of 0.1mm--is probably a couple of hours. As I said, very slow work, for very small gains.<br />
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Okay. Enough boredom for one blog post. I'll see you all next time, for the finishing out-stage--and perhaps some foundation coats to prepare for varnishing. Stay well, and I hope to see you back here again soon.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-63765104877015065092020-03-21T12:28:00.002-07:002020-03-21T23:27:20.710-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 15: Bending, Fitting and Gluing the FingerboardDear Friends,<br />
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How are you all doing? Since I last posted here, the world seems to have changed in a pretty fundamental way. Where I live and work, in Vancouver, Canada, we are not yet on 'lockdown,' but I think we must anticipate it's coming soon. Until then, I continue to work, to go to my little shop in the morning and live my day and make my lutes. What else am I to do? What else are <i>you</i> to do? Two things keep me focussed in this time of great uncertainty: one is my love for my fellow people, from the one who is closest to me, Julia, the love of my life, and radiating outward to my family, my loved ones, my friends everywhere, all over the world; and the other is making lutes. Sometimes such work can seem trivial even to me, but lute making shapes my life and lets me live in beauty every day. I treasure it, and I know how lucky I am to be able to continue to do it.<br />
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I hope you all, my friends, have work and love to sustain you throughout the times of crisis.<br />
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Humbly, I celebrate my work today, and invite you to share in it.<br />
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Lutes need fingerboards, and 13 course lutes need curved fingerboards. Let us give one to this (very patient) lute.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-DMS2hVxEy3ugoT8c6hSCM5zDx0kAucDAlAJANyHJOVvN2geDB5z9jdae-P3N6Itt-L1U5eyf22gZjCi7gzMQORhU7jyTksiUpGspHk2lE_xqqX-CtgtygRYISt2AtjBN4WX2Vx5lXM/s1600/IMG_20191209_113813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-DMS2hVxEy3ugoT8c6hSCM5zDx0kAucDAlAJANyHJOVvN2geDB5z9jdae-P3N6Itt-L1U5eyf22gZjCi7gzMQORhU7jyTksiUpGspHk2lE_xqqX-CtgtygRYISt2AtjBN4WX2Vx5lXM/s640/IMG_20191209_113813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The fingerboard points have been installed. The arrows indicate that I have oriented the pieces so that I'll be able to plane them toward the nut.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqGtcrgc-oLNwvVRInk-iaGlBwI9gLA1nPh1tdXnmHzuXYGE9fAYylerBUMBh81tYX4-aoCg6q-HHz38eaWwJ1bf04KJ82llw0365zGyYEjKnL19KuN514G-HY7QOCt8L-Yt1n6t7rLs/s1600/IMG_20191211_135221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqGtcrgc-oLNwvVRInk-iaGlBwI9gLA1nPh1tdXnmHzuXYGE9fAYylerBUMBh81tYX4-aoCg6q-HHz38eaWwJ1bf04KJ82llw0365zGyYEjKnL19KuN514G-HY7QOCt8L-Yt1n6t7rLs/s640/IMG_20191211_135221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use the low-angle block plane (with a lot of wax on the sole) to plane them almost flush with the belly tongue, in preparation for making the belly cut-off.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SuF51CE8zDpwUcWmqNxorB4fgFLCNCIQFnv05VXg6CdjBVfWpgehbhLQnzu2BfVvUMOSDhq9cA6p80XXtsv_8wDDL0uSjB4Q_tL9JJgXxfyofw0cbySmenOEA7_wiaYIkZ1230E92tU/s1600/IMG_20191211_142348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SuF51CE8zDpwUcWmqNxorB4fgFLCNCIQFnv05VXg6CdjBVfWpgehbhLQnzu2BfVvUMOSDhq9cA6p80XXtsv_8wDDL0uSjB4Q_tL9JJgXxfyofw0cbySmenOEA7_wiaYIkZ1230E92tU/s640/IMG_20191211_142348.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark a line with a sharp, soft pencil, and then make the cut freehand. The saw cuts pretty readily down into the spruce, so the kerf is well established and jigs the cut as I rock the saw forward and back to cut into the ebony points. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzte4-u8ADwV3FIUbR9kk_YOaGAv3LHP_upHkJvbzHagsJY9VXw3Lxfg667kFnZwaxzsgxIjgzaHjLNREX9vU3_fo_iL-BgJKjr4KMWRzZ7LNSwxLnKG9SCBmLFHh_TwMPqGcZRDTjGw/s1600/IMG_20191211_143147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzte4-u8ADwV3FIUbR9kk_YOaGAv3LHP_upHkJvbzHagsJY9VXw3Lxfg667kFnZwaxzsgxIjgzaHjLNREX9vU3_fo_iL-BgJKjr4KMWRzZ7LNSwxLnKG9SCBmLFHh_TwMPqGcZRDTjGw/s640/IMG_20191211_143147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remove the spruce first with a sharp chisel. Note a couple of things: first, along the nut-side of saw kerf I have chamfered the spruce so that when I pry it up I won't damage the opposite edge; and second, I've made parallel knife cuts along the grain so that the excess comes up in smaller pieces, rather than one big chunk. (I also did that when I <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2020/03/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">removed spruce belly material to install the fingerboard points</a>.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KGX3XOWJHzG1ucVJy8eGLIyF6SGWcCvyL9AxbF2qLdM4Wpk_oD4gEABGXGXXYCLOPpyn9KrhyphenhyphenBdIBNZBGwI1paZrEb0jQucnMvVXrhJV_JCAtamMFEWbxyqgN0B9s2ynrtSQi-Lm0MM/s1600/IMG_20191211_143724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KGX3XOWJHzG1ucVJy8eGLIyF6SGWcCvyL9AxbF2qLdM4Wpk_oD4gEABGXGXXYCLOPpyn9KrhyphenhyphenBdIBNZBGwI1paZrEb0jQucnMvVXrhJV_JCAtamMFEWbxyqgN0B9s2ynrtSQi-Lm0MM/s640/IMG_20191211_143724.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remove the excess of the fingerboard points by using a small cut-off chisel and cutting <i>across</i> the grain, from the outer edge in. The ebony I'm using is very tough stuff, with swirling, interlocked grain, and it's difficult to cut. To minimize the danger--to myself, and to the lute--I keep the chisel edge under very close control, making very small movements and taking very small cuts. (The lute, by the way, is also securely clamped in place on my bench.)</span></td></tr>
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I use files to remove the last of the ebony and paper glued to the neck, and then use files to true up the cut-off edge. That edge needs to be as flat as possible, and as perpendicular as possible to the neck surface. It's not easy to do this when dealing with the curved cut-off (after all, it's difficult to hold a straight edge against it to see how flat the edge is), by I try to get it as close as I can.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO17mfouG2RY1-CuP5ssLTYGBTSM8Sm_7Kx_0BMOCK5CXMcmIsEhlATNbynBy2B5aKloLXG93awc8lzvtktGofYhP3MRdUOc3j34dm0lRZImbc4au2UZ9_xLkGThYkh5PwXApdIuYCVTE/s1600/IMG_20191212_125652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO17mfouG2RY1-CuP5ssLTYGBTSM8Sm_7Kx_0BMOCK5CXMcmIsEhlATNbynBy2B5aKloLXG93awc8lzvtktGofYhP3MRdUOc3j34dm0lRZImbc4au2UZ9_xLkGThYkh5PwXApdIuYCVTE/s640/IMG_20191212_125652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've readied the joint, I can try out the fit of my fingerboard gluing caul. I made this shaped caul a number of years ago, and I've used it for a number of 13 course baroque lutes already. The fit looks pretty good; if it were not, I would build up the shape as needed with strips of masking tape.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnogB27uh0u_1rrtsTllydyKptwq2Pg-I1YNIO-LzsKW3-bXTEiDQ5JVUikPvSlKbPhpCopLx6vF-8tlmr0QxbvekvgsCfA4gDTT0es9EG-h_d6d1mWABIamXg0nPLSo9NljN5UexI_8/s1600/IMG_20191212_125725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnogB27uh0u_1rrtsTllydyKptwq2Pg-I1YNIO-LzsKW3-bXTEiDQ5JVUikPvSlKbPhpCopLx6vF-8tlmr0QxbvekvgsCfA4gDTT0es9EG-h_d6d1mWABIamXg0nPLSo9NljN5UexI_8/s640/IMG_20191212_125725.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The curve looks like a very close match. As you can see, I've lined the caul with a thickness of cork. I've also made the caul so that it overhangs the edge of the neck by a few millimetres on each side.</span></td></tr>
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I'll take time out here to tell you a little trick of the trade I use to make cauls with complex shapes, like this one. Do you see the little layer of pink between the cork and wood in the photo above? That pink layer is autobody filler. To make the caul I first carve the wood as close as I can to the shape I want; then I cover the object-area on the instrument (in this case, the upper surface of the neck) with plastic wrap; then I mix up some autobody filler, spread it on the underside of the caul, and either hold it or clamp it in place. The filler dries in a few minutes, and I'm left with a near-perfect impression of the area that I can trim as needed, then cover with a layer of cork and use as a gluing caul.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVxRv55l8Tpk4NzY7LAbjy3_x8MOq4gkVY6OgQunSmJRf8xXNtgkA5dhlHH0h2g47QHzZkKjYgPqGWUUXDX7E-131stJJ-y1Vt2hLTKl2p5buNtNZ9j76-zfe8qvk6vSAHcsDZTkHLHU/s1600/IMG_20191212_125712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVxRv55l8Tpk4NzY7LAbjy3_x8MOq4gkVY6OgQunSmJRf8xXNtgkA5dhlHH0h2g47QHzZkKjYgPqGWUUXDX7E-131stJJ-y1Vt2hLTKl2p5buNtNZ9j76-zfe8qvk6vSAHcsDZTkHLHU/s640/IMG_20191212_125712.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The large main caul was made for a lute designed to have a slightly shorter neck than this one. I've made a small addition to add to the lower part of the fingerboard.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I4oOYUEqiwQRoZmhQO34G4dLzSrv7Q8lpNuR056V_y9nZkJjYvHzGL3xeg84WruO4_zsN4xNx19Rv9b_GuXYlh9EKw9uzIqnT2pyWSc9zS_KkR16a0sWJ3m8jxrgzPnceJamM6si_gI/s1600/IMG_20191212_130017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I4oOYUEqiwQRoZmhQO34G4dLzSrv7Q8lpNuR056V_y9nZkJjYvHzGL3xeg84WruO4_zsN4xNx19Rv9b_GuXYlh9EKw9uzIqnT2pyWSc9zS_KkR16a0sWJ3m8jxrgzPnceJamM6si_gI/s640/IMG_20191212_130017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After re-checking the action (with fishing line and spacer blocks), I have thicknessed the fingerboard to about 2.6mm. In this photo I am shooting the edge of my fingerboard blank, looking to make it as flat and as perpendicular as possible.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5nyF9aW6En_vP18AIr2vk4GWPZxWEnPfPIj4Gw6zqHy69zmrZ425g8aHb_0NzQJ5kWNj6AYiqUSu_aHfWENrBJQ-Jv8L42uf2hkJwrLVHhKMFCYbjHSiry_OGE6Ser5peRbch_HZ1zY/s1600/IMG_20191212_132030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5nyF9aW6En_vP18AIr2vk4GWPZxWEnPfPIj4Gw6zqHy69zmrZ425g8aHb_0NzQJ5kWNj6AYiqUSu_aHfWENrBJQ-Jv8L42uf2hkJwrLVHhKMFCYbjHSiry_OGE6Ser5peRbch_HZ1zY/s640/IMG_20191212_132030.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can now bend the fingerboard blank. I heat water in a saucepan and brush it on the outside of the piece, then hold the underside over the hot plate. After a few minutes, the combination of outer expansion from the water and inner contraction from the dry heat curls the fingerboard very close to the profile that I'm looking for.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngqeLrIenTSBdfF2ESxVPaK9958dAi8NG8-U1IFfnb4Kvt_MIa_tLxLoTSyWhsXm9zNV4oYtdidH4RWBggWgC7XisaI0lfB_NtzRM0A2sMwYcMOmbfFWmAXejxo3P-d1n-JO5IqO8t9Q/s1600/IMG_20191212_132708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngqeLrIenTSBdfF2ESxVPaK9958dAi8NG8-U1IFfnb4Kvt_MIa_tLxLoTSyWhsXm9zNV4oYtdidH4RWBggWgC7XisaI0lfB_NtzRM0A2sMwYcMOmbfFWmAXejxo3P-d1n-JO5IqO8t9Q/s640/IMG_20191212_132708.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Throughout the construction process, there is a hook for hanging the lute in the neck end. Now, I swap out that hook for this hardwood block and deck screw. When I fit and glue the fingerboard, I can tighten the screw, and the block provides pressure to hold the fingerboard in place against the cutoff joint. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_61vCESwnoXpqg0PdxxJIYe214p9TA3mGCnShuBbq0xKzrxEpM6mfYb_ys4mInuZKraj__Kbq28HQBvJak5v6la-vmzitM_VZv83zyM5Vpq_lEFQWITu5ttP_AKdxiCyARsqimpBtMc/s1600/IMG_20191212_134244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_61vCESwnoXpqg0PdxxJIYe214p9TA3mGCnShuBbq0xKzrxEpM6mfYb_ys4mInuZKraj__Kbq28HQBvJak5v6la-vmzitM_VZv83zyM5Vpq_lEFQWITu5ttP_AKdxiCyARsqimpBtMc/s640/IMG_20191212_134244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like so. This is a dry run, to see how the fit looks at the joint. I trim the fingerboard so that there is about 1mm only of overhang at the nut end. That's enough for me to tighten the block and hold the fingerboard in place.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS-DgSloddhX0pfx5w8p23UvsD-80a-DrOP6g_JM08wUdIWH_wFHa-BMxMj2pOhJXt8Iak7qQk-ugtP-6GKKazCdvZLIKCnjJ5o2SP0bodZhoubr1Pk0gJll6g9uzs4oWzDfsKGry9Dg/s1600/IMG_20191212_134453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS-DgSloddhX0pfx5w8p23UvsD-80a-DrOP6g_JM08wUdIWH_wFHa-BMxMj2pOhJXt8Iak7qQk-ugtP-6GKKazCdvZLIKCnjJ5o2SP0bodZhoubr1Pk0gJll6g9uzs4oWzDfsKGry9Dg/s640/IMG_20191212_134453.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I refine the fit with a sanding block. I may also have to adjust--with files--the fingerboard cutoff on the lute.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DHxRYEVhYkbehVAHbXEeskpL4NtppWbqnwkv-L18E_7YLHL7-CeWGU4mxl_TJMVy2BR0iIMTjsoESv1fSa3tihuTmy8AKCufydEpHVOxY4X4XFz-IH0YLxIRix9K8q31g8-IBSqcmjk/s1600/IMG_20191212_145256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DHxRYEVhYkbehVAHbXEeskpL4NtppWbqnwkv-L18E_7YLHL7-CeWGU4mxl_TJMVy2BR0iIMTjsoESv1fSa3tihuTmy8AKCufydEpHVOxY4X4XFz-IH0YLxIRix9K8q31g8-IBSqcmjk/s640/IMG_20191212_145256.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've got the joint fitted, and everything is ready to go. When I actually glue the fingerboard on I need to work quickly and efficiently, so there is no time to take timed photos.The next few shots show the stages of gluing, and are from one of the many dry runs I do before gluing up.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzYaMOos5iGHKswzec6B0lizPpbXcLbM0IWk0dD7m7KSh8izUYIdcVbgetzKFg7QqngqEgaRgVHoMBVIS_YYmmRYG3l-wbDMFtgrSejEAsu8q6WsK_CjAMHgxdALQwk0S_Tsy8En454w/s1600/IMG_20191212_145327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzYaMOos5iGHKswzec6B0lizPpbXcLbM0IWk0dD7m7KSh8izUYIdcVbgetzKFg7QqngqEgaRgVHoMBVIS_YYmmRYG3l-wbDMFtgrSejEAsu8q6WsK_CjAMHgxdALQwk0S_Tsy8En454w/s640/IMG_20191212_145327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When my glue is heated and ready to go, I warm the underside of the fingerboard and the top side of the neck with a hair dryer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb3vP8LDbczIRr2KBTZCMGJ0KBYi5M4vyFGKFzS0EfTuDBtc17P0SE228ZRDEe0GAR8fzZjY5Jh65CU3ekrz8arFHNo2N1LMDhWDWZHbGTaLv4oTXeZBq9L5YjcBmpbf5PUlLomhMPGg/s1600/IMG_20191212_145430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb3vP8LDbczIRr2KBTZCMGJ0KBYi5M4vyFGKFzS0EfTuDBtc17P0SE228ZRDEe0GAR8fzZjY5Jh65CU3ekrz8arFHNo2N1LMDhWDWZHbGTaLv4oTXeZBq9L5YjcBmpbf5PUlLomhMPGg/s640/IMG_20191212_145430.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then brush glue on the neck, and on the underside of the fingerboard, and place it carefully. I need to make sure the fit is tight here, at the joint.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88sHicwBrg7-pm6Q6W6UT0OArT5BVTbznGcZQgVBJWXZ2NSqQP7Bm4faJlzuFLXvpguUW_dkmOmek5PyLqQn81yj-xawFjktZMzaUWM6r0nUK6Tu0heKMBmL4NbSGt2UWM7TSJA9PkuA/s1600/IMG_20191212_145614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88sHicwBrg7-pm6Q6W6UT0OArT5BVTbznGcZQgVBJWXZ2NSqQP7Bm4faJlzuFLXvpguUW_dkmOmek5PyLqQn81yj-xawFjktZMzaUWM6r0nUK6Tu0heKMBmL4NbSGt2UWM7TSJA9PkuA/s640/IMG_20191212_145614.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then screw in the block to hold the fingerboard firmly against the cutoff joint.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LvccPkbv_e5TZRi_xniZjvUCTe-UaJhujUoofND8_dC9eaoNe2yd0nG3_0n4uuJHOM0r-gCDpdqLR8VwUWNXclK8Fz0cCziwrnxFZpBimEdTCALdE5MCe6EXfomUvwQx8glQgsjuiYI/s1600/IMG_20191212_145731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LvccPkbv_e5TZRi_xniZjvUCTe-UaJhujUoofND8_dC9eaoNe2yd0nG3_0n4uuJHOM0r-gCDpdqLR8VwUWNXclK8Fz0cCziwrnxFZpBimEdTCALdE5MCe6EXfomUvwQx8glQgsjuiYI/s640/IMG_20191212_145731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I begin clamping. (I rehearse the sequence many times before gluing.) First I clamp in place the small additional caul...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzwBfWoW-3x2FBYuZbSYGYlg1O-iWtfq079SaKr0AVtduGAxIlCs87eCAnboBa0NlfUdoACower6eF4gb6gF4wRLyJQWsf-T9aYHqU7ymf-qzVR_7AtPuRMcYEgMr7MyD3bDkANDHdnI/s1600/IMG_20191212_145910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzwBfWoW-3x2FBYuZbSYGYlg1O-iWtfq079SaKr0AVtduGAxIlCs87eCAnboBa0NlfUdoACower6eF4gb6gF4wRLyJQWsf-T9aYHqU7ymf-qzVR_7AtPuRMcYEgMr7MyD3bDkANDHdnI/s640/IMG_20191212_145910.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then the big caul goes on. Note how I have marked with a felt pen the location and the orientation of each clamp. I know where they go, and which way they point, so I can begin by clamping in the middle, and then working outward from there.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLBOS3cmHT2Tfgobx47ybdUSfN1UwJebwh4Dxn2xwKBcvQJeyfwK6B9RLlpf4FYTebV8ddJaCBq18IzdheKb88LLaHCEsJF6f-EHroRuFzyPXnaOG9wA8mWiFPPG8ha3V66wPqz5gHbw/s1600/IMG_20191212_150042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLBOS3cmHT2Tfgobx47ybdUSfN1UwJebwh4Dxn2xwKBcvQJeyfwK6B9RLlpf4FYTebV8ddJaCBq18IzdheKb88LLaHCEsJF6f-EHroRuFzyPXnaOG9wA8mWiFPPG8ha3V66wPqz5gHbw/s640/IMG_20191212_150042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This nearly exhausts my supply of wooden cam clamps.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxPBfv0tUDNkRmiZy2Pt3i5YANthS1LBZ3ss86b-NOcUTuvLkXfIboY9Sq_ipsXSJrXJmL2jSi0rtfNwicQCJipdZjQvoqmlICR-ElUbPDsw9EpJsJlXfobJhejO95Hmrp1VX0B9aZ7M/s1600/IMG_20191212_152130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxPBfv0tUDNkRmiZy2Pt3i5YANthS1LBZ3ss86b-NOcUTuvLkXfIboY9Sq_ipsXSJrXJmL2jSi0rtfNwicQCJipdZjQvoqmlICR-ElUbPDsw9EpJsJlXfobJhejO95Hmrp1VX0B9aZ7M/s640/IMG_20191212_152130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the immediate aftermath of gluing. I got good squeeze-out on each side, and I also brushed a line of glue down each side of the joint (to take advantage of hide glue's contracting properties, to pull the edges of the joint together.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeQ1ejsfdeGwbjKNnKm5BKg__NncR_-GZD8CliNLL2mFyKOH-87Ea5dMjW9rBIum6_4uQemZb_wrg0M_PHSEERYSZ8DLxzbde7TeLBGTN8SisXf1Gxvg8iHZ1R0dzRW9ya2VLFPJPwqE/s1600/IMG_20191212_152202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeQ1ejsfdeGwbjKNnKm5BKg__NncR_-GZD8CliNLL2mFyKOH-87Ea5dMjW9rBIum6_4uQemZb_wrg0M_PHSEERYSZ8DLxzbde7TeLBGTN8SisXf1Gxvg8iHZ1R0dzRW9ya2VLFPJPwqE/s640/IMG_20191212_152202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The lute seems most stable in this position for the time being (though it seems a bit close to the edge of the bench--I think I should move it more to the centre before leaving for the day.) Tomorrow I'll remove the clamps and cauls, clean up the excess glue, and start to shape the new fingerboard.</span></td></tr>
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I hope everyone is staying safe and secluded. I love you all. Take care, and we'll talk again soon.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-56686641440816326282020-03-08T13:33:00.001-07:002020-03-10T09:25:38.593-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 14: Soundboard Details in Ebony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello friends, and welcome back, after a bit of a break. There's a bunch of stuff to do that has a bunch of small steps, so let's get right to work.<br />
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Today I'll be dealing with the aftermath of the 'Great Glewing' of 2019, wherein I stuck the belly into this 13 course lute-in-progress. I'll be trimming the belly edge, installing the ebony half-binding, and inlaying fingerboard points and an ebony spade at the bottom of the belly.<br />
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You'll remember that in gluing the belly I used half-strength glue, and was also careful not to slop too much of it around. This makes cleanup pretty simple: I brush a bead of water around the narrow belly overhang, wait a few minutes, and clean up with a sharpened spruce stick.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8fu_zOf-orCpeG-P5xzvsQasm4em1RV9PNhRmJbv9Akdsl1aWt8tg6jNf09REk6Ex1tJa5-o2vu-tsWlAr58JUZl0Dx0T1Nwrr_CyqPmFnf4nPws_2DLAq7FZADe9GKC5_dMlIIOksc/s1600/IMG_20191122_134202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8fu_zOf-orCpeG-P5xzvsQasm4em1RV9PNhRmJbv9Akdsl1aWt8tg6jNf09REk6Ex1tJa5-o2vu-tsWlAr58JUZl0Dx0T1Nwrr_CyqPmFnf4nPws_2DLAq7FZADe9GKC5_dMlIIOksc/s640/IMG_20191122_134202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I can trim the edge of the belly flush to the outside rib.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTa3W3B-Pa7pvz5rVPRLXZiXCZjAVB6LneSwwS9s9rYCIBMdEV3aiPDY5I0tt7Qy49ny3SDzjVGQNH9CxxGcOhAeZwe4jjRcFlOWWopN2d3g63Uaq20CkWTcUDUdnEhE4M0lzdVrOZx0/s1600/IMG_20191122_134952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTa3W3B-Pa7pvz5rVPRLXZiXCZjAVB6LneSwwS9s9rYCIBMdEV3aiPDY5I0tt7Qy49ny3SDzjVGQNH9CxxGcOhAeZwe4jjRcFlOWWopN2d3g63Uaq20CkWTcUDUdnEhE4M0lzdVrOZx0/s640/IMG_20191122_134952.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My knife blade has a sharp edge but also a fairly full cheek, which allows me to take a fine cut without the knife 'digging in.' I wrap a piece of masking tape around the tip, to guard against accidental nips into the edge rib.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I41xIWVhCMwD9HfIK41tuIbusSz0SUReRZg1-DhHzUMY5vS-GX-CKX-KjYUHwBwcRmHjOkqGsV3xx3KE241tgd7K_JGwJl-5821DxQzNvD3i0PFxBXDI-i4B47xPP1FFBSjWElj-oaw/s1600/IMG_20191122_135840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I41xIWVhCMwD9HfIK41tuIbusSz0SUReRZg1-DhHzUMY5vS-GX-CKX-KjYUHwBwcRmHjOkqGsV3xx3KE241tgd7K_JGwJl-5821DxQzNvD3i0PFxBXDI-i4B47xPP1FFBSjWElj-oaw/s640/IMG_20191122_135840.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have to reverse cutting directions to follow the grain of the belly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7xTkzLPTR0O76Q1B5f3ZCsnqEnSZKG948uvhC9sFB9molvMh8PGLzaKWMPItlW4hULnkZwQd9mUmQySG4EqbICGSk6tEm_ID2LKnGCFd4apOPO4vvUqa0oJxZvxbtrCBgmyeTNS3f-I/s1600/IMG_20191122_142019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7xTkzLPTR0O76Q1B5f3ZCsnqEnSZKG948uvhC9sFB9molvMh8PGLzaKWMPItlW4hULnkZwQd9mUmQySG4EqbICGSk6tEm_ID2LKnGCFd4apOPO4vvUqa0oJxZvxbtrCBgmyeTNS3f-I/s640/IMG_20191122_142019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I must say I find this one of the most satisfying and meditative jobs in all of my lute making. If I've sharpened the knife correctly, I can trim the belly edge and get <i>really </i>close to the rib without worry.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh2V79Ye5HT7LI4lfLIREpz0bORP3RkBGmJ8038OmEXOtoB4mcjs9dtBGAos8eiRluxwDpgPUDnSKNS4hsSIauM0ARjoTdixJcesTY_H-yZcVI8aYZJSEw-kJtcxG1B5O8mQLjv_Jb9I/s1600/IMG_20191122_140732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh2V79Ye5HT7LI4lfLIREpz0bORP3RkBGmJ8038OmEXOtoB4mcjs9dtBGAos8eiRluxwDpgPUDnSKNS4hsSIauM0ARjoTdixJcesTY_H-yZcVI8aYZJSEw-kJtcxG1B5O8mQLjv_Jb9I/s640/IMG_20191122_140732.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That's true even at the bottom end of the belly, where the end grain can sometimes be tough to cut. However, with my knife I can get close enough that all I will need to do to finish off is a bit of work with a file.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Slez3dyhk2VTki_I7032Kes1iB2ERm01X9JKzqlj6HlLCAlUr_GfxTBLlOT5coXvqzVqyLZkjVt5lbFM4PxrqSqlxEQIgoNULE-f-cSKlb7kb10d3H8ipZlCnhqGCR6deqG2AlZS8HY/s1600/IMG_20191122_142927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Slez3dyhk2VTki_I7032Kes1iB2ERm01X9JKzqlj6HlLCAlUr_GfxTBLlOT5coXvqzVqyLZkjVt5lbFM4PxrqSqlxEQIgoNULE-f-cSKlb7kb10d3H8ipZlCnhqGCR6deqG2AlZS8HY/s640/IMG_20191122_142927.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the body-neck joint, the result I want is a tight corner where the edge rib and neck edge meet. (I'm not quite there yet in this photo.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZISvPg_C4WIv-rNcGfu4T3G3_GjI1XN6lLDEfVtRQTfLWOoQsDgqNs6NsSqznm4U5osEqSTrzRmlLqLvV2uKKkrwk8qAARV8kuH8XLyr5xZTjoXhZjGU-eaOT84NvhQCRjyCeRJHF_0k/s1600/IMG_20191122_140113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZISvPg_C4WIv-rNcGfu4T3G3_GjI1XN6lLDEfVtRQTfLWOoQsDgqNs6NsSqznm4U5osEqSTrzRmlLqLvV2uKKkrwk8qAARV8kuH8XLyr5xZTjoXhZjGU-eaOT84NvhQCRjyCeRJHF_0k/s640/IMG_20191122_140113.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the tips of the capping strip, I leave the belly edge untrimmed for the moment. I need to do some careful work to taper the end of the capping strip, and integrate that shape into the outline of the belly. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHmw6fuOLpfPbrwCloc9GdfNYb5zmg1CR6-K_8eUtBS6cfPGxb4ETC03aaXrq_gIj-JVOa0tzoQexTWjceorVGPE6qgF17Z3ekBrcFMJcAUxetvn3cfVljjbfLCPha0IVD4TUaJWY-kE/s1600/IMG_20191127_151047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHmw6fuOLpfPbrwCloc9GdfNYb5zmg1CR6-K_8eUtBS6cfPGxb4ETC03aaXrq_gIj-JVOa0tzoQexTWjceorVGPE6qgF17Z3ekBrcFMJcAUxetvn3cfVljjbfLCPha0IVD4TUaJWY-kE/s640/IMG_20191127_151047.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To get a good idea of what that final shape should be, I lay my belly template down and with a sharp soft pencil trace around it where the ends of the capping strip bump out.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPr8ybE8JqP9bFXBYXDtzLjEVtw_2vbLJylkoaZ95xIkG4cgYZ1mVXtAi4et6Z9rpz3GlWXJpeyUyJs7NZmgMH8Zlqeqnld0JKDaNHUco2u18yZB0pHPZqrW2T11XOOddz851Z91rzas/s1600/IMG_20191127_151127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPr8ybE8JqP9bFXBYXDtzLjEVtw_2vbLJylkoaZ95xIkG4cgYZ1mVXtAi4et6Z9rpz3GlWXJpeyUyJs7NZmgMH8Zlqeqnld0JKDaNHUco2u18yZB0pHPZqrW2T11XOOddz851Z91rzas/s640/IMG_20191127_151127.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll use this mark as a guide as I shape the area, mainly with a series of files.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJArg3ebBxSDc28rd_GDX6vwL8SnC_VlD1gOWR8i9gjq-toNyfsUFk6y2X2Hsz86fzo8o_JAF9ttpV-g3swnMkWie9-hssbTN0bhzNwoB3NApmcyo5Io3Ng0OM_g5w_UXPxUttyqjkBKA/s1600/IMG_20191127_154157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJArg3ebBxSDc28rd_GDX6vwL8SnC_VlD1gOWR8i9gjq-toNyfsUFk6y2X2Hsz86fzo8o_JAF9ttpV-g3swnMkWie9-hssbTN0bhzNwoB3NApmcyo5Io3Ng0OM_g5w_UXPxUttyqjkBKA/s640/IMG_20191127_154157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the contour as I begin my shaping work. At this point, the capping strip is its full thickness, and the belly overhangs the edge rib slightly. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSPERY9Ik75ZEuahZWBuo-0myGxdBVKcRZ-OuGUAStfypc1Ee4VuQ5FQJ8SnjA-nYhAQdGjOmfkPiP9Diu9LG8EQ9Ai3EIdVIyLM1xvbDpSd4RzHaKhsT5pNnCyi7hV7X_u_AlrKOgKMo/s1600/IMG_20191129_103456+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSPERY9Ik75ZEuahZWBuo-0myGxdBVKcRZ-OuGUAStfypc1Ee4VuQ5FQJ8SnjA-nYhAQdGjOmfkPiP9Diu9LG8EQ9Ai3EIdVIyLM1xvbDpSd4RzHaKhsT5pNnCyi7hV7X_u_AlrKOgKMo/s640/IMG_20191129_103456+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my pretty-close-to-finished result.</span></td></tr>
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At the leading point of the capping strip I've tapered the thickness almost (but not quite) to zero, while the upper edge (closest to the camera) I've left pretty much full thickness. I've also tapered the thickness of the capping strip <i>back </i>from the tip, toward the bottom of the lute, for approximately 2 to 3 inches.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57IKo6dcGEIxtqZlWyo5w6PC9PeO6OA3p5ZeQ-G35Kae1j0a_DwhUohcs8Gg0MBawlIevze_9suoEeDYWWc9kZIaANbkn29yJ7V2LY_QgULAiUeRd3HiMr5TsqEM7tKRpY680CYL2F8I/s1600/IMG_20191129_133320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57IKo6dcGEIxtqZlWyo5w6PC9PeO6OA3p5ZeQ-G35Kae1j0a_DwhUohcs8Gg0MBawlIevze_9suoEeDYWWc9kZIaANbkn29yJ7V2LY_QgULAiUeRd3HiMr5TsqEM7tKRpY680CYL2F8I/s640/IMG_20191129_133320.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the outline finalized, I'm ready to inlay the ebony edge binding. I clamp the lute in the neck holder to keep it very steady.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZYqbdZloVHRZ8y4N9-aQrxxZ0sxw2YBpYJUyxQe9EnJ22j5wGW4pe4PjlZnYEQFbeMjLR76w1XVBfm-ZufAnu89LlWmxa0a58-XrN2anmGASNuJnFA2ixPLSBx3gj2Uz0NMKIV36_E0/s1600/IMG_20191129_133343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZYqbdZloVHRZ8y4N9-aQrxxZ0sxw2YBpYJUyxQe9EnJ22j5wGW4pe4PjlZnYEQFbeMjLR76w1XVBfm-ZufAnu89LlWmxa0a58-XrN2anmGASNuJnFA2ixPLSBx3gj2Uz0NMKIV36_E0/s640/IMG_20191129_133343.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some tools of the trade. The one in the middle is a purfling cutter I made with a piece of square steel tubing (it was one of the first lute making tools I ever made for myself.) The bottom of the tool is toward us; the fence is on the left side of the tool as we face it; the blade is a couple of millimetres distant from it (only the merest tip pokes out.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNkMt3QlO-kNqONdZODhRNneQ_ZAaq72qgekIkMwTqf3RZoFMULdn7uEryBqXs_6-W38H271V98lZIy25Ew4SoHJu7wux_3Iu1_m17pJOPMzOktmliGqX2EwZNpV3QqAX5go9S9C2HIM/s1600/IMG_20191129_133354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNkMt3QlO-kNqONdZODhRNneQ_ZAaq72qgekIkMwTqf3RZoFMULdn7uEryBqXs_6-W38H271V98lZIy25Ew4SoHJu7wux_3Iu1_m17pJOPMzOktmliGqX2EwZNpV3QqAX5go9S9C2HIM/s640/IMG_20191129_133354.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another view...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD42pnZnWbiCUXuVFm2_Tr4fuSjIXbblv5XIhw84hB9-dIjCIMMIiUSrJL9K5XQhhLX3ubU-oHVXMPtSkK_pgewHM4CNBPvLikk-rTUlNOoMCw28S3qhx2PEuniaUsLGSL3emjcSjaiM/s1600/IMG_20191129_133400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD42pnZnWbiCUXuVFm2_Tr4fuSjIXbblv5XIhw84hB9-dIjCIMMIiUSrJL9K5XQhhLX3ubU-oHVXMPtSkK_pgewHM4CNBPvLikk-rTUlNOoMCw28S3qhx2PEuniaUsLGSL3emjcSjaiM/s640/IMG_20191129_133400.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And another. I'm proud of this tool. I made it at a time when I didn't have too many resources at my disposal, and it's worked like a charm for years. Decades, now, in fact.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkycwX1VP1sp_zKOjGOukAwGYPmVMlqOnBc6LSC5AOZApwhtE5yPzdhF5yOeTobWUAeazsBm0iD-Osha_XKdc-_C1FcpJ20d4NL5V30v7rYQqGFNlLeqIwfUIdtjnKN65NlEWOzYEHC6w/s1600/IMG_20191129_133752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkycwX1VP1sp_zKOjGOukAwGYPmVMlqOnBc6LSC5AOZApwhtE5yPzdhF5yOeTobWUAeazsBm0iD-Osha_XKdc-_C1FcpJ20d4NL5V30v7rYQqGFNlLeqIwfUIdtjnKN65NlEWOzYEHC6w/s640/IMG_20191129_133752.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And so I'll put it to work once more. The belly's between about 1.5 and just over 2mm at various places along its edge. I want to inlay a binding about half that thickness--say, 0.8 or 0.9--which is how deep my rebate needs to be. The purfling cutter is set ever-so-slightly deeper than this.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWWsjXdDnw0Cf3WriRvSnckkULXV2ikJJ-JEJWGB3j6GoDldD0LF0Mh0Pt6ioboReCL1yXFM8_3vBcP3_xEvaRS256lBlKOrmSwNSuQbZRHNTXAW_RZX6JrPu5NdJ-dqm2qbbyusUaOk/s1600/IMG_20191129_133950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWWsjXdDnw0Cf3WriRvSnckkULXV2ikJJ-JEJWGB3j6GoDldD0LF0Mh0Pt6ioboReCL1yXFM8_3vBcP3_xEvaRS256lBlKOrmSwNSuQbZRHNTXAW_RZX6JrPu5NdJ-dqm2qbbyusUaOk/s640/IMG_20191129_133950.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Three or four careful passes around the perimiter brings the cut to full depth.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01bdxAJ-KAkyfVu2kdfrTsPqn3yFJtKgEdt0mJ__xdhyB7pQRuY6Hl2b1W3G3KxdyVyGqDlR10hodmWUXHOdTDPj7iDiXAwr-pC8anuufX6m1nWL6_nmyw5ZFTs0DNuyCZiFJTbAHpmo/s1600/IMG_20191129_134125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01bdxAJ-KAkyfVu2kdfrTsPqn3yFJtKgEdt0mJ__xdhyB7pQRuY6Hl2b1W3G3KxdyVyGqDlR10hodmWUXHOdTDPj7iDiXAwr-pC8anuufX6m1nWL6_nmyw5ZFTs0DNuyCZiFJTbAHpmo/s640/IMG_20191129_134125.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the body-neck joint the fence on the edge of the tool prevents it from going all the way into the corner, so the end of the cut needs to be made by hand.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iRH7lpmR3yVvIsmyvaPUoKuspfTDZ4jCMTEKo7bG0crgWA5Ujte7Rx4Gu4XmbKZU5Jp9gKOFyqB0qfNlwKJro7MeXvwnGgk1x5Q3krVZCqq0nKqmtfdeMnUVdcGHa5yaPrxX-YP2XRk/s1600/IMG_20191129_134906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iRH7lpmR3yVvIsmyvaPUoKuspfTDZ4jCMTEKo7bG0crgWA5Ujte7Rx4Gu4XmbKZU5Jp9gKOFyqB0qfNlwKJro7MeXvwnGgk1x5Q3krVZCqq0nKqmtfdeMnUVdcGHa5yaPrxX-YP2XRk/s640/IMG_20191129_134906.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next step is to cut the rebate, which I do with this handy shop-made Dremel router base. </span></td></tr>
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If you're interested, I wrote <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2012/06/betterizer.html" target="_blank">a blog post about how I made this base</a> a few years ago. It's another source of pride with me. Please have a look!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-5-A-C4Fs1dx7nHE3KTmOHlSmUvhyTUHzwrAutPwCxqs5zBTpBvBEZiZscWjoYJZJ93cyJG5CQ455fi57Krg8D_VYY3GPQGW08KQ95_gSgYcgG5MyIfUi6qSuMfIGagQcJFoj7DsSgw/s1600/IMG_20191129_140109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-5-A-C4Fs1dx7nHE3KTmOHlSmUvhyTUHzwrAutPwCxqs5zBTpBvBEZiZscWjoYJZJ93cyJG5CQ455fi57Krg8D_VYY3GPQGW08KQ95_gSgYcgG5MyIfUi6qSuMfIGagQcJFoj7DsSgw/s640/IMG_20191129_140109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One shot of the router in action. I make three or four passes, lowering the cutter a bit each time, until I get to the full depth I want.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17shbTr62_H2YWQEzH1wbiTh2zUTu_I1tz4lyiz_bBPcI3KLt-HK98nC0oO4A7g3bBX8JD9GD8xtTzqM_0Ui97ZQjS9HeFLaNbDr9dMQzpMi9jO4075eIs0iOaBX2U933fzlTDFhmIII/s1600/IMG_20191129_135402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17shbTr62_H2YWQEzH1wbiTh2zUTu_I1tz4lyiz_bBPcI3KLt-HK98nC0oO4A7g3bBX8JD9GD8xtTzqM_0Ui97ZQjS9HeFLaNbDr9dMQzpMi9jO4075eIs0iOaBX2U933fzlTDFhmIII/s640/IMG_20191129_135402.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I set the router to cut a bit narrower than the line I made with the purfling cutter. The router leaves a burred edge, which I can then cut away with a sharp small knife. This leaves the purfling cutter line as the smooth inner edge of the binding channel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDo7JYjBQEdP6JNHpC2BNsY3Gv5XWrnSPG25gj4goAD4bM-eL8jbNxnH44LSC4VYYnyXht308TSEp_wCZX6bI4m7LY4zEhMMJ47jxtRMStrLrQ0O3dGNKxFJ1Q_Cw2rx62W3OUxc-R0mU/s1600/IMG_20191129_140942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDo7JYjBQEdP6JNHpC2BNsY3Gv5XWrnSPG25gj4goAD4bM-eL8jbNxnH44LSC4VYYnyXht308TSEp_wCZX6bI4m7LY4zEhMMJ47jxtRMStrLrQ0O3dGNKxFJ1Q_Cw2rx62W3OUxc-R0mU/s640/IMG_20191129_140942.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The router won't reach into the body-neck joint, so I have to use a chisel to cut the rebate there.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zcQdu4i5AATTiFWbVZVzVLveoiWFJ-vF5pkkCaOgONkMBsPAoTlJR6m97WpSjPdm_iG5WDGuLQMYbtwRR4aSKfERIguYGHbGtkHw-r3bjpFGd8XLxyhrCSK6fuDoQ7sx52v6XkPpY3A/s1600/IMG_20191202_110622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zcQdu4i5AATTiFWbVZVzVLveoiWFJ-vF5pkkCaOgONkMBsPAoTlJR6m97WpSjPdm_iG5WDGuLQMYbtwRR4aSKfERIguYGHbGtkHw-r3bjpFGd8XLxyhrCSK6fuDoQ7sx52v6XkPpY3A/s640/IMG_20191202_110622.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before I can actually install the ebony binding, I need to inlay the ebony dart at the bottom of the belly that's part of the spade. I shape the dart with this handy drill-press drum sander.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma4UrwVjvpr3UwH4SGi9FStd0sv_9tcTSrJOK14BH6Xe5XO0V5XmRAcTamGbDRX2X81KsbjtfMBUA44eRNYIzu4lLEqT7_qHB37h43gVWYqng4FMOM8SrLMKOyWOKhtwiR0FZHhS1SMQ/s1600/IMG_20191202_121321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma4UrwVjvpr3UwH4SGi9FStd0sv_9tcTSrJOK14BH6Xe5XO0V5XmRAcTamGbDRX2X81KsbjtfMBUA44eRNYIzu4lLEqT7_qHB37h43gVWYqng4FMOM8SrLMKOyWOKhtwiR0FZHhS1SMQ/s640/IMG_20191202_121321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The heart-shape inlay, however, I like to shape by hand at the bench.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfKdIDHpdSm2R8og3xWltpcTZbuPUPy3ea4TO-3ychmAS4S9qxRyfht1BwX2hdEsjqcRaSYMefjPGNAYyIEi7jAUwqhCsHUXRl80q79kBAQBRB2XrrATMPwboTVZm50Jnz6xiYhFWUM8/s1600/IMG_20191202_111316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfKdIDHpdSm2R8og3xWltpcTZbuPUPy3ea4TO-3ychmAS4S9qxRyfht1BwX2hdEsjqcRaSYMefjPGNAYyIEi7jAUwqhCsHUXRl80q79kBAQBRB2XrrATMPwboTVZm50Jnz6xiYhFWUM8/s640/IMG_20191202_111316.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the set, ready to go.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ5fpvgbx36tQ4raBW_IVyJUCmruAX_983Mu_aiwmLbLaKVWCQy40NYAfdhpbA2SRN7UXj9ONcS8GiWVR5OSQjrlba9m85t615AnoOzd61Os1YjDMKGCkMY-E-19R0kuWsSkHhi34zaQ/s1600/IMG_20191202_112008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ5fpvgbx36tQ4raBW_IVyJUCmruAX_983Mu_aiwmLbLaKVWCQy40NYAfdhpbA2SRN7UXj9ONcS8GiWVR5OSQjrlba9m85t615AnoOzd61Os1YjDMKGCkMY-E-19R0kuWsSkHhi34zaQ/s640/IMG_20191202_112008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I trace around the shape with a sharp, soft pencil, then make vertical cuts with my rose chisel.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEob8CvfKYnMuGnI5HeEFidkQTf3Rqj_wTLcwWJX4wE3p6Lnoq9tKigcMUx5h101T2Xd6A9C25wGWtCDRmneSk__xiQrngSE1llPJRhg2EfX0OlH3yHIAzlykJ7e1RMZ3HKRZ2C8bxM8/s1600/IMG_20191202_112444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB2nCbQHoT5Gp9sQVtrkwSbqz0nYYydkBXZfU-JQ4v7U6q1jjhNXgcWe99XhGXQjdYzdO2Bh0dbKyhORk_XX-OMlyOgw6D3U3zudUnokjFi_ngoqC_wdKvTPXG9hNJ0jJDeBBouxoNKU/s1600/IMG_20191202_112444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB2nCbQHoT5Gp9sQVtrkwSbqz0nYYydkBXZfU-JQ4v7U6q1jjhNXgcWe99XhGXQjdYzdO2Bh0dbKyhORk_XX-OMlyOgw6D3U3zudUnokjFi_ngoqC_wdKvTPXG9hNJ0jJDeBBouxoNKU/s640/IMG_20191202_112444.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The dart is inlaid about as deep as the binding will be.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dSO_7oRXT5Km6UFGVS3IskYQiyT7EHmP6YT7VTyAlc3W-HqxTKGBFga5W6ZQZWy5EWUGDZgT4obN3kbVK5udpnupjWOS7DLBORfwkpMaRVWSS4Z_qa6lnVLprvAWvS_E4-4-bcS7qy8/s1600/IMG_20191202_113556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dSO_7oRXT5Km6UFGVS3IskYQiyT7EHmP6YT7VTyAlc3W-HqxTKGBFga5W6ZQZWy5EWUGDZgT4obN3kbVK5udpnupjWOS7DLBORfwkpMaRVWSS4Z_qa6lnVLprvAWvS_E4-4-bcS7qy8/s640/IMG_20191202_113556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chisels, knives and small files get a good fit. Then I cut the dart away from the larger piece of ebony veneer, and glue it in place.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oDKRCuAlkwlRjDtBs2EADsC0kQTiRLwEr5GT5FYybI9MMbcmgF3PA1GuRKmhDTuogWEtSzGdKGlvh_kTpRxnNPRScxXoWDJdkYiBCX2fSRYfHHH2hr2OC6s83hwQOP4DBykw6DYqVu8/s1600/IMG_20191203_122454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oDKRCuAlkwlRjDtBs2EADsC0kQTiRLwEr5GT5FYybI9MMbcmgF3PA1GuRKmhDTuogWEtSzGdKGlvh_kTpRxnNPRScxXoWDJdkYiBCX2fSRYfHHH2hr2OC6s83hwQOP4DBykw6DYqVu8/s640/IMG_20191203_122454.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next day, I file the piece flush. I make sure to keep the blind/ blank edge of the file down, so I don't go filing away my carefully-made binding slot!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzOdb5-a4SYcS4R_lsvdoE77thP8dcWHM7IcwD1PLqGHnp-o1cnlie5byMoCR9BTngrzxHuPjcnlBdovay7jP76tRhs8SQxhR0zRd6nBYD8i5V5Ywgra5aP1Zx-OMMXNSYr4UPBNJDHs/s1600/IMG_20191203_125539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzOdb5-a4SYcS4R_lsvdoE77thP8dcWHM7IcwD1PLqGHnp-o1cnlie5byMoCR9BTngrzxHuPjcnlBdovay7jP76tRhs8SQxhR0zRd6nBYD8i5V5Ywgra5aP1Zx-OMMXNSYr4UPBNJDHs/s640/IMG_20191203_125539.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That looks fine. I test how flush the edge is by holding a small piece of my ebony binding in the slot, and seeing if it bends smoothly around the whole area.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGpAyQCCFNE-3wfq6M2Jk469r6HAYUWjdnmt5ZwXCWNroKdx1_sQryDi3GoQHBq55jZgaQo5qw2K34nvdhxYdiZryC1J5YBILzZSa3hlplCOnzIU7H1Z04Ktm53OcE5aCWV0PSpXCiMM/s1600/IMG_20191203_131917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGpAyQCCFNE-3wfq6M2Jk469r6HAYUWjdnmt5ZwXCWNroKdx1_sQryDi3GoQHBq55jZgaQo5qw2K34nvdhxYdiZryC1J5YBILzZSa3hlplCOnzIU7H1Z04Ktm53OcE5aCWV0PSpXCiMM/s640/IMG_20191203_131917.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This shows the area of the body-neck joint. Two details are worth noting here. First, I've cut a little notch for the binding to fit into at its very end--this is kind of an 'overflow' area for a small bit of excess length in the binding when I glue it in. Second, I've masked off the soundboard in the area just beside the binding channel. This, I've found, helps immensely with glue cleanup the day after the binding has been installed. (As always, though, I'll need to be very careful removing that tape so that I don't tear out wood from the belly.)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65fnxkc6hclwql9Vnm_D-Drkk_dsrdrbGHNbF8eZPiZbNftNEfxvlm2Py1iukkMjo9nhoqPI2qeK-1iUE3MTkjdV5DTHFpgBy2_SQbAYvBVigqkaBZNlBMQ0rKYUWqQcb4m0rtpI9Awo/s1600/IMG_20191203_132729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65fnxkc6hclwql9Vnm_D-Drkk_dsrdrbGHNbF8eZPiZbNftNEfxvlm2Py1iukkMjo9nhoqPI2qeK-1iUE3MTkjdV5DTHFpgBy2_SQbAYvBVigqkaBZNlBMQ0rKYUWqQcb4m0rtpI9Awo/s640/IMG_20191203_132729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I can't go into too much detail here about how I make my ebony bindings, but in brief: I cut sheets of ebony veneer in the bandsaw, then thickness-sand them to a precise thickness, then cut strips from the sheets with the purfling cutter that was shown above. Then I size them up to a pretty specific dimension in my pull-through scraper. It's not rocket science, but it is a bit of work, and I try to do it in fairly large batches every few years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8xaYmONC0AJeQOxGRpEMFdGErYd9B_Y4051Zj5UkYwwGT5Crk3-4DB6uO7ZqpYaAJzDPrz6Tyb3IMzlurnGny7-koU9ReDcuNdIHiNPQxpLw7dKVNfXeacHEMRl2GFuJkxemOhKkCzc/s1600/IMG_20191203_132743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8xaYmONC0AJeQOxGRpEMFdGErYd9B_Y4051Zj5UkYwwGT5Crk3-4DB6uO7ZqpYaAJzDPrz6Tyb3IMzlurnGny7-koU9ReDcuNdIHiNPQxpLw7dKVNfXeacHEMRl2GFuJkxemOhKkCzc/s640/IMG_20191203_132743.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my bending iron, showing the modifications I've made to accommodate bending spacers (for lute backs) and ebony bindings. If you'd like more detail about how I modified this bending iron, I wrote <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-i-learned-to-like-my-bending-iron.html" target="_blank">a blog post about it a couple of year back.</a> Please have a look!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3s0CxbiLBSh1prZEroaknNFumny05N-P6LEOTqlwTGkJjDvMcxCOOXGsIU2pFxZeq7mRWLyUSVRudNumhotyAHIEJxiXK9b09q_YHAE26irpWaxo0zJy9CrfvRYDG2CLTG4kYRdU9HQ/s1600/IMG_20191203_132857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3s0CxbiLBSh1prZEroaknNFumny05N-P6LEOTqlwTGkJjDvMcxCOOXGsIU2pFxZeq7mRWLyUSVRudNumhotyAHIEJxiXK9b09q_YHAE26irpWaxo0zJy9CrfvRYDG2CLTG4kYRdU9HQ/s640/IMG_20191203_132857.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Water is essential in bending these bindings. So is the very highest heat setting on the bending iron.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWJD3Jf7qRxvY74gJi3IJ634XISDs4f6v95TbJmSRJLN4bRdUcke3des6JJTZjpFsJ9PgPfsHUbF_l1JthVO5OK6BPB5ZXMC0Aj19VEFiBZMlkIwgldAPyxx4VbQ86E8xZMKFF2d0S14/s1600/IMG_20191203_134000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWJD3Jf7qRxvY74gJi3IJ634XISDs4f6v95TbJmSRJLN4bRdUcke3des6JJTZjpFsJ9PgPfsHUbF_l1JthVO5OK6BPB5ZXMC0Aj19VEFiBZMlkIwgldAPyxx4VbQ86E8xZMKFF2d0S14/s640/IMG_20191203_134000.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't bend the whole binding exactly to shape--I count on it being flexible enough (at least where the curve is long and shallow) to conform to the shape when I glue it in place. However, I <i>overbend </i>slightly at the top of the shoulder, near the body-neck joint, so that I'm sure the very tip will pull into place when I glue up. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ-cxeNELsVexPgk4pXNSluozixWhSGiJ9ggn1hmLoZZAdkBHox6waFTaqvJG0ov2unG4II8HR2DJtoy2bBscyrL4t9-1n3IwQr5p1qTacNjC1Oxv9pDQJ6SnTV-NNYJ1OjiQUCGgJu8/s1600/IMG_20191203_134013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ-cxeNELsVexPgk4pXNSluozixWhSGiJ9ggn1hmLoZZAdkBHox6waFTaqvJG0ov2unG4II8HR2DJtoy2bBscyrL4t9-1n3IwQr5p1qTacNjC1Oxv9pDQJ6SnTV-NNYJ1OjiQUCGgJu8/s640/IMG_20191203_134013.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also bend fairly closely around the tightest part of the curve.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijfdFwggpUJ2JNku9aR0jKPxoH3BF9uFn1pY4jGLf4oVM6XgcmwYJMO9-RRio0YZGQkHdsYiEz0TpEMcKk8AvJ9dURbC-UXMeT-zYLYPLRFyu2Spv2QFh_PZkaTOkxXRgeLzmyzzJcsE/s1600/IMG_20191203_135634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijfdFwggpUJ2JNku9aR0jKPxoH3BF9uFn1pY4jGLf4oVM6XgcmwYJMO9-RRio0YZGQkHdsYiEz0TpEMcKk8AvJ9dURbC-UXMeT-zYLYPLRFyu2Spv2QFh_PZkaTOkxXRgeLzmyzzJcsE/s640/IMG_20191203_135634.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my setup for gluing in the binding.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr94udKgrhWc35VN5RXTA9LLdwAWt4E-Q9gvqRdatn6ajs32M0qI4-lUVKZLoFSmYxfpRA_NqdRNPYg-d8dWtfo5lbhkCjcTroABWgOUN3fgIR2j4V2CzQGPbLN6z57mzIGMiH7XMPu_w/s1600/IMG_20191203_140353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr94udKgrhWc35VN5RXTA9LLdwAWt4E-Q9gvqRdatn6ajs32M0qI4-lUVKZLoFSmYxfpRA_NqdRNPYg-d8dWtfo5lbhkCjcTroABWgOUN3fgIR2j4V2CzQGPbLN6z57mzIGMiH7XMPu_w/s640/IMG_20191203_140353.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the beginning of my gluing routine. I've squared off the end of the binding, and located the end pretty close to the centreline of the belly. Then I tape the binding in place with one piece of masking tape, a few inches away. I lift the end of the binding and brush glue under it, then tape it in place all the way along. Then I remove the original location tape, lift the binding, and continue forward brushing glue and taping. I work in segments of two or three inches, so I can always keep a fresh glue edge going forward. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5mKh7hLzSaUzbAHDGqJjV3yduTWOaJLWjTA1Yh8NOmqOB6UDdpM0YUgXdFcIojuRMKWziOrcEgnnI4dBfcClHVDsZBQ3ZDMnw0gtP5I5OBSeeyN5nm8ACdwH-bjlT1IkmNQ3tnUxPJg/s1600/IMG_20191203_140722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5mKh7hLzSaUzbAHDGqJjV3yduTWOaJLWjTA1Yh8NOmqOB6UDdpM0YUgXdFcIojuRMKWziOrcEgnnI4dBfcClHVDsZBQ3ZDMnw0gtP5I5OBSeeyN5nm8ACdwH-bjlT1IkmNQ3tnUxPJg/s640/IMG_20191203_140722.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Must confess, I use a fair bit of masking tape to do this work. Especially around the tightest part of the curve, overlapping the tape in this way exerts a nice, even pressure to pull the binding tightly into the channel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieExfBGtT7P9Y48dtQSz69KHWlLExCfVCwm9fZ5WO2R2RkQIIDhgbmkuEx9IKC-O16ShqHjBgGcKUL2WdnSQzG9tpBg5DJfcAgoHuFxib-kI7f83lFGJsVyDEPwS51Ahg26COpKaV1c0c/s1600/IMG_20191203_141145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieExfBGtT7P9Y48dtQSz69KHWlLExCfVCwm9fZ5WO2R2RkQIIDhgbmkuEx9IKC-O16ShqHjBgGcKUL2WdnSQzG9tpBg5DJfcAgoHuFxib-kI7f83lFGJsVyDEPwS51Ahg26COpKaV1c0c/s640/IMG_20191203_141145.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A look at the end of the piece. Note that I've cut the binding just a bit over-long, and that extra length fits into the cut-out area. (The binding tip will be cut away when I install the fingerboard points.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uBRAsK1V3n5tcEIEdcgkFwfs8HE3L8SdeX4lYKZZUda32UAW6tMtOFyKmEg3q6JFSPQHdcaAXzxAHefLx5Q3zybuQvXQUOuOJMxYBMcPUxWIkbR-EyMfS-JfXtsihf-EuEbvM6LpkX8/s1600/IMG_20191203_141534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uBRAsK1V3n5tcEIEdcgkFwfs8HE3L8SdeX4lYKZZUda32UAW6tMtOFyKmEg3q6JFSPQHdcaAXzxAHefLx5Q3zybuQvXQUOuOJMxYBMcPUxWIkbR-EyMfS-JfXtsihf-EuEbvM6LpkX8/s640/IMG_20191203_141534.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Second verse, same as the first! With the exception that before I can glue in the second binding, I need to fit it very closely with the squared-off end of the one that I just glued in.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTtYILbaD13Ye_5RF8_4mbC8raPmGvRKCpctbpAd92yqdme3y0T-yemhyQ25QgwHH5xi4yE_Suu7f6x_BYB_pewK9hruypxNPVTUkmBlMzWf3XYuZUExME4VgxB3tYFoLPCqEVvK9Z0I/s1600/IMG_20191203_142501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTtYILbaD13Ye_5RF8_4mbC8raPmGvRKCpctbpAd92yqdme3y0T-yemhyQ25QgwHH5xi4yE_Suu7f6x_BYB_pewK9hruypxNPVTUkmBlMzWf3XYuZUExME4VgxB3tYFoLPCqEVvK9Z0I/s640/IMG_20191203_142501.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Would Magno Tieffenbrucher recognize this mass of masking tape? One of the eternal, unanswerable questions I ask myself every day in the workshop.</span></td></tr>
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Next day, I remove the masking tape very carefully, and clear away the glue with water. Later in the day, if the belly's nice and dry--or the next day, if it's not--I'll inlay the ebony heart.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMh943QVdYqp0GyQ74FlHURdVkPculnKoNwXob7F8Tqyf4tWTgD4x7N-SkncCiSC28yqom3pk12bh8TIOG-IFem7DDOzubhzQJk3FunsQRSFI1gbFnZRrsWoYZ-Gp_hpVbpwnWWd3bO4/s1600/IMG_20191204_144215_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMh943QVdYqp0GyQ74FlHURdVkPculnKoNwXob7F8Tqyf4tWTgD4x7N-SkncCiSC28yqom3pk12bh8TIOG-IFem7DDOzubhzQJk3FunsQRSFI1gbFnZRrsWoYZ-Gp_hpVbpwnWWd3bO4/s640/IMG_20191204_144215_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The way I originally learned how to do this was to spot-glue the piece to the belly, and trace around it with a knife; but I find that a piece of double-sided tape works just as well. I cut through the tape, into the belly itself.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1YxiOyKqGUeau68lhCnvB-ig1PeNZUK3KLLUvhT82eK6D77kx80kiJKDDQyVVyQaWy4q5yin3p0zT_stFqcMfxSIHg17kPCictGHWmuFQjdOCNbyKf7UNRBiG6jOKDfQlkDY02FP8H8/s1600/IMG_20191204_144447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1YxiOyKqGUeau68lhCnvB-ig1PeNZUK3KLLUvhT82eK6D77kx80kiJKDDQyVVyQaWy4q5yin3p0zT_stFqcMfxSIHg17kPCictGHWmuFQjdOCNbyKf7UNRBiG6jOKDfQlkDY02FP8H8/s640/IMG_20191204_144447.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This leaves an outline that I first deepen...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfVCreIDffOD46uiIR7-NXzuY5NRu6_VxiPyGWyIb11cdHDotJ0shuyeg4OKwEMibuqMN055jIPGbuFnrNEiNFyB8uLtK1yzxzQUUTO_1G_riPTY8MuomdIwPcohvyxjvAQFBEzEb8OY/s1600/IMG_20191204_150841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfVCreIDffOD46uiIR7-NXzuY5NRu6_VxiPyGWyIb11cdHDotJ0shuyeg4OKwEMibuqMN055jIPGbuFnrNEiNFyB8uLtK1yzxzQUUTO_1G_riPTY8MuomdIwPcohvyxjvAQFBEzEb8OY/s640/IMG_20191204_150841.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">... and then cut toward, with my rose knife. I deepen the recess, and make sure it's quite flat-bottomed (using a small, flat scraper) before gluing the inlay.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEH8OrWXehgyxLrKeeO76kScH7uqgD-I6jpMRZOF9f4yGIZBXiKZ3Zfe1N25bpRycOnvl-R5tJYZ7lGk2761OqKp_U0TgLN6tSb72hD_ktji-LkboImEdKA5sg8KlQ_t7wKlJPQo97gY/s1600/IMG_20191204_155647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEH8OrWXehgyxLrKeeO76kScH7uqgD-I6jpMRZOF9f4yGIZBXiKZ3Zfe1N25bpRycOnvl-R5tJYZ7lGk2761OqKp_U0TgLN6tSb72hD_ktji-LkboImEdKA5sg8KlQ_t7wKlJPQo97gY/s640/IMG_20191204_155647.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The finished result.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmtWgFrh1RKA6g01SvMZIa0UOD61s_6TA5B_Sus6YizCZU74ln9u2Omp-Fd2dT0EbIJ15EgKEhFmiRWFWiBkJyhgIajs10thHfPhIMnGAOe4-2Rz5J9FPIpbu0hEBKfOolyzAXTaxd5U/s1600/IMG_20191204_171741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmtWgFrh1RKA6g01SvMZIa0UOD61s_6TA5B_Sus6YizCZU74ln9u2Omp-Fd2dT0EbIJ15EgKEhFmiRWFWiBkJyhgIajs10thHfPhIMnGAOe4-2Rz5J9FPIpbu0hEBKfOolyzAXTaxd5U/s640/IMG_20191204_171741.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I can scrape flush the spade and the binding, in preparation for installing the fingerboard points. (Note the masking tape on the back corner of the scraper, which prevents the scraper digging in to the belly.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5ceKZKNTG6xgKKHmUXtIyiN5_Ut3e7LHXpMOp2wPFq4iAo-wEDzS9lHm5gECTB9jWIRu0ZENjK9-8w-hmNDqfklsZg_hRezc6lzDCOOX8bTIAj-Kphu3PD-YIM9pXLgwClUwMblAPIY/s1600/IMG_20191206_094626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5ceKZKNTG6xgKKHmUXtIyiN5_Ut3e7LHXpMOp2wPFq4iAo-wEDzS9lHm5gECTB9jWIRu0ZENjK9-8w-hmNDqfklsZg_hRezc6lzDCOOX8bTIAj-Kphu3PD-YIM9pXLgwClUwMblAPIY/s640/IMG_20191206_094626.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are both points, before shaping. I've glued two book-matched pieces of ebony together, and will shape them in this form so that they are identical. I've glued a piece of paper between them so that they will be easier to separate once they're shaped. The arrow I've drawn indicates the direction in which the material planes best; this enables me to orient the piece so that I can plane it from the body toward the nut.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiVyj6ZDlTRMSZ4orWhCI4nEgUD4qnfrI5UYY9zWKaM9e9IxojS2TbYc0lPliXOSRnvpUwRu7opwr2wWxS90A9tXS9jiqi665V2ChTQ_JJ1ivcDBK3V7i_foJEOZXL5oXjJ2PllknQ6s/s1600/IMG_20191206_132333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiVyj6ZDlTRMSZ4orWhCI4nEgUD4qnfrI5UYY9zWKaM9e9IxojS2TbYc0lPliXOSRnvpUwRu7opwr2wWxS90A9tXS9jiqi665V2ChTQ_JJ1ivcDBK3V7i_foJEOZXL5oXjJ2PllknQ6s/s640/IMG_20191206_132333.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I shape the piece first by shooting the inner edge, which will be my main reference when I lay out the location on the lute. The curved edge is shaped using the drum sander. </span></td></tr>
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You might notice that the tip of the 'point' is not exactly pointy--that is, I've angled the tip a little. I don't know where this shape comes from--I think I must have learned it from Grant Tomlinson, my teacher, but I don't know where he got it from, and I don't know if he uses it for all the points on all his lutes. I know I do--I think it's a bit elegant, and gives a sort of 'finish' to the piece. Also, I've seen a lot of modern and ancient lutes with pointy-points, and those pointy-points seem to have a tendency to crack the belly. I fancy that this way of shaping the point won't do that. That's the theory at least...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjGvdB2yWaRMT22Vo89t7sKT3M0k7UkeOjQ_-yQD92qEI0Nj_NK5RAaV6BEXZUmHWp-u958yKKFQ6Levqehyyi3Iipgbd2H5UbRBy637ArfeXatSpZ8izvdRDIF2-0rWfY_FJ8QNE__I/s1600/1612+Tieffenbrucher+Bologna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjGvdB2yWaRMT22Vo89t7sKT3M0k7UkeOjQ_-yQD92qEI0Nj_NK5RAaV6BEXZUmHWp-u958yKKFQ6Levqehyyi3Iipgbd2H5UbRBy637ArfeXatSpZ8izvdRDIF2-0rWfY_FJ8QNE__I/s640/1612+Tieffenbrucher+Bologna.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Exhibit A: the 1612 Tieffenbrucher in Bologna (photo courtesy Grant Tomlinson.) Will my work fare any better? Ask me in about 400 years.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YvN_Dm5EFJYPvULSMXi2Fh6tSAGs_KmqBiMY-w7Qq6EBX3sL1j-nOdVRXbVsaRWeZKABrmHT0hK-AZ0aWdsGmk7vKEaN-pGTSk61dsSFJFBISzx6Ij5ZASIt5JtwU7cysfEoeWwAGa8/s1600/IMG_20191206_140545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YvN_Dm5EFJYPvULSMXi2Fh6tSAGs_KmqBiMY-w7Qq6EBX3sL1j-nOdVRXbVsaRWeZKABrmHT0hK-AZ0aWdsGmk7vKEaN-pGTSk61dsSFJFBISzx6Ij5ZASIt5JtwU7cysfEoeWwAGa8/s640/IMG_20191206_140545.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I split the two points apart by soaking in a dish of water for a few minutes, then prying carefully with a palette knife. I then wash the paper and glue off.</span></td></tr>
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There's one additional step I need to do with the points before they can be fitted, and that is to bend them slightly. Since the neck surface on which they'll be fitted and eventually glued is curved, to ensure a good fit they need to be curved too. While they're wet, I simply hold them against the bending iron, and apply a little pressure with a couple of cork blocks. I'm bending them across the grain, so the points bend very easily.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqsvtZ0s4HXKZDSy7edfK1h33jdkU7r62LfIwDOgRba5yognd6YCJKx21NxDt3J28LH6nxnVtq96bKMM_MyBo0joCXWr6aGjN5-efeaVa9_CMMkDGM3555iboLT7qmyNm2OXZUPvfDvM/s1600/IMG_20191206_144742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqsvtZ0s4HXKZDSy7edfK1h33jdkU7r62LfIwDOgRba5yognd6YCJKx21NxDt3J28LH6nxnVtq96bKMM_MyBo0joCXWr6aGjN5-efeaVa9_CMMkDGM3555iboLT7qmyNm2OXZUPvfDvM/s640/IMG_20191206_144742.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I locate the points by laying a straightedge on the neck and down onto the belly. (The inside edge of the point basically follows the taper of the neck.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW7JuqGIPzMQw4t94d_XTkqsBJmC2QqSeipd38rn_QNyiRJ_LFkYzv1c7yZVeEMlujHgW6hGQouHkat1-7FGnXXZPqwwT2LSJ4JBGEA18sVSi3Lt9jmfNchy4t1Zx9I9PIYdi_k4XpNQ/s1600/IMG_20191206_144807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxW7JuqGIPzMQw4t94d_XTkqsBJmC2QqSeipd38rn_QNyiRJ_LFkYzv1c7yZVeEMlujHgW6hGQouHkat1-7FGnXXZPqwwT2LSJ4JBGEA18sVSi3Lt9jmfNchy4t1Zx9I9PIYdi_k4XpNQ/s640/IMG_20191206_144807.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I lay the flat edge of the point against the straightedge, and position the curved edge exactly at the body-neck joint. I trace around the curved edge with a soft, sharp pencil, then remove the point and use a sharp knife against the straightedge to cut down into the belly. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0Q5QBneNzOMhFpUhVJPdrXeLxUgLaOCUjM44fwKGCD2vVsDmkAZb13QrILQqvMHdZGi9b0BAmXHWppPnBQGY49jLy-yJmqmL4PbBo0Qqy4hp4W7v4Rjw3bJKaBJkk1_OoZzjFsP64WU/s1600/IMG_20191206_145102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0Q5QBneNzOMhFpUhVJPdrXeLxUgLaOCUjM44fwKGCD2vVsDmkAZb13QrILQqvMHdZGi9b0BAmXHWppPnBQGY49jLy-yJmqmL4PbBo0Qqy4hp4W7v4Rjw3bJKaBJkk1_OoZzjFsP64WU/s640/IMG_20191206_145102.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can see the result here. The long straight inside edge is already cut, and now I'll use my rose chisel to cut just inside the traced line.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fnn5U-O4QrwRUK5Cl_Dg2VMVF5MDW_U17KB1WeeqXwKi7HrnhSsOuTe5a_wn6K639j4bWhMV-BCzgAyBM7DBSFXxQGD_QNBJwL1Uf3wwN8rVPt6AwJlU7aakf98hrCk2MHHBCfZsiNM/s1600/IMG_20191206_145232+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fnn5U-O4QrwRUK5Cl_Dg2VMVF5MDW_U17KB1WeeqXwKi7HrnhSsOuTe5a_wn6K639j4bWhMV-BCzgAyBM7DBSFXxQGD_QNBJwL1Uf3wwN8rVPt6AwJlU7aakf98hrCk2MHHBCfZsiNM/s640/IMG_20191206_145232+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can't use the rose chisel on ebony, so I must cut away most of the excess binding with a razor saw.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUpSvchy1pXkonAC6c2unygQetCD3sNMCqelwER67xYiXf34Ko8qvvOF2-p-mqbBxNU0M13qIhP1vRd_pe6B_pj54sgQzH1B-ddCft5pjeUMBvMcrqRQ2kxY1QSjgd7e4odSP3ZWgAaM/s1600/IMG_20191206_145616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUpSvchy1pXkonAC6c2unygQetCD3sNMCqelwER67xYiXf34Ko8qvvOF2-p-mqbBxNU0M13qIhP1vRd_pe6B_pj54sgQzH1B-ddCft5pjeUMBvMcrqRQ2kxY1QSjgd7e4odSP3ZWgAaM/s640/IMG_20191206_145616.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can then clear away the excess material, and start fitting the point. </span></td></tr>
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Getting a good fit on the point is not an easy thing, and it can be a bit of a time-consuming job. However, there are a couple of principles that I keep in mind that help me to do it. The first one is, the long straight cut I made against the straightedge must be made absolutely flat first (a chisel laid on its side, as well as files, are the tools for this job.) After that, the point will slide along that surface into position, and all I've got to worry about is fitting the curved edge--which is largely a matter of using some fine files, and being very patient. The second principle I keep in mind is that the very tip of the point is not fitted by cutting away material across the grain--instead, I make small cuts with a rose knife <i>along the grain. </i>Then as the fitting process goes along, I gently tap the point into position with a hammer, and the tip of the point compresses those fibres. I can get a very tight fit in this way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjrUAgrB7OvexYe87PE8Nxdz_w3Qf6c8vy_tXPZKDhKAhAdK_NGWv9PBmfu1woY24GWay8V17cKf6d_9_TOHOFUzR5ONQBkmcmpiFE3IE7bkwHydqoVWMbPq2IXhW7t9FYbhN5yj5pN4/s1600/IMG_20191206_164037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjrUAgrB7OvexYe87PE8Nxdz_w3Qf6c8vy_tXPZKDhKAhAdK_NGWv9PBmfu1woY24GWay8V17cKf6d_9_TOHOFUzR5ONQBkmcmpiFE3IE7bkwHydqoVWMbPq2IXhW7t9FYbhN5yj5pN4/s640/IMG_20191206_164037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSfHPbjaqThp3ChoEesMSxj9pX5eRTcUSPcLbG9McYU46AMc-Z-JvxMkvG32bTpOmrYvDe51XWzGcDfEEZ3aLHViPDi6Zq4cR2qCLVzjHjwwjACSvJn-7TmHyJC3bhe7qiGpUiTXEBUs/s1600/IMG_20191206_154859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSfHPbjaqThp3ChoEesMSxj9pX5eRTcUSPcLbG9McYU46AMc-Z-JvxMkvG32bTpOmrYvDe51XWzGcDfEEZ3aLHViPDi6Zq4cR2qCLVzjHjwwjACSvJn-7TmHyJC3bhe7qiGpUiTXEBUs/s640/IMG_20191206_154859.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my fit. Time to heat up the glue!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0G8MtWooA4S1mCRAA4yP8JBo-TFb8UxGJqkv9RVzYLf14eSjThTSl6wHe7pZpq1mEvbRvCr1AzxNVB_pwfjU-1_A1w4iaykccrJy53_ImEm5XMrjvJSpHIB4rSeLtAbGzww5kNKGn54/s1600/IMG_20191206_165838+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0G8MtWooA4S1mCRAA4yP8JBo-TFb8UxGJqkv9RVzYLf14eSjThTSl6wHe7pZpq1mEvbRvCr1AzxNVB_pwfjU-1_A1w4iaykccrJy53_ImEm5XMrjvJSpHIB4rSeLtAbGzww5kNKGn54/s640/IMG_20191206_165838+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This shows the immediate aftermath of gluing. If the points are well fitted, I don't need to worry about using an elaborate clamping system--I can just put glue in the recess, tap the point into position, and tape the points down securely.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonH9483HzuFucY7RGgw2u_Ga3KIRa-c6lRMFquU8Gh2u1aw6qtAl2W0GhoE6LgNbQki2-Y0bPsExk2ajV8e_PTPcuKInPqpaYV2vD3KG7my1GApceupBGbJKFdIVmnrvl59OZwFFvmt4/s1600/IMG_20191209_113813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonH9483HzuFucY7RGgw2u_Ga3KIRa-c6lRMFquU8Gh2u1aw6qtAl2W0GhoE6LgNbQki2-Y0bPsExk2ajV8e_PTPcuKInPqpaYV2vD3KG7my1GApceupBGbJKFdIVmnrvl59OZwFFvmt4/s640/IMG_20191209_113813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And this is my result, the next day, with the excess glue removed. Now I'm ready to fit and glue the curved fingerboard, which will be the subject of my next post.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-53182282300103267892020-01-19T19:07:00.001-08:002020-01-19T19:07:57.611-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 13: Gluing in the Belly (After a Dozen Little Jobs get Done)Hello friends, and welcome back.<br />
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In today's post I have a number of small and relatively unspectacular jobs to describe, all leading up to one big and quite spectacular job--gluing in the belly of this 13 course lute.<br />
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In our last episode, I glued and shaped the sitka spruce fingerboard spacer, and then made final action adjustments by slightly lowering the edge rib. Along the way, I checked the action by stretching out lengths of nylon fishing line from the bridge to the nut, using graduated wooden spacer blocks to measure string heights. Everything looked in good shape for gluing in the belly.<br />
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As I finished up the last post, I said I would have about a dozen little jobs to do before I could tackle the big one. That was just an estimate, not a precise count. So here's what I did--let's see how many there actually are.<br />
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1. <i>Make a belly drawing.</i><br />
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This is a full-scale drawing of the belly done on a sheet of drafting paper. It's not a theoretical document, but a practical record of the belly as I've made it before gluing into the body. I first trace around the belly, and project the locations of the bars using a straightedge. Then I measure and record belly thicknesses and bar dimensions. I also include information such as the amount of curvature I have put into certain bars during gluing, the weight of the belly, and so on. On the right hand side, I've left space to write comments on the various thicknesses and characteristics of the materials I've used on the whole lute, such as the material and thickness of the ribs, the materials used for the bridge (and the weight of the bridge), and impressions of the soundboard gained through tapping and flexing throughout the joining and thicknessing processes. I also write down specific musical tones and overtones that I hear when tapping both the barred belly <i>and</i> the body, and any impressions I have about (as the case may be) the freedom, restriction, richness, complexity, loudness, balance, etc., of the sound of the belly as I tap it in various places, both on and off the bridge. This drawing is for my files, and I have one of every lute I've made.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiQqvTGDrgGkvoUPNa5fwV7a9axmqd0Z2i8qEScsW1pvB9dYGdu9plCS3NoYrKaTYlnse5UO2aqWBMcFtY-ZYiWbnriqAvJ1HJto5GtsEaXp9QKzZDnQ0GJNwbzTyqBgWlnfhzrj_bco/s1600/IMG_20191114_164457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiQqvTGDrgGkvoUPNa5fwV7a9axmqd0Z2i8qEScsW1pvB9dYGdu9plCS3NoYrKaTYlnse5UO2aqWBMcFtY-ZYiWbnriqAvJ1HJto5GtsEaXp9QKzZDnQ0GJNwbzTyqBgWlnfhzrj_bco/s640/IMG_20191114_164457.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7En63qYRrApEd7wZEB_Lko1PmtAzSXne2oHsDN1HS5rXYuzB-P6reUIAoQn4nQZ0se4z82PLiow_AwNoaLMlP8iTt3Ed-cEnyDdpSfO308tC06L_-K-1pK_SC3D9tLZEYk1ARRjywOYU/s1600/IMG_20191114_164509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7En63qYRrApEd7wZEB_Lko1PmtAzSXne2oHsDN1HS5rXYuzB-P6reUIAoQn4nQZ0se4z82PLiow_AwNoaLMlP8iTt3Ed-cEnyDdpSfO308tC06L_-K-1pK_SC3D9tLZEYk1ARRjywOYU/s640/IMG_20191114_164509.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Projecting the location of the bars.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_9pPm1eBHqVLwquIfpxZC3X7GKZU-8d8c77tPjzHy6R3wjvO2tG5xHALAEq90Z_CbyRR_rwD1N2XVNukWeI0JF3p74JbQ4nBIDNvVEktZSa3DElLpqkZEDe_iyaiZdJvy1dMSkAZuSU/s1600/IMG_20191115_163130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_9pPm1eBHqVLwquIfpxZC3X7GKZU-8d8c77tPjzHy6R3wjvO2tG5xHALAEq90Z_CbyRR_rwD1N2XVNukWeI0JF3p74JbQ4nBIDNvVEktZSa3DElLpqkZEDe_iyaiZdJvy1dMSkAZuSU/s640/IMG_20191115_163130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Measuring and recording belly thicknesses.</span></td></tr>
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2. <i>Make and glue a label.</i><br />
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I have three lutes on the go, so I will need three labels. I use some medium-thickness watercolour paper, and a jar of black ink into which I dip a calligraphy pen, and just sit down and write labels for about 5 or 10 minutes. I am by no means a skilled calligrapher, so I just make a bunch and choose the ones that look best, that are clear and have a nice balance and energy. Nobody's going to spend too much time looking at my label, but I want it at least to be legible through the screen of the rose.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm5ZhxtFP4fHUT9SDL0aYjMBMxOVTJzsu_if1KRwihcTXfEPlonoq-eW22x6aOySykIYlmQ3yt4BzBGhUjr2T1bevYdf9Dxtx4c-7yD0UjCNdojs8XmDgYb7qDHhpQFg12eZb9EqvR8o/s1600/IMG_20191118_133633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm5ZhxtFP4fHUT9SDL0aYjMBMxOVTJzsu_if1KRwihcTXfEPlonoq-eW22x6aOySykIYlmQ3yt4BzBGhUjr2T1bevYdf9Dxtx4c-7yD0UjCNdojs8XmDgYb7qDHhpQFg12eZb9EqvR8o/s640/IMG_20191118_133633.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphBVL2Y0K5pi96D75MzLqA-HvEHtbIp17LjqPuyuPQjtAoQjjIM1COn6NF6tNgGeCwZ5aznrYJGt5LGNHEuX6BagEtOpdLW21g7u8GzjgxOg3j6043i0q3IWGzlrYxY2exCChJwjxmUM/s1600/IMG_20191120_120748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphBVL2Y0K5pi96D75MzLqA-HvEHtbIp17LjqPuyuPQjtAoQjjIM1COn6NF6tNgGeCwZ5aznrYJGt5LGNHEuX6BagEtOpdLW21g7u8GzjgxOg3j6043i0q3IWGzlrYxY2exCChJwjxmUM/s640/IMG_20191120_120748.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I make sure to stick it down at exactly the position of the rose.</span></td></tr>
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3. <i>Chamfer the front edge of the top block/fingerboard spacer.</i><br />
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This is a standard procedure I do for all lutes, and it is meant to assist a future repair person who might, at some point (far off in the lute's future, I hope) want to remove the belly. The chamfer allows a palette knife to slip more easily between the belly and the block/ spacer.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8L4d1PBprTvnGABrtcTDc2E7KM8TMit7CqvDS1zoRCPPKHiu6E8xz6EnBX_oNW04tYUtEdJnD1XFvsS9gubt-lAEFyfjChCO9hwBq16xYg7968TkAZYerjaLwJvMdKkTLRQJ8KALt0Yg/s1600/IMG_20191114_124102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8L4d1PBprTvnGABrtcTDc2E7KM8TMit7CqvDS1zoRCPPKHiu6E8xz6EnBX_oNW04tYUtEdJnD1XFvsS9gubt-lAEFyfjChCO9hwBq16xYg7968TkAZYerjaLwJvMdKkTLRQJ8KALt0Yg/s640/IMG_20191114_124102.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Note that I don't extend the chamfer all the way over to the edge rib, but instead finish it a few millimetres away in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamfer" target="_blank">'lark's tongue.'</a></span></td></tr>
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4. <i>Drill a pilot hole for a strap button.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I do this after the final action adjustment (i.e., after trimming the edge rib) so I can be sure to locate it a specific distance from the edge of the bowl. I make the hole big enough that I can fit a small reamer into it. (I'll fit the strap button after varnishing.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IzvVf1qCTH1HJoqAEf4OjXRHxcH2rJ5NqJfI3IO6fYaSpgG6CwXCeUORiUbOd3HSpuCdse0rxaeqq01ubiOzJ-QN64K1kiu-sJ7zKoDT55EtdX0e3PJWhNr7AizYd0XhdkdkH6PgMj0/s1600/IMG_20191120_140322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IzvVf1qCTH1HJoqAEf4OjXRHxcH2rJ5NqJfI3IO6fYaSpgG6CwXCeUORiUbOd3HSpuCdse0rxaeqq01ubiOzJ-QN64K1kiu-sJ7zKoDT55EtdX0e3PJWhNr7AizYd0XhdkdkH6PgMj0/s640/IMG_20191120_140322.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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5. <i>Glue a paper patch over the top block/fingerboard spacer.</i><br />
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This is a piece of handmade paper that covers the top block/fingerboard spacer and extends a little way up the neck. The 'tongue' of the belly will eventually be glued down over it. During the life of the lute the belly will be securely glued, but should a repairer eventually need to remove the belly entirely, the layer of paper will make removal in this area much easier. I have had occasion to remove a belly that was not glued with this paper layer--that is, glued wood-to-wood--and it took a long time, was destructive to both the belly and the top block, and necessitated some careful rebuilding of the belly before re-gluing. It's much better to think ahead, and be kind to a future generation. (A good motto in all we do, in my opinion!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-auv1mIt7MBlTze1Ae_ze5j_ULHNEk207ahe-6ebJxWCeysTDEoNWCyCwpyFKLJJXZRZtK0TfcjXc71VXDQxGuK-WSmwd_uM4PbQjmSwGVjXnMsJVQ4HrD4JArnWmmsw2cJ2e1v9tmw/s1600/IMG_20191120_115813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-auv1mIt7MBlTze1Ae_ze5j_ULHNEk207ahe-6ebJxWCeysTDEoNWCyCwpyFKLJJXZRZtK0TfcjXc71VXDQxGuK-WSmwd_uM4PbQjmSwGVjXnMsJVQ4HrD4JArnWmmsw2cJ2e1v9tmw/s640/IMG_20191120_115813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I saturate the paper with glue and rub it into place--much like I did when I glued down the rose pattern, in <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">in episode 6</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHvVncJlnObuauMVjY_BFxm0eCIBSabaQvhY1YvWwD_T6P3GFFi9Ff46Mo5zT8lfIYkZoo44RQeSI62cuzGV10IHmtSChRmDFLOeyho-c7r9H2_Pap705U0GbTSAxWdiQT9TtGDctpK8/s1600/IMG_20191120_142840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHvVncJlnObuauMVjY_BFxm0eCIBSabaQvhY1YvWwD_T6P3GFFi9Ff46Mo5zT8lfIYkZoo44RQeSI62cuzGV10IHmtSChRmDFLOeyho-c7r9H2_Pap705U0GbTSAxWdiQT9TtGDctpK8/s640/IMG_20191120_142840.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the glue's dry, I feather out the edges of the paper with files and a small sanding block.</span></td></tr>
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6. <i>Make a caul to fit the top block/belly tongue.</i></div>
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With the paper layer in place and the edges feathered, the top block area is in its final shape. Now I can create a caul that will fit that area perfectly, and hold down the belly tongue securely when I glue it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh5xgFAzkHf1w-waMlvaSj_U90tMv2BifPBljhSLUtZNFfdT9x4MCfVynwHO_-zfPxaxuqKAfJjGt7gZfHY4uhnWHjkYTr6zaFoVXll5TS5dYKXb-K1JrWzX9pUpgCRRoTRn9akR8uFI/s1600/IMG_20191120_153856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh5xgFAzkHf1w-waMlvaSj_U90tMv2BifPBljhSLUtZNFfdT9x4MCfVynwHO_-zfPxaxuqKAfJjGt7gZfHY4uhnWHjkYTr6zaFoVXll5TS5dYKXb-K1JrWzX9pUpgCRRoTRn9akR8uFI/s640/IMG_20191120_153856.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is my top-block gluing rig, in two pieces. The top-block caul itself is on the right. It's a piece of jelutong that I've cut out to fit the area exactly, then carved to fit the countour of the fingerboard spacer/top block. I've covered it with a layer of cork, then added a strip of masking tape along the edges to make sure that it will press down the edges of the belly when I glue it in. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_6vGct8EQd7Pg8X1xQHsS5loUTroCiwqkX7-2TeG9Ey53L2iCP2OWv4Dau2lryUmEa5ns7EyNdXkYON572jSxK6wT-4FZBXbEPsbzEHsQR_Pw3uhHrFKGY-CuuTW4ZBRV_o0GuFe2FM/s1600/IMG_20191120_153656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_6vGct8EQd7Pg8X1xQHsS5loUTroCiwqkX7-2TeG9Ey53L2iCP2OWv4Dau2lryUmEa5ns7EyNdXkYON572jSxK6wT-4FZBXbEPsbzEHsQR_Pw3uhHrFKGY-CuuTW4ZBRV_o0GuFe2FM/s640/IMG_20191120_153656.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what it looks like in a dry run: two wooden cam clamps supply ample pressure.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3G-7xiH-uBMlkqIBeRA5TFLDuvqorOB4iAPhHjuDZB5OgJPi5UYiQoX3t1TO3fT31rl2ETAxbqenNsMz_5Rw5GbiQZZo3yt8edfCefHV98eBiFALN9lAXVRDTwJVM2PizAjV1f57uLA/s1600/IMG_20191120_153723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3G-7xiH-uBMlkqIBeRA5TFLDuvqorOB4iAPhHjuDZB5OgJPi5UYiQoX3t1TO3fT31rl2ETAxbqenNsMz_5Rw5GbiQZZo3yt8edfCefHV98eBiFALN9lAXVRDTwJVM2PizAjV1f57uLA/s640/IMG_20191120_153723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And a side view. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKAc2xs3-zEydCvUf98LwOBF-XrZhGNSaavKeSQY1kPGH_wj4ePypUWZf92Uw1BYfw9BqyumaegRymDu4emDbIll3TaPjvJq_ucmcXYNunGvcnwlpvgLmh5zP4ooAzvGO9L_JKRPaJ-k/s1600/IMG_20191120_153757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKAc2xs3-zEydCvUf98LwOBF-XrZhGNSaavKeSQY1kPGH_wj4ePypUWZf92Uw1BYfw9BqyumaegRymDu4emDbIll3TaPjvJq_ucmcXYNunGvcnwlpvgLmh5zP4ooAzvGO9L_JKRPaJ-k/s640/IMG_20191120_153757.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mentioned in the last episode that one of the things I needed to watch out for when shaping the top block and fingerboard spacer was whether the belly, with its arched upper braces, would fit closely, especially at the outer edges. Now I have my answer: the belly fits well.</span></td></tr>
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Okay, I think I'm just about ready to go with gluing in the belly. Just a few more things to do before I start--less jobs to do than just a checklist of things that need to be in order.<br />
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7. <i>Dehumidify the workshop.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This is part of my routine in the workshop everyday. Weather conditions are such that I need only keep my small space heater running on low to maintain a humidity in the low-40% range. Today it is at exactly 42%, which is perfect for the job I'm about to do.<br />
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8. <i>Prepare the glue.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The night before gluing the belly, I soaked two normal batches of hide glue. They will both be ready for heating and use in the morning.<br />
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9. <i>Give the bowl and belly a final brushing-out.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Just to ensure that no little bits of dust or wood shavings will be rattling around once the belly's glued in.<br />
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10. <i>Tape the belly in place with masking tape, spaced approximately 2" apart.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The belly should fit exactly. I take one last look all the way around to make sure that the belly will fit down tight onto the edge rib. I also make sure (one last time) that the outline looks good, and that no ill-fitted bar ends are going to elbow out and make a bump in my beautiful shape.<br />
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11. <i>Assemble all tools and materials on the work bench.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I will need: a soft pad (a folded camp blanket covered by a sheet of soft cloth) along the edge of the bench; the top block gluing caul assembly, including two wooden cam clamps; 1" masking tape dispenser, clamped to the bench edge; an electric iron, on a medium-high setting, along with a cotton cloth folded in four; hide glue warming in my glue pot; my glue brush and palette knife. I think I'm just about ready.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief_pNrKLBcWyEEsTW37xuo4q2lb6Jlar3oTdaCf9ZG15wS65LDXD5-MipF9lQKDsNA2JhCbMONVP6suqJ_nLfsj-JMpwTTmEDCDAf4MNHjU37lO0sRcDz4pCf2plbN1mlvZqwmdU-TXM/s1600/IMG_20191120_161956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief_pNrKLBcWyEEsTW37xuo4q2lb6Jlar3oTdaCf9ZG15wS65LDXD5-MipF9lQKDsNA2JhCbMONVP6suqJ_nLfsj-JMpwTTmEDCDAf4MNHjU37lO0sRcDz4pCf2plbN1mlvZqwmdU-TXM/s640/IMG_20191120_161956.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My glue, glue brush and palette knife. Note that I've cut off most of the knife handle, so that it's easier to use (and less likely to tip over my glue jar.) The glue, by the way, is very dilute: I've probably added twice as much water to it as I would for a normal batch of hide glue. </span></td></tr>
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And there is one more job to do before I can glue, bringing the number to a magic dozen:<br />
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12. <i>Chose music to listen to.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqB2kTPmqtM118Ly_RFaoAEa3hOEuiSgBWyK6VAFz4ZXWjaOntCHY8ntJUCM0H_ipfpQsSNizc9xbRQHlDWb4y0ZCSNNccOcgXSKXgbwYNh3YmlxTQNV-J5nsUj_-Y6toL1uy3HV-3Oo/s1600/IMG_20191120_163012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqB2kTPmqtM118Ly_RFaoAEa3hOEuiSgBWyK6VAFz4ZXWjaOntCHY8ntJUCM0H_ipfpQsSNizc9xbRQHlDWb4y0ZCSNNccOcgXSKXgbwYNh3YmlxTQNV-J5nsUj_-Y6toL1uy3HV-3Oo/s640/IMG_20191120_163012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">This operation will take about a half an hour, so I need to choose the right tunes. Here's what seemed right today.</span></span></td></tr>
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And so we begin. Most of the photos you will see below are from a staged series of dry-runs. Once I get started, it's nearly impossible for me to stop work to organize a timer shot, so these photos are the next-best thing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r51kcn_QjBevf2HAgZB_3pvu0AfDi1KA8onnyhUAmvbgVPf5tF3Xg6Y_IcJg2_VQdw9qqhVYMtqlcjl2tY6yFdfFddCTtkhXtMo1aTCFNHug6QGpGv1lirgbYplX0_jUKPndpWCqvss/s1600/IMG_20191120_162051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r51kcn_QjBevf2HAgZB_3pvu0AfDi1KA8onnyhUAmvbgVPf5tF3Xg6Y_IcJg2_VQdw9qqhVYMtqlcjl2tY6yFdfFddCTtkhXtMo1aTCFNHug6QGpGv1lirgbYplX0_jUKPndpWCqvss/s640/IMG_20191120_162051.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the view as I begin. I hold the lute in my lap, against the padded bench edge. The glue is close by, and just beside it, my tape dispenser is clamped.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZlAbTLVkIyLzauTXtbj52U797eLxqggg-k5RIN0bdJHhvtKNF3A8DtOgDQHfycADQGm0SF2fJQ657bvfSkHkvQ46g3y9HrdLecMPQth0GuY7JydU0bbyymHYoF5GJC-gLupXriexZHo/s1600/IMG_20191120_162258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZlAbTLVkIyLzauTXtbj52U797eLxqggg-k5RIN0bdJHhvtKNF3A8DtOgDQHfycADQGm0SF2fJQ657bvfSkHkvQ46g3y9HrdLecMPQth0GuY7JydU0bbyymHYoF5GJC-gLupXriexZHo/s640/IMG_20191120_162258.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Starting on the bass side, I locate the first bar above the rose, and from that point down toward the bottom of the belly, I lift the tapes. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl8Wb7IbBsDtOoH15DcxaZXUeXIR4CgWkyR6_d3d7cvi9l6t8D2VeN2X3K9aA51Km2VavNNWlhv2dJpQHT8Zx1WDIRbltfGat35N7LEnmRtDTzKcVwOnN9lOa3nL2RAbeF-FzqFMAh1E/s1600/IMG_20191120_162327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl8Wb7IbBsDtOoH15DcxaZXUeXIR4CgWkyR6_d3d7cvi9l6t8D2VeN2X3K9aA51Km2VavNNWlhv2dJpQHT8Zx1WDIRbltfGat35N7LEnmRtDTzKcVwOnN9lOa3nL2RAbeF-FzqFMAh1E/s640/IMG_20191120_162327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With my left thumb I lift the edge of the belly slightly, then dip the palette knife in the glue pot and get some glue into the seam. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I work in about 4-to 6-inch segments; I don't want to slop a lot of glue in, only make sure that there is some on both sides of the joint, the belly and the rib edge. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrS7Kp2bQewAO8XYoeM-jnoAYlW-gOpjb3vkwmrcBD66FGuizhy5xpCf7fOcgteXNGOiqSs7hS480KTtUIjpxcpOj3w2N8Lc_B_XcgMoyLpyNGsGgbfPIzool9nrIAyYeZEL_thxqXh8/s1600/IMG_20191120_162156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrS7Kp2bQewAO8XYoeM-jnoAYlW-gOpjb3vkwmrcBD66FGuizhy5xpCf7fOcgteXNGOiqSs7hS480KTtUIjpxcpOj3w2N8Lc_B_XcgMoyLpyNGsGgbfPIzool9nrIAyYeZEL_thxqXh8/s640/IMG_20191120_162156.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's another view of my dry-run demonstration. Once I have sufficient glue in the seam, I will pull down the tapes and reattach them, then add more pieces from the dispenser. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAeqm6z3qzbvOFdFGtVM_F3-KpUbVCB8KCbBLrduiuVB7djPKulwBn_dMVd8Yc4Td16lc4vugs_edEKpTfrctYyyVspsWahRAYVO2oeli5eHyYGqY56qg1OFX4SRYZ3hdbATUeb81Fm8/s1600/IMG_20191120_162433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAeqm6z3qzbvOFdFGtVM_F3-KpUbVCB8KCbBLrduiuVB7djPKulwBn_dMVd8Yc4Td16lc4vugs_edEKpTfrctYyyVspsWahRAYVO2oeli5eHyYGqY56qg1OFX4SRYZ3hdbATUeb81Fm8/s640/IMG_20191120_162433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I work my way around the belly, I turn the lute in my lap, and hold it securely against the bench.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqHmrHWs4Bm1-sAOcuSwANPzKZ3-O2v1AbwAQCnCdnEaemhlDShM_PSu2qwWJrAzX3JY9Pq4oIOLEXCxFDiHqwCSYcdb4-t1i_EBS2V96-PQWrLB8CR8x5l1EQZ1TR2E5ya6jbKJCdyM/s1600/IMG_20191120_163859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqHmrHWs4Bm1-sAOcuSwANPzKZ3-O2v1AbwAQCnCdnEaemhlDShM_PSu2qwWJrAzX3JY9Pq4oIOLEXCxFDiHqwCSYcdb4-t1i_EBS2V96-PQWrLB8CR8x5l1EQZ1TR2E5ya6jbKJCdyM/s640/IMG_20191120_163859.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a shot from the actual gluing process. I secure the glued area with a complete coverage of masking tape, but I leave the leading edge of the glued joint untaped so I can work a little glue back into it before moving forward.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CjMrIMjO3Y4dVzGrFnMi5oEoD6YoFWkuMVuIgc6TW2VLAkJHX5oq4RLBjc8I4Dhfdnh2iygQKamiiRq1AeoJ6G7aGKT_39t1FZ9FlIefyz-VxhzWwGxjJYtC_Fq-NfgV8NP9W4CioBI/s1600/IMG_20191120_162626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CjMrIMjO3Y4dVzGrFnMi5oEoD6YoFWkuMVuIgc6TW2VLAkJHX5oq4RLBjc8I4Dhfdnh2iygQKamiiRq1AeoJ6G7aGKT_39t1FZ9FlIefyz-VxhzWwGxjJYtC_Fq-NfgV8NP9W4CioBI/s640/IMG_20191120_162626.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually I get all the way around the belly to the treble side, to the first bar above the rose (where I started gluing on the bass side.) Now I can lift up the belly tongue, and use the palette knife to spread glue under it and down each side to the point where I've already glued.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwlXCyr9aUn8KqRC4iUd9CjUlftwhCkllstO21mqX-BDRi6LI8A8hvcbnJhdszpT29sdk_TvH8AC8qobQ7wrJln47vIDo4O8hQKnoFmX9QEh6pzY8lj_qRu4mvYeArNrgiWBXZLb2ag4/s1600/IMG_20191120_165351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwlXCyr9aUn8KqRC4iUd9CjUlftwhCkllstO21mqX-BDRi6LI8A8hvcbnJhdszpT29sdk_TvH8AC8qobQ7wrJln47vIDo4O8hQKnoFmX9QEh6pzY8lj_qRu4mvYeArNrgiWBXZLb2ag4/s640/IMG_20191120_165351.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the whole perimeter securely taped, I can now get my top-block caul in place and tighten up the clamps. I check for good fit and squeeze out around the top block area.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpKrAOurpQvmSURgW-uoIkizx-Klv15YzGASRbsyNRyVri2ENgE5aOrOUrbrZnOOw6T2_7dMiJW8-tvMTxJE8ViaLu_CsiH0ZJ8OZ3P1x-JHusbbZxCs3ZyV_XzdCNWmxJhuMVEZLMmM/s1600/IMG_20191120_160310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpKrAOurpQvmSURgW-uoIkizx-Klv15YzGASRbsyNRyVri2ENgE5aOrOUrbrZnOOw6T2_7dMiJW8-tvMTxJE8ViaLu_CsiH0ZJ8OZ3P1x-JHusbbZxCs3ZyV_XzdCNWmxJhuMVEZLMmM/s640/IMG_20191120_160310.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, I run over the whole perimeter with the medium-hot iron on a folded cotton cloth. I don't want to press down with any force; I only want to apply a little extra heat to the glued joint.</span></td></tr>
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And that's about it. It's pretty simple once all the prep work is done, and you get down to doing it. The belly is taped in place before the gluing begins, and you only work in small segments at a time, so there is no question of misalignment or movement.<br />
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Although it's a simple and secure process, there's a certain finality that I feel at this stage. It feels a bit like a capsule has been sealed, with all one's experience, knowledge and hopes for the future inside. So much preparation has been built-in to this point; all the work I will do from now on will be to bring it to fruition.<br />
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I'll see you again soon!<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-61067030147834598272020-01-02T16:10:00.000-08:002020-01-02T16:10:24.828-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 12: The Fingerboard Spacer; and, Preparing to Glue in the Belly <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello, friends--I hope you're enjoying a fine holiday. I'm in the midst of travels these days, but I thought I'd put together a little treat to celebrate the new year.</div>
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As the title of this week's post indicates, I'll be dealing with two themes today--gluing and shaping the fingerboard spacer, and preparing to glue in the belly. They are very closely related, and really need to be done in tandem (and I think they're best described in tandem), since the shape of one essentially dictates the shape of the other. </div>
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At the outset of this series, a reader posed a fundamental question that I've been coming back to ever since: how different is building the baroque lute from building the renaissance? My answer: very different, and though the differences are many they all find their source in the shape of the fingerboard. If you've been following the series, you'll know that at practically every step of the way I've been making allowances for and anticipating its arrival--I've taken account of it in checking the neck angle and developing action; I've arched the belly in subtle ways by gluing curved braces across it; and I've curved the bridge slightly, during both the making and gluing of the bridge, to match that belly arching. Now it's time to see how all that preparatory work pays off.</div>
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For those who may not know, one of the distinguishing characteristics of a baroque lute is its sometimes very highly curved fingerboard. The amount can vary, but I've designed this lute to have a fingerboard arch of around 4.5mm at the nut end, and around 2.5mm at the body-neck joint. Compare that to a renaissance lute, which, depending on how many courses it has and consequently how wide the neck is, might have an arch of around 1mm or less at the nut end, and about 0.5mm or less at the body-neck joint. On a renaissance lute, this curvature is achieved by gluing down a thick piece of ebony for a fingerboard--between 3 and 4mm thick--and planing the curve directly into it. However, this option is not available on a baroque lute, since for the curves I'm looking at, the piece of ebony would need to be somewhere around 7mm thick. The result would be a) a very heavy neck; b) a ton of work to shape the piece; and c) a terrible waste of a precious material.</div>
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The solution to the problem is to glue and shape a piece of strong, stable, light material on the top of the neck--a fingerboard spacer--and then, ultimately, cover that with relatively thin piece of ebony (as we'll see in a later episode, around 2mm thick--barely more than a rather thick veneer.) The material I use for this fb spacer is sitka spruce--which is strong, stable, light, readily available locally, and easy to work. Here are some process photos to show how I glue it on.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ0gV7adfs_dzZJpnXmOUV6Lx3hqM59Bg4S6eCS6DWJS3ffIENwr0PrSTr6icfxWlYQ7HiIF_CIBEvgV4nDOqngNMVwCGE8Bz5-lvmQJATtoP8zAqQJ4UgQSLui2LIioFv44m6i43dMY/s1600/IMG_20191106_180824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ0gV7adfs_dzZJpnXmOUV6Lx3hqM59Bg4S6eCS6DWJS3ffIENwr0PrSTr6icfxWlYQ7HiIF_CIBEvgV4nDOqngNMVwCGE8Bz5-lvmQJATtoP8zAqQJ4UgQSLui2LIioFv44m6i43dMY/s640/IMG_20191106_180824.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the left is a caul that matches the twist I've planed into the neck's top surface (see <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_17.html" target="_blank">post #8 in this series</a> for an explanation of that.) The fingerboard spacer is on the right, and will be glued onto both the neck and the top block. It's a bit oversize in length as well as width, so I've masked off the upper portion of the body to keep glue from dripping down inside.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNgk0k27PfsUWC0_XrvLjt4iGdcIL1MQpVJw3JG9vbFkZuY8fM69h3rrjaP9p9nkyJSih3UvdcJNudSO8JFyf-50ysWMbWkARaZHie13QpZTkYx7J-iOMPvcpIenyBCvMUuP152UpYtk/s1600/IMG_20191106_182405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNgk0k27PfsUWC0_XrvLjt4iGdcIL1MQpVJw3JG9vbFkZuY8fM69h3rrjaP9p9nkyJSih3UvdcJNudSO8JFyf-50ysWMbWkARaZHie13QpZTkYx7J-iOMPvcpIenyBCvMUuP152UpYtk/s640/IMG_20191106_182405.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After lots of dry runs (where I figure out how many clamps to use, what sequence to use them, where to set them, etc.), I'll warm the parts up with a hair dryer, paint glue on both surfaces, and then put them together and clamp. With such a big gluing surface things will tend to swim around a bit during clamping, so I need to check frequently as I tighten to make sure all the pieces end up in the correct position.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu84TKE4rIh2jGjTM95JeSoevxHIIndAe-n3PUEVUxtkEsJyIa02rhVq5upgJCvPxx9KVxUGPr-ku9P8T7vyEryl5uNFDSGCMdyRy9DANB0qDmt7kJv87rZUtargTmmLp4Li0zF8jI9II/s1600/IMG_20191106_183338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu84TKE4rIh2jGjTM95JeSoevxHIIndAe-n3PUEVUxtkEsJyIa02rhVq5upgJCvPxx9KVxUGPr-ku9P8T7vyEryl5uNFDSGCMdyRy9DANB0qDmt7kJv87rZUtargTmmLp4Li0zF8jI9II/s640/IMG_20191106_183338.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I paint extra glue on the outside of the joints--as I've mentioned before, the glue shrinks as it dries, and will help to pull together the edges of the two pieces.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYX7fmN3IQLapd9Y2LEZdik3dVxWVYoVTJeW37JANOLhEixX0XNDVI_CkPnms4ly5xToGsXn4qE7dGazCGFnXraD4hjxeFX7-KbqpAfk8BcTD7E0_bQAXI2J-flajaMKHEwUL_BuaLhM/s1600/IMG_20191106_183356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYX7fmN3IQLapd9Y2LEZdik3dVxWVYoVTJeW37JANOLhEixX0XNDVI_CkPnms4ly5xToGsXn4qE7dGazCGFnXraD4hjxeFX7-KbqpAfk8BcTD7E0_bQAXI2J-flajaMKHEwUL_BuaLhM/s640/IMG_20191106_183356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Careful planning--and lots of dry-run rehearsals--help me to achieve a nice orderly result.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmI5JM5CO3wmA3vqPczzcfIVK5yD5yZUJVnaesqiR81FvTKFragEPLLa1LafhLNwY_A64KKerGwKddEsV5U95j2arKgnaMdlV8kd-xorlI2RZcjUX3_kQm64njDz3hSC-F6iG2KMpF4s/s1600/IMG_20191107_130020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmI5JM5CO3wmA3vqPczzcfIVK5yD5yZUJVnaesqiR81FvTKFragEPLLa1LafhLNwY_A64KKerGwKddEsV5U95j2arKgnaMdlV8kd-xorlI2RZcjUX3_kQm64njDz3hSC-F6iG2KMpF4s/s640/IMG_20191107_130020.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next day, I clear away excess glue on all edges, and then trim the piece. I begin by cutting off excess length at the top block and the nut.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkC5tGNiZpwiIX4KkYP-kowZinZtlnmjN4shpcKnLCVWU4RoAj11WykaB8MYh5RK5Rsm_39qCRdlaNGtx1McWBZYMfDtn3D8MZNCNQr5eddrG5Fz4u1WCaTUEu6nGgvAbFqbIF0NgAu8/s1600/IMG_20191107_134435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkC5tGNiZpwiIX4KkYP-kowZinZtlnmjN4shpcKnLCVWU4RoAj11WykaB8MYh5RK5Rsm_39qCRdlaNGtx1McWBZYMfDtn3D8MZNCNQr5eddrG5Fz4u1WCaTUEu6nGgvAbFqbIF0NgAu8/s640/IMG_20191107_134435.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I trim the sides--first with a knife...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPMYxLXnyx3nx71E3jWjGtnaSLZgJrKqDywlU971aVgXb8C5CYvvqHcyH6HumTDonYqfMx6UI_YGbsVDmJV27jkMnhY5MbX-ySLR1KYGpYK5sPT-7VHwCmZj5FuUeLpELP7yYHnPHROc/s1600/IMG_20191107_134111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPMYxLXnyx3nx71E3jWjGtnaSLZgJrKqDywlU971aVgXb8C5CYvvqHcyH6HumTDonYqfMx6UI_YGbsVDmJV27jkMnhY5MbX-ySLR1KYGpYK5sPT-7VHwCmZj5FuUeLpELP7yYHnPHROc/s640/IMG_20191107_134111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and then with my trusty low-angle block plane (and a lot of wax on the sole.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gKKW_pT90LOH5sUT2DtexKwCO3g0uXrhP8woNA6EahA9Wh-TrQNye3u5Tsb0AGsIKGJBUC3d5Ch6DgPC8VK2GeLwsSUFeME6lNf8ywn8E4-OW-u-sf_F9Lih9rWZznw2CWefTc6m4m8/s1600/IMG_20191107_155454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gKKW_pT90LOH5sUT2DtexKwCO3g0uXrhP8woNA6EahA9Wh-TrQNye3u5Tsb0AGsIKGJBUC3d5Ch6DgPC8VK2GeLwsSUFeME6lNf8ywn8E4-OW-u-sf_F9Lih9rWZznw2CWefTc6m4m8/s640/IMG_20191107_155454.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I leave a small bit of excess along the sides, but trim the ends very closely.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKNS5RmYTn1Ctmlm08FtQ3TV0QZ599UeOGoSQwODZPkttHw5V7YsMPrSTTgbn5zOkTkKLJOK8qMPFCJqpuAoYpQcR66uePSKDonP0LEJ6lwKIPQdJeyiy_UHZNnfUB8AqOqicYLq675M/s1600/IMG_20191112_141102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKNS5RmYTn1Ctmlm08FtQ3TV0QZ599UeOGoSQwODZPkttHw5V7YsMPrSTTgbn5zOkTkKLJOK8qMPFCJqpuAoYpQcR66uePSKDonP0LEJ6lwKIPQdJeyiy_UHZNnfUB8AqOqicYLq675M/s640/IMG_20191112_141102.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now with templates I can lay out the fingerboard profiles at the body end... </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrIctWK_kRs99FSzMo5brOO0R6EPb0tR-UeSO5VYFsvUytSfTnt89VfJvyZkCnA5P51lUkQvub0UrrwKWkpkqu_SolBPMNJZctP58LPFcjIlftz-duzRUs9__gyByb6FIZv9Bgl5bEfs/s1600/IMG_20191112_141130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrIctWK_kRs99FSzMo5brOO0R6EPb0tR-UeSO5VYFsvUytSfTnt89VfJvyZkCnA5P51lUkQvub0UrrwKWkpkqu_SolBPMNJZctP58LPFcjIlftz-duzRUs9__gyByb6FIZv9Bgl5bEfs/s640/IMG_20191112_141130.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and at the nut end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY4u-N88GAZFsADGYG8S7RikRrpwVGhCNS8_VnBNyTCi6EqgkEi3Rx3mPaEUtPx-s3ZH2_oNIk2EWCu8R8sGpDY_7vbayi-fHKscLhow3X5My2JvIay4iHbizjoL50lOV4PLKWVm40r4/s1600/IMG_20191112_144153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY4u-N88GAZFsADGYG8S7RikRrpwVGhCNS8_VnBNyTCi6EqgkEi3Rx3mPaEUtPx-s3ZH2_oNIk2EWCu8R8sGpDY_7vbayi-fHKscLhow3X5My2JvIay4iHbizjoL50lOV4PLKWVm40r4/s640/IMG_20191112_144153.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then I can get to work putting a good shape on the thing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpF5Ypxb2ODF7yOceNSqmQEUe7L-35mG6Y00WV9ZpStfnLXR2p1dhbP3-gHZotk7ZXWTOH_QHgrGG38mkDgBv_btdT1lFy_xrDnxMzcOKAFAUM_iAjBCW0b7cXuAWw9k3GjEysNihZIU/s1600/IMG_20191112_162010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpF5Ypxb2ODF7yOceNSqmQEUe7L-35mG6Y00WV9ZpStfnLXR2p1dhbP3-gHZotk7ZXWTOH_QHgrGG38mkDgBv_btdT1lFy_xrDnxMzcOKAFAUM_iAjBCW0b7cXuAWw9k3GjEysNihZIU/s640/IMG_20191112_162010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It can be handy, when doing so, to chamfer down to the line with a sharp chisel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_OzWcE1vV3VUhyb1DMtJ0SGuCUmpUZYNOsYjBTyTSwa2WQncPVd9tQkILINdz2wgbH_irombi8w2PW5nS0cGJPqEOO6FD8ENQ3EBn0QfyjOGDKrsck3MUbHaLhK9w4vay7XAY7DUuUU/s1600/IMG_20191113_130837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_OzWcE1vV3VUhyb1DMtJ0SGuCUmpUZYNOsYjBTyTSwa2WQncPVd9tQkILINdz2wgbH_irombi8w2PW5nS0cGJPqEOO6FD8ENQ3EBn0QfyjOGDKrsck3MUbHaLhK9w4vay7XAY7DUuUU/s640/IMG_20191113_130837.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I near the shape, I start working with rasps, then files, then finally a sanding block.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvNqkaiXpuX2xvb1Jg0fbAKKp4XBqNlEMVgGOs95hGMn11VeUstAlXOQPlHqgWYALrJjcGmoBwr_nXomD9H4elGraWtfT6CGPN3gfSZmDOyp21mg-ZqiJhcDcjL8wLPVrcE4xE8h3A5I/s1600/IMG_20191113_152002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvNqkaiXpuX2xvb1Jg0fbAKKp4XBqNlEMVgGOs95hGMn11VeUstAlXOQPlHqgWYALrJjcGmoBwr_nXomD9H4elGraWtfT6CGPN3gfSZmDOyp21mg-ZqiJhcDcjL8wLPVrcE4xE8h3A5I/s640/IMG_20191113_152002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although the surface is curved in cross-section, it must be kept very close to flat in long section. As I'm working, I draw (and re-draw) lines that follow the layout of the courses in order to keep track of the flatness. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQeiuWkmgZfxhkNvp35EGNhg8ECZdZKkYowiMLDgO31sg5tbjuS9oTk4pjtcafWcIEGqCcGIzW5RvsOV2njLRpfobNBwVOR5QjnkpPO190-pVfW6SyErwQ7vjSDFMiKOUTjlp-vnrE1s/s1600/IMG_20191113_154255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQeiuWkmgZfxhkNvp35EGNhg8ECZdZKkYowiMLDgO31sg5tbjuS9oTk4pjtcafWcIEGqCcGIzW5RvsOV2njLRpfobNBwVOR5QjnkpPO190-pVfW6SyErwQ7vjSDFMiKOUTjlp-vnrE1s/s640/IMG_20191113_154255.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The straightedge held on each line, with strong light behind, shows the developing profile clearly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF96VwvFo8ZjXpVPrUx8P-FA086xmGW1mkHbtkC78ElX5MjxY7J_SZnlJ3oV6egwn2YPbtF-rlJFGkOs5tnS2TDaNhqzmfeH0NiswJbg7RUBa_P8LEL0tIDPsQAh6hoiiyfq9ScV1EbvM/s1600/IMG_20191114_122314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF96VwvFo8ZjXpVPrUx8P-FA086xmGW1mkHbtkC78ElX5MjxY7J_SZnlJ3oV6egwn2YPbtF-rlJFGkOs5tnS2TDaNhqzmfeH0NiswJbg7RUBa_P8LEL0tIDPsQAh6hoiiyfq9ScV1EbvM/s640/IMG_20191114_122314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what the edge of the shaped fingerboard spacer looks like (I put a piece of paper behind to show it more clearly.) The spruce is feathered out pretty precisely to meet the edge of the neck veneer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXvUGrKMVf3zkFSNMDg-FuHoji5ToyY9aUL4VSQKglTbdJzFZRTs7hUXeLt0hSUvAHb9kGwZAeg5t18JJpNmElSJjiIYVtsZzLblXUyjregax_5BLOhJcaXGQi7CzoRfLcDlnbGrthHk/s1600/IMG_20191114_122210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXvUGrKMVf3zkFSNMDg-FuHoji5ToyY9aUL4VSQKglTbdJzFZRTs7hUXeLt0hSUvAHb9kGwZAeg5t18JJpNmElSJjiIYVtsZzLblXUyjregax_5BLOhJcaXGQi7CzoRfLcDlnbGrthHk/s640/IMG_20191114_122210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the nut end profile (sorry for the lack of focus!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8gWrSOUcGBxncDcAzvPzzz-WkRnsae-IbosOoazMGrkfMZBBRlMmLlZgQllmBtOB2kWLVuBimPJ-DYYnMi9e9rGvfmZFjrLiK6r2sugYvSKVPThM8aMxJMBgFaDe9qjol6lSS3L45g4/s1600/IMG_20191114_122139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8gWrSOUcGBxncDcAzvPzzz-WkRnsae-IbosOoazMGrkfMZBBRlMmLlZgQllmBtOB2kWLVuBimPJ-DYYnMi9e9rGvfmZFjrLiK6r2sugYvSKVPThM8aMxJMBgFaDe9qjol6lSS3L45g4/s640/IMG_20191114_122139.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here is the profile at the edge of the top block. You will notice that at each side of the fingerboard spacer, the ends of the curved profile meet up, rather bluntly, with the flat top block surface. I'll need to ease the corners of the top block a little, to continue and blend in the curve gracefully.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezLN-n7HCuLpe9LmJXTrxcTU4ah6iJKVaunj5o6Wx-JAvgk12cJK_3EyTILoKuMLHmOlOLn6gLXOoP7fxkgN-0BmM4DPvyYSrAr7Cz7moPxvTc3tlHkdDEUeRMOp32mezsAKZEx7MoHQ/s1600/IMG_20191114_122911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezLN-n7HCuLpe9LmJXTrxcTU4ah6iJKVaunj5o6Wx-JAvgk12cJK_3EyTILoKuMLHmOlOLn6gLXOoP7fxkgN-0BmM4DPvyYSrAr7Cz7moPxvTc3tlHkdDEUeRMOp32mezsAKZEx7MoHQ/s640/IMG_20191114_122911.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">In practice, that means I also need to ease (slightly) the edge of the outside rib. I use a sanding stick for this little job--just a strip of particle board with a piece of sandpaper stuck to the end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFu-ZH74Kl6EHt5rkW3Sb3s2HG22j9WrlKjmZuFYAxe1MD04-4DG45_RCk3gt80LqcMAFRAsCdYvBItu_9LnIAigLZTh5Ecrpfl5KLzT0DaNl8D1J5SsTxXRzcDMoRWNMKW6RRos8fYE/s1600/IMG_20191114_123005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFu-ZH74Kl6EHt5rkW3Sb3s2HG22j9WrlKjmZuFYAxe1MD04-4DG45_RCk3gt80LqcMAFRAsCdYvBItu_9LnIAigLZTh5Ecrpfl5KLzT0DaNl8D1J5SsTxXRzcDMoRWNMKW6RRos8fYE/s640/IMG_20191114_123005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what it looks like without me in the way. It's long enough to use lengthwise as well as across the body, and it keeps the top surface of the edge rib pretty flat while I'm shaping the contour. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXRdyNo65Z0gAnqFXnaJYjJdzBPDjvLBRp37KWzSymQxOChF_AzNt4AC0Al9nxzJTZVaytW0nbYobe7lJhJS0x4w6oquLpyrlc7cDVaSZA5TDGzPt25aaRD3u_6RIc5m_5_nHNw7NDjw/s1600/IMG_20191119_153140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXRdyNo65Z0gAnqFXnaJYjJdzBPDjvLBRp37KWzSymQxOChF_AzNt4AC0Al9nxzJTZVaytW0nbYobe7lJhJS0x4w6oquLpyrlc7cDVaSZA5TDGzPt25aaRD3u_6RIc5m_5_nHNw7NDjw/s640/IMG_20191119_153140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the kind of shape I'm looking for--the curve of the fingerboard spacer extends to the outer edges of the top block, and that curve blends smoothly into the forward part of the edge rib.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsyohdVN12BHh0aB1vAskE2sNlokeLF8TPs65aDFJIPj4kfaZAQe38w4i5yC7sPMxIPlD_xGFfxuLTH8sTsYdNUR66lgIBMFx_6ECUxKzhSDYnEs70BtqJkY4ex0wW6AP8oJRSNV-69Y/s1600/IMG_20191114_131407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsyohdVN12BHh0aB1vAskE2sNlokeLF8TPs65aDFJIPj4kfaZAQe38w4i5yC7sPMxIPlD_xGFfxuLTH8sTsYdNUR66lgIBMFx_6ECUxKzhSDYnEs70BtqJkY4ex0wW6AP8oJRSNV-69Y/s640/IMG_20191114_131407.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's time to see how the belly looks inside the body. You can see here how the arched braces I glued to the upper part of the belly match the arching of the fingerboard spacer. So far, things look good.</span></td></tr>
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Two other things I'll be paying close attention to are, first, how the belly fits into the curves that I've just shaped into the top block/ edge rib area, and second, what the action looks like. This is the very first time during construction that I will be able put on an actual string and stretch it from bridge to nut to see what the true string height above the fingerboard will be. It's a bit of an exciting moment!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_91fFOsNYM-a64f5tuY1Xjvk5rnI6Oql-A5FnhrmmLZS_xTPlRK3yQJpE2cEk2jh828YoUJTjsBDhe-s90YGxCq61it4o22U5U0QBojGOs8SbQltQ_5cY19HYtioSXslmU1ghhia6cpE/s1600/IMG_20191114_135154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_91fFOsNYM-a64f5tuY1Xjvk5rnI6Oql-A5FnhrmmLZS_xTPlRK3yQJpE2cEk2jh828YoUJTjsBDhe-s90YGxCq61it4o22U5U0QBojGOs8SbQltQ_5cY19HYtioSXslmU1ghhia6cpE/s640/IMG_20191114_135154.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what it looks like. I've marked the string spacings at the nut, so I know exactly where to stretch my piece of nylon fishing line. I've also marked the positions of the first and eighth fret, which is where I want to put down wooden spacers to get a representation of the action of the lute as it is now (and how much I need to adjust it before I can glue in the belly.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8CMjA5V4d6C3tTwgiYtlCz3msApVpA-uivlSXFc_YHAy5SDw3voG-2b4lxHugyBCNvTr3WqsiiUx72ufpx3zJwJDWNY5Wu4u2vZSajuq-ptNs4AoEjjpm0u9-yYu6eXj-ESQCml-fZM/s1600/IMG_20191114_135327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8CMjA5V4d6C3tTwgiYtlCz3msApVpA-uivlSXFc_YHAy5SDw3voG-2b4lxHugyBCNvTr3WqsiiUx72ufpx3zJwJDWNY5Wu4u2vZSajuq-ptNs4AoEjjpm0u9-yYu6eXj-ESQCml-fZM/s640/IMG_20191114_135327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another view. Notice two things in this photo: my collection of very accurately made wooden spacers (I've made them in sets of ten, graduated in tenths of a millimetre); and the leather collar on the tip of my index finger, around which I can wind and pull tight the nylon line without it cutting into my finger.</span></td></tr>
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A quick word about the method used here to check the action. The spacer I use at the first fret represents the theoretical height of the string above the finished fingerboard, so when I stretch a nylon line between it and the bridge, I can slide a spacer under the string at the eighth fret to derive the exact string height. I measure the action this way for the first eight courses only. What I'm looking for--what I'm hoping for, actually, when I do the preliminary action check at this point--is an action that does two things: first, rises very gradually by a small amount from one course to the next; and, second, is overall very slightly higher than the action I am hoping for, before I glue in the belly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxn2pKht8UEywypS-0u-ncJZEEhhONkqdWI2-0Y33rrkZuq1fLliyIjy1TipjeR_Brt2L2rbCIXCjcWRt-nwVlfR82G-kCzZ8zFiAGyiejmrmVsyH8YCsUYxK0HMNbDQdti7oRpI8hPQ/s1600/IMG_20191118_145631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxn2pKht8UEywypS-0u-ncJZEEhhONkqdWI2-0Y33rrkZuq1fLliyIjy1TipjeR_Brt2L2rbCIXCjcWRt-nwVlfR82G-kCzZ8zFiAGyiejmrmVsyH8YCsUYxK0HMNbDQdti7oRpI8hPQ/s640/IMG_20191118_145631.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My initial assessment of the action is that, as I hoped, overall the action is slightly too high. However, I've also noted that the action of the middle courses--roughly courses 2-7--is a little bit low, relative to the outer courses. The arch of the fingerboard spacer is a bit too high down at the lower end, so I'll need to remove the belly and do a bit of reshaping.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR_p47ZXKr5SIxjC_0JffYRfVROj4l3dAjWbb9hiQE_SeVj1XC908x43etkKY27llUXphdqcetUGbR56OjEAmVPN_U5Ch9q8j3HRS6w9VZmQVjO69d5ttKRvIfGxU0nfw5ubSxg7amZw/s1600/IMG_20191119_110240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR_p47ZXKr5SIxjC_0JffYRfVROj4l3dAjWbb9hiQE_SeVj1XC908x43etkKY27llUXphdqcetUGbR56OjEAmVPN_U5Ch9q8j3HRS6w9VZmQVjO69d5ttKRvIfGxU0nfw5ubSxg7amZw/s640/IMG_20191119_110240.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">During the re-shaping process, it's handy to use a contour gauge to get a clear look at how sweet the fingerboard curve is. (I also use this gauge to 'take notes' on the developing arch, by tracing the shape into my notebook.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoOqVZ1gnL122vhKeff4rANGLuKpsCKvm0Bqke3LLRKgIJOFk5Eb_1Q5b8S5WyuJjUwQsGgeA8Sz1eFWOqynFUpS0PLpWcfrKo7-agcVb_rlCzuXRJy-p3tzmhp4ezJKORjuD5jWsFOQ/s1600/IMG_20191119_112305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoOqVZ1gnL122vhKeff4rANGLuKpsCKvm0Bqke3LLRKgIJOFk5Eb_1Q5b8S5WyuJjUwQsGgeA8Sz1eFWOqynFUpS0PLpWcfrKo7-agcVb_rlCzuXRJy-p3tzmhp4ezJKORjuD5jWsFOQ/s640/IMG_20191119_112305.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I write notes and squiggles as I work, to indicate where I need to remove (or not remove) material.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BIxplWPJZA6pd735_1udT1k7rZYYLSxkYZNbfX3_u8IuxlVGKyJ4P-BbxE3j6JDXuB8cpVe_rlZZ_XjSffFk_-f046VFtgaqgFjRKLND2a5TCZ61Xfwrvec-pLdaBLzLRj5yz8lhxDs/s1600/IMG_20191119_130953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BIxplWPJZA6pd735_1udT1k7rZYYLSxkYZNbfX3_u8IuxlVGKyJ4P-BbxE3j6JDXuB8cpVe_rlZZ_XjSffFk_-f046VFtgaqgFjRKLND2a5TCZ61Xfwrvec-pLdaBLzLRj5yz8lhxDs/s640/IMG_20191119_130953.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how the action ended up looking after I had finished up re-shaping the spacer. As you can see, the action rises gradually--by 0.1mm from one course to the next. This looks very good to me. </span></td></tr>
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The action across the string band looks good, but as I said above, it's all a little bit high--about 0.2mm. This is a good thing--I've been planning for and anticipating this all through the building process. It means that I'll be able to lower the action, in a very controlled way, to get it to the exact place I want before gluing in the soundboard.<br />
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In order to lower the action at the 8th fret by 0.2mm, I'll need to lower the edge rib by about 3 times that amount--somewhere around 0.5 or 0.6mm. It's hard to say exactly; all a person can do is start shaving it down, lowering it a little, then taping the belly back in, and checking the action.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteLMdkCFr9D1jZNDgBZHy3XISCuoNPOXXwtqATvu9y9VV_ssyV8g2lJUASZMwHMdfYeokiKE9hhXvRpcWfgOgMQeHmcMnjLZkQIpkfG-qJJ2-GqZZSlGWpr0D4tSMJIseIJBxKNcraOs/s1600/IMG_20191119_132821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteLMdkCFr9D1jZNDgBZHy3XISCuoNPOXXwtqATvu9y9VV_ssyV8g2lJUASZMwHMdfYeokiKE9hhXvRpcWfgOgMQeHmcMnjLZkQIpkfG-qJJ2-GqZZSlGWpr0D4tSMJIseIJBxKNcraOs/s640/IMG_20191119_132821.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To give a little visual guidance, I use a marking gauge with a sharpened pencil lead to mark a line about 1mm away from the edge, all the way around the bowl.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC80vhdh7l9GtqGkqYW9o6C_r6Zjjxgei009-lu_OC27SI679csNnnSjgpqnD4bWuk0C41iyVA1XvL86fhsL1Wx2qSja7RjfDkagvgzrdf5mBgrXRQ676qTFfdXEx0Pjc10Wn7Wp8XwU/s640/IMG_20191119_134041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I get out my low-angle block plane and get to work. Most of the material I remove will come from around the location of the bridge--say, the bottom third of the body.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC80vhdh7l9GtqGkqYW9o6C_r6Zjjxgei009-lu_OC27SI679csNnnSjgpqnD4bWuk0C41iyVA1XvL86fhsL1Wx2qSja7RjfDkagvgzrdf5mBgrXRQ676qTFfdXEx0Pjc10Wn7Wp8XwU/s1600/IMG_20191119_134041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclHxBkoTTO2rHyBW07oFNsyUZD1ztRp0ZKIkAfBAV6C41r9OMTertGUwRJzZtUebcnpmFOe680864at8BSzoPf3PfDyRzRv2UsViELA4TrhPkPy6klUHrEWNYxXXpgNLHSQLR7-zScA8/s1600/IMG_20191119_134423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclHxBkoTTO2rHyBW07oFNsyUZD1ztRp0ZKIkAfBAV6C41r9OMTertGUwRJzZtUebcnpmFOe680864at8BSzoPf3PfDyRzRv2UsViELA4TrhPkPy6klUHrEWNYxXXpgNLHSQLR7-zScA8/s640/IMG_20191119_134423.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I come up around the sides, I'm looking to blend in with the curve already planed in the edge rib (the 'belly scoop'--see <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_12.html" target="_blank">episode 2</a>), including the curves that I've just made on each side of the top block.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFtzeIHCwPOTqy5XOzUbnOLCDIa0Xbl7ZLaPYI1fbKefHIgB47HAuhv1CXMFVoekINPGrjBzf-SPzSsfw90jVMme7wldzEq64IM_RBgRG5KTzWqpZOhdLPW5sa1NbNU5QPIcbKmRxLvw/s1600/IMG_20191119_135955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFtzeIHCwPOTqy5XOzUbnOLCDIa0Xbl7ZLaPYI1fbKefHIgB47HAuhv1CXMFVoekINPGrjBzf-SPzSsfw90jVMme7wldzEq64IM_RBgRG5KTzWqpZOhdLPW5sa1NbNU5QPIcbKmRxLvw/s640/IMG_20191119_135955.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use the sanding stick to blend in the work I've done with the block plane, and make nice, even transitions all the way around.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJGv1ZeITDizpSmwHYtxh4jGwL66L6IJgpiaW8OyMwJ8Ueq-7nc0obTYGthewTDRnEo2cNgBakD4leilY7JTX0IPKCM4CbbKEUmN_eCaf_TzZbW8YVQb5OGjvdnuBPKvFblPN6xo1lBE/s1600/IMG_20191119_154000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJGv1ZeITDizpSmwHYtxh4jGwL66L6IJgpiaW8OyMwJ8Ueq-7nc0obTYGthewTDRnEo2cNgBakD4leilY7JTX0IPKCM4CbbKEUmN_eCaf_TzZbW8YVQb5OGjvdnuBPKvFblPN6xo1lBE/s640/IMG_20191119_154000.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">The only way to get a clear look at my progress is to tape the belly in place, and check the action. I will do this two or three times--removing some material from the edge rib, taping in the belly, and checking--before I get the action to the place I want. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfId03lMSPRQ2D8Rzb2dl6RKCA3el4erkg5hkuw4Ub6k470VhQk3vIsG6JKSrV_ICI10nXIkAJY8Olqff8B-5Esko4twBQJ92kwd1j2jYsm2XUIxgQ-r8bZmgJSZ-wMXbw-PqIfkUnn98/s1600/IMG_20191119_153306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfId03lMSPRQ2D8Rzb2dl6RKCA3el4erkg5hkuw4Ub6k470VhQk3vIsG6JKSrV_ICI10nXIkAJY8Olqff8B-5Esko4twBQJ92kwd1j2jYsm2XUIxgQ-r8bZmgJSZ-wMXbw-PqIfkUnn98/s640/IMG_20191119_153306.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to make sure the action has come down equally on both sides, there is still a good belly scoop, and the curves and contours I've shaped into the edge rib are smoothly integrated. It's tough to show this in a photo; here's my best effort.</span></div>
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I think this is a good point to leave things for today. There are still about a dozen little jobs to do before I can glue in the belly; I'll show them all next time, and I'll show how I glue the belly in as well. This episode has not been the most spectacular or dramatic, perhaps, but I trust it's shown the kind of detail and concentration needed to bring together a lot of different strands of the building process. What I've shown in this post is essential work in creating a playable instrument.<br />
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Happy new year, everyone!<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-6899547023795593232019-12-14T23:37:00.000-08:002019-12-14T23:49:17.659-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 11: Gluing the Bridge to the Belly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome back. In today's instalment of the series, I'll be gluing the newly-made bridge to the belly of the 13 course lute that's under construction in my workshop. I do this job first thing in the morning, in a warm workshop that has a relative humidity of around 42-43%. I use fresh hide glue, which I've begun soaking the day before. I'm well-rested, alert, and ready to do my best work; and to ensure the best chance of creating a strong glued joint, I should have the work finished before lunch time. Here we go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_2RKitu4sDqFJVyOI4xd7RIXe_7pNiDYLtoPkB3a6mJqNWOW5XGjHUgLCDtTd5w7viElI9aEELcKcFlNP9g3qKnh4EYRQvyJkD1vlSVZlp2w2J96JDMpepmfFXaSzDYveyiUR5HT-Q0/s1600/IMG_20191106_130707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_2RKitu4sDqFJVyOI4xd7RIXe_7pNiDYLtoPkB3a6mJqNWOW5XGjHUgLCDtTd5w7viElI9aEELcKcFlNP9g3qKnh4EYRQvyJkD1vlSVZlp2w2J96JDMpepmfFXaSzDYveyiUR5HT-Q0/s640/IMG_20191106_130707.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you've been following the series so far, you will know that I've previously fitted the braced belly into the body, and located on the belly the exact position of the bridge. You'll recall, too, that I marked that position with two pin pricks in the belly (and blackened them lightly with the sharp tip of a pencil), one at each end of the bridge's string band. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQbTBSW1jOBInHWTVs2pD_lC8scmYeNHD13Ti4OF8aaPo_EKPZWrADNZljp2fYMlAzJn2qy52LzJumU4Is6fIUWtwY83NTdLnbjrL21A4HFxwMmxtEd8VZjpUiVAQ5FwDJmZasHtBVgg/s1600/IMG_20191106_130245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQbTBSW1jOBInHWTVs2pD_lC8scmYeNHD13Ti4OF8aaPo_EKPZWrADNZljp2fYMlAzJn2qy52LzJumU4Is6fIUWtwY83NTdLnbjrL21A4HFxwMmxtEd8VZjpUiVAQ5FwDJmZasHtBVgg/s320/IMG_20191106_130245.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEbttCE6cK8sLrf8b6nRcMVjtHbg1l9xN_DuMqTalIdE1nTLWE0l4-oUo89sxt5t_SJbWHSi0CHeuvo3JefAVJ-Pu99pxGJl-HfX6H7WjpeUVbUbn8S28l_Zubey7OlYk4YkYGzALl2w/s1600/IMG_20191106_130354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEbttCE6cK8sLrf8b6nRcMVjtHbg1l9xN_DuMqTalIdE1nTLWE0l4-oUo89sxt5t_SJbWHSi0CHeuvo3JefAVJ-Pu99pxGJl-HfX6H7WjpeUVbUbn8S28l_Zubey7OlYk4YkYGzALl2w/s320/IMG_20191106_130354.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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All that's been wanting is the bridge, and now that that's ready to go, I can prep it, and the belly, and and stick the two together. I have a couple of things to do to prepare the belly.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Dg2pYbKrKVv4RajpRPxW4WSMOsNA0FSOQkFTkObs28diSpRkwN0uycfTADNaEJvLYnlaqT92BxtF1SZIZUW7VrhhTv8LqK4QNj60U70wLeSEAAje6j12LfISWtvCYs24gY-PmsGSu18/s1600/IMG_20191106_133713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Dg2pYbKrKVv4RajpRPxW4WSMOsNA0FSOQkFTkObs28diSpRkwN0uycfTADNaEJvLYnlaqT92BxtF1SZIZUW7VrhhTv8LqK4QNj60U70wLeSEAAje6j12LfISWtvCYs24gY-PmsGSu18/s640/IMG_20191106_133713.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, with a couple of small pieces of double-sided tape I stick a caul to the back side of the belly, exactly opposite the bridge. As you can see, it covers a fairly large area, and I've cut recesses in it so it fits over the tips of the treble bars (that's where the treble end of the bridge will end up.)</span></td></tr>
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The caul is the same one I used to glue the ebony cap to the bridge <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/12/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">in my last episode</a>. As I described there, the caul has a slight curve planed into it--about 1mm across its entire length--which meant that I was able to build that amount of curve into the bridge itself. Now, I'll use the same caul to ensure that the curvature is maintained when I stick the bridge on the belly.<br />
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If you go back even further in this series, to the episode where <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_10.html" target="_blank">I glued the braces on the belly</a>, you'll see that I also used shaped cauls under the belly to glue the first couple of bars above the bridge with a similar amount of curvature. The purpose of all of this curviness--this very slight doming of the belly at the bridge and above it--will, I hope, become clear in the next episode (so please stay tuned!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y5ddLbLxQdVn0UuOYPO5QUkL1UdXgbpfn6lRoqxB3lR9IMumUN-k9MWz6FzxAvry9JJYTJnq3TTWrYMVYZAO4Ff5jM2-2s9Xcd4gZzRKA4kK25quVpyNIkafsRUOSKUfqiK-vZ0lLJA/s1600/IMG_20191106_140915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y5ddLbLxQdVn0UuOYPO5QUkL1UdXgbpfn6lRoqxB3lR9IMumUN-k9MWz6FzxAvry9JJYTJnq3TTWrYMVYZAO4Ff5jM2-2s9Xcd4gZzRKA4kK25quVpyNIkafsRUOSKUfqiK-vZ0lLJA/s640/IMG_20191106_140915.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The second thing I do to prep the belly is give it a light scraping with a very sharp scraper in the area where the bridge will be glued, not to remove much material, but simply to remove the oxidized and dusty layer and refresh the gluing surface. (The pin location marks I made on the belly will still be visible after this scraping.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6o724aPOBXXQTD-UGvnZPPi4b6Ce5eYJ0Ow_TfwsfEOmA2LowaZtFWSWMLvbD2_xbKQvUt9WmRinrcMqAkDf_5NyyIF0IqKrseX7GC_6pINdMB3ea-hH7g-6-Hd_C-XKGSckCvenqng/s1600/IMG_20191106_132636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6o724aPOBXXQTD-UGvnZPPi4b6Ce5eYJ0Ow_TfwsfEOmA2LowaZtFWSWMLvbD2_xbKQvUt9WmRinrcMqAkDf_5NyyIF0IqKrseX7GC_6pINdMB3ea-hH7g-6-Hd_C-XKGSckCvenqng/s640/IMG_20191106_132636.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I can go on to prepping the bridge. First, I shorten the ends a little. The original of this bridge, on the Paris Schelle, has ends that are cut short, and perhaps at one point had separate tips made from another material. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSiRitqrxkGuZmgmNVY1lb9WckHu4dcwsMlKpqDl23_SMz62-sc0DGFU2SZXwVybnFXTb3QIQ6iSvu8vvOE_-h8vOVHi6zgt3TbirLkzbUoKS5H3B5hS41A8q8yKIh2memH6troLJHew/s1600/IMG_20191106_132646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSiRitqrxkGuZmgmNVY1lb9WckHu4dcwsMlKpqDl23_SMz62-sc0DGFU2SZXwVybnFXTb3QIQ6iSvu8vvOE_-h8vOVHi6zgt3TbirLkzbUoKS5H3B5hS41A8q8yKIh2memH6troLJHew/s640/IMG_20191106_132646.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mine will have ebony tips that I'll add after the bridge has been glued. </span> </td></tr>
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Then, as I did with the belly, I refresh the gluing surface of the bridge. I've handled the bridge a fair bit throughout the process of carving it, and inevitably some oil and grime from my hands has transferred to the underside. In addition, though I was quite careful not to get any finishing oil on the bottom surface, I want to make sure that any residual bits are gone from the edges of the gluing surface. Just as with the belly, I need to remove a thin layer of material on the bottom of the bridge to expose fresh wood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalIYvUN_a7KPXiiiPpT9NVq7xS6K5rB9DzslMTPxe6pQ-WpxStpkfC1EJn8H36VqIrsqIBkLy14r65t2rFyJkoMbkXU7BytQ49x4FbA-z6uQtoajRwO1-VH7i-PG476X4_QvFLdDxsug/s1600/IMG_20191106_140422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalIYvUN_a7KPXiiiPpT9NVq7xS6K5rB9DzslMTPxe6pQ-WpxStpkfC1EJn8H36VqIrsqIBkLy14r65t2rFyJkoMbkXU7BytQ49x4FbA-z6uQtoajRwO1-VH7i-PG476X4_QvFLdDxsug/s640/IMG_20191106_140422.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how it's done: by running the bottom of the bridge across the #5 bench plane, upturned in the vice. The blade is freshly sharpened and very closely set, and I move the bridge over it slowly and steadily. </span></td></tr>
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In the previous post, I mentioned that I wanted to keep track of the best direction for planing the bottom surface of the bridge (I actually drew an arrow in pencil on it to remind me.) This is why.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3RTScbvLGhPbvbBbkaSn9vo7_netVPgtVJTE21XexDj2ZLYlCy_wBjxemcAhkpiRBwX0nodXc9HpyE4JAjGV2X6kEHckH5apaIVvfiD7vCMI-rE3fXtcRq4NuJ8Xn8fXqc7y7lxEHdQ/s1600/IMG_20191106_140653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3RTScbvLGhPbvbBbkaSn9vo7_netVPgtVJTE21XexDj2ZLYlCy_wBjxemcAhkpiRBwX0nodXc9HpyE4JAjGV2X6kEHckH5apaIVvfiD7vCMI-rE3fXtcRq4NuJ8Xn8fXqc7y7lxEHdQ/s640/IMG_20191106_140653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I've done my work well, I should be able to pick up a single curled shaving from the workshop floor, unfurl it, and see that I've removed a thin, even layer of material from the bottom of the bridge. Both gluing surfaces, the belly and the bridge, are now prepared, and I can begin the process of gluing up.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU7guefTg_kCcWUNbtuceXEJFXKTXQ_JyYTDuvAkwapzB_dhd-4soTvgY50YL1Gp8jWdb3nQRlj_KFds-1-JiPYJ08BXGhLJNbzVy9ojTBPMZCIDcj2UAqlNBvwUwj3MFWyx9z0-QzpY/s1600/IMG_20191106_134053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU7guefTg_kCcWUNbtuceXEJFXKTXQ_JyYTDuvAkwapzB_dhd-4soTvgY50YL1Gp8jWdb3nQRlj_KFds-1-JiPYJ08BXGhLJNbzVy9ojTBPMZCIDcj2UAqlNBvwUwj3MFWyx9z0-QzpY/s640/IMG_20191106_134053.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I lay out a double layer of masking tape, and cut it into triangle shapes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtB9mcqxkOACjKjXxFoE1xlYS8F8p3JJHT4e9az9nVP9dzEcKJSHZ3pwmRV62dBaeRX2wR5JTgsrgMmcmIqS9NqKkx4V-0g5afhNMEzWvJMFFVT9QKNp3cTEoAAbgNDq-4QrwPT8JvG7k/s1600/IMG_20191106_134205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtB9mcqxkOACjKjXxFoE1xlYS8F8p3JJHT4e9az9nVP9dzEcKJSHZ3pwmRV62dBaeRX2wR5JTgsrgMmcmIqS9NqKkx4V-0g5afhNMEzWvJMFFVT9QKNp3cTEoAAbgNDq-4QrwPT8JvG7k/s640/IMG_20191106_134205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I lift them and fold one corner over. I'll use these to locate the bridge for gluing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtJEC1u6sipPnFn3AVVNUnWCmWIyUEVtUzZOuOelSv9saLiJS4wljt083yBh6EM1APQgD3UEAbWX7IXQg8IDjGkNb3xkgAOTd0pZodh03mnJMlrh05kDSPCzz97oeekC0v4vng0OIntw/s1600/IMG_20191106_141133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtJEC1u6sipPnFn3AVVNUnWCmWIyUEVtUzZOuOelSv9saLiJS4wljt083yBh6EM1APQgD3UEAbWX7IXQg8IDjGkNb3xkgAOTd0pZodh03mnJMlrh05kDSPCzz97oeekC0v4vng0OIntw/s640/IMG_20191106_141133.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I position the bridge very carefully over my pin marks. I can't possibly show in a photo what my eye sees when I'm doing this: front edge of the bridge is set exactly upon the pin mark, and the pin marks are directly under the single first course and bass-side 13th course string holes. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi1Z72moQzF4kw2lVM73CbpFyI3Gpz7IVJwp5QGYprIKoHtTff-s8PW_6LmBkjIuqgg2jn-rH7hU1gyIf9azm1i6Xz1d7yTfgsvLIyMYv8aTUl-6nswWfOJPCjoh_DyBLOLZsonMZW4c/s1600/IMG_20191106_141609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi1Z72moQzF4kw2lVM73CbpFyI3Gpz7IVJwp5QGYprIKoHtTff-s8PW_6LmBkjIuqgg2jn-rH7hU1gyIf9azm1i6Xz1d7yTfgsvLIyMYv8aTUl-6nswWfOJPCjoh_DyBLOLZsonMZW4c/s640/IMG_20191106_141609.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Holding the bridge in place, I can then bring in my locator tabs. The double-thickness of masking tape will provide a positive stop when I want to get the glued bridge into position.</span></td></tr>
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I can't really stop to photograph the stages of actual gluing, because it goes very quickly once I am ready. Instead, I'll show some shots of my dry-runs, which should give a pretty clear idea. Have I mentioned dry runs before? They're the best thing ever. For a process like the one I'm about to do, which has a number of discrete steps (none of which I want to omit), it's a great way to get the process out of my mind and into my hands. I might practice this gluing-up process a half-dozen times, making sure I know exactly how many clamps I'll need, where I can set them so that they're close at hand, where my glue pot should be, et cetera. All the while, I'm keeping an eye on my glue, which I am now bringing up to the optimum temperature and consistency. In a while, all of these different strands of the work converge, and my brain gives the order to go--and what has been a up to now a dry run, suddenly becomes the real thing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrRas6_wLGKhkEZVGQ2GmvcsvecD9-ujKNhz72iJ4dXKFHzH_ZOfkKmnRj2m8OYG0mxzP23925ojZ-brxpxIZ-SFUxRwVAJ1E0A6jch5ntctwvGjWQYDRFMzhd4KJBmKPd21HePlau7I/s1600/IMG_20191106_142040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrRas6_wLGKhkEZVGQ2GmvcsvecD9-ujKNhz72iJ4dXKFHzH_ZOfkKmnRj2m8OYG0mxzP23925ojZ-brxpxIZ-SFUxRwVAJ1E0A6jch5ntctwvGjWQYDRFMzhd4KJBmKPd21HePlau7I/s640/IMG_20191106_142040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I warm the belly and the bridge with a hair dryer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQoO8rXOXl2jrg6aDi27CoD8CC3cuzVpa0RH8rutbq0SvTbRcbqNhdNpbK29Razw82WEDJFYu6S4tzKOVuoe5yNz76TWPcB_gO1LESdz6Fl2APv9RSO69IBIE0bTlV5iekkreTCovmw8/s1600/IMG_20191106_142157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQoO8rXOXl2jrg6aDi27CoD8CC3cuzVpa0RH8rutbq0SvTbRcbqNhdNpbK29Razw82WEDJFYu6S4tzKOVuoe5yNz76TWPcB_gO1LESdz6Fl2APv9RSO69IBIE0bTlV5iekkreTCovmw8/s640/IMG_20191106_142157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I brush hot glue on the bottom of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza8s6gOp1p6tug9fe_IagsRJiuwbKQr7U3Xw-Ve4YqDvUhPsXf8g2TbYhbw1uItjSDvTizDfFhFIMo2u309rLQ9fTYbg-R7ZO32gsyVb6rXXB0NoINqR_RwQjQ-oWLRxKmnxnI2p6BXY/s1600/IMG_20191106_141802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza8s6gOp1p6tug9fe_IagsRJiuwbKQr7U3Xw-Ve4YqDvUhPsXf8g2TbYhbw1uItjSDvTizDfFhFIMo2u309rLQ9fTYbg-R7ZO32gsyVb6rXXB0NoINqR_RwQjQ-oWLRxKmnxnI2p6BXY/s640/IMG_20191106_141802.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I stick the bridge down, and squadge it about slightly to ensure good contact and to bring it into position against the stops. Then I put cam clamps at each end of the central part of the bridge (i.e., not on the finials), and partially tighten them. (To tighten them fully at this point might risk pulling the bridge out of position.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZfKsKTf5moFrizfzy-Wbn0XRqaXdffH825F6FfyoRZf9WGEKK2DffzvmGp6wTbEXnDOIwBmNop8yLk4HO8fplX0pu66hyDTCZyDwj4NErQ6PRWTk3-JvAcO8jTHDr_oXAjkr7xSKrO8/s1600/IMG_20191106_141841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZfKsKTf5moFrizfzy-Wbn0XRqaXdffH825F6FfyoRZf9WGEKK2DffzvmGp6wTbEXnDOIwBmNop8yLk4HO8fplX0pu66hyDTCZyDwj4NErQ6PRWTk3-JvAcO8jTHDr_oXAjkr7xSKrO8/s640/IMG_20191106_141841.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I move the rest of my cam clamps into position, tightening each one partially. All these partly-tightened clamps give enough pressure so that the bridge will not move, so now it is safe for me to go ahead and tighten them all up.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5U08nGPK2iDsnIAfwT3mSNf9OqyblffoxySrC_lxcwW8_trbo_cYq_79IKnXTwe2MppCXN01fCcOcXZ8flC2wlu4k7YR6UQ-R9zKuGMYm4wlevaH6nRsQn5n-747-3nRvQP9wvzvI3g/s1600/IMG_20191106_142451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5U08nGPK2iDsnIAfwT3mSNf9OqyblffoxySrC_lxcwW8_trbo_cYq_79IKnXTwe2MppCXN01fCcOcXZ8flC2wlu4k7YR6UQ-R9zKuGMYm4wlevaH6nRsQn5n-747-3nRvQP9wvzvI3g/s640/IMG_20191106_142451.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And there it is. I can't imagine that the whole gluing process takes much more than a minute--maybe closer to 30 seconds. If I'm well-prepared, it happens very quickly.</span></td></tr>
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Now I can set this aside, and go on to other work for the rest of my day.<br />
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Next morning, I remove the clamps, and remove the locator tapes and glue squeeze-out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXx0_mAyw_TEakRiT3xe4_qJpibCdiwj2vuoE80JftIRSxG1MmHoVLHmlYECjTch2htmjkHPBjme3XDC4Shl38nJtElP7T4VMAl3dKciVPqK7OSH51_wzgsIMOJckru_yznRlqkpWWXU/s1600/IMG_20191107_120208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXx0_mAyw_TEakRiT3xe4_qJpibCdiwj2vuoE80JftIRSxG1MmHoVLHmlYECjTch2htmjkHPBjme3XDC4Shl38nJtElP7T4VMAl3dKciVPqK7OSH51_wzgsIMOJckru_yznRlqkpWWXU/s640/IMG_20191107_120208.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I do with other hide-glue cleanup jobs, I wet the glue with a brush, and then apply wetted paper towel on top of the glue. I like this method better than continually brushing on water: the towel holds the water in contact with the glue, and keeps it from evaporating or soaking away. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRu9eF8ZbXXkuIjQFUnmEdpOs86-OZNcaUt42aR8_uR9GxJuojDrpoGzWENgMNiIabm_9XTS2ARDlfbPqgIdsWuYaBYFYCP-w5JVNuFuw8u00Y8Kmho2CG1ouSuBPqMNPbvNekx1XxzxE/s1600/IMG_20191107_122801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRu9eF8ZbXXkuIjQFUnmEdpOs86-OZNcaUt42aR8_uR9GxJuojDrpoGzWENgMNiIabm_9XTS2ARDlfbPqgIdsWuYaBYFYCP-w5JVNuFuw8u00Y8Kmho2CG1ouSuBPqMNPbvNekx1XxzxE/s640/IMG_20191107_122801.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">In about 10 or 15 minutes, the glue is softened enough for me to remove it with a sharpened stick.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9ltxej4n4R6Zg_Pb0kHCG0Z4hkooPDiZ_85RObq1zOsfrznECMSYd9oLOyKgkjgMUdAMtLF3rc4MBme_xq2Lk5O5yqNX7ASvYOO2cV2uJliRmpi6JCYHvjMP5j_giuJ6XoA_fh3Kqn4/s1600/IMG_20191107_124756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9ltxej4n4R6Zg_Pb0kHCG0Z4hkooPDiZ_85RObq1zOsfrznECMSYd9oLOyKgkjgMUdAMtLF3rc4MBme_xq2Lk5O5yqNX7ASvYOO2cV2uJliRmpi6JCYHvjMP5j_giuJ6XoA_fh3Kqn4/s640/IMG_20191107_124756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll let this dry for another day, before fitting and gluing the ebony tips.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OEeGkp5walH5Gq59ReX57J9VVFmjcqbwhEzPP82bb3QOdVLuf7dCj5taUf6TLg7pS22e7xuTYtdtLLZPVzWea2YuRFgUcwzVGOK91OaLRKtuDTQhoA4wFUvEk5JuzfznQMhhsPnKrCg/s1600/IMG_20191107_164200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OEeGkp5walH5Gq59ReX57J9VVFmjcqbwhEzPP82bb3QOdVLuf7dCj5taUf6TLg7pS22e7xuTYtdtLLZPVzWea2YuRFgUcwzVGOK91OaLRKtuDTQhoA4wFUvEk5JuzfznQMhhsPnKrCg/s640/IMG_20191107_164200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here's how I do that: put a locator tape to the side, and shape the end of an ebony stick to fit and match the profile.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuqtvg86M_UKADnRuGZiR5KD6v6RtPbII1VI6tp9dTSvok4d5ZzmjbGBCW7e8t2sPqFZrY8hnEfg7woX_IROJ-xszVF9JKtzniu9V07mcxHtPChF4RHJHwyv_2wlQwnSt6pdrzP3dXMI/s1600/IMG_20191108_123040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuqtvg86M_UKADnRuGZiR5KD6v6RtPbII1VI6tp9dTSvok4d5ZzmjbGBCW7e8t2sPqFZrY8hnEfg7woX_IROJ-xszVF9JKtzniu9V07mcxHtPChF4RHJHwyv_2wlQwnSt6pdrzP3dXMI/s640/IMG_20191108_123040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like this. (I'm not quite there yet.) When the piece is shaped, I cut it to length, and stick it on with hide glue.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrriL2YZbRFJ_PM2aIH-1qeGW2Cl7EWjYg3p_MTBKs2RLfvFg4NFphVKzbB7vzx5bTi4sOEm4r8uFtMEZnMGDPikVL05hUJFYwvrcJV7pEjUZr5xNGvyYMgP_CtRbFPVkrKuvFn1WjkOg/s1600/IMG_20191108_152255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrriL2YZbRFJ_PM2aIH-1qeGW2Cl7EWjYg3p_MTBKs2RLfvFg4NFphVKzbB7vzx5bTi4sOEm4r8uFtMEZnMGDPikVL05hUJFYwvrcJV7pEjUZr5xNGvyYMgP_CtRbFPVkrKuvFn1WjkOg/s640/IMG_20191108_152255.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moderate pressure from a cam clamp will keep them in place. They are not structural in any way, only decorative, so the routine for gluing them in place is a bit less... regimented than for the bridge itself.</span></td></tr>
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And that is all for this job, and for this week on the blog. Next time out, I'll talk about gluing and shaping the particular piece of sitka spruce that's responsible for all of these curves and arches. Here's a sneak peek:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7l2csk2pM-oyZZqq8xq4l8E3caJFBVxPInDASAjBIQii3UvhuiX1uWkxwu8zlT2rS_7J7UWrdo034x5fApxwfXIyoN6SVgPsMbE0LBJvtg0VWrL8gK3aRZu8t1o90NljM3OqzvZUMLnI/s1600/IMG_20191112_141130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7l2csk2pM-oyZZqq8xq4l8E3caJFBVxPInDASAjBIQii3UvhuiX1uWkxwu8zlT2rS_7J7UWrdo034x5fApxwfXIyoN6SVgPsMbE0LBJvtg0VWrL8gK3aRZu8t1o90NljM3OqzvZUMLnI/s640/IMG_20191112_141130.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Until we meet again!<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-2622942670967223022019-12-07T15:30:00.000-08:002019-12-08T12:25:45.021-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 10: Making the BridgeHi there. Today, a small, crucial, highly-detailed and finicky item, the bridge.<br />
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My favourite material for making bridges is plum. I search high and low for it, and good quality stuff is perhaps surprisingly not easy to find. The tree grows everywhere, but most of what I see for sale has such twist in the log that it's impossible to use for anything but the smallest items--tuning pegs (if I'm lucky), or more likely end buttons. Most of what I've seen could, sadly, be best used as firewood.<br />
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Yet every once in a while a log or a board will come my way that has enough straight growth in it that I can use it for bridges. For a bridge blank, I need a width of about 20mm (that's the dimension that's quartered), a height or thickness of about 12mm, and a length of around 200mm (depending on the number of courses and length of the bridge.) If I find such a log or board, I covet it, and cut it very carefully to yield as many bridge blanks as possible. Only the best, straightest sections of it go for bridges; smaller pieces will be used for pegs. (For this purpose not only is it beautiful to the eye, it also turns well, and is stable over time and wears well in the peg box.)<br />
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The main reason I like it for bridges is that it is one of the most beautiful sounding woods I have ever heard. If you get the chance, tap a couple of pieces together, and listen. Plum makes a magical, bell-like sound that is both pure and rich, and I want that sound to be part of every lute I build. Every piece of wood in the instrument has its own beauty of tone to bring, but they are all different, like different beautiful voices in a choir. The best choirs blend those sounds into a single voice, and the result is greater than the sum of the parts. That's what I hope, and want, for my instruments.<br />
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And so to work.<br />
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(By the way, the model I'm using for this bridge is from the 13 course lute of 1727 by Sebastian Schelle, in the Cité de la Musique in Paris. You might see a photo of it in one or two of the photos in this blog post. This lute also serves as the model for many of the features of the peg box, as we shall eventually see.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CamvOehPfsEJdysTxOrehjRNgr6YUmQY-3wBcNLYsbPmFqce_TlnFd01tfS8zd9B3zaPRa2R6r3AfGX9Iz6_rokYfRvihUBFc3nj70U2Pb95z6Cm1KNeplqW7o06Vz5gvGZQwQaeRhk/s1600/IMG_20190925_124149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CamvOehPfsEJdysTxOrehjRNgr6YUmQY-3wBcNLYsbPmFqce_TlnFd01tfS8zd9B3zaPRa2R6r3AfGX9Iz6_rokYfRvihUBFc3nj70U2Pb95z6Cm1KNeplqW7o06Vz5gvGZQwQaeRhk/s640/IMG_20190925_124149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my blank. I've flattened the bottom first, with my low-angle block plane. If you look carefully at the photo, you will see on the right end of the blank that I've drawn an arrow in pencil--this marks the best planing direction for this piece. As you'll see if you tune into the next episode, I will want to know that direction later, after the bridge is finished, and I'm ready to glue the bridge on the belly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu6yUiJPtkq3QBkI8H-D1WTkoH8li4YE8fL2PnDzRFQRBHipewEmQtDzPRu6wA9jEuPBSYRd_5Xzwa6tlfJu0tbIbJKOKfVjxs_Rv8iwfiWOMHF5mwRcspDp5JclRhpoEzaK249T3I2k/s1600/IMG_20190925_130338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu6yUiJPtkq3QBkI8H-D1WTkoH8li4YE8fL2PnDzRFQRBHipewEmQtDzPRu6wA9jEuPBSYRd_5Xzwa6tlfJu0tbIbJKOKfVjxs_Rv8iwfiWOMHF5mwRcspDp5JclRhpoEzaK249T3I2k/s640/IMG_20190925_130338.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here I'm shooting the front edge of the bridge. I want it straight and perpendicular to the bottom surface.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcBzuDUB6YAHMqbN-KeTVQXFxpKS6V6-A4HxVwbw9Aq1PfZijB0pc-iMuxPoden2J9N07lH2BlL2H8t18V8ULDWKKY1ofAIvtbAUh9DnkhDXoQ2mtHrjF7ZqV5tWiVXaDaUyzmqZ5sMk/s1600/IMG_20190925_130426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcBzuDUB6YAHMqbN-KeTVQXFxpKS6V6-A4HxVwbw9Aq1PfZijB0pc-iMuxPoden2J9N07lH2BlL2H8t18V8ULDWKKY1ofAIvtbAUh9DnkhDXoQ2mtHrjF7ZqV5tWiVXaDaUyzmqZ5sMk/s640/IMG_20190925_130426.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've got those two surfaces, I can begin marking out the length and width(s) of the bridge. Like most if not all lute bridges from the period, this one tapers from bass to treble end...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2QYwW0tjT7C2Tp-OR7KYXW8hjdeoFayGUOn2XkjU-NbgaUTQJvKoyb0I9TmesId_1SnSDYPdGzgZ4VQRv3WfbYBTWR3wqxPXJynwOb-vdGeGey1U3scglct2iAyQYbyMTxQWwclR8rE/s1600/IMG_20190925_140213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2QYwW0tjT7C2Tp-OR7KYXW8hjdeoFayGUOn2XkjU-NbgaUTQJvKoyb0I9TmesId_1SnSDYPdGzgZ4VQRv3WfbYBTWR3wqxPXJynwOb-vdGeGey1U3scglct2iAyQYbyMTxQWwclR8rE/s640/IMG_20190925_140213.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...as you see here. I've now got bottom surface (facing up), and front and back sides.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8ONuP6fZkDPYgJtl6DzDAbAXwDnh3t0fH9weF_nFjL6dUmTrTmC05oSAGfbcQZ3eIzftYMaDieOQ1koo5uhe044PRh20Hpl3u9wyrv7L7nrC5e3suHiIFBHa9s4wscRgTKzlZbsuu2g/s1600/IMG_20190925_141407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8ONuP6fZkDPYgJtl6DzDAbAXwDnh3t0fH9weF_nFjL6dUmTrTmC05oSAGfbcQZ3eIzftYMaDieOQ1koo5uhe044PRh20Hpl3u9wyrv7L7nrC5e3suHiIFBHa9s4wscRgTKzlZbsuu2g/s640/IMG_20190925_141407.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now the top. I set the piece in this jig, which allows me to plane a slope into the top surface with my low-angle block plane. (Again, the back-to-front slope is characteristic of most authentic lute bridges.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj4P0yHWsdvLOjxxypVdiKpO0AzMqCHbefpXc0UMLLwzbja1jLgO1Af6kXZfHAb4oHnVbVPdrOcPx8cf4VXORy12tMeb76Y2c5wm2eN7F6n9_EifZSFTcD1mMfl4_Y4egPF9vZ6kME5k/s1600/IMG_20190925_141539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj4P0yHWsdvLOjxxypVdiKpO0AzMqCHbefpXc0UMLLwzbja1jLgO1Af6kXZfHAb4oHnVbVPdrOcPx8cf4VXORy12tMeb76Y2c5wm2eN7F6n9_EifZSFTcD1mMfl4_Y4egPF9vZ6kME5k/s640/IMG_20190925_141539.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a look at the jig. There's a slot or edge on each side of it, allowing me to plane the sloped top surface (on the left side) and the sloped back edge (on the right side, as you will see in a minute.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEizivgjBK_gK_YCAVtOMoSZuCquXMa4YbRNv1qshkyrsxNFsNoznQbhWE34uWo9mzwj0Q6nOmWUJseTu75kJm2DKVmAzR3yNl3_WCxGjJ6cK9xS1m8P1S_3iro2lFTprrUoFjjakct4I/s1600/IMG_20190926_134317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEizivgjBK_gK_YCAVtOMoSZuCquXMa4YbRNv1qshkyrsxNFsNoznQbhWE34uWo9mzwj0Q6nOmWUJseTu75kJm2DKVmAzR3yNl3_WCxGjJ6cK9xS1m8P1S_3iro2lFTprrUoFjjakct4I/s640/IMG_20190926_134317.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like the original, this bridge is going to have an ebony cap, that's slightly more than a millimetre thick. If you take a close look at the photo, you see a sloped, cork-lined caul on the top (the slope matches the slope I've planed into the top surface); below that, a piece of plexiglas as a non-stick liner for the caul; below that, the ebony veneer; below that, the bridge itself; below that, a caul with a gentle curve of about 1mm planed into its length. At each end there are two aluminum pins, which allow me to locate the plexiglas, veneer, and bridge.</span></td></tr>
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It occurs to me that interested readers might have one or two questions about what I've just described. Please feel free to leave them in the comments section at the bottom. I will anticipate one here: why do I place a caul underneath everything that has a 1mm curve planed into its length? Answer: I want this bridge to have a slight curve or crown to it, and the best way to ensure that it does is to incorporate it at this stage, when I'm gluing the veneer to to the top. When I remove the bridge from the cauls and clamps, that curve will be there, built-in. As you'll see when I describe gluing the bridge to the belly in the next episode, I will incorporate the curve into that gluing procedure (and if you remember <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_10.html" target="_blank">my description of gluing the braces on the belly in the 7th episode of this series</a>, I did the same thing then.) All will become clear in the fullness of time, I pledge it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9E1kP7V0eHqUWPBdLddbCtv-x1LkBnf2OyS_5aGuyFpXRdgpvpN6ftjZ4enhKvEb0K3qgV7uMMbjh4IKKSWOstPtJcb-yMNVkQGi4xF2RuXX8cWnpl0K-Z_87YRS-nO2jVdqOfkgFKY/s1600/IMG_20190926_142650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9E1kP7V0eHqUWPBdLddbCtv-x1LkBnf2OyS_5aGuyFpXRdgpvpN6ftjZ4enhKvEb0K3qgV7uMMbjh4IKKSWOstPtJcb-yMNVkQGi4xF2RuXX8cWnpl0K-Z_87YRS-nO2jVdqOfkgFKY/s640/IMG_20190926_142650.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the result, with ebony edges trimmed close to the sides of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oix5Ht48N6U5yw1oTmPZrBkAZl_cMeVx0cLBmnmUOm1V5B_mAyuhiOYLz_GI_wFsNpJH3bLW1ouUSTFONJrMqoiM5BhY6A7vpR5fpr0ERI1xAeN4021ES8EBXVnxW3hk4Q-huepoSAs/s1600/IMG_20190927_105253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oix5Ht48N6U5yw1oTmPZrBkAZl_cMeVx0cLBmnmUOm1V5B_mAyuhiOYLz_GI_wFsNpJH3bLW1ouUSTFONJrMqoiM5BhY6A7vpR5fpr0ERI1xAeN4021ES8EBXVnxW3hk4Q-huepoSAs/s640/IMG_20190927_105253.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here you see clearly the taper from bass to treble end. You can also see where I've marked out the final width of the top of the bridge; I will now plane the back angle into the right side of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSYfQBY3Jk79wFcdDoHeOP3Ay9TQKmhpU41YxO0YCDfBphDWgwiY_ly7y2tJ8ha46YYO1eoytkgpPjF0Tjf3kePaLwjRtv4KHMrlqprTCtX5ouW0EeukdNMeNKbj61TO4wEHBdt3rySk/s1600/IMG_20190927_105523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSYfQBY3Jk79wFcdDoHeOP3Ay9TQKmhpU41YxO0YCDfBphDWgwiY_ly7y2tJ8ha46YYO1eoytkgpPjF0Tjf3kePaLwjRtv4KHMrlqprTCtX5ouW0EeukdNMeNKbj61TO4wEHBdt3rySk/s640/IMG_20190927_105523.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The plane, in action. As when I planed the top slope, all I need do is hold the piece lightly against the jig, and let the pressure of the plane do the rest. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWB-5_pevZucFx9lPHGBQeEz2Db8evUhF1qViZ21Xs_HdswRaAm1fKVUFF4BiqKLgABbYSOsP5fcyrAYz9WsWfGeK4Lh11gl0WfOAiMg1nNDOVieG4VZQmnfXKbdINTml98cQwRhjy7sw/s1600/IMG_20190927_111827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWB-5_pevZucFx9lPHGBQeEz2Db8evUhF1qViZ21Xs_HdswRaAm1fKVUFF4BiqKLgABbYSOsP5fcyrAYz9WsWfGeK4Lh11gl0WfOAiMg1nNDOVieG4VZQmnfXKbdINTml98cQwRhjy7sw/s640/IMG_20190927_111827.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My result: the top to its final width, the sloping back surface to its final dimension, and--if you look carefully--about 1mm along the bottom of the back side that I <i>haven't</i> planed the slope into. I don't want where the back slope meets the bottom to become a knife-edge, for two reasons: I don't think it will look good, and it won't be well supported when it's glued to the belly. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfeXTZ71vGH73Vbei1bW27O7Rp4QFw1wJcBQT-_X7FWgEcuPxuWbAipqDwGA6yuTYiCBpu4ed5SSgLauMGxOuhXwS8wX7Nf5vKGjFVd_5ZSI825NErsgXkjt0MbyMsMb7jh01J0y1wys/s1600/IMG_20190927_112649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfeXTZ71vGH73Vbei1bW27O7Rp4QFw1wJcBQT-_X7FWgEcuPxuWbAipqDwGA6yuTYiCBpu4ed5SSgLauMGxOuhXwS8wX7Nf5vKGjFVd_5ZSI825NErsgXkjt0MbyMsMb7jh01J0y1wys/s640/IMG_20190927_112649.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Time now to drill the string holes. I have pretty specific sizes of bits that I use for each of the courses, and the strings within the courses (with 24 holes to drill altogether, I need to keep track of them carefully.) The bar of wood that the bridge is clamped to is sloped slightly--3 degrees, as you see written on it. I will drill through the front face of the bridge through to the back, which means that the hole will tilt slightly upward from front to back. (Again, this is a feature of the original bridge, and most originals from the period.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAFZLW-2UCnrc8nhhtqbcXHCjVi8L-aWDPIt2boBIiC_Wt7Sm3EJAi9JTlTG46FOWp9E69xbXfWmUmct2spl1fOXCCXCzB472sI41g3lH6waIsSSoNzwPgVRyTKZ_pAqGb_s6yfGNSw8/s1600/IMG_20190927_113611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAFZLW-2UCnrc8nhhtqbcXHCjVi8L-aWDPIt2boBIiC_Wt7Sm3EJAi9JTlTG46FOWp9E69xbXfWmUmct2spl1fOXCCXCzB472sI41g3lH6waIsSSoNzwPgVRyTKZ_pAqGb_s6yfGNSw8/s640/IMG_20190927_113611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The bass side of the course gets a larger diameter hole. In addition, the octave on all the bass courses is drilled slightly lower than the fundamental. (By the way, the big brown waxy-looking block you see in this photo and the one above is a block of lead, which I inherited when I moved into my first shop space about 10 years ago. I use it to weigh down the drilling jig to keep it steady on the drill press platform.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7aUDpaD6SBKIPnIgihvdpP3f2u7kZzGJFcxl5HH2E3uTKsMY9rerxvLcwPptSaCpEch78-C9WU2RO4Rg77sz76jDL5fnS6iQEU_Ta7hRCgb0UiV9ci5mjppK6ghaqz2GKg7pBiXr_Co/s1600/IMG_20190927_114602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7aUDpaD6SBKIPnIgihvdpP3f2u7kZzGJFcxl5HH2E3uTKsMY9rerxvLcwPptSaCpEch78-C9WU2RO4Rg77sz76jDL5fnS6iQEU_Ta7hRCgb0UiV9ci5mjppK6ghaqz2GKg7pBiXr_Co/s640/IMG_20190927_114602.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back to the vice for another jig. This one allows me to plane a slight slope (an undercut) into the front surface of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHrsjY92QglOeN9jLqWJRhhzkTHQMjPGACcuG-rj512W2XDAt5-oAteq9u_qYf19g5QPOyDnRybcLT9da-b_cVO-3o21r5zwXA0GEXZB4o5mYKFypecW2G5VWLNQZv5Pq4jiMurOM1ng/s1600/IMG_20190927_121118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHrsjY92QglOeN9jLqWJRhhzkTHQMjPGACcuG-rj512W2XDAt5-oAteq9u_qYf19g5QPOyDnRybcLT9da-b_cVO-3o21r5zwXA0GEXZB4o5mYKFypecW2G5VWLNQZv5Pq4jiMurOM1ng/s640/IMG_20190927_121118.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I can begin to cut recesses into the front and back of the bridge. Here's the front side: I make a knife cut, with a straight edge, down the line of string holes. Then I cut into that line, across the grain, with a small chisel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aY8Rx8yxj2zjywNc63QTFGkeyMZjKstj8zBZvw_nOxwJ7a-svYSUlxHGOuIOxJCxH5Sw_yVQ11w-HGmJH13_SPbc73HWTgohm1wFlMa6TCrtxu929juwabDNAIAz5iACtEmiM515Y9w/s1600/IMG_20190927_121733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aY8Rx8yxj2zjywNc63QTFGkeyMZjKstj8zBZvw_nOxwJ7a-svYSUlxHGOuIOxJCxH5Sw_yVQ11w-HGmJH13_SPbc73HWTgohm1wFlMa6TCrtxu929juwabDNAIAz5iACtEmiM515Y9w/s640/IMG_20190927_121733.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what the first round of cutting with the chisel looks like--now I need to do the same from the opposite side.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOFbos7GG5anK93-BwHiu_KCLWb_LfFxORGL1WGOv6EMjN59ZmqtnFQFptrxlXjxl62AXhvaOrsCc8hJJdr6FWDRRjHFvyb6QXFdwTmF8sGJWTGXZH4qMQuoybOQsOSW63OWyQzuDrZY/s1600/IMG_20190927_130623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOFbos7GG5anK93-BwHiu_KCLWb_LfFxORGL1WGOv6EMjN59ZmqtnFQFptrxlXjxl62AXhvaOrsCc8hJJdr6FWDRRjHFvyb6QXFdwTmF8sGJWTGXZH4qMQuoybOQsOSW63OWyQzuDrZY/s640/IMG_20190927_130623.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the result, tidied up with knives, files and small scrapers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAO9DVjjuuO2jC5O2eVJWW5Y1qqO7f6NF_wQtsZLoRsBNODqliwEAD-C7Acmmy-09aMythyQWSRJONisWorsGF87mYZeJwt2BkHQYNtrcO8zLczYpnTQfkzzwLVH4y1aIvcIuKqa-pFo/s1600/IMG_20190927_130841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAO9DVjjuuO2jC5O2eVJWW5Y1qqO7f6NF_wQtsZLoRsBNODqliwEAD-C7Acmmy-09aMythyQWSRJONisWorsGF87mYZeJwt2BkHQYNtrcO8zLczYpnTQfkzzwLVH4y1aIvcIuKqa-pFo/s640/IMG_20190927_130841.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my sloping jig for cutting the recess into the back side.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_tbhBk926zzuT6eNT47K3ZDUZoGrJz_vkyzvh0sBQZk6B-YHFSlgvp_rFCN3pmZQE3vndUf6pdfht_zDai9IKUCCo2Q-9tLjYcBYXpXUkJqS9PcyHkwpJ14Yl9ABK0cDYRQEDX8f7NE/s1600/IMG_20190927_131257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_tbhBk926zzuT6eNT47K3ZDUZoGrJz_vkyzvh0sBQZk6B-YHFSlgvp_rFCN3pmZQE3vndUf6pdfht_zDai9IKUCCo2Q-9tLjYcBYXpXUkJqS9PcyHkwpJ14Yl9ABK0cDYRQEDX8f7NE/s640/IMG_20190927_131257.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use the same procedure here: knife cut on the string hole line, then cut in toward it with the chisel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj19wY0A12jbily-rWrb8O2KGUWPtIQo4_1kQKVygVFsdA7cIAIeu3bOwOvJPAPeuhqepCXsaPcVLZrvZOG99pN6JDyxf3J2xPxu6jmpzPJ1d2FnVAuLYNAqzbHfQ5L0rnO4elL2B7gcY/s1600/IMG_20190927_133249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj19wY0A12jbily-rWrb8O2KGUWPtIQo4_1kQKVygVFsdA7cIAIeu3bOwOvJPAPeuhqepCXsaPcVLZrvZOG99pN6JDyxf3J2xPxu6jmpzPJ1d2FnVAuLYNAqzbHfQ5L0rnO4elL2B7gcY/s640/IMG_20190927_133249.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the rough result, before the final tidying up with files, knives, and scrapers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrY5nupFMfZrarX6pwFqfXM-uUyiZpsUdXXpN_4yLw0E-id5BGrlI4YYr72kytZSGOwo2OguH1fYlfIxDFC8dAAX-JmcaajZYbTUhKAiE4YR6SEom-psH9dGgHVQh9SG_5q9DSL22Y8bY/s1600/IMG_20191001_134043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrY5nupFMfZrarX6pwFqfXM-uUyiZpsUdXXpN_4yLw0E-id5BGrlI4YYr72kytZSGOwo2OguH1fYlfIxDFC8dAAX-JmcaajZYbTUhKAiE4YR6SEom-psH9dGgHVQh9SG_5q9DSL22Y8bY/s640/IMG_20191001_134043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm finished with the shaping of the piece--now I can carve the finials on the ends. I mark them out with a pattern on the bottom of the bridge, then cut them out on the band saw.</span></td></tr>
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In this photo and the next three that show me carving the bridge ends, you can see that I'm working against a block of wood, which I sometimes cover with a soft piece of leather. If I have to make some chisel or knife cuts across the grain, as in the photo below, I might hold the piece against the bare wood to back up the cut--so I don't chip out material. If I'm making some free cuts with the knife along the grain, I will usually hold the piece against leather, so as not to mar it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxE8jIorlZLy3LKNECIg4CSpaPzCL3uGelEH3xUIO7pqwInBcIqCQMB2az2kn-NTBjWW3hHzN3SCV36Wz1u-bUs27oDjSj1WbiTKHVOoVpRdyuRhl7UVxVoTE3jvkEfzXx7dyot3_yig/s1600/IMG_20191001_133942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxE8jIorlZLy3LKNECIg4CSpaPzCL3uGelEH3xUIO7pqwInBcIqCQMB2az2kn-NTBjWW3hHzN3SCV36Wz1u-bUs27oDjSj1WbiTKHVOoVpRdyuRhl7UVxVoTE3jvkEfzXx7dyot3_yig/s640/IMG_20191001_133942.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I need to be very conscious of grain direction when I'm carving these things. One wrong move, and a chunk of this bridge-end could break off--and I might be left with no choice but to start the whole process over, and make a new bridge from scratch.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9Od39UDkGoMYjdxnCargubAhHgNVE5QkHfq4O4KmX0Gy8KNOPmhynVJSIWKmtPBjhtzOpvxDoUewnbm9uyzGJHeQl1Vj6iDK43CAMxysqhjHdLslLL7Dxz4uQomL357pGgMmNUGVWnM/s1600/IMG_20191001_145232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9Od39UDkGoMYjdxnCargubAhHgNVE5QkHfq4O4KmX0Gy8KNOPmhynVJSIWKmtPBjhtzOpvxDoUewnbm9uyzGJHeQl1Vj6iDK43CAMxysqhjHdLslLL7Dxz4uQomL357pGgMmNUGVWnM/s640/IMG_20191001_145232.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As it is, things worked out quite well with these bridge ends, and with the bridge as a whole. Here's the bass end, which I finished up with knives, files and scrapers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG7od3I0jbZSNssKfgokyH_TrofyaOroi_3E2wsu3Wc7Em4Lg7RdPuW-J5AaqObiHsMuihHGoJ8DmJYWR0orc8f-9q90td1xxrSymj_xvXpQjjemR2wQ4JJNrvdq1Cn2gtPvb3S_bG2w/s1600/IMG_20191001_145212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG7od3I0jbZSNssKfgokyH_TrofyaOroi_3E2wsu3Wc7Em4Lg7RdPuW-J5AaqObiHsMuihHGoJ8DmJYWR0orc8f-9q90td1xxrSymj_xvXpQjjemR2wQ4JJNrvdq1Cn2gtPvb3S_bG2w/s640/IMG_20191001_145212.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the whole thing. I've left the bridge ends a little long--they will be cut back a little before gluing on the belly, and I'll fit them with ebony tips (be sure to come back for the next episode for all the exciting details.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULoL-2pJJ4Hmx83Fq_KAGK7iUxOx3TdGf3pywYkWbfGiW3WAVMK4gd58fo0rpIDlzAHFaUYqvX7kWMAjf7PQKYFVYlsZyLYzKDMSoES0o7MMOgZI8avgO96Pgk8203JqYwnklDnDyc_8/s1600/IMG_20191016_080637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULoL-2pJJ4Hmx83Fq_KAGK7iUxOx3TdGf3pywYkWbfGiW3WAVMK4gd58fo0rpIDlzAHFaUYqvX7kWMAjf7PQKYFVYlsZyLYzKDMSoES0o7MMOgZI8avgO96Pgk8203JqYwnklDnDyc_8/s640/IMG_20191016_080637.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To finish the bridge, I give it a couple of coats of a drying oil (T&T Oil, to be specific), and a vigorous polish with a soft bristle brush. (It should go without saying that I'm very careful to not get any oil on the bottom of the bridge!) Here it is with the dyed-black bridges for the two other lutes I'm building, a 7 and 8 course. </span></td></tr>
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And that's my story for today. I wish you all a fine week, and I'll see you next time for gluing the bridge to the belly. Cheers!<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-30475416686430812662019-11-30T16:39:00.001-08:002019-11-30T16:39:44.377-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 9: Fine-fitting the belly, Locating the BridgeHi there, friends. This time out, as the sign says, I'm going to talk about fine-fitting the belly into the waiting body of this 13 course lute, and then locating the bridge. I've already done a 'rough' fit of the belly, by doing a preliminary trimming of the bar ends; now I'm going to get down to the business of giving this lute a sweet shape that corresponds to the outline that I drew on the belly <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/11/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_10.html" target="_blank">a couple of episodes back</a>, before I glued on the braces.<br />
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Just before I do, could I ask a small favour? I get a few comments and questions regarding these blog posts. Some--though very few--appear in the actual comments section of the blog; most have come to me either through social media, personal messaging, or email. The favour is this: if you have a question or comment, would you mind leaving it on the blog, in the comments section below? I'm happy to answer, but I would prefer to do it here, so that those questions and answers become part of the post, to clarify, correct, or otherwise comment on it--for the benefit of all readers.<br />
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(There's no reason to be embarrassed to ask a question, but if you'd rather not use your real name, please feel free to use a pirate name or your <i>luchador</i> alias. Your secret's safe with Google.)<br />
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On with the show.<br />
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As you might recall, when I initially cut off the bar ends I left them a bit long, on purpose. It's difficult to saw the bar off at exactly the right spot on the first go, so that the length of the bar and the angle of the cutoff are both correct. I leave them a bit long, so that I may trim them more carefully, using a small chisel rather than a saw. <br />
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To figure out exactly how much to trim them, I need to fit the body down over those bar ends. So, the first thing I need to do is remove the false belly, which I do simply by slipping a palette knife around the false belly edge, separating it from the rib where I originally spot-glued it with weak size.<br />
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I then set the edge rib carefully down against the ends of the bars. The photo below shows how I hold and view the work, though I haven't quite got the edge rib all the way down yet (that's one of the problems with using a camera with tripod and 8-second timer--I don't always get the event staged exactly as I want to.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdT1Giwb1PVMScTO4oLKGa9HOLqWagF7tClzD8zQwJeSDbYLyEtjzBxklwlQ8gTR7dgGXOcDPS4AwmM8B6arA_1DtjLkzydojPO03gKk_AdAWFbU-unc5N1OXrF1X7N2lxoDJe40HUeQw/s1600/IMG_20191104_152642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdT1Giwb1PVMScTO4oLKGa9HOLqWagF7tClzD8zQwJeSDbYLyEtjzBxklwlQ8gTR7dgGXOcDPS4AwmM8B6arA_1DtjLkzydojPO03gKk_AdAWFbU-unc5N1OXrF1X7N2lxoDJe40HUeQw/s640/IMG_20191104_152642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Imagine about one second into the future: the edge of the rib will be down against the belly, and the ends of the bars will be resting against the inside surface of the edge rib. I can then take a sharp, soft pencil, and make a mark on the belly, right against the rib, opposite each of the bar ends.</span></td></tr>
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Please keep in mind that during this process, I'm not attempting to press the entire outline of the lute down over the bar ends (since the all the bars are over-long, it won't actually fit.) Instead, I do it in three sections. In the photo above, I'm working with the bass side. When I've made marks for all of the bar ends there, I'll turn everything around and mark the treble side. Finally, I'll work with the bottom of the body, and mark out the bar and tab ends there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCH-rii-BCDvuxLGpWAiDkNqCITMuaToDXlVAP1APS-CO-ceIK5Satd23yViIfxJJfPa6_zGyDRCq8jx3PjG5MMLJWy9kjRIfy5SEN3_GXyVvJd5_3i-3jQD_n0K7slHzR-uwFHecStE/s1600/IMG_20191106_120737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCH-rii-BCDvuxLGpWAiDkNqCITMuaToDXlVAP1APS-CO-ceIK5Satd23yViIfxJJfPa6_zGyDRCq8jx3PjG5MMLJWy9kjRIfy5SEN3_GXyVvJd5_3i-3jQD_n0K7slHzR-uwFHecStE/s640/IMG_20191106_120737.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a well-focussed photograph of my knee. Actually, what I meant to show here is how I hold the edge rib against one of the tabs on the bottom of the belly while I make my mark.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN4n_tVFGSzNOt_fty4v9wf3u9WyBgstIbkTBkm3AICI6QZzY3BdMlHYr6MO_mSnzdSm_xMqPvEEX7YJx3H6cHEl_s3j_eHnTuWsfKRdp5Pgcg3rubklsB92Ai4d_utkfMWJ9ddEGKcs/s1600/IMG_20191106_120608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN4n_tVFGSzNOt_fty4v9wf3u9WyBgstIbkTBkm3AICI6QZzY3BdMlHYr6MO_mSnzdSm_xMqPvEEX7YJx3H6cHEl_s3j_eHnTuWsfKRdp5Pgcg3rubklsB92Ai4d_utkfMWJ9ddEGKcs/s640/IMG_20191106_120608.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what I get when I lift the body away--a pencil mark outside the drawn body outline that shows me exactly how much I need to trim this tab. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZin23E2fPiNsdhKEuQFICQ1gKO1uK80sTuD6dOg8Uvgmv9XJZyWDE0G_fbAOvxYabQLqO7T_5RVWL8HM9Ex8a2P9J-hNiQadV3DH_zoH-VDCp0GdeLPK0keYndh4piJ1RJlQ_qQsLJas/s1600/IMG_20191106_121141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZin23E2fPiNsdhKEuQFICQ1gKO1uK80sTuD6dOg8Uvgmv9XJZyWDE0G_fbAOvxYabQLqO7T_5RVWL8HM9Ex8a2P9J-hNiQadV3DH_zoH-VDCp0GdeLPK0keYndh4piJ1RJlQ_qQsLJas/s640/IMG_20191106_121141.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And so I trim it, using a small chisel (1/4", with the handle cut off--perfect for small operations like this.) On the upper left corner of the photo, sitting on the edge of the bench you see a little jar of water and a brush: if I dab the end of the bar with a bit of water, the chisel cuts through the end-grain a lot more cleanly and easily.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XI5TR8J14kxIMuDlrx3y432-1claqdbG_kYGy3zYhNmSn6eL8DTxOg2l4-qPxKFRmfxPnd8OMEWhB_1trtlNe8McfgLsp6QvMoA5Smy7OpD9yyuCifVi_GK2Xn2jjoSfncb_7Gkryi4/s1600/IMG_20191106_124723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XI5TR8J14kxIMuDlrx3y432-1claqdbG_kYGy3zYhNmSn6eL8DTxOg2l4-qPxKFRmfxPnd8OMEWhB_1trtlNe8McfgLsp6QvMoA5Smy7OpD9yyuCifVi_GK2Xn2jjoSfncb_7Gkryi4/s640/IMG_20191106_124723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I get close to the outline, I start fitting the body down all around and looking carefully at the way the edge ribs curve. I want a smooth outline, so if I see a bar end that needs a little trimming, I'll take the time to do it. (Even a small adjustment can make a big difference to a graceful shape.) I also carefully flex the edge rib against each bar end, to feel whether the angle of the bar-end cutoff matches the true angle of the rib.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VFTSD80jMvkgnYBW8vxCxkGhfoUplv_HoJ53Ek5R6i2HP497-ZuveiZBWn-PUvEh8Hjg58P4i3rpGZz_tml99MJSun-F7h4RoKFJgiwxmfpWMqjNGO31MGgDN06VeR4pneKR_oKsMvM/s1600/IMG_20191106_124809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VFTSD80jMvkgnYBW8vxCxkGhfoUplv_HoJ53Ek5R6i2HP497-ZuveiZBWn-PUvEh8Hjg58P4i3rpGZz_tml99MJSun-F7h4RoKFJgiwxmfpWMqjNGO31MGgDN06VeR4pneKR_oKsMvM/s640/IMG_20191106_124809.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the bar ends are trimmed and the outline looks good, I tape the belly securely into the body with masking tape. I make sure at this point that I've really located the belly carefully, by matching body and belly centrelines at the bottom, and neck edges (marked on the belly) at the top.</span></td></tr>
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Now I'll move onto the next step in the process: locating the position of the bridge on the belly. I want to do this very accurately, because I'm finding and marking the exact spot where I want to glue the bridge.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zBm5YqO4vfcq4MUIujcB1G7zUIhKO7dvE6lr1FS0yo3q0IG0sxumcdSNMtBeu9ho3hzuLIVNWx_MciZtwzZO1POef7mZHvmEUiFi6NbEBfv2z0oRg0mxXVORwpSIiRGZ8B24tsSNHq4/s1600/IMG_20191106_125416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zBm5YqO4vfcq4MUIujcB1G7zUIhKO7dvE6lr1FS0yo3q0IG0sxumcdSNMtBeu9ho3hzuLIVNWx_MciZtwzZO1POef7mZHvmEUiFi6NbEBfv2z0oRg0mxXVORwpSIiRGZ8B24tsSNHq4/s640/IMG_20191106_125416.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most of the time during the working process, I protect the sharp veneered edges of the neck by covering them with masking tape. However, right now I want to see the edge of the neck clearly, because that's one of the crucial references I use to locate the bridge. I've rolled back the masking tape, and there it is.</span></td></tr>
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When I originally lay out the shape of the lute on my working drawing, I have a very clear idea how far I want the first string to lie from the edge of the neck (which, essentially, is also the edge of the fingerboard.) This distance is very important for the playability of the instrument--and anyone who has ever tried to play a lute with a first string that's too close to the edge of the fingerboard will know what I mean. The distance can vary a little bit, according to a few factors--the length of the neck, for instance, or the preferences of a client who's a very experienced player--but whatever those factors are, I want to have them worked out completely before I start building the lute.<br />
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So, I have the edge of the neck, and I have the position of the chanterelle in relation to it. This means I should be able to run a straightedge down that line, and somewhere along it will be the location of the first course on the bridge. But where? And what will be the angle of the bridge in relation to the first course?<br />
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The clearest and most foolproof way for me to find this out is just to set my layout drawing down on top of the lute, and see how things match up.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuVnQ6r6RRIkNjP75B1mHZvr_Nbhp2r3cJo-mHKb2IH9-EDh1OHi0gkb0FVdBdwJChzqV2uIfZDf9a_D3qZjTlp1dB-Uf2Z7vH5jagQXrue_23QT7m4ctgvewdVrkx3XtuUGuiEfDjUo/s1600/IMG_20191106_130157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuVnQ6r6RRIkNjP75B1mHZvr_Nbhp2r3cJo-mHKb2IH9-EDh1OHi0gkb0FVdBdwJChzqV2uIfZDf9a_D3qZjTlp1dB-Uf2Z7vH5jagQXrue_23QT7m4ctgvewdVrkx3XtuUGuiEfDjUo/s640/IMG_20191106_130157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The drawing is done with 4H pencil on drafting mylar, and shows the positions of the neck edges, the first course, the bridge, the rose, and the body outline.</span></td></tr>
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If I've done my work carefully so far, things should line up pretty well. The neck angle is good, the location of the rose is very close, the belly outline is fine... I should be able to just go ahead and mark. (If on the other hand some crucial piece of alignment is off--for instance, the neck angle's not quite where I want it to be--then I need to move the drawing around a bit, to compensate, making sure that the crucial relations of the neck edge and chanterelle are maintained.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfoSaEp5ZayeYMXLdTW1lxqNs24h4Z8t4aDOmwjwZV9uHK3HLzUQ9-gXXq1oSkMr8AQV4psGI9dZb2oxoV9cSNW8oVKUhbkJXl6WrV7fc8G6ZwRMC7R5XSJbsHQc4BNWjVYktjfuhYVc/s1600/IMG_20191106_130207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfoSaEp5ZayeYMXLdTW1lxqNs24h4Z8t4aDOmwjwZV9uHK3HLzUQ9-gXXq1oSkMr8AQV4psGI9dZb2oxoV9cSNW8oVKUhbkJXl6WrV7fc8G6ZwRMC7R5XSJbsHQc4BNWjVYktjfuhYVc/s640/IMG_20191106_130207.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The rose centre and the bottom of the belly are two reference points I use to locate the layout drawing.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aaoOWahfWWAW6GFCNPno-V6x8OtJOntPH9zjzibaMzTIXY3kEM3g54Ax5h_9CPkAPuh2Kl-xVueAyKQ6lwXZ4a3HLHbmXCgkXrZM6Fgal5o1MzHh2vUNfcG3QkzqkQe9IqVJqdml7ak/s1600/IMG_20191106_130214+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aaoOWahfWWAW6GFCNPno-V6x8OtJOntPH9zjzibaMzTIXY3kEM3g54Ax5h_9CPkAPuh2Kl-xVueAyKQ6lwXZ4a3HLHbmXCgkXrZM6Fgal5o1MzHh2vUNfcG3QkzqkQe9IqVJqdml7ak/s640/IMG_20191106_130214+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using the working drawing to mark the position of the bridge allows me to get the correct angle of the bridge, which is tilted slightly upward on the bass side. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHIez0_mFVfqBflTZlDA9RbZqwJW3WXcpjIFeu7FSH1LIzmZU0t0tmqv9Z2qCOlYLaPgDQuZM6PfCdW30AeWTLCUHl-XVjHThtsCUAc2tcJWUh5Ic5CAiNOhyphenhyphenaIRtwfWYaaq7xXneFAk/s1600/IMG_20191106_130254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHIez0_mFVfqBflTZlDA9RbZqwJW3WXcpjIFeu7FSH1LIzmZU0t0tmqv9Z2qCOlYLaPgDQuZM6PfCdW30AeWTLCUHl-XVjHThtsCUAc2tcJWUh5Ic5CAiNOhyphenhyphenaIRtwfWYaaq7xXneFAk/s640/IMG_20191106_130254.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how I mark: a pin prick right through the mylar, at exactly the point where the chanterelle meets the glued front edge of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21rRpTprYJhjSzXGLVD2z_kfQT4S4cdNaKmX7-DLAgrF44Wl2kvPyzgDUXfFM47necLyxVEJ-foL2mWFCieKHYnPsUYyYG9H-w94T9RlgcaNYcI0gledA9Hv64Ev9Nhg79jEaveK2JxI/s1600/IMG_20191106_130245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21rRpTprYJhjSzXGLVD2z_kfQT4S4cdNaKmX7-DLAgrF44Wl2kvPyzgDUXfFM47necLyxVEJ-foL2mWFCieKHYnPsUYyYG9H-w94T9RlgcaNYcI0gledA9Hv64Ev9Nhg79jEaveK2JxI/s640/IMG_20191106_130245.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I make another careful pin mark on the bass side of the 13th course, at the bridge's glued front edge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OR4jc8CSDlT4Y_7Xd__EkNk0BqZw4swsrjYEHRC0dYv_QH640iclxjvi26M5iXHLiSZZprbYmJ1XPl5zDCqbat_epNkXtkjPKMTly35ZCfK9971N2YGmR6w8tfJbBw7gOqvJ6aNVA2c/s1600/IMG_20191106_130354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OR4jc8CSDlT4Y_7Xd__EkNk0BqZw4swsrjYEHRC0dYv_QH640iclxjvi26M5iXHLiSZZprbYmJ1XPl5zDCqbat_epNkXtkjPKMTly35ZCfK9971N2YGmR6w8tfJbBw7gOqvJ6aNVA2c/s640/IMG_20191106_130354.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I tattoo the pin pricks lightly, with a sharp, soft pencil.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfHfsq-BjaGGv_q_8YAmJA2nITe6apO4e-WoJ10r5bC1V6bOy9OIMLlaJCxXT3JdJDBGnpL2oxJeOpSwIUNZ2PMjm0JfXPTdPNVFcASd2b-sehfSOAWLTd30Pk9VojZKDRD2vSelqirE/s1600/IMG_20191106_130415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfHfsq-BjaGGv_q_8YAmJA2nITe6apO4e-WoJ10r5bC1V6bOy9OIMLlaJCxXT3JdJDBGnpL2oxJeOpSwIUNZ2PMjm0JfXPTdPNVFcASd2b-sehfSOAWLTd30Pk9VojZKDRD2vSelqirE/s640/IMG_20191106_130415.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And there it is--one of my two bridge location marks.</span></td></tr>
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Now all I need is a bridge to glue there--and making that will be the subject of my next post.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-3437820925520656142019-11-17T13:53:00.001-08:002019-11-17T13:53:38.551-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 8: Trimming the Braces, Fitting the Belly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello, good morning, welcome back to the shop. This time out, I'll be trimming the braces I've just glued onto the belly, adding a few more small braces, and preparing to fit the belly into the body--one of the turning points of lute making, since we're nearing the point when the sound box is closed, and the lute finally starts to look like a lute.<br />
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You might recall that I ended last week's post with an ode to randomness in placing and gluing the braces on the belly. I would like to assure you that that idea did not originate with me. Like all (or nearly all) my good ideas about lute making, it came from Grant Tomlinson, and he has told me that the observation originally came from Stephen Gottlieb, whom Grant studied with in London for a year in 1986. I worked with Grant for a year in 2009, and I remember him recalling to me, fondly, Gottlieb's advice to him: that one should put the braces on "higgledy-piggledy." <br />
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Words of the masters, passed down through the ages....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiJ2qEeLTTNdFsmp_jXSAwlq4fvLAs34jN6StOvYTTI8PYyw8bfnqbj9Mt3j3gRLGy3rxrdCngoPDu58zKIIneQQGlNLidwrcfiHKkZK0OadfCyf7sqIb2M46UrIuDwfDIxg5o-i5pZ4/s1600/IMG_20191016_181010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiJ2qEeLTTNdFsmp_jXSAwlq4fvLAs34jN6StOvYTTI8PYyw8bfnqbj9Mt3j3gRLGy3rxrdCngoPDu58zKIIneQQGlNLidwrcfiHKkZK0OadfCyf7sqIb2M46UrIuDwfDIxg5o-i5pZ4/s640/IMG_20191016_181010.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my higgledy-piggledy result.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoONvPFm7RnY8dTAu6gVciOmFvTtFC3mOc0icz2zzOeNTgWA_YiUpKGObZhfBvzxBcfb38C61Wj-zmF5vabsyAwrH4K7Cu6ekYsgYlFdwYBTjkCKPk3vgtYbrjgmZe9IdMrHRW-PGYu6s/s1600/IMG_20191029_145220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoONvPFm7RnY8dTAu6gVciOmFvTtFC3mOc0icz2zzOeNTgWA_YiUpKGObZhfBvzxBcfb38C61Wj-zmF5vabsyAwrH4K7Cu6ekYsgYlFdwYBTjkCKPk3vgtYbrjgmZe9IdMrHRW-PGYu6s/s640/IMG_20191029_145220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The very first thing I do is trim the edge of the belly on the band saw, taking it to about 5mm of my marked body outline. (It looks much more orderly already.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5beOaq00RUpjw-UXdCT2EipgZl3TvOXD3ki1fFOWCgRMzaSMfaVh4-vha_xGW5z2JoJBWkHFlNXQAC-x7bOnhjGnZLFSOkZqA3KGcKn-wvavFgTxo_13-bTdOIjC5dgBxVUPX2jZs4R0/s1600/IMG_20191029_151609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5beOaq00RUpjw-UXdCT2EipgZl3TvOXD3ki1fFOWCgRMzaSMfaVh4-vha_xGW5z2JoJBWkHFlNXQAC-x7bOnhjGnZLFSOkZqA3KGcKn-wvavFgTxo_13-bTdOIjC5dgBxVUPX2jZs4R0/s640/IMG_20191029_151609.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of the braces are glued on taller than their final height, since the go-bars bite into the tops a little bit. Now I use my low-angle block plane to trim them carefully to height. (Note that I'm supporting the ends of the curved braces with the same cauls that I used for gluing them.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao0sLrIl_B0rQ0ouqnkJkwcLk-w36Mo7RgQ6FRWmIK2H8rMZwdBT-3bfSlftW8_eJSLf6xeBS9fr_NR6uyaqfalWA6HlqQBmru5WLaS5YqRQmFXGJ4jvLoSz-oGKz_rA7mnc-uuU6Jds/s1600/IMG_20191029_152150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao0sLrIl_B0rQ0ouqnkJkwcLk-w36Mo7RgQ6FRWmIK2H8rMZwdBT-3bfSlftW8_eJSLf6xeBS9fr_NR6uyaqfalWA6HlqQBmru5WLaS5YqRQmFXGJ4jvLoSz-oGKz_rA7mnc-uuU6Jds/s640/IMG_20191029_152150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I then chamfer the top edges of the braces. For this job I use a little Veritas miniature bull-nose plane, with a scrap of wood clipped to one side as a fence. (It works very well for keeping the plane at a 45 degree angle.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWyLpf9L26oWC9SJzxyGvpZ1n4YvCj2MgAH342avfIbGISxUBlcyHyKkOwzDmKddBz8S4k76H7D_uNlr29x1zteuJwrcJu6ynl2q68BnHVUinLK2BA__VUYhptcPrzQX0tEbbzQbqai8/s1600/Plane+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWyLpf9L26oWC9SJzxyGvpZ1n4YvCj2MgAH342avfIbGISxUBlcyHyKkOwzDmKddBz8S4k76H7D_uNlr29x1zteuJwrcJu6ynl2q68BnHVUinLK2BA__VUYhptcPrzQX0tEbbzQbqai8/s640/Plane+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my high-tech setup.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoFB3TR5IXs64CoYCC4AwdMQOa64q8a4EchWAUCx-d3OUnxJkZI9PwHaiMIUadmNyH6HyI9Q6WVJ0LuuzXxyNdy_NlaWqQz_dAtYVMWWJ9UqyiKS9qMmLAYCS3ga_L2meUYGgLKJZ2RQ/s1600/IMG_20191029_160410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoFB3TR5IXs64CoYCC4AwdMQOa64q8a4EchWAUCx-d3OUnxJkZI9PwHaiMIUadmNyH6HyI9Q6WVJ0LuuzXxyNdy_NlaWqQz_dAtYVMWWJ9UqyiKS9qMmLAYCS3ga_L2meUYGgLKJZ2RQ/s640/IMG_20191029_160410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">In preparation for scalloping the ends of the braces, I mark a height of 5mm with a wooden spacer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCK2xrYnCXhhgo6TzhDQwD-xEKj7ZbGN2A54xema7feCOxJK4KzV7fxzJbnbOAN_yQtISjQWf1-uitStqxg0d5mSlsJt_RcH2AEi-QowyVnR1GAMM3Gq6F5Ch4BhNZJwB8VfMQ3Oaw2Y/s1600/IMG_20191029_160741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCK2xrYnCXhhgo6TzhDQwD-xEKj7ZbGN2A54xema7feCOxJK4KzV7fxzJbnbOAN_yQtISjQWf1-uitStqxg0d5mSlsJt_RcH2AEi-QowyVnR1GAMM3Gq6F5Ch4BhNZJwB8VfMQ3Oaw2Y/s640/IMG_20191029_160741.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I then scallop the ends of the all the braces with a skew chisel.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qnelaHtj6enq00TyZ1XRaVjmXA7MSu9TjB8kZy_i04uBKOx2Bdt5xglc-oKx2vCnNYnV-eM7s8J-a7nDpJz26ywKm1TsNxH3c94KKgclc4xCpI5nzp-w7bIHtskrP1zAYI-uvtVodrY/s1600/IMG_20191029_162654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qnelaHtj6enq00TyZ1XRaVjmXA7MSu9TjB8kZy_i04uBKOx2Bdt5xglc-oKx2vCnNYnV-eM7s8J-a7nDpJz26ywKm1TsNxH3c94KKgclc4xCpI5nzp-w7bIHtskrP1zAYI-uvtVodrY/s640/IMG_20191029_162654.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I look for a graceful and fairly uniform shape on the ends of all the transverse braces.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I have a good shape on all the braces, I need to shape and glue down a few specialty pieces. I put spruce tabs in a few spots around the outline of the lute, where there are no bar ends to support the edge rib. The number and position of tabs varies with different lutes and barring patterns, but on this one I'll stick down a couple between the first and second transverse bars, and a couple on the bottom of the belly, below the j-brace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaVzGEUeckzgrs9yIjO2hjoGdcPPQ9oVKKbKm-P4hOKZ0-T8gXc08SYe5pp5V1hxk5edl4yxwHREOA7nL7qnhpIJdhPdRrVZcmSXZdOLGddHKtuhGdR9XIKjYy6Ej9pcxFw6Wdkqpdt4/s1600/IMG_20191029_164237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaVzGEUeckzgrs9yIjO2hjoGdcPPQ9oVKKbKm-P4hOKZ0-T8gXc08SYe5pp5V1hxk5edl4yxwHREOA7nL7qnhpIJdhPdRrVZcmSXZdOLGddHKtuhGdR9XIKjYy6Ej9pcxFw6Wdkqpdt4/s640/IMG_20191029_164237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what the tab looks like--just a short length of bar material with a slipper-shape carved into one end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOoatSh_2p3KTNKWrEz1DAMPDFs8IxUNfJT7F3KSADuuS3ADICYjNePUedlAh6Elqexa0NYPOb1kt8lla864GWyJkwX_yroaIPn_tBv212LCdgyeH3EfulqDdHZue57RkkBvjX1tAkec/s1600/IMG_20191029_165912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOoatSh_2p3KTNKWrEz1DAMPDFs8IxUNfJT7F3KSADuuS3ADICYjNePUedlAh6Elqexa0NYPOb1kt8lla864GWyJkwX_yroaIPn_tBv212LCdgyeH3EfulqDdHZue57RkkBvjX1tAkec/s640/IMG_20191029_165912.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here it is, stuck down (with hide glue, of course.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx23ON8d_-X3GU5c5xQIjr-K1mbeK6PhXAHo1Lmo1QZpmaaKSyn-xCzfaEL-mGagSR8cGcSXcDDYWwTqUS0qTLqke5zz56r32X3BABrATwnuebc0yKdfplX1ZySGvGv85tX21OkwQktg/s1600/IMG_20191029_171526+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx23ON8d_-X3GU5c5xQIjr-K1mbeK6PhXAHo1Lmo1QZpmaaKSyn-xCzfaEL-mGagSR8cGcSXcDDYWwTqUS0qTLqke5zz56r32X3BABrATwnuebc0yKdfplX1ZySGvGv85tX21OkwQktg/s640/IMG_20191029_171526+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also shape and glue a small "chanterelle bar" directly under the position of the first course. This bar helps to support the sound of the top course on the two highest frets. </span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now I need to take you on a small, rather boring detour (just to remind you, again, that lute making is not all glory!) My next step is to glue some small support bars across the rose, and normally I'd just go ahead and do that by reaching for my stock of ready-made rose bars, but... sadly, my stock is depleted. Oh well--nothing to do but take a couple of hours and make a hundred or so, so I don't have to do it again for a while.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJJSZ8l9mwu1IVf3vhbRJFOITq1fkt5QCkEyDlfqwOuLMJOyy9qJsKoqdLWMtHtP13qG804EYG-WZAEkRITy_DTbyiSeWJSUb70oMY0SS_n37nzn8EIW409BmnaHh0fFEB3ObXoXvTYM/s1600/IMG_20191028_142610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJJSZ8l9mwu1IVf3vhbRJFOITq1fkt5QCkEyDlfqwOuLMJOyy9qJsKoqdLWMtHtP13qG804EYG-WZAEkRITy_DTbyiSeWJSUb70oMY0SS_n37nzn8EIW409BmnaHh0fFEB3ObXoXvTYM/s640/IMG_20191028_142610.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thickness some sheets of spruce brace material to 2.5mm, then shoot one edge clean.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0RaXFcxX2HuMcrT-oqFePQJpWCJ2s-s85qiXBF5VFY2t0-FxB1SLT7KtssahOgm2BYoujtYBBwjGGcyDJ6358cPH1-4jqqQBJS3JhCBxxnuT8l7xOGYKIjZRv7bPOjeGwMrNGa-F8_Y/s1600/IMG_20191028_142728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0RaXFcxX2HuMcrT-oqFePQJpWCJ2s-s85qiXBF5VFY2t0-FxB1SLT7KtssahOgm2BYoujtYBBwjGGcyDJ6358cPH1-4jqqQBJS3JhCBxxnuT8l7xOGYKIjZRv7bPOjeGwMrNGa-F8_Y/s640/IMG_20191028_142728.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use my shop-made purfling cutter to cut off a strip about 3mm wide.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jPjdB2tSODK4mDMNdGo0tgWRDsfGyNGkl3UTPy7u72GwEaWkJVCRAd0SxPahIiqzREYt1USEI4mPZ8mgQxU7uPlx7A0nwCVcMNZFDf7O-OG7QnIrnAZa-qZpbwUGqQaiG7KVRZKc1NM/s1600/IMG_20191028_142804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jPjdB2tSODK4mDMNdGo0tgWRDsfGyNGkl3UTPy7u72GwEaWkJVCRAd0SxPahIiqzREYt1USEI4mPZ8mgQxU7uPlx7A0nwCVcMNZFDf7O-OG7QnIrnAZa-qZpbwUGqQaiG7KVRZKc1NM/s640/IMG_20191028_142804.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's one--now I'll shoot the edge anew, and cut off another strip, and so on, until I have a whole bunch.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtnQEdtwK2wpB4O07x5GkzWHsCfeTZ5u_j1RRZXXt3IfkMFQP7McdYfns9hpcuig22SojznW2cYwCZwA_WJYmv_iGbl603B7Z9NpuCpeb7Y_x7g3h7XBsmTbwDV4RzPs9OlsCMB6Oa9g/s1600/IMG_20191028_143024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtnQEdtwK2wpB4O07x5GkzWHsCfeTZ5u_j1RRZXXt3IfkMFQP7McdYfns9hpcuig22SojznW2cYwCZwA_WJYmv_iGbl603B7Z9NpuCpeb7Y_x7g3h7XBsmTbwDV4RzPs9OlsCMB6Oa9g/s640/IMG_20191028_143024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I stack them side by side in my planing box, rough side up, and....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2tkoTv0pxFmZ8fU5SOdmRK29eJU_XGOLFyyEyo5AvcYf_PnX0Tk6oieWBWULgfojU2CF41btjmpRVJe1_aLX7SQdfNKSNMJCbiPPe_iLqLxVNNkU4ixJ3CaKjXOf9ptBl4_AhAy8v9g/s1600/IMG_20191028_143742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2tkoTv0pxFmZ8fU5SOdmRK29eJU_XGOLFyyEyo5AvcYf_PnX0Tk6oieWBWULgfojU2CF41btjmpRVJe1_aLX7SQdfNKSNMJCbiPPe_iLqLxVNNkU4ixJ3CaKjXOf9ptBl4_AhAy8v9g/s640/IMG_20191028_143742.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Plane them flat, and a uniform 2.5mm thick.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrMR4U_y1EEUbxL6BuPTN0O_9iPTZIszc00d38DHGVjmP6BDwMJWZij57UZvAqsAgADy7QfL3rVKqIIQy6Np0NsvgI4By-79Y5ZoBUTRaqjiMdNHN3BDUFl8xGx7MUxCpqfaPN4G6GY8/s1600/IMG_20191028_153022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrMR4U_y1EEUbxL6BuPTN0O_9iPTZIszc00d38DHGVjmP6BDwMJWZij57UZvAqsAgADy7QfL3rVKqIIQy6Np0NsvgI4By-79Y5ZoBUTRaqjiMdNHN3BDUFl8xGx7MUxCpqfaPN4G6GY8/s640/IMG_20191028_153022.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then chamfer the top edges with a ledge jig and my low angle block plane. </span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's it for the detour--now I can get back to the task at hand, which is gluing the rose bars on the rose.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf5gTBQo82VhWmxu8Ov-8IwZsMHxEQ0auQHxl7Y23rpQlU6ujpTOpoLTZ7hnfT2x9W1WQsEC_-U4VPoLYzIU4QJzvQiCwkM3m58jOx5C1dQbkhQJy4hNYCS2MBXhXTSMnTsXNQUntgvc/s1600/IMG_20191029_162928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf5gTBQo82VhWmxu8Ov-8IwZsMHxEQ0auQHxl7Y23rpQlU6ujpTOpoLTZ7hnfT2x9W1WQsEC_-U4VPoLYzIU4QJzvQiCwkM3m58jOx5C1dQbkhQJy4hNYCS2MBXhXTSMnTsXNQUntgvc/s640/IMG_20191029_162928.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having cut the bars to length and blackened the bottoms, I carve a little scallop in the tip of the bar. Why the scallop? Because that makes it easier...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeyDDaBYj62HwexRKv8uTYpb2XCBkSCSPTnxxASYohWzaatQa3d1ogRPeJeC1bD_n0_Gw4onKdF9n6sHLA3-F6G8uJWnTkrkh0FouqdnYspXsRPdhBt1i-xHQOD9-s6U6uqOLYyW_fvk/s1600/IMG_20191029_165304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeyDDaBYj62HwexRKv8uTYpb2XCBkSCSPTnxxASYohWzaatQa3d1ogRPeJeC1bD_n0_Gw4onKdF9n6sHLA3-F6G8uJWnTkrkh0FouqdnYspXsRPdhBt1i-xHQOD9-s6U6uqOLYyW_fvk/s640/IMG_20191029_165304.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To scorch the tip! I brush glue on the bar, stick it down in place, and then bring in my wood burning knife. Scorching the tip has the immediate effect of crystallizing the hide glue, sticking the tip of the bar fast to the belly. When I've scorched both ends, I don't need to use any other clamp to hold this bar down--it's secure. I can move on to gluing the next.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e7ZsqqgQsYMrAFC3F5HWmWnRGcjcao5XrtapjP4_sqI3gK_IM-9TqO_A5WTaiyL9Rnw7ng-sG71jWEVTXWkJC1PHSniYqCHh5kMAke6NqUgWzhm3vwlv322fmdRlrHc0rgZAfNcCvI4/s1600/IMG_20191030_103853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e7ZsqqgQsYMrAFC3F5HWmWnRGcjcao5XrtapjP4_sqI3gK_IM-9TqO_A5WTaiyL9Rnw7ng-sG71jWEVTXWkJC1PHSniYqCHh5kMAke6NqUgWzhm3vwlv322fmdRlrHc0rgZAfNcCvI4/s640/IMG_20191030_103853.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There they are, reasonably neat and orderly--and an illustration of yet another of the many miraculous properties of hide glue.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ6v1Td9aTfaOqPbilgq5gc1_nOB6fi4TPlK2kTavWLmcz49ALKUAPpA39NWcPicq9bDby1YXff7TwxyhqqvTeh12TY3dGS-EZZpbqoXCaSsKaRCxZns5TmT7OFN_QCbpRiR40zMwl5o/s1600/IMG_20191029_172830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ6v1Td9aTfaOqPbilgq5gc1_nOB6fi4TPlK2kTavWLmcz49ALKUAPpA39NWcPicq9bDby1YXff7TwxyhqqvTeh12TY3dGS-EZZpbqoXCaSsKaRCxZns5TmT7OFN_QCbpRiR40zMwl5o/s640/IMG_20191029_172830.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll let the glue dry thoroughly before working any further with the belly. In the meantime, I have to do a few things to prepare the body for fitting up the belly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVp_nlLHDL9UFig7jriUdWDLTCSTNf6V1SR7j8Rk9ZGgByemf0ljKN_Ggha4ojPXXuJ5aPS_voNMRFFWWBXHEXZctoy1cvjxngihJHN4Rv-MW8d0yiTm1Mi7c3q7jk-CYkp77TncZRqjY/s1600/IMG_20191031_144107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVp_nlLHDL9UFig7jriUdWDLTCSTNf6V1SR7j8Rk9ZGgByemf0ljKN_Ggha4ojPXXuJ5aPS_voNMRFFWWBXHEXZctoy1cvjxngihJHN4Rv-MW8d0yiTm1Mi7c3q7jk-CYkp77TncZRqjY/s640/IMG_20191031_144107.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remove the screw I used to attach the neck (a #8 deck screw)...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fk9rigjzaxUY13tPdFLv3xxfeFSda1dWuzJ83TprrD00VZjsv27974rao_M73fStV2MCSnadLRbpIhLpsS2HcCa0qIqm5-5D9KgCacgJLQeULHx5qw9NHHwrTeHRpNG7Soq20gRkf7k/s1600/IMG_20191031_144711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fk9rigjzaxUY13tPdFLv3xxfeFSda1dWuzJ83TprrD00VZjsv27974rao_M73fStV2MCSnadLRbpIhLpsS2HcCa0qIqm5-5D9KgCacgJLQeULHx5qw9NHHwrTeHRpNG7Soq20gRkf7k/s640/IMG_20191031_144711.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Drill out the hole, and swap it for something a little beefier (a #14).</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIJMMzSUxk99K12mycTANyt_gAzxs2ycAxZWIBx0D-lR4Un9bHgmf-mPwKdm5yr151L5DmlWU6mCcVq2cJpYWX2BQfKRJficLkw5r9ATTIvVqLaw6j6L9kh5jEDaI2b0WiXMTmeqQWKk/s1600/IMG_20191031_141634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIJMMzSUxk99K12mycTANyt_gAzxs2ycAxZWIBx0D-lR4Un9bHgmf-mPwKdm5yr151L5DmlWU6mCcVq2cJpYWX2BQfKRJficLkw5r9ATTIvVqLaw6j6L9kh5jEDaI2b0WiXMTmeqQWKk/s640/IMG_20191031_141634.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;">I carve away the rough edges of the counter cap (which I glued in long ago.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPv2-jRlLee8u7qb9JaGLDJohOTEYw5oBF3ZzJlZM-8FPnAVsUPQn9ZNV9R1bT28t7V0E4sfcAp_p_lTH1EkxXkuN0oDgIFCVW7crVPwuUt5UyR_-8Bej2cK8RonvWJmmB1v3D4k4Y4o/s1600/IMG_20191031_143429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPv2-jRlLee8u7qb9JaGLDJohOTEYw5oBF3ZzJlZM-8FPnAVsUPQn9ZNV9R1bT28t7V0E4sfcAp_p_lTH1EkxXkuN0oDgIFCVW7crVPwuUt5UyR_-8Bej2cK8RonvWJmmB1v3D4k4Y4o/s640/IMG_20191031_143429.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't want any edges inside the body to be too abrupt or too sharp. I have the notion (maybe it's a superstition) that they might impede the efficient production of sound.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35Pvp4h7O2oyEDm6I2bZgFXe9BBY7z7SDS0xbEDzhFIS3mVSS_rOGoIuegToC0N5te_kOWdUzmOdpef1U-lwc33iu3SUmWcSBXXELetVkIYw_tJVoK5hauxwCk63ZMAkiOPgoV5-JLDw/s1600/IMG_20191031_121251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35Pvp4h7O2oyEDm6I2bZgFXe9BBY7z7SDS0xbEDzhFIS3mVSS_rOGoIuegToC0N5te_kOWdUzmOdpef1U-lwc33iu3SUmWcSBXXELetVkIYw_tJVoK5hauxwCk63ZMAkiOPgoV5-JLDw/s640/IMG_20191031_121251.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I need to go back to the neck, and do a little more planing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe6ry1-mMkBd8tNLL8Nu3S9y7LWFqoVpM0IJnfUASinCtdMsThnya0PYJDulZowEs3maWMnQRQCwUeP6p4cdujsH48y0UKU99v2vCm8KDFifKHQnAT4Ro358K-lxBDWIokTcbEuL0vVg/s1600/IMG_20191031_121435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe6ry1-mMkBd8tNLL8Nu3S9y7LWFqoVpM0IJnfUASinCtdMsThnya0PYJDulZowEs3maWMnQRQCwUeP6p4cdujsH48y0UKU99v2vCm8KDFifKHQnAT4Ro358K-lxBDWIokTcbEuL0vVg/s640/IMG_20191031_121435.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I want to make sure the surface is quite flat in long section (it's been a few weeks since I worked with the neck and it may have changed shape slightly since then.)</span></td></tr>
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But that's not all I'm doing here. To tell you the complete story, I'm actually planing a <i>twist</i> in the upper surface of this neck. Specifically, I'm planing a slight <i>downward slope</i> across the neck, so that, at the nut end of the neck, the treble side will be somewhat lower (maybe about 1mm or so) than the bass side. (Even though it is twisted, however, the surface of the neck will continue to be flat in long section.)<br />
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This has the overall effect of lowering the action--that is, the eventual height of the strings above the fingerboard--of the treble strings in relation to the bass.<br />
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This operation is all carefully controlled and accounted for in the planning and building of the instrument, throughout even the earliest stages of construction. For instance, I know from the outset that I'll be planing this twist in the neck, and therefore I know that I will be reducing the neck's thickness by a certain amount (a bit less than a millimetre.) I have to account for that when I'm laying out and shaping the neck. Similarly, I know that if I plane away some material on the treble side of the neck, the neck will end up a little bit narrower--and so I have to plan for that too.<br />
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Just a few of the complications that make building a 13 course lute such special and challenging project!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;">
All right--the body is pretty much ready to accept the belly. So now, I can get back to the belly, and begin fitting it up.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUlImhpFP-HKir_BZ8HTTq63Ry6zswr_pWSbfushCPLqciNebeoWANfQmlYcnskl01TeJ9GVq8zDR1qv4uBSQbQ24Jqb6K7mB7rQ6fUl0B6lx9c1w5Gz9DpKVrZMdIkKFyFwejHF_l4g/s1600/IMG_20191031_152759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUlImhpFP-HKir_BZ8HTTq63Ry6zswr_pWSbfushCPLqciNebeoWANfQmlYcnskl01TeJ9GVq8zDR1qv4uBSQbQ24Jqb6K7mB7rQ6fUl0B6lx9c1w5Gz9DpKVrZMdIkKFyFwejHF_l4g/s640/IMG_20191031_152759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use templates to mark the cut-off angles for the various bar ends (I've taken these angles from the mold.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHx6Xnzsqe2yxm2xoFkepOVC_djt7wT16iaWTJL8fRwq3OHP0cEWwEfu16ao__K6kD7CWsztTbQeH6lpjitdmXqfjyFJey7mPieovy0CELerU1A1dcD8bRoAPweCdqDl44cUsEJgP3Y8/s1600/IMG_20191031_155047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHx6Xnzsqe2yxm2xoFkepOVC_djt7wT16iaWTJL8fRwq3OHP0cEWwEfu16ao__K6kD7CWsztTbQeH6lpjitdmXqfjyFJey7mPieovy0CELerU1A1dcD8bRoAPweCdqDl44cUsEJgP3Y8/s640/IMG_20191031_155047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use a razor saw (with a lot of wax on the blade) to make the cut. I make sure not to cut too far inside the line (the body outline, marked on the belly)--I want to leave myself some extra length, so that I can later trim the bar end to the exact length.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrVj_2Iu_sZ2iDH8kxHwfCANLKCOoEULdWUDt7XN7pnwgZc1LuWUxu8uaB0ph65l1PrESVykbA2Kd1UTE_s9JQMhXkipreoT4XQKYKGc1LWAWIJmV7MjB5-l8URp-pvKg7jKUdnjLR1M/s1600/IMG_20191031_155307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrVj_2Iu_sZ2iDH8kxHwfCANLKCOoEULdWUDt7XN7pnwgZc1LuWUxu8uaB0ph65l1PrESVykbA2Kd1UTE_s9JQMhXkipreoT4XQKYKGc1LWAWIJmV7MjB5-l8URp-pvKg7jKUdnjLR1M/s640/IMG_20191031_155307.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A small chisel removes most of the excess material, but I don't go all the way to the belly surface (because I don't want to mar it.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievNf-ym8UVlqn0hutRHDe6_oc0LY91LMz8fD5xAR-JPz-n_J6TY4pD9RXWwe4RpkMsejDcku3-aYEFgswQPLLTo38J-O8Jjab81QW3KZf-2JQurGdbwNWC0aae_mUVZg9QfKo8hDFN3A/s1600/IMG_20191031_155454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievNf-ym8UVlqn0hutRHDe6_oc0LY91LMz8fD5xAR-JPz-n_J6TY4pD9RXWwe4RpkMsejDcku3-aYEFgswQPLLTo38J-O8Jjab81QW3KZf-2JQurGdbwNWC0aae_mUVZg9QfKo8hDFN3A/s640/IMG_20191031_155454.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Instead, I leave a bit of bar material right next to the belly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4MudWbXdjcYXnVeyiQX-LhK_h5XVE2U8-1A0a-UmVFOblOvURZwUJ5LIH7Hpxp2ID9sExKI9xc7c4xwvDS3pn7fobZamem3QcJY8UKFt4zybpc8bgxpeqlrAIwvJbP02RnNnMbE9UMc/s1600/IMG_20191031_163633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4MudWbXdjcYXnVeyiQX-LhK_h5XVE2U8-1A0a-UmVFOblOvURZwUJ5LIH7Hpxp2ID9sExKI9xc7c4xwvDS3pn7fobZamem3QcJY8UKFt4zybpc8bgxpeqlrAIwvJbP02RnNnMbE9UMc/s640/IMG_20191031_163633.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">To remove it, I use my wood burning knife and a strip of cotton soaked in water. I apply a little steam...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6wwRANakjG1OonMQ5OEJGUE0a3nO_kfya5eSGmNigx4kOcQx8yCF2jdduRZ8V8AJ6UYRzfPdF8NzELLmO0hUVl2GYd7xYTQxM9uffW7gjy60p7XFbaOi_WWiItBRLBKWkEYmThMzT0c/s1600/IMG_20191031_163719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6wwRANakjG1OonMQ5OEJGUE0a3nO_kfya5eSGmNigx4kOcQx8yCF2jdduRZ8V8AJ6UYRzfPdF8NzELLmO0hUVl2GYd7xYTQxM9uffW7gjy60p7XFbaOi_WWiItBRLBKWkEYmThMzT0c/s640/IMG_20191031_163719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the glue releases. I can remove the bit of bar with a sharpened stick, and the belly is left unblemished.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yqhwSPW-jOx3552qrO6pp91pi5XogXByNwXOwqDrOvy9Kqhq7maXgfWkhnZu8y6UYLhh21Fwka0II7zyixD0eiGRJRGZTWWI9qQSMWBdy5qDtrsmwMyKMAy4cGjG6tE8_PP693yDkrc/s1600/IMG_20191101_123530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yqhwSPW-jOx3552qrO6pp91pi5XogXByNwXOwqDrOvy9Kqhq7maXgfWkhnZu8y6UYLhh21Fwka0II7zyixD0eiGRJRGZTWWI9qQSMWBdy5qDtrsmwMyKMAy4cGjG6tE8_PP693yDkrc/s640/IMG_20191101_123530.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last step for now is to trim the belly edge to within a couple of millimetres of my outline. I'm pretty much ready to start the fine fitting process, which will be the subject of my next post.<br /></span><br />
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-30263378212684006482019-11-10T18:14:00.000-08:002019-11-10T22:06:58.806-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 7: Bracing the BellyHello again. Today, another adventure in lute making: shaping and gluing the braces on the backside of the belly. Perhaps not the most glamorous job in the lute maker's resume, but essential to the sound and structure, and eventually the action, of the finished lute.<br />
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At the beginning of this blog series, somebody on social media asked me a question something like this: is building a 13 course lute all that different from building a renaissance lute? My answer could only be superficial, but I said yes--and that's mainly down to the fact that whereas a renaissance lute has a relatively flat (though not completely flat) fingerboard, a 13 course lute has one with a very pronounced arch. Practically every operation bends--often, quite literally--toward accommodating that feature. Today, we'll really start to see that principle in action.<br />
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[Small editorial comment here: throughout this post I will refer to 'braces' and 'bracing,' rather than 'bars' and 'barring.' I think the former is more a British usage, the latter more commonly a North American one. Writing in Canada, and in Canadian as I do, I'm generally more likely to go with British spellings, though in this case the Britishism seems a bit foreign to me. However, I've decided to use it to alleviate confusion when I start talking about <i>go-bars </i>and the <i>go-bar deck.</i>]<br />
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In my last post, I carved the rose. Upon finishing that job, I hung up the belly one more time in the light box for 24 hours, in a low-humidity environment, for another round of humidity cycling (described in more detail <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/10/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">here, in the 5th instalment of this series.</a>) After bracing the belly I won't be doing any more humidity cycling, since the braces are glued across the grain (and to put the assembly in a low-humidity environment at this point would be disastrous.)<br />
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So no more humidity cycling with the belly, but I will nevertheless continue to carefully control the relative humidity in my workshop, in two ways: by using a small oil-filled heater to warm my work room, and, when the relative humidity is a little too high for that to handle, by turning on my dehumidifier. These two little appliances can make working conditions uncomfortably warm at times, but together they enable me to keep the r.h. in my shop in the low-40% range, which is optimal for crucial jobs like gluing on braces, and, a little further along, gluing the bridge.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DuG3s_Dk4WiW_TMcSNojsdQm2XjTHEDO6hVll2okmvrQQNdzz45vRcPR_xZqrbA35drmONLuWWW7FyYZ_3zc-6hz5P0nd1r9RmVaU2wCcPRH8TStjB3d7Te2dup8eL37-f_pzeRWn1Y/s1600/IMG_20191011_144410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DuG3s_Dk4WiW_TMcSNojsdQm2XjTHEDO6hVll2okmvrQQNdzz45vRcPR_xZqrbA35drmONLuWWW7FyYZ_3zc-6hz5P0nd1r9RmVaU2wCcPRH8TStjB3d7Te2dup8eL37-f_pzeRWn1Y/s640/IMG_20191011_144410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my brace material: alpine spruce, from the same source as my soundboards. It's sold in split billets, which guarantees that the pieces I cut will be practically free of runout. (Watch out for that knot!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqnztEwcwtNKJwOaJZU5RM_b-nzTtIkLqccSX7iUtzCdj04rWWnBbt5aMiRu7fRqeegOCmFUrOvBkblYdxL9bvIGiD9pLqz0V_zNa4kUDvnDGEyebeRjN4jC85gCrX6zhpKtf_G35OL8/s1600/IMG_20191011_150017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqnztEwcwtNKJwOaJZU5RM_b-nzTtIkLqccSX7iUtzCdj04rWWnBbt5aMiRu7fRqeegOCmFUrOvBkblYdxL9bvIGiD9pLqz0V_zNa4kUDvnDGEyebeRjN4jC85gCrX6zhpKtf_G35OL8/s640/IMG_20191011_150017.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After cutting braces to generous length and height, I take them to a quite exact and uniform thickness with a bench plane.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxD6nq7jgz9yUrD2yIkN3UDz2AludBPxYisYUve3NP2dANixvPjHjzhhiZNK3S5qcVbL3AajRL5dHW5PxurksnMAOsNvlVgvUOo2p2hYdsIf0R1I-LwO9udtwPYrure2YlEb0C4SFb7o/s1600/IMG_20191011_150056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxD6nq7jgz9yUrD2yIkN3UDz2AludBPxYisYUve3NP2dANixvPjHjzhhiZNK3S5qcVbL3AajRL5dHW5PxurksnMAOsNvlVgvUOo2p2hYdsIf0R1I-LwO9udtwPYrure2YlEb0C4SFb7o/s640/IMG_20191011_150056.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a planing box for the purpose--just a small plank with some edging--which fits into my bench vice.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh5b4foQHw-M1H1-tFYRDZpDHyJ0KU-9DhDVupZ5rc81apg9fm-8HXmRdmg4xRpjjdYJOgkn70NeFf3jrzUAAj5PQAH4eh3fXJKmmvqw0OVrPB94OaLDO1skEXon7i-xut-_pTYRSOho/s1600/IMG_20191011_144425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh5b4foQHw-M1H1-tFYRDZpDHyJ0KU-9DhDVupZ5rc81apg9fm-8HXmRdmg4xRpjjdYJOgkn70NeFf3jrzUAAj5PQAH4eh3fXJKmmvqw0OVrPB94OaLDO1skEXon7i-xut-_pTYRSOho/s640/IMG_20191011_144425.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">All three sets of braces are 'roughed in' for all three lutes. The brace dimensions and locations are based on historical examples, and on my own years of experience building a lot of lutes with the same or very similar material throughout. (One does get to know one's material quite intimately after a while.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO2KpeXNS0d9xlmwjYk8E6nA88du1UGwFoyxQCGeuGm52DrFwcFpX2bRR0jyzKwYXv_TcT6npnlaCefG5OfQF1bVVhSxoRAmSbHTEP58k2in6rdsu8r23g6Yi70cLabIu5EqoGNUsYWM/s1600/IMG_20191011_145400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO2KpeXNS0d9xlmwjYk8E6nA88du1UGwFoyxQCGeuGm52DrFwcFpX2bRR0jyzKwYXv_TcT6npnlaCefG5OfQF1bVVhSxoRAmSbHTEP58k2in6rdsu8r23g6Yi70cLabIu5EqoGNUsYWM/s640/IMG_20191011_145400.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I bend thicknessed sheets of material for j-braces using the bending iron and a bit of water from the spritzer. Later, when they are cooled and dry, I will cut individual j-braces from them in the bandsaw.</span></td></tr>
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Once the braces are prepared, I'm ready to go ahead with gluing them on the belly--and I will complete all the work to follow in today's post in about 3 hours. It's essential for me to do all this work at one go, to ensure the freshest gluing surfaces and the most consistent shop humidity. These precautions--these principles--will do much to ensure the finished instrument is as durable and as <i>sound</i> as it can possibly be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl95GUyNKBmxWqYtvtAbeRhNonzB-ign1CEUJqfCXpSrWO8FsWZ01S6Qn8BIshYgJOfzieCvJKyZm8PCd-xBeDaENbwFVRxeVKOuus5nlvDpM3pI81hPoQuYCdRAZ993gjBs8QZaiCwq8/s1600/IMG_20191016_093828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl95GUyNKBmxWqYtvtAbeRhNonzB-ign1CEUJqfCXpSrWO8FsWZ01S6Qn8BIshYgJOfzieCvJKyZm8PCd-xBeDaENbwFVRxeVKOuus5nlvDpM3pI81hPoQuYCdRAZ993gjBs8QZaiCwq8/s640/IMG_20191016_093828.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I scrape the belly. Not to remove much material, only to refresh the surface of the wood by removing the slightly grimy, gluey and oxidized outer layer. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrti0Lc73mSb-Zi_lXcU1iNCp-1oG7fJYQo3Q-fnGBaYXBQbfRvGJwwAGJIfrpWXRd9vodstF4x_qLfAcDVh57QylOiFoSgOSDznbHWor-geGnma-q_3oa2ouG5r3_bqOtlzVXbX6BB4/s1600/IMG_20191016_100009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrti0Lc73mSb-Zi_lXcU1iNCp-1oG7fJYQo3Q-fnGBaYXBQbfRvGJwwAGJIfrpWXRd9vodstF4x_qLfAcDVh57QylOiFoSgOSDznbHWor-geGnma-q_3oa2ouG5r3_bqOtlzVXbX6BB4/s640/IMG_20191016_100009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark the centreline, and the positions of all my braces.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-wEhYhxt81oXPQ46XVgUGNPNz3giiuKdT1NYdPDngWRDv56JgjfozX_YRBwsqeburgryJVm2-c9jVF6UlWKXSRxhfdluIbvFo3RA-p4Wgccf7anberDXEdSkY6hIg9bmkydUF_9SJdI/s1600/IMG_20191016_100653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-wEhYhxt81oXPQ46XVgUGNPNz3giiuKdT1NYdPDngWRDv56JgjfozX_YRBwsqeburgryJVm2-c9jVF6UlWKXSRxhfdluIbvFo3RA-p4Wgccf7anberDXEdSkY6hIg9bmkydUF_9SJdI/s640/IMG_20191016_100653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I locate the body of the lute very carefully on the backside of the belly, and trace the outline. I use wedges to lift up the middle of the belly (remember the <a href="https://thelutesprogress.blogspot.com/2019/08/building-13-course-lute-start-to-finish_12.html" target="_blank">belly scoop from episode 2?</a>) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthDjD_kUFnTdWgHoebSkEkAYTpOZ9Yy6SWRnmAygB9o0siEM_CYVNHfjET85NL94p70b6hqVG9cvVm82m0X1n7Bj8QhQNwDolDNHiafYmuYI9DcV79iezpVzOcBr8968TU_7ZjShltp0/s1600/IMG_20191016_110510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthDjD_kUFnTdWgHoebSkEkAYTpOZ9Yy6SWRnmAygB9o0siEM_CYVNHfjET85NL94p70b6hqVG9cvVm82m0X1n7Bj8QhQNwDolDNHiafYmuYI9DcV79iezpVzOcBr8968TU_7ZjShltp0/s640/IMG_20191016_110510.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then shoot the bottom of each brace, to give a fresh, perpendicular gluing surface--and, on quite a few of them, to create a carefully controlled amount of curvature on the underside of the brace.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7O-Q-BSDyz4sCYZQmYPFvnToNiRA12WxO1EmK3mWg5Sd_mt1mI0_bWlVoedOXApYy550MAhpsG2my9xkBoe2SsFseZ72BXLwqj2MK9an-YAnaVtAyrOvJAccTandPwutUTqCP3HFqnI/s1600/IMG_20191016_110210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7O-Q-BSDyz4sCYZQmYPFvnToNiRA12WxO1EmK3mWg5Sd_mt1mI0_bWlVoedOXApYy550MAhpsG2my9xkBoe2SsFseZ72BXLwqj2MK9an-YAnaVtAyrOvJAccTandPwutUTqCP3HFqnI/s640/IMG_20191016_110210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Take, for instance, brace #7--the highest on the belly, the one closest to the body-neck joint and therefore to the fingerboard. The fingerboard, at the body-neck joint, will be significantly arched--somewhere around 3-3.5mm across approximately 100mm of width. That fingerboard arch cannot simply stop at a dead-end where it joins up with the belly; there must be some sort of transition between the fingerboard curve and the (relatively) flat surface of the belly. To achieve this, I plane curves into the top three braces, gradually easing the amount as the braces approach the rose.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJez85JJOfXvhBX_r8rhhLY1RUZCaJ0tKc2GAajeM75BxeNQFRKQ4ySrGzCiyBtt_OeEWLQ2qrMuW6vF41SYWpyqU_7pmJdzdorQGyvwqNiqd3_1PD3ESC4EMEYqsygcShhO2v8RTKgo/s1600/IMG_20191016_113557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJez85JJOfXvhBX_r8rhhLY1RUZCaJ0tKc2GAajeM75BxeNQFRKQ4ySrGzCiyBtt_OeEWLQ2qrMuW6vF41SYWpyqU_7pmJdzdorQGyvwqNiqd3_1PD3ESC4EMEYqsygcShhO2v8RTKgo/s640/IMG_20191016_113557.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the way I will support the belly to glue on this curved brace: with carefully-shaped curved cauls. The cauls are made of strips of cardstock, cut to length, stacked, and taped together.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEZgiQCOOcDMTYLKUyFre8dVNu-_Al_NuZouyBzbRS7zv535kFmNhEX7rcOvlIGCfAY-OgyoQa-e575HShcvRld6NoBfFrwJQhS7XtZoKTg7QbjBppCsMrCt3eK0n2LRgcYYSSHi1b4w/s1600/IMG_20191016_114652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEZgiQCOOcDMTYLKUyFre8dVNu-_Al_NuZouyBzbRS7zv535kFmNhEX7rcOvlIGCfAY-OgyoQa-e575HShcvRld6NoBfFrwJQhS7XtZoKTg7QbjBppCsMrCt3eK0n2LRgcYYSSHi1b4w/s640/IMG_20191016_114652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As you see here, it's not only the top three braces that are curved--there is also a small amount of curve in the first two braces in front of the bridge. (I'll explain the reason for the curves in those braces when the time comes, in a future post.) I also place a thickness of cardstock under the rose, to support it, and a few small wedges of card to support the uncurved braces below the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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What can I say? The three-dimesional geometry of a 13 course lute belly is very complex indeed. Stick with me; all will become clear. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQSWvmM2tZp5i31zm4do3-tPHWzrNJ91Z8mRCw1SSHIf8U1J-MnX4y5v-iCdGfxS2HZcBWeMk8CKkgNZFVZz1IxzB-FJqpJgQJ57zBKFX_DPvqpT6vbyE8kNaITQ8vx-DrEZ9pqulUyU/s1600/IMG_20191016_114749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQSWvmM2tZp5i31zm4do3-tPHWzrNJ91Z8mRCw1SSHIf8U1J-MnX4y5v-iCdGfxS2HZcBWeMk8CKkgNZFVZz1IxzB-FJqpJgQJ57zBKFX_DPvqpT6vbyE8kNaITQ8vx-DrEZ9pqulUyU/s640/IMG_20191016_114749.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I locate the belly very precisely on top of these curved cauls, on the bottom floor of the go-bar deck. Almost ready to begin gluing... but first, back to the braces for a minute or two.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfP3oUHQfktcmAzSlmK355cvWrBuU4GuZnZbk4WYgZsL3CH-Mb-ouXOdZcYLb19lqJpYvT7j8K1K1f8Q8hQUATF3Pk45PC557uxbE1OXfahPr1Yq_zLwHGVnEMgGiOOXEOyaDKH18huW0/s1600/IMG_20191016_120623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfP3oUHQfktcmAzSlmK355cvWrBuU4GuZnZbk4WYgZsL3CH-Mb-ouXOdZcYLb19lqJpYvT7j8K1K1f8Q8hQUATF3Pk45PC557uxbE1OXfahPr1Yq_zLwHGVnEMgGiOOXEOyaDKH18huW0/s640/IMG_20191016_120623.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little more shaping to do: I use my trusty low-angle block plane (with a very sharp, and slightly curved, blade) to slightly taper the braces, so they are narrower at the top. A few strokes with the plane on each side of the brace is enough, and I am careful not to reduce the already-established nominal thickness of the brace at the bottom.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyo4dO6j5Xk2FVGE4T5I-vz-_27Jw_U0iY67yzjyAT7GoNbJVXh4V7QyfpU-zrLXP9lyLMWlOZQIYqeO-YwHZiCBs5MyAXwEmVTbaBwLhHgN1tp1Xp0RMO986jk8aoQm5rO6zQ1m1Pbv4/s1600/IMG_20191016_120821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyo4dO6j5Xk2FVGE4T5I-vz-_27Jw_U0iY67yzjyAT7GoNbJVXh4V7QyfpU-zrLXP9lyLMWlOZQIYqeO-YwHZiCBs5MyAXwEmVTbaBwLhHgN1tp1Xp0RMO986jk8aoQm5rO6zQ1m1Pbv4/s640/IMG_20191016_120821.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the kind of profile I'm looking for.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWdnOfd5YRfWNyYwZylWhvkg0elL0VfWNz4rnQUMR5F-oIJFVfDGeIBZhhVcM9gciHgGQ73R5Xuu5M_cMcUOAibSv3bxue-LwPKcVJDZTIzZJ4PqaM_gdbP95Fw6isBXcuPex4Y7M-NY/s1600/IMG_20191016_122046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWdnOfd5YRfWNyYwZylWhvkg0elL0VfWNz4rnQUMR5F-oIJFVfDGeIBZhhVcM9gciHgGQ73R5Xuu5M_cMcUOAibSv3bxue-LwPKcVJDZTIzZJ4PqaM_gdbP95Fw6isBXcuPex4Y7M-NY/s640/IMG_20191016_122046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how I shoot the bottom of the j-brace: by running it over the upturned bench plane in the vice.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8VSWebUS39aY2NkIknN3zqT3Kc9R9GSTvPAYs8VmTTgc7aU93gVUdvokyZH4RO44JWCeuQNt-VKWgAvEZuETlQc4XVwQRNHtocMuCDTa4Jr4brjVmpBE0gzXXeWrCwwEdxxWEG55ePw/s1600/IMG_20191016_122811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8VSWebUS39aY2NkIknN3zqT3Kc9R9GSTvPAYs8VmTTgc7aU93gVUdvokyZH4RO44JWCeuQNt-VKWgAvEZuETlQc4XVwQRNHtocMuCDTa4Jr4brjVmpBE0gzXXeWrCwwEdxxWEG55ePw/s640/IMG_20191016_122811.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Almost ready to glue, but first I ink black the bottom surface of the three bars that cross the rose (note the authentic 16th century Sharpie.) There are three bars across the rose, and I black only the portion of the bottom surface that crosses it. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCulQJw0xgk_SdcG-urX06G8W5a8AhQeBfQdzYXj3Ck46DKGoZSlVTnRWzElyhlrP9CmPdvvh4fMn8K3O2o_l_i80dY1fAdXt11EiR3VF6FOpl0QG2DVwsbJYf3OM3_MdDQ1zsPQ3M5E/s1600/IMG_20191016_123033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCulQJw0xgk_SdcG-urX06G8W5a8AhQeBfQdzYXj3Ck46DKGoZSlVTnRWzElyhlrP9CmPdvvh4fMn8K3O2o_l_i80dY1fAdXt11EiR3VF6FOpl0QG2DVwsbJYf3OM3_MdDQ1zsPQ3M5E/s640/IMG_20191016_123033.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the best shot I have of the whole go-bar deck and glue pot rig. I'm reaching up on the top of the deck, where the oak go-bars are kept (and, may I say, also rocking quite a saucy pose.) I'll be reaching overhead for go-bars throughout the gluing process.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkH61kr_nKl7TH4Bj2JQh2vUIRlGTDYKK5R_8-YU7fcOzSMREePAT7XLh1FxKj9G77sJjA96SPwoPsk2XlOkU2MmtzfilcwZ18E8P_ux30VBIhYTpUSPni9p5i7WOz65WQoCGIrHQbMw/s1600/IMG_20191016_124554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkH61kr_nKl7TH4Bj2JQh2vUIRlGTDYKK5R_8-YU7fcOzSMREePAT7XLh1FxKj9G77sJjA96SPwoPsk2XlOkU2MmtzfilcwZ18E8P_ux30VBIhYTpUSPni9p5i7WOz65WQoCGIrHQbMw/s640/IMG_20191016_124554.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's how I glue. Starting at the bottom of the belly, I take a bar, hold it above the rim of the glue jar and brush glue upward onto the bottom surface. I keep dipping the brush in the jar, then brushing hot glue upward, ever higher, until I've got good, even coverage with glue that is a pretty uniform temperature.</span></td></tr>
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And then, I get the bar down quickly in place on the belly, giving it a slight rub as I do so, to ensure good initial contact. Holding the brace in spot with the palm of the left hand, I reach up with the right to grab a go-bar. Still holding the brace securely with the lefthand palm, I use the left fingertips to locate the tip of the go-bar on the top of the brace, while the right hand swings the upper end of the go-bar into place directly above, against the ceiling of the go-bar deck.<br />
<br />
Huh?<br />
<br />
Yeah. I just read that over again, and it might seem a bit confusing. But really, that's how it goes, and short of actually doing a video of me working (which I'm not interested in doing), I can't make it much clearer. You'll have to just take my word for it--or, better yet, try it yourself.<br />
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Still holding the brace with the left, I place two, three, four, or even five more go-bars, as needed, in order to secure the brace. Then onto the next.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8GnJrMs-jZVR1EWdpqxjHHAXV3NG-2tUqGwaAEt1PUqw2u0j1VtWEXFmCwE4o2L0BQ3MsJS2ERE5nzwtO9hD-ZOhqXXXfqlbuxl2lnvk247EVQQQPqSWFmmvEzaYQiC9YR0Xobbd01A/s1600/IMG_20191016_123820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8GnJrMs-jZVR1EWdpqxjHHAXV3NG-2tUqGwaAEt1PUqw2u0j1VtWEXFmCwE4o2L0BQ3MsJS2ERE5nzwtO9hD-ZOhqXXXfqlbuxl2lnvk247EVQQQPqSWFmmvEzaYQiC9YR0Xobbd01A/s640/IMG_20191016_123820.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the first brace. Seems like a good start.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqKr8nV_xXiBn2exLqO-OPpubk4D5QBb0IQBbYTne-k7LD_CO4i_maM1cu2fJ1kiSQR1hqbi54UWz0X01OUFNAA8DjQDp8GwN-0Qxa2eoskhL4S1w1-k_RudmM12NrzpFK_m9DLPsKm4/s1600/IMG_20191016_123835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqKr8nV_xXiBn2exLqO-OPpubk4D5QBb0IQBbYTne-k7LD_CO4i_maM1cu2fJ1kiSQR1hqbi54UWz0X01OUFNAA8DjQDp8GwN-0Qxa2eoskhL4S1w1-k_RudmM12NrzpFK_m9DLPsKm4/s640/IMG_20191016_123835.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh yes, and after I glue each brace, I clear away excess glue with a long-handled brush whose ferrule I've bent for the purpose.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OF-V4R4iul-IDWwNtzb2thC_jCnr2qdttRpUmtibzjfBZUeIJTD7xC1A4BRvSorvpHgbK2QAyg2We6TbaJrYB8faKTXHgmwT4kcyBa3O4pml9JDqwhtp22PG4x7qsPZKzksV0lHYz54/s1600/IMG_20191016_125026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OF-V4R4iul-IDWwNtzb2thC_jCnr2qdttRpUmtibzjfBZUeIJTD7xC1A4BRvSorvpHgbK2QAyg2We6TbaJrYB8faKTXHgmwT4kcyBa3O4pml9JDqwhtp22PG4x7qsPZKzksV0lHYz54/s640/IMG_20191016_125026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">About half-done. It's getting to be quite a forest of go-bars, and I must be careful as I glue each successive brace not to nudge the go-bars of previous braces. (A domino-style disaster is thus averted.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn8DsdnX6CHajl-EZ0A3UpVLRQSm0uUSZRpGsnizBjhkUMUcW6XINXnglimWkXzda4RFgDPQ8ngIsgVgW0b8c6V8qUeIsGk2Iu1VWjNaf4P6eJKzyfsuSxqIcs-iB-VYxfGhZRw_A_GM/s1600/IMG_20191016_125031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn8DsdnX6CHajl-EZ0A3UpVLRQSm0uUSZRpGsnizBjhkUMUcW6XINXnglimWkXzda4RFgDPQ8ngIsgVgW0b8c6V8qUeIsGk2Iu1VWjNaf4P6eJKzyfsuSxqIcs-iB-VYxfGhZRw_A_GM/s640/IMG_20191016_125031.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Full shot of the go-bar deck. This one was made by and belongs to Grant Tomlinson, whose shop is right next door to mine, and who kindly lends me it whenever I need. (I have my own set of go-bars which I use with the deck, however.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oPaPML9endBeQDyT1aZgFYBeGUOPFsqkt43M3v6g-PHKKTAxbW6JH82QYS1CLfJYxNGrJ1yFGi88EYWWIf64-_hcW1qh6GkTThGhjXXbwk510RY6FJGBw992KyjaHyMZtlNSYEezIbk/s1600/IMG_20191016_131954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oPaPML9endBeQDyT1aZgFYBeGUOPFsqkt43M3v6g-PHKKTAxbW6JH82QYS1CLfJYxNGrJ1yFGi88EYWWIf64-_hcW1qh6GkTThGhjXXbwk510RY6FJGBw992KyjaHyMZtlNSYEezIbk/s640/IMG_20191016_131954.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We see the top bar here, the one with the most curve, with the belly beneath supported by the curved cauls.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8GHXvwwEB66Zf1oSBg54j-Fq2Opnt7tGBmEho-wedkUNdX6isvoyYFShW-7jn4smJHDx9p13q4tLR8jYqkrGDTk7usG9QlW_pn9gOmuiqPSfVMB_bRlctSUigcGoY0Aqb3j4NU7t43w/s1600/IMG_20191016_132013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8GHXvwwEB66Zf1oSBg54j-Fq2Opnt7tGBmEho-wedkUNdX6isvoyYFShW-7jn4smJHDx9p13q4tLR8jYqkrGDTk7usG9QlW_pn9gOmuiqPSfVMB_bRlctSUigcGoY0Aqb3j4NU7t43w/s640/IMG_20191016_132013.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One more shot of the go-bar deck? Why not. It's a simple piece of machinery, but it works perfectly. I love that kind of technology.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYdDqHDdoU-n_SYgiTCYXDRX4fS51-ld4eateuQ8kW_G2NtllxaEcB6xRKuwAcVHs7XVefa3zYwDTZAbrIR6VRw5CtHQHpW9cjU8JADHP9075GzoRcSPP8JX8-IzmFFokqVTulke-wVM/s1600/IMG_20191016_181010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYdDqHDdoU-n_SYgiTCYXDRX4fS51-ld4eateuQ8kW_G2NtllxaEcB6xRKuwAcVHs7XVefa3zYwDTZAbrIR6VRw5CtHQHpW9cjU8JADHP9075GzoRcSPP8JX8-IzmFFokqVTulke-wVM/s640/IMG_20191016_181010.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And next morning, after carefully taking down each go-bar, and removing the belly from the deck, I see my result. All the braces are securely glued, and they look reasonably orderly.</span></td></tr>
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However, most of these braces, I will confess, are not placed with an excess of precision. I get them in basically the right spot, but, as you can see, there is some randomness to the angles of most of them (the top two, especially, seem a little askew--or is it the third one?) But that's actually what I'm looking for, a little randomness. One sees it all the time looking at old lute bellies. As with their rose carving, one gets the sense that the old makers actually distrusted too much symmetry, proportion and control, and actively <i>as a principle </i>courted a certain amount of chance and randomness in their work. Perfection is a kind of death, both visually and sonically; imperfection is energy and life.<br />
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Next time: shaping the braces, and fitting up to the body. Have a wonderful week.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-90065953889966072322019-11-02T22:16:00.000-07:002019-11-03T09:01:48.050-08:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 6: the Rose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi again. Today I shall talk about the 13 course lute's rose--preparing the belly for the pattern, gluing the pattern on, and carving the rose. There's much ground to cover, so let's get started.<br />
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As I mentioned at the end of the last episode, after thicknessing the belly I placed it in the low-humidity light box for 24 hours, then gradually allowed the humidity to rise over a couple of days until the belly stabilized in the ambient humidity of my workshop (about 40-45% relative humidity.) I'm now ready to thin the rose area, to prepare for gluing the pattern.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGP1xezpbhQmya8RaC6OW1yBBwq2uiUikkqvBx0HmP8glV-f9Qaa-Jiepo12igdZmnTlTSiTwBX_2Cpv_AigDhhRWfVFhqR8HUg6WoFLEB40zY3vyBfflKNg5uX9fT4n3TgvdNwmsrPA/s1600/IMG_20190909_141853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGP1xezpbhQmya8RaC6OW1yBBwq2uiUikkqvBx0HmP8glV-f9Qaa-Jiepo12igdZmnTlTSiTwBX_2Cpv_AigDhhRWfVFhqR8HUg6WoFLEB40zY3vyBfflKNg5uX9fT4n3TgvdNwmsrPA/s640/IMG_20190909_141853.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The belly centreline and rose position are marked. The central area of my belly is around 1.5mm thick; I'll want to thin the rose area to just under 1mm.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQAoHnuHcohzKJpF6wpa5pP06brAhIm6ELPfnOlN7tO6eBZK6fdldTp5BJ5bfc9eR28grW_yjN6O_qQqn4k3qzcsJD483m_fVAhXoZIvYypafJseMPL5EO0lNFn4UX7XYIzX2nsS2VbE/s1600/IMG_20190909_142101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQAoHnuHcohzKJpF6wpa5pP06brAhIm6ELPfnOlN7tO6eBZK6fdldTp5BJ5bfc9eR28grW_yjN6O_qQqn4k3qzcsJD483m_fVAhXoZIvYypafJseMPL5EO0lNFn4UX7XYIzX2nsS2VbE/s640/IMG_20190909_142101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use a small, curved fingerplane to remove most of the material. It seems to work best (to minimize tear-out) to plane diagonally across the grain. I can only plane up to the belly centreline, since the grain direction will reverse on the other side of centre. I'll need to approach from the opposite direction.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil8eHSTWbMWFJZ_fIb_wDUsqIS3nevVfx2dwsZJKc8dgN4sxgFDTJVSGbc83pfaVP-ZrkvgSzXdzBin8jXQh-5MJRcsiMYRnbZRYyzSwLrZGYgqh7QUP6KnZTSWuuAJbyR26s7avCWeQ/s1600/IMG_20190909_142531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil8eHSTWbMWFJZ_fIb_wDUsqIS3nevVfx2dwsZJKc8dgN4sxgFDTJVSGbc83pfaVP-ZrkvgSzXdzBin8jXQh-5MJRcsiMYRnbZRYyzSwLrZGYgqh7QUP6KnZTSWuuAJbyR26s7avCWeQ/s640/IMG_20190909_142531.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I work in a crosshatch pattern, over an area that is slightly larger than the diameter of the rose pattern I'll be using.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX4IuDQf95rKvB-Ph-st7h8450hSZcaYoCGnA_Z_uQrUNZgYKx4TWKZA3ZNltrTGnU1P0wKIQVQN0h6fzFgxhRxCGuuAX1dzd0yvmCSvPYtSrd8LZOHQKnOohqqfBcwhKAqXneEmtslM/s1600/IMG_20190909_144043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX4IuDQf95rKvB-Ph-st7h8450hSZcaYoCGnA_Z_uQrUNZgYKx4TWKZA3ZNltrTGnU1P0wKIQVQN0h6fzFgxhRxCGuuAX1dzd0yvmCSvPYtSrd8LZOHQKnOohqqfBcwhKAqXneEmtslM/s640/IMG_20190909_144043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do the fine thinning of the rose area with a small, sharp hand scraper. I don't want too abrupt a transition from thin to thick, so I also use it to blend these areas.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8YDmvH1rToLcly8nV2noN7m9TMAxOC_qMqEtG7w8H511I4PRP5y_fdrr3A5gZ7CpyY93Yu6mPUodWohFONU6_osuIYphGqJ8ltMaRIbjFUBSRM3O0bac-37qR3NOIsZ2zBenyIavaRo/s1600/IMG_20190909_144820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8YDmvH1rToLcly8nV2noN7m9TMAxOC_qMqEtG7w8H511I4PRP5y_fdrr3A5gZ7CpyY93Yu6mPUodWohFONU6_osuIYphGqJ8ltMaRIbjFUBSRM3O0bac-37qR3NOIsZ2zBenyIavaRo/s640/IMG_20190909_144820.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The rose pattern--photocopied onto 60 lb. watercolour paper--is cut out with about 5mm extra width around the perimeter. I locate it very carefully, and hold it in place with one hand...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Wmjlb9GgUG3i4zuHKa3aJZT3mYdmxTftkvYAoJZoKLK7nT3luRMRThB1TRfSyS7OPh1WfUzItZsEFrnjZsIPHOZ1yaUIeedg5N5h3dgYGLqfOT35Qb-qO9d7i1HXOoltAzT43FyGx0g/s1600/IMG_20190909_145415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Wmjlb9GgUG3i4zuHKa3aJZT3mYdmxTftkvYAoJZoKLK7nT3luRMRThB1TRfSyS7OPh1WfUzItZsEFrnjZsIPHOZ1yaUIeedg5N5h3dgYGLqfOT35Qb-qO9d7i1HXOoltAzT43FyGx0g/s640/IMG_20190909_145415.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">While with the other I spread hot hide glue under one side of it, then the other, and then <i>on the top</i> of the pattern. The paper more or less becomes saturated with glue, and the glue on the outside acts as a lubricant for my finger to rub the pattern securely in place, and press out any air bubbles.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5no2BU-Mj_ZtPt6FN52IdWDavwCp2fHcFg7W4sXZxMGi5fxqHjyB3h38mYH9rZeD6l-C9yNS1Tdhyvl7casNVxr78KRBVWfrro6hIdaI19yXBVjLm3MceZIcYuIw_dAkZ59iXJLTewU/s1600/IMG_20190909_145615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5no2BU-Mj_ZtPt6FN52IdWDavwCp2fHcFg7W4sXZxMGi5fxqHjyB3h38mYH9rZeD6l-C9yNS1Tdhyvl7casNVxr78KRBVWfrro6hIdaI19yXBVjLm3MceZIcYuIw_dAkZ59iXJLTewU/s640/IMG_20190909_145615.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once the pattern's on, I set the belly aside overnight to dry. I can begin rose carving the next morning.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjx-9WW111FvHHhU-seNoHT6-znoLt-KIFGekmBVp9pMQlhyphenhyphenLHJYybcNXo_hvWIfwcafblCKMR4xuBuqoc4tOYXmnn6JhhRCKu4OwgwlKnKBKIyyhxq1dPFG_lFm3kwl1UHFWawZfOIg/s1600/IMG_20190909_151307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjx-9WW111FvHHhU-seNoHT6-znoLt-KIFGekmBVp9pMQlhyphenhyphenLHJYybcNXo_hvWIfwcafblCKMR4xuBuqoc4tOYXmnn6JhhRCKu4OwgwlKnKBKIyyhxq1dPFG_lFm3kwl1UHFWawZfOIg/s640/IMG_20190909_151307.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll mention one thing about the glue itself. When I glue on a rose pattern, I mix a little alum into the glue, by dissolving a bit in a dish with hot water, then adding it to my glue jar. Adding alum tends to counteract (a little) hide glue's tendency to contract as it dries--a sometimes-useful, sometimes-maddening property. In so doing, I hope to minimize shrinking and distortion of the rose pattern.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeiEUl-3i4RCDKUYEOpbybjO2Q1f1DPzS5c_TegXtp9hmm5WY8Xgzs2iA6Jvu2UhH4a-JennQTV-J3X9zmxj91FPMZwlEPK_DG9pvnb5CNjOFRM74YMUiPZl2hXc0SXyQASWd-AAszHA/s1600/IMG_20190912_155400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeiEUl-3i4RCDKUYEOpbybjO2Q1f1DPzS5c_TegXtp9hmm5WY8Xgzs2iA6Jvu2UhH4a-JennQTV-J3X9zmxj91FPMZwlEPK_DG9pvnb5CNjOFRM74YMUiPZl2hXc0SXyQASWd-AAszHA/s640/IMG_20190912_155400.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My rose carving station--cutting mat, reading glasses, a clean, soft brush, a block of wax, and a photo of the original pattern, which is from an early-17th century archlute from the Sellas workshop.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hN_H2o2seGFJ36WHFHctlDzuDCrs38x8XEJ9sXUuiL_5HdEzjhKK4i-kv1ue-tN-y7F5Ci9RTdQM0Q3xE2ZzpI_h52OojWaUpPErKeXcJeARI_yaoouX7EW_WlvAFmUL9mKai-C3z2Q/s1600/IMG_20190912_160653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hN_H2o2seGFJ36WHFHctlDzuDCrs38x8XEJ9sXUuiL_5HdEzjhKK4i-kv1ue-tN-y7F5Ci9RTdQM0Q3xE2ZzpI_h52OojWaUpPErKeXcJeARI_yaoouX7EW_WlvAFmUL9mKai-C3z2Q/s640/IMG_20190912_160653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This rose is going to eventually have a chip-carved border, so before I can begin punching out the pattern I need to do some preliminary layout work with my compass. (</span><span style="font-size: large;">One foot has a sharp point, and the other a small, sharp blade.) The f</span><span style="font-size: large;">irst step is to find the true centre of the pattern--which, owing to distortion from the gluing process, may or may not be as marked. I need to adjust the compass and work by trial and error to find the true centre point.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzapmVJoljf2Hq2iM3mSzvYJrCj41nkCohNfV6nn11P1I7s0jrsj0bH6gAihZ5ModDAnlkrYe4oW6iQLfgS2x8wNBSTrf_l3ls2kkmyB4Fovu0gcU3MVu-RQASRi-b_JDDhScxry2u1o/s1600/IMG_20190912_160759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzapmVJoljf2Hq2iM3mSzvYJrCj41nkCohNfV6nn11P1I7s0jrsj0bH6gAihZ5ModDAnlkrYe4oW6iQLfgS2x8wNBSTrf_l3ls2kkmyB4Fovu0gcU3MVu-RQASRi-b_JDDhScxry2u1o/s640/IMG_20190912_160759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once I've found the centre, I can transfer it to the topside of the belly by pressing a fine pin all the way through. If I'm careful and don't push too hard, I can make a very tiny mark that will be visible on the top of the belly but won't mar the pattern.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoej67OWBdtz7QjLALldMYpULYcjzLnstQVVAvPF4wj3YGEWHNCnXO5AhaQ4IMiIZtirkXbetDWL6bVeddZXfo6Gc8-xOasgGYkf439zAxYBeY8LE4zKwyKXH6boqXOe9r-jB__zAKvA4/s1600/IMG_20190912_160915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoej67OWBdtz7QjLALldMYpULYcjzLnstQVVAvPF4wj3YGEWHNCnXO5AhaQ4IMiIZtirkXbetDWL6bVeddZXfo6Gc8-xOasgGYkf439zAxYBeY8LE4zKwyKXH6boqXOe9r-jB__zAKvA4/s640/IMG_20190912_160915.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once I've got that point, I place directly over it a small piece of plexiglass with a pin-mark in it. This is my centre point, and I can use it to lay out all the circles I need for the various rings of the chip-carved border.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0FpxGzOQYgVv0eY2aCFP5ACuQpN6XNIsIzEo_kzsq_SpALmO60F0DP8X4BEVSMdxemCy3ykbR5A1E0uG8RO6jAZT00KTXnusUyXn8Jb544iDgPxgnhHLYYSfH5xijF08kqTFuv5Bwv4/s1600/IMG_20190912_161806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0FpxGzOQYgVv0eY2aCFP5ACuQpN6XNIsIzEo_kzsq_SpALmO60F0DP8X4BEVSMdxemCy3ykbR5A1E0uG8RO6jAZT00KTXnusUyXn8Jb544iDgPxgnhHLYYSfH5xijF08kqTFuv5Bwv4/s640/IMG_20190912_161806.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a good look at the circles that I've scribed. I don't push too hard with the compass to deepen the cuts--I've found that doing that can distort them pretty badly. Instead, I scribe them fairly lightly, and at a later stage I'll deepen them with my carving knife. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtFJWee84DBvNaV0TihcHVhYbtKdc-qq4VNNg7qZbb33nHBoZvxCvnfJoypxijWzM2rh-f8utdV722cSuSM4-60qnnP7XIvUP4kzGz-BrKxGi-QpWgG8tPY5nz15HktxpbRJSfjGPbGY/s1600/IMG_20190912_155430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtFJWee84DBvNaV0TihcHVhYbtKdc-qq4VNNg7qZbb33nHBoZvxCvnfJoypxijWzM2rh-f8utdV722cSuSM4-60qnnP7XIvUP4kzGz-BrKxGi-QpWgG8tPY5nz15HktxpbRJSfjGPbGY/s640/IMG_20190912_155430.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are my two main rose carving knives, both made with lengths of 2mm graver steel set in pear handles. The upper one is shaped as a small chisel, while the lower one has a fine, slightly curved knife edge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB9K2SEbYLXovo0NFNiSbMjHjJ001CWWbO2KVQIlFY6UdBWlWqk6SUbWEuMwDBr7fKJb1JzOE4vXfSZvtZhrYVye1sWDSJE3uMq9TvAUebxa8YrGuP1I0hyphenhyphen1Hk8qYVmuKSGCjP2Tbu_8/s1600/IMG_20190913_130159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB9K2SEbYLXovo0NFNiSbMjHjJ001CWWbO2KVQIlFY6UdBWlWqk6SUbWEuMwDBr7fKJb1JzOE4vXfSZvtZhrYVye1sWDSJE3uMq9TvAUebxa8YrGuP1I0hyphenhyphen1Hk8qYVmuKSGCjP2Tbu_8/s640/IMG_20190913_130159.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Quick note on the carving station. I have three roses to carve, for three lutes; each will take about 24 hours, or 3 good, long days at the bench, making 9 days in total. I made it only a couple of days before... umm... certain parts of my anatomy rebelled, and I had to reconsider my method of work. For the first time, instead of sitting, I decided to try a stand-up carving station instead. I'm happy with the result: the roses turned out nicely, and various parts of my physical person were thankful as well.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvdW6eBVd0JC2K5Bsr62iwB-y606NLmNH3ArLd05uQYHi7F6FbccOtWmcrx73RiAaNs6l4q3duUhW51ROtqzLAOArj2VoEBdy22yzsKk-fPgt8UOY8RMI5OWKDZ-MyOMvxPjOKs8Hrs8/s1600/IMG_20190913_130333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvdW6eBVd0JC2K5Bsr62iwB-y606NLmNH3ArLd05uQYHi7F6FbccOtWmcrx73RiAaNs6l4q3duUhW51ROtqzLAOArj2VoEBdy22yzsKk-fPgt8UOY8RMI5OWKDZ-MyOMvxPjOKs8Hrs8/s640/IMG_20190913_130333.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I 'punch' the pattern out in two stages, using both of my knives. First, I make a relief cut about halfway through the wood, along all the lines...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjSSe845EThmxI7Yh54bw74ryOwE7osyyy7DQmDfYFTzMFqTs0gidCfZPUts038QTVQmTW68D8XKNMCNe1eDMl5gP8lnDSo8AOT1vWYPzPS3zCvu1TQt0l5GEiEXi_P-Jejom-srZKME/s1600/IMG_20190913_130756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjSSe845EThmxI7Yh54bw74ryOwE7osyyy7DQmDfYFTzMFqTs0gidCfZPUts038QTVQmTW68D8XKNMCNe1eDMl5gP8lnDSo8AOT1vWYPzPS3zCvu1TQt0l5GEiEXi_P-Jejom-srZKME/s640/IMG_20190913_130756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then cut at an angle into those outline cuts, to remove a chip of wood.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcrj9VSVuLaQRTzTpzFnsUyRQ_huyyaKgA-h8VDSd4z_LeU5B23hfAsik8jMRDAk3jdtJbAVE1nhShjpGBdiHpw0YTRXJqhMqpTGTBewt3URp57Dumv-8Luqttaj3yHILEbow-fyVIFU/s1600/IMG_20190913_163354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcrj9VSVuLaQRTzTpzFnsUyRQ_huyyaKgA-h8VDSd4z_LeU5B23hfAsik8jMRDAk3jdtJbAVE1nhShjpGBdiHpw0YTRXJqhMqpTGTBewt3URp57Dumv-8Luqttaj3yHILEbow-fyVIFU/s640/IMG_20190913_163354.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I go over the entire pattern--except for the outer edge--making these 'relief' cuts.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYsiQFYYtUrJBN9mll5hAdVEwnxeSDdNV1_HCN8DozhuSMPZT_DH43etKwgMp9yJ2VPwiDsvzBGz2zuYvUSCNco8rNAI0XxKhXVcpyA52lg7ubLlz3kHsadMgGo3chk6L9DdWwqDzSDE/s1600/IMG_20190913_163605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYsiQFYYtUrJBN9mll5hAdVEwnxeSDdNV1_HCN8DozhuSMPZT_DH43etKwgMp9yJ2VPwiDsvzBGz2zuYvUSCNco8rNAI0XxKhXVcpyA52lg7ubLlz3kHsadMgGo3chk6L9DdWwqDzSDE/s640/IMG_20190913_163605.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I use my tiny chisel to punch through the remaining thickness of wood.</span></td></tr>
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Why do it in two steps? Well, I used to use just the chisel to try to cut all the way through, but found that it's impossible for me to shape and sharpen a chisel that will cut well (and I mean almost flawlessly) all the way through the 1mm thickness of wood. I almost always found that instead of a pure cut, the chisel would compress some fibres, and I'd end up crumbling or even breaking out pieces--especially pieces cut across the grain--that I'd then have to glue back in place. It was a pain. I'd spend time fixing, and the pattern would end up weak in crucial areas. This two-part method takes a bit more time to do in the initial stages, but I end up with a physically stronger rose pattern that allows me to be more bold with the top carving. I actually end up saving time, and get a better result.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf4sRb8vnrG2aRsWx6GRxMOnYt5BYHecDnuwuAfgLoH1Tzi1ftRn1RVv1opXIaO6FelaMeK9vyYGBJzBXi1GlCIndZH3N-qnUgZQR-uhikiUrdbaWmkjk2JbR6kGuc7UAeHPCZlrn-VY/s1600/IMG_20190916_125908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf4sRb8vnrG2aRsWx6GRxMOnYt5BYHecDnuwuAfgLoH1Tzi1ftRn1RVv1opXIaO6FelaMeK9vyYGBJzBXi1GlCIndZH3N-qnUgZQR-uhikiUrdbaWmkjk2JbR6kGuc7UAeHPCZlrn-VY/s640/IMG_20190916_125908.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The majority of the pattern is punched through from the back...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNjBxBxdKIzHQWPbTNNmACZUgev7uiSMKd4AANmh-eZtPZgL8UFBQtkm9QmCYabbpm33WiKt5qUtv3YLJ4mGPg2NTJgUNqXIVe-P-g1uqFBPlEWhRrOV5r-H2BW21wqBPnE6zN6V1rQg/s1600/IMG_20190916_151729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNjBxBxdKIzHQWPbTNNmACZUgev7uiSMKd4AANmh-eZtPZgL8UFBQtkm9QmCYabbpm33WiKt5qUtv3YLJ4mGPg2NTJgUNqXIVe-P-g1uqFBPlEWhRrOV5r-H2BW21wqBPnE6zN6V1rQg/s640/IMG_20190916_151729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But the outer circumference is punched from the front. The chisel seats nicely in the scribed ring, and I get a very round and orderly-looking result.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSaAm_Fz639OoH6qX_PsNyf2l4w_cEItAhyVEeTC1tI7z24yD6SKI304Sx1JTiJUVj9Sm42FvIevEsW-_iQJwFkgiW2qTnwrl7zLkh40aDbwNnE7xkQpEQhss-hgF6Sicxxkgo4-9BqY/s1600/IMG_20190918_172420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSaAm_Fz639OoH6qX_PsNyf2l4w_cEItAhyVEeTC1tI7z24yD6SKI304Sx1JTiJUVj9Sm42FvIevEsW-_iQJwFkgiW2qTnwrl7zLkh40aDbwNnE7xkQpEQhss-hgF6Sicxxkgo4-9BqY/s640/IMG_20190918_172420.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I keep my photo of the original rose close by as I begin work on the top carving, because I don't want to confuse the over-under pattern that 'weaves' the organic and geometric parts together.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YxFT2CZTVKtjrCanlw_UL5iRplcjS6SusgdYHFUezKmtsGFyMp2fCxe6-kAnQTGNsOddxmrVO76oDggBnBt0aPAQaXVUSlChu09XBEpC2Rb0L7HWCRuKdcT4Ih0ppbGWvVFqHHxths4/s1600/IMG_20190918_181537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YxFT2CZTVKtjrCanlw_UL5iRplcjS6SusgdYHFUezKmtsGFyMp2fCxe6-kAnQTGNsOddxmrVO76oDggBnBt0aPAQaXVUSlChu09XBEpC2Rb0L7HWCRuKdcT4Ih0ppbGWvVFqHHxths4/s640/IMG_20190918_181537.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I us my knife to 'peck out' all the points where the elements cross; all the 'crotches' among the vines and leaves; and all the terminus points of what will become parallel v-channels in the geometric elements.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjr0ldHWmnwyfsF4AkCeU9JJNe5SqLWBH1MDy7ixQINrVg1H1xgT2uZZW4cmWivyB5iXJyYWjJE45BtuPJKQXVKlywCoaWazTfG1k0Gv5PWItqBvcLxyr7spUCwA9Cz8N3apdit1xfEw/s1600/IMG_20190919_125959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjr0ldHWmnwyfsF4AkCeU9JJNe5SqLWBH1MDy7ixQINrVg1H1xgT2uZZW4cmWivyB5iXJyYWjJE45BtuPJKQXVKlywCoaWazTfG1k0Gv5PWItqBvcLxyr7spUCwA9Cz8N3apdit1xfEw/s640/IMG_20190919_125959.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm always amazed by how making single, sweeping cuts to relieve the edges of the vines makes them instantly come to life.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4hiwUBSKiJ21eUW-rovyZJUFzK0W2pNX5L_HDH0qsRSCQK7b7B8IN-DMpxW7SQj1MSTtYTeIN8t_6EbeHPLsq7iE-vAIHM6702pPIrZ_LXdFPgSVCwVbaGc67sdPTXtKUm14aYgBocw/s1600/IMG_20190919_132418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4hiwUBSKiJ21eUW-rovyZJUFzK0W2pNX5L_HDH0qsRSCQK7b7B8IN-DMpxW7SQj1MSTtYTeIN8t_6EbeHPLsq7iE-vAIHM6702pPIrZ_LXdFPgSVCwVbaGc67sdPTXtKUm14aYgBocw/s640/IMG_20190919_132418.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Three cuts are enough to finish these leaves--one down the middle, then one small scooping cut at an angle on each side of it. (It should go without saying that one needs to be conscious of grain direction when doing this; it usually works best to follow the grain 'downhill.')</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IM2mtbkS1DPJUd0S5YbzEWZHseR3eXEXm0ns1LW-AAu5v2gcRKXc3r5xjNLyZvxaW1M9DRxyRMeuGnuhBMjnMes6tW8km4S8jP-s3vnE9bjUkdKtFjnWjIxdeby_31-KJ9upHq8QGBk/s1600/IMG_20190919_133152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IM2mtbkS1DPJUd0S5YbzEWZHseR3eXEXm0ns1LW-AAu5v2gcRKXc3r5xjNLyZvxaW1M9DRxyRMeuGnuhBMjnMes6tW8km4S8jP-s3vnE9bjUkdKtFjnWjIxdeby_31-KJ9upHq8QGBk/s640/IMG_20190919_133152.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the smaller leaves, there is no actual cut, just a pin-prick which I then widen by twisting a small, sharpened point of my own making.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUgdyUUgHHDAXw3HEkmiP6efg5d0mJRMzf84q4GLdki1K6wgoQHcwQw4TMeZrdt6mmwKcIL_Dampby8TNXDF3vjnyQDFbGFMq1wVnr7Zhp0eCvJCGOpYBas_ZvbEC94XtZPWRvGp85q4/s1600/IMG_20190919_133215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUgdyUUgHHDAXw3HEkmiP6efg5d0mJRMzf84q4GLdki1K6wgoQHcwQw4TMeZrdt6mmwKcIL_Dampby8TNXDF3vjnyQDFbGFMq1wVnr7Zhp0eCvJCGOpYBas_ZvbEC94XtZPWRvGp85q4/s640/IMG_20190919_133215.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the profile. It's a salvaged broken drill bit set into a piece of dowel for a handle. The angle of the tip is pretty flat, and I've ground some (rather random) facets into the sides. It seems to work well.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXZZWMjSkH-SvmHdJyJGlWxtSaOiumU-OXHM90gMLWssXWF29gkRpOMmxK5fw54rBRRee_uWxLLC1kY8yEucuCWcGii9w-7YODMF-nKtUJ0_2YVu0CTCc5vmZyYdy8Uh8G_pv82exSFg/s1600/IMG_20190920_125333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXZZWMjSkH-SvmHdJyJGlWxtSaOiumU-OXHM90gMLWssXWF29gkRpOMmxK5fw54rBRRee_uWxLLC1kY8yEucuCWcGii9w-7YODMF-nKtUJ0_2YVu0CTCc5vmZyYdy8Uh8G_pv82exSFg/s640/IMG_20190920_125333.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I make the parallel v-channels with three cuts (all of them free-hand, without any kind of straightedge, just in case you were wondering.) The first cut is the most crucial. I mark out the spacing between them first, by making a couple of parallel knife-pricks.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbl-Rm1sWAijlTApua7thwUEWDE0wCdIKA-qRanNm_3pLC3kodp6S3svRMY4bfObRUSCQTUzxbXcbpofavn_8s059fgKTeyDXuWD710WbTMycTJ2LmaB9UauqE0VkooB4aFGHcDwklME/s1600/IMG_20190920_125345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbl-Rm1sWAijlTApua7thwUEWDE0wCdIKA-qRanNm_3pLC3kodp6S3svRMY4bfObRUSCQTUzxbXcbpofavn_8s059fgKTeyDXuWD710WbTMycTJ2LmaB9UauqE0VkooB4aFGHcDwklME/s640/IMG_20190920_125345.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I set my little curved blade in one of the marks, and push it away, rather lightly, in a slightly rocking motion, toward my destination, the terminus point that I've already marked.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h56tIqOamBSNMa5yUNu6zeF2QVUqs9GJo_ilra_vTs4jezMtZkEH9Ir2mARkCpom8V8rXkhW-vQEyUe6YZt7QcxRDIY90-TPvyIvXU6hyphenhyphenHZeswOfrWPNcqQKmkK3gO4N3sc8HvDgA24/s1600/IMG_20190920_125415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h56tIqOamBSNMa5yUNu6zeF2QVUqs9GJo_ilra_vTs4jezMtZkEH9Ir2mARkCpom8V8rXkhW-vQEyUe6YZt7QcxRDIY90-TPvyIvXU6hyphenhyphenHZeswOfrWPNcqQKmkK3gO4N3sc8HvDgA24/s640/IMG_20190920_125415.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I pull the knife back toward me, hopefully in the very same line I've just made, confirming and deepening the cut. (It's hard to say exactly how deep the cut is, but I suspect it's at least halfway through the thickness of the wood.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8L_tdLmtMqphOr9W7wLNVlrXVDZYNsYjblF0nJZ_W53LEDQsqYRjzhGthoVgq0tjBZxLB2SQp7FOo04JSfD1Np7Am1OxTc6xrQBVCdc7u2fmDI5MMmjzVp_g_ghM2ZKcluIZuwCWStY/s1600/IMG_20190920_132824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8L_tdLmtMqphOr9W7wLNVlrXVDZYNsYjblF0nJZ_W53LEDQsqYRjzhGthoVgq0tjBZxLB2SQp7FOo04JSfD1Np7Am1OxTc6xrQBVCdc7u2fmDI5MMmjzVp_g_ghM2ZKcluIZuwCWStY/s640/IMG_20190920_132824.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I make an angled cut alongside the central line, first on one side, then the other.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4jx8PVrSGLGk741BHhVfib43Z4L8FLa4WypouyCDgIiqPoC3ymOBEJG4JcCInInGnxYyCAnYHQtXQcgiluqMKvVfteYCaaAOcJCPbf9WqxJGrtFHVzs35YUXEgamXTivphQXJ_-LolM/s1600/IMG_20190920_133143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4jx8PVrSGLGk741BHhVfib43Z4L8FLa4WypouyCDgIiqPoC3ymOBEJG4JcCInInGnxYyCAnYHQtXQcgiluqMKvVfteYCaaAOcJCPbf9WqxJGrtFHVzs35YUXEgamXTivphQXJ_-LolM/s640/IMG_20190920_133143.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The result should be one nice, crisp, v-shaped channel, sharing the width of wood in an amicable way with another nice, crisp, v-shaped channel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpB5GenIP6axZz-zDnrcBz_657HUXBNQyl7fVkuLCK9vBU8WPYmnIOy4gca2nd3RcagNQ1KCS-Bs-KgwuRuiENgRM43cm_mq71lqawr8dx_B2baPVHNeop4wIu_LANfXjOwvVzUoOV-A/s1600/IMG_20190920_135515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1391" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpB5GenIP6axZz-zDnrcBz_657HUXBNQyl7fVkuLCK9vBU8WPYmnIOy4gca2nd3RcagNQ1KCS-Bs-KgwuRuiENgRM43cm_mq71lqawr8dx_B2baPVHNeop4wIu_LANfXjOwvVzUoOV-A/s640/IMG_20190920_135515.jpg" width="556" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And this is where we're at so far: all the vines, lines, and leaves as crisply cut as I can make them. All that's left to do is define the outer scribed rings, and execute the chip-carved border.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYfFAunth8s5-u5Upc0Xy7XJn5LfUbUF9HYzdp3-EcC9EngTuUHOW13n6jBYWV7nFo64hlTd-jTeOUz_TcKHbOZ4iMM6k21ftT0yNzHkBp7O1LMvq5EyMJINrUwKXRziKRJBL8lGFvUU/s1600/IMG_20190920_135551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYfFAunth8s5-u5Upc0Xy7XJn5LfUbUF9HYzdp3-EcC9EngTuUHOW13n6jBYWV7nFo64hlTd-jTeOUz_TcKHbOZ4iMM6k21ftT0yNzHkBp7O1LMvq5EyMJINrUwKXRziKRJBL8lGFvUU/s640/IMG_20190920_135551.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">First: deepen the scribed rings. Again, I'm going about halfway through the material.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO77lfXqci0g3YQ6oEMCnHI6N9Xr-6gji5VUdRsRSlZwzZhAm5yuPggFEJAKYbxtxfrqNRzheUK3CdTBWBi_MVps1Bu80uU0Ri3-1Ng9-5i0jzB73525U0eDOLE6Qnwwy3jD9dIkYrY-k/s1600/IMG_20190920_143850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO77lfXqci0g3YQ6oEMCnHI6N9Xr-6gji5VUdRsRSlZwzZhAm5yuPggFEJAKYbxtxfrqNRzheUK3CdTBWBi_MVps1Bu80uU0Ri3-1Ng9-5i0jzB73525U0eDOLE6Qnwwy3jD9dIkYrY-k/s640/IMG_20190920_143850.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then: lay out the border. I make these cuts by eye, estimating the angle of the cuts and the width between them. I use the geometric elements of the rose pattern to help orient the cuts.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5eeVa0tsMVWR4_sTdq-UX1Vf3KNIx3uZwY57WLgK7bsY1vVroVws-xmy22DNACdBvER1ehVTVUohTYVS80qQpvOvn2c8q6OECKtZz64jFIsc2Q04w2UZyKN2QvTukK9KB7AMjNW9TD8/s1600/IMG_20190920_151941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1276" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5eeVa0tsMVWR4_sTdq-UX1Vf3KNIx3uZwY57WLgK7bsY1vVroVws-xmy22DNACdBvER1ehVTVUohTYVS80qQpvOvn2c8q6OECKtZz64jFIsc2Q04w2UZyKN2QvTukK9KB7AMjNW9TD8/s640/IMG_20190920_151941.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The border's all laid out--not with perfect uniformity, perhaps, but hopefully with some assurance and energy.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDt2jBnc71PqkXml7kSa7OV3UX9IoE6tYfpuhV39fdcwSVYgopqJ3sTyJF1PWoG2YwkU5gNS_Z8ry9NJoyAdUZC-1fWgwKyIQges-UhZeLH0BeI8Z56FPOP2CpcERPWr2hjmornVPhdc/s1600/IMG_20190920_152146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDt2jBnc71PqkXml7kSa7OV3UX9IoE6tYfpuhV39fdcwSVYgopqJ3sTyJF1PWoG2YwkU5gNS_Z8ry9NJoyAdUZC-1fWgwKyIQges-UhZeLH0BeI8Z56FPOP2CpcERPWr2hjmornVPhdc/s640/IMG_20190920_152146.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, the chip-carving. With the cuts you see here, I'm working with the grain and cutting away from me, but as I get round to the top of the circle I'll be going against it, and will need to reverse my knife blade to cut toward me.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0R-uiLtOkQBp8wUryqJXS6xmnK2txfwxsiEuFpAfO4_xICX4z8tUi8EPo7dggT8odbRzejiB_Pvlmwo2fMK5EAcO5HuZbZZyjG9q1cVjHGuPrXnf5dZd_zy4SyNUkbs9VCvUgYkUaKM/s1600/IMG_20190920_154505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0R-uiLtOkQBp8wUryqJXS6xmnK2txfwxsiEuFpAfO4_xICX4z8tUi8EPo7dggT8odbRzejiB_Pvlmwo2fMK5EAcO5HuZbZZyjG9q1cVjHGuPrXnf5dZd_zy4SyNUkbs9VCvUgYkUaKM/s640/IMG_20190920_154505.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another v-channel. Always cutting with the grain, I'll need to change my cutting direction four times on this outer side of the ring, then four more on the inner side. (On the very outside ring, I won't make a v-channel, only a bevel cut on the inner side.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9RPv3cJYcZj5HAZj6M7jsxh2_j15vM5s3IaMIgTtq4sL-ybAPuK6mqTFZSW_xmmk7RBegrv9_u4A3tWR0RxUz3Ip4RpSgLmZUERq5omYVt_owQRjD07PcHW4yLmQ2DbGYA4qrIv-UlY/s1600/IMG_20190924_112243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9RPv3cJYcZj5HAZj6M7jsxh2_j15vM5s3IaMIgTtq4sL-ybAPuK6mqTFZSW_xmmk7RBegrv9_u4A3tWR0RxUz3Ip4RpSgLmZUERq5omYVt_owQRjD07PcHW4yLmQ2DbGYA4qrIv-UlY/s640/IMG_20190924_112243.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That's about it for this rose. I'll go over it once more with a very sharp knife to relieve little shaggy edges that catch my eye, and perhaps tidy up some cuts that don't quite make the grade. In general, though, I try not to revise my work too much. My sense of how the ancient makers cut their roses is that they worked quickly and surely, and didn't look too much in the rearview mirror, but pressed on to the next job. This gives their work a liveliness and energy that I find very appealing, and I strive for it in my own rose carving.</span></td></tr>
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So there we have it: nine days' work at the rose carving bench. Seems like a lot of time to spend on a purely decorative item, but then again the rose is where, more than practically any other place on the lute, the maker asserts his/ her/ their craft. It's really an emblem of beauty for its own sake.<br />
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But it is a long time to stare intently at very small things. I'm going to go outside now, and look at the horizon for a while. I'll be back with the next instalment of the blog in a few days; until then, please have a look at the two other roses I carved alongside the 13 course rose, during my nine-day stand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9k-FpnaNahfkUDaISIL1ktkn78av5XuilzHT7_ES-z33NrpzQKBmvJtKU25vysAy_2TW4aDq4XyjhSPbW_xSz_ijCsxadzqAJTetM93AcjavBDGP0ZmEKmeDFoL6k4BfieuruBE5_dA/s1600/IMG_20190924_112740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1600" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9k-FpnaNahfkUDaISIL1ktkn78av5XuilzHT7_ES-z33NrpzQKBmvJtKU25vysAy_2TW4aDq4XyjhSPbW_xSz_ijCsxadzqAJTetM93AcjavBDGP0ZmEKmeDFoL6k4BfieuruBE5_dA/s640/IMG_20190924_112740.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the 8 course lute: the rose pattern from the 1592 Venere, in the Accademia Filarmonica, in Bologna.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFfpRr4hc0iEh1HsE2ewg0SMmAtdVEfa13a2phG318mOsKn6gUi_bTJc2PmsKlpnt703clalkOSh2PDp3hH_ZrAGGYrVizqfhmykGuOP8LPz5m94E4VPIggpZRN6zC1ZvsjEoiqyRM8k/s1600/IMG_20190924_112759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="1600" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFfpRr4hc0iEh1HsE2ewg0SMmAtdVEfa13a2phG318mOsKn6gUi_bTJc2PmsKlpnt703clalkOSh2PDp3hH_ZrAGGYrVizqfhmykGuOP8LPz5m94E4VPIggpZRN6zC1ZvsjEoiqyRM8k/s640/IMG_20190924_112759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the 7 course lute: a variation of the Gerle/ Bellini pattern, drawn by Ray Nurse.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-89112201313546024772019-10-26T21:23:00.000-07:002019-10-26T21:23:02.266-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 5: Thicknessing the BellyWelcome back to the series, in which I document all the individual, discrete steps I do in building a 13 course baroque lute. So far, I've made the back; fitted, shaped and veneered the neck; and glued the neck and body together. Now I can set that assembly aside to chill for a while--only a figure of speech, mind, since my shop is actually nice and cozy-warm as rainy autumn descends on Vancouver. Seems like a good time to be inside, getting to work on a new and crucial piece: the belly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WK7jmmLKBCe2i02RSIntptK3TUnF9x2BKEnOgkLirhp1oGSpiKemNP3nMK_c0_sqp89G13KKjZE0ayCDXr_nAwQaJnh98J1_207sSTj37w-ztUalvd-RGhho8CZNyHEYJ3yWV3Rf8Go/s1600/IMG_20190828_171858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WK7jmmLKBCe2i02RSIntptK3TUnF9x2BKEnOgkLirhp1oGSpiKemNP3nMK_c0_sqp89G13KKjZE0ayCDXr_nAwQaJnh98J1_207sSTj37w-ztUalvd-RGhho8CZNyHEYJ3yWV3Rf8Go/s640/IMG_20190828_171858.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are all three bellies, in their final thicknessed form. From left, 8 course, 13 course, and 7 course.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGCbiwQsIBIyVnP4a6JbL_S66mT-KpRnZEFWTJYktzXUSpz6ptAWeMPRRy2NZM_GcoAgjG65PlCVlvcvSDLjm04hO7jHZzcgaJ8icjEN0sMfCxaHp3P1RoFlq1q9iAZpYfOROKXiPdZg/s1600/IMG_20190916_122756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGCbiwQsIBIyVnP4a6JbL_S66mT-KpRnZEFWTJYktzXUSpz6ptAWeMPRRy2NZM_GcoAgjG65PlCVlvcvSDLjm04hO7jHZzcgaJ8icjEN0sMfCxaHp3P1RoFlq1q9iAZpYfOROKXiPdZg/s640/IMG_20190916_122756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is where the process really starts--with soundboard sets (on the shelf above) stickered and left to season for some years before I prepare them for use on a lute. (The plastic sheeting on top is to protect against a sometimes-leaky roof.) What you see in the rack below are glued-up soundboards arranged by size. From right to left, they are large, medium, small, and--on the far left--"other," a category that includes bellies of odd sizes, odd grain patterns, and other unique features.</span></td></tr>
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I generally set aside two days once every couple of years to glue up a dozen or so bellies. It makes much more sense to set up the workshop to do a bunch at once, rather than one at a time for each new lute. For one thing, it saves a lot of time; for another, having a lot of joined bellies on hand makes choosing one for a particular lute that much easier--I can assess things like size, grain, stiffness, density, tap tone, and so forth, and select the belly that I think is most perfectly suited to an instrument.<br />
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(I had my two-day belly joining fiesta about this time last year, but I took no pics of the work. I think that process would make an excellent blog post on its own, however, so next year when I set up and do it again, I'll take lots of pics and report on my process.)<br />
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Here's the belly I chose for this 13 course lute. You can see some notes I wrote on the board concerning grade and tap tone; these comments are left over from when I received the boards from the sawyer, and from when I joined the belly last year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBiG8IDerOv-8gOfco5IYFBgWIA_gARnQIW8fZ-ULC_kuOxDMStfi0oOyNB61NCOUWS_qri6HBTYthEalJhxEL7c4z_6yd5JSKL0BSdaA9Ad10Tr1ymPU8bAGn-qNYw6Z3RFO1e3jpik/s1600/IMG_20190912_164648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBiG8IDerOv-8gOfco5IYFBgWIA_gARnQIW8fZ-ULC_kuOxDMStfi0oOyNB61NCOUWS_qri6HBTYthEalJhxEL7c4z_6yd5JSKL0BSdaA9Ad10Tr1ymPU8bAGn-qNYw6Z3RFO1e3jpik/s640/IMG_20190912_164648.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can see my belly template here. I figure out the best position for the belly on the piece, mark it out, and then cut it on the bandsaw leaving about one cm extra around the perimeter.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ8m6WBx4FziaRSSmJuTL6261QPqc1kUWIPc2qZ-zoeLD8wsoYKOJZntT1lNqoGoYAnV3sGbTxl6hHOCYOqakI0REs-k2Q8ubJNGfOMGdJX6RyWHlYD_62nG2a3R4xSsTAtF6I43zpCk/s1600/IMG_20190826_154330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ8m6WBx4FziaRSSmJuTL6261QPqc1kUWIPc2qZ-zoeLD8wsoYKOJZntT1lNqoGoYAnV3sGbTxl6hHOCYOqakI0REs-k2Q8ubJNGfOMGdJX6RyWHlYD_62nG2a3R4xSsTAtF6I43zpCk/s640/IMG_20190826_154330.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next thing I do is select which side of the belly is going to be the 'good' side, the one facing out, and I smooth it as best I can, first with hand scrapers, and then--as you see here--with a piece of shave grass, rubbed <i>across </i>the grain. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUYXFg9LnNwA-mk1jmYQgRVYfIc7lqqZ0fkXbR5bCl06n2XR-tQY0iGwjouLMGwdJRZXOA0rzNlni03Y3omWPLgK5FuhZWJFbi-902wMnb6X_wx2Gf8-7yBcX_4tKfMXUJQ8vVEtTVFA/s1600/IMG_20190903_125551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUYXFg9LnNwA-mk1jmYQgRVYfIc7lqqZ0fkXbR5bCl06n2XR-tQY0iGwjouLMGwdJRZXOA0rzNlni03Y3omWPLgK5FuhZWJFbi-902wMnb6X_wx2Gf8-7yBcX_4tKfMXUJQ8vVEtTVFA/s640/IMG_20190903_125551.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I chamfer the edges of the belly on both surfaces, so that in the thicknessing process to come, I don't accidentally snag a piece of grain in the wood, and tear out a chunk with my plane. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr-Xvxp55JcouBAt9cQe-SDHVRv6J0BbhonhbIBBkogLANyKcoW8ebid7fOkfdw7iu7V8Tr3bbisIunIOPL8FSzjpsxT42Ez1LYO4bXfWjM_WI6OyCWG86A3Z2YXb2jxzWgxE9aBtk9s/s1600/IMG_20190903_124616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr-Xvxp55JcouBAt9cQe-SDHVRv6J0BbhonhbIBBkogLANyKcoW8ebid7fOkfdw7iu7V8Tr3bbisIunIOPL8FSzjpsxT42Ez1LYO4bXfWjM_WI6OyCWG86A3Z2YXb2jxzWgxE9aBtk9s/s640/IMG_20190903_124616.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then get down to thicknessing, using a caliper for reference and writing thicknesses on the belly. At this point, the numbers are written large and cover rather large areas; they will become smaller, and cover smaller areas, as the process goes on. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEp-Mkx0kAytzGV-qDd2YpB7L4M4dOnJk-iOZxhOKei16wjokqBP-fkMBYBEvXVhZZrELHsok65vSQYUEEKwIvh6iPtuKkDSKKdcrRQ_IOZ4AlI5Yxd7-GUruhdV0633ReIOkkMw5gfU/s1600/IMG_20190903_131600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEp-Mkx0kAytzGV-qDd2YpB7L4M4dOnJk-iOZxhOKei16wjokqBP-fkMBYBEvXVhZZrELHsok65vSQYUEEKwIvh6iPtuKkDSKKdcrRQ_IOZ4AlI5Yxd7-GUruhdV0633ReIOkkMw5gfU/s640/IMG_20190903_131600.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The quickest, surest, and most accurate way to remove material is by using a very finely-set low angle block plane, and planing exactly perpendicularly to the grain. I'll remove material this way until I get within about 0.5mm of my final destination.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMogt8O_RHfzVN7Ldxf5f-9G7wM-J9aAYkqfgqwo9Rchw9YFpDrUMRKD0Znpmw1wf_xzQ8ThqAtvcqXHbLcElNJR7LPcgIqV-RYSnJf5HzHOAcaGjwBepi_KpT12qkQ7KXXkokmNEpr_M/s1600/IMG_20190903_133205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMogt8O_RHfzVN7Ldxf5f-9G7wM-J9aAYkqfgqwo9Rchw9YFpDrUMRKD0Znpmw1wf_xzQ8ThqAtvcqXHbLcElNJR7LPcgIqV-RYSnJf5HzHOAcaGjwBepi_KpT12qkQ7KXXkokmNEpr_M/s640/IMG_20190903_133205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">But what is my final destination? I can't exactly say for sure until I start working with the wood. I start out with an idea of a <i>pattern</i> of thickness I want for the belly, which I've developed through observing belly thickness patterns in old (and some fine modern) 13 course lutes. However, what the actual final thickness numbers will be depends on my assessment of the board as I get up-close and personal by thickness-planing and finally scraping the belly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrpapHcIYxpeXqDuQAtatK_Xi5VsYRmI0c06RFHkBEQnZRSpBljPNGcDZGSZj8PxMi_cktULnlvO2SeF-zGNzGzuWpNwU59C2qcK3JdURLTfArMg6cac-Vcve7id3T5y4GKuqeyvSq1I/s1600/IMG_20190903_135311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrpapHcIYxpeXqDuQAtatK_Xi5VsYRmI0c06RFHkBEQnZRSpBljPNGcDZGSZj8PxMi_cktULnlvO2SeF-zGNzGzuWpNwU59C2qcK3JdURLTfArMg6cac-Vcve7id3T5y4GKuqeyvSq1I/s640/IMG_20190903_135311.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I work, I find myself naturally checking thicknesses in a kind of grid pattern (and the grid gets more detailed the thinner I go.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbJxXxFwYfkkFRPZEz7-PLQWXv5_uWCibN6_hJgvtasR0N_KnnqPTcUoWqJ9wdqHoNLwvPvs19cLExTQ2KCHIqyU1lqxpn_vOWjwuKsxQRhvBPP-Oc8ZvBhaUXhw0j97NaLPfEWJQ0Sk/s1600/IMG_20190903_141436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbJxXxFwYfkkFRPZEz7-PLQWXv5_uWCibN6_hJgvtasR0N_KnnqPTcUoWqJ9wdqHoNLwvPvs19cLExTQ2KCHIqyU1lqxpn_vOWjwuKsxQRhvBPP-Oc8ZvBhaUXhw0j97NaLPfEWJQ0Sk/s640/IMG_20190903_141436.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also draw in the locations of the top block, rose and bridge as I work, since these areas are crucial to the kind of overall thicknessing pattern I'm using.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTT7Ukd-xKOnnqmZj3Sh8sPX5n89adFZFdoohmeDO_ZAnUUWmVyJBf4jPMZdhdhVh9J3QSu68tBrb_-wLvnu5ZEKqaQIB_YKVdhcx-mujsWnrMtAlm4mcTOyQZJtGceJmUkJzTEFaK9M/s1600/IMG_20190903_145237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTT7Ukd-xKOnnqmZj3Sh8sPX5n89adFZFdoohmeDO_ZAnUUWmVyJBf4jPMZdhdhVh9J3QSu68tBrb_-wLvnu5ZEKqaQIB_YKVdhcx-mujsWnrMtAlm4mcTOyQZJtGceJmUkJzTEFaK9M/s640/IMG_20190903_145237.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I get very close to the final thickness, I write large numbers indicating how many tenths of a millimetre further I need to go.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnhLQ5c9zmIRXPSqNFXHCDd7q64INLKDDrC5qMWvltf1Nv2kXiwlIQLIhojGRMJKtoHqAC8roZcY7uv6ZUHjKc_YFwQqSSOMaL50D7TDeb89s6jfsPUdyIbtq3QlPG7zF-R5Z_48sdWE/s1600/IMG_20190903_150316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnhLQ5c9zmIRXPSqNFXHCDd7q64INLKDDrC5qMWvltf1Nv2kXiwlIQLIhojGRMJKtoHqAC8roZcY7uv6ZUHjKc_YFwQqSSOMaL50D7TDeb89s6jfsPUdyIbtq3QlPG7zF-R5Z_48sdWE/s640/IMG_20190903_150316.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this point, I use a very sharp hand scraper to take the belly to its final thickness. I try to blend together the various thicknesses in the pattern, making sure there are no abrupt transitions.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQchcZLhOCVbWWbG50cSJCg3LzqPmefuQbRqzBDVHc4uOOMjfE7hwUG1Kh63lcBH7icqwS92dGMtJK76Dx_GlIEswJFyB4VB23T8Z0hnVVD_F6UukoDBtiQKo4-WDdbTxOUzvB0-4Ias/s1600/IMG_20190904_122519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQchcZLhOCVbWWbG50cSJCg3LzqPmefuQbRqzBDVHc4uOOMjfE7hwUG1Kh63lcBH7icqwS92dGMtJK76Dx_GlIEswJFyB4VB23T8Z0hnVVD_F6UukoDBtiQKo4-WDdbTxOUzvB0-4Ias/s640/IMG_20190904_122519.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I'm working at this stage--when the belly is very thin, less than 2mm overall (and in some places much less than that)--tapping for a tone to listen to is pretty fruitless. Instead, it seems to work much better to flex the belly to test its strength and resilience, both across the grain and--as I'm doing here--along the grain as well.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2pZyP8AqNCLfMeuv-D3CyHuKgN5_D9vIdMkL8yAHla-b8Fdisc0PHW7ugFdYm3eDV4fv0nHlOEUIdYMlC6TxOkesP-wAs0R7M8AWOzXMZmPC4xM1hv3cOKCGtXSdGj0B3cpq7D55eFQ/s1600/IMG_20190904_123034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2pZyP8AqNCLfMeuv-D3CyHuKgN5_D9vIdMkL8yAHla-b8Fdisc0PHW7ugFdYm3eDV4fv0nHlOEUIdYMlC6TxOkesP-wAs0R7M8AWOzXMZmPC4xM1hv3cOKCGtXSdGj0B3cpq7D55eFQ/s640/IMG_20190904_123034.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When I've gone as far as I think I want to go--when I've flexed, fretted, and tried my best to commune with the living material in my hands--I put my scraper down. My last step is to erase all the numbers I've written on the back of the belly.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bmsLjOk0zWRjzj1auHS7aT8dUH-7ICZyN1YCYXtzdRjbR98gNrV7lpmvQZf-plEFaBy6VIBN_8GHo_nfabrdS-0F_3gOOlFE1lgLamvz6LfH-BJgIH0BKRxCdiVEFTIkuVTz1FxkdR4/s1600/IMG_20190904_123617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bmsLjOk0zWRjzj1auHS7aT8dUH-7ICZyN1YCYXtzdRjbR98gNrV7lpmvQZf-plEFaBy6VIBN_8GHo_nfabrdS-0F_3gOOlFE1lgLamvz6LfH-BJgIH0BKRxCdiVEFTIkuVTz1FxkdR4/s640/IMG_20190904_123617.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then hang my thicknessed bellies for approximately 24 hours in Grant Tomlinson's light box (in his workshop, right next door to mine.) This is a closet lined with aluminum foil and fitted with ultraviolet tubes, which we use to cure the varnish on lutes we are finishing. In this instance, however, I don't turn on the UV tubes, but turn on only the incandescent bulbs on the floor of the box.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsWE52BUQK7h8GVphFmAknh83lSDFn3pu00fjDySjDiCsSictIpqpVeR6FkLc1n5-TDFOtTRLzaXoGqtpzt_kFZYWxh3u50EgKQzHg_z6aKo3-jvS5i6ST5tJSimLQcZKVGYwLudFDV4/s1600/IMG_20190905_114242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsWE52BUQK7h8GVphFmAknh83lSDFn3pu00fjDySjDiCsSictIpqpVeR6FkLc1n5-TDFOtTRLzaXoGqtpzt_kFZYWxh3u50EgKQzHg_z6aKo3-jvS5i6ST5tJSimLQcZKVGYwLudFDV4/s640/IMG_20190905_114242.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The heat generated by these two 200-watt bulbs will be enough to lower the relative humidity in the box to around 20%.</span></td></tr>
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After the 24 hour low-humidity period is up, I'll let the bellies return gently to the ambient shop humidity (of between 40 and 45%) over a couple of days. Then I'll prepare them for gluing rose patterns, and then, shortly after that, carve the roses. That will be the subject of my next instalment.<br />
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The name for this practice of taking soundboards from relatively high, to low, and then back to higher humidity, is <i>humidity cycling.</i> Grant Tomlinson introduced me to the practice, and I've used it for years, as he has. The theory behind exposing the wood in a controlled way to higher and lower humidities is that it will eventually become (slightly) less prone to extreme fluctuations of expansion and contraction, and will make for a more stable instrument. That's the theory, anyway. I've read conflicting reports and opinions on the practice; some swear by it, while some think it's hogwash. (<i>Same as it ever was,</i> in the world of lutherie.) I'll continue to do it, since at the very least it causes no harm, and may, in fact, bring a small benefit. I see no reason to stop.<br />
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That is my report for this week. It's been a while since I posted, and if anyone has been waiting impatiently, I do apologize. My only excuse is that I've been busy building lutes!<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-64769840361645412182019-09-08T12:57:00.000-07:002019-10-26T17:04:41.167-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 4: Gluing on the NeckHi, and welcome back to the series!<br />
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In this instalment, I want to detail how I re-fit and glued the veneered neck to the body of this 13 course lute. As I explained at the tail end of the last episode, hide glue contracts as it dries and hardens, which can be a difficulty in working with it, but also a benefit in certain situations. We'll see those two properties of hide glue demonstrated in this episode.<br />
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By the way, to clarify, when I talk about 'hide glue' on this blog, I am always referring to hot hide glue, the stuff that's sold in granular form and must be soaked and then heated in a water bath to use. It is the only glue that I use in building my instruments.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The granules</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The heated glue</span></td></tr>
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<br /></td><td>As I mentioned at the end of the last episode, I set this neck aside for a week after gluing on the veneer, because it takes that long for the glue to dry completely and for the neck to stabilize. It's a big surface area--the biggest, or at least the widest, glued surface on this entire lute--and while it dries, the hide glue tightens like a fist. The whole area covered by the veneer shrinks, and pulls the edges of the neck downward; the result is that the top of the neck, which was dead-flat when I first fitted and shaped it, is now humped pretty significantly both across and along its surface, about 1mm in both directions. (It doesn't sound like much, but in this situation, that's pretty significant.) I'll need to flatten it before I can re-fit the neck to the body, and then eventually glue it on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWJvwjHlg-M5JJUvkU91kovNX19QFHOUuNDWlKTBxQklQIM8cNgzGzcmHLTqy6Gvqqcm59vtkF82YGjPAQrF1NuDPn38RLJcDyHVUzZKR7S3GcsQ_my9Nr2JiMWLjDxVgK_4AK7oX6Kc/s1600/IMG_20190820_154923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWJvwjHlg-M5JJUvkU91kovNX19QFHOUuNDWlKTBxQklQIM8cNgzGzcmHLTqy6Gvqqcm59vtkF82YGjPAQrF1NuDPn38RLJcDyHVUzZKR7S3GcsQ_my9Nr2JiMWLjDxVgK_4AK7oX6Kc/s640/IMG_20190820_154923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll also need to flatten and re-fit the neck-joint surface, which I sized with weak hide glue during the veneering process. (Its profile is actually a little concave right now.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4UhUwwmc6v40diRNOIQQc8o1z0WTfkMF7sl_iZdQ6XrFCYFmU0RjVrxE1Q8wDpt0CXvyD78h-CNbLs489BMPCD-3TWRPhqL9GLGnU4_S3r6d2sf4qUl9KN9Pn_biqGIh3yOgqFSscVo/s1600/IMG_20190826_142635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4UhUwwmc6v40diRNOIQQc8o1z0WTfkMF7sl_iZdQ6XrFCYFmU0RjVrxE1Q8wDpt0CXvyD78h-CNbLs489BMPCD-3TWRPhqL9GLGnU4_S3r6d2sf4qUl9KN9Pn_biqGIh3yOgqFSscVo/s640/IMG_20190826_142635.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The way I flatten the top surface is with my trusty low-angle block plane, planing from the outer edges in toward the middle of the neck. I do some of the trimming with the neck off the body, but most of it I do with the neck fitted up, just because it's a lot easier for me to handle at the bench.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTBbNi-XS8HdP_lYcGBvTRB88Bz4s6vgWSe7SP2YR0ltLtSaZI-HGdHwTEbr8TMeNoSMvxXfKTkDOzjG2vBbHRyxSSxsovvU0RMrKU1Ulmty-4oKJ3_HU_2opFSXX6GX8wot5hiKdaWQ/s1600/IMG_20190826_144115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTBbNi-XS8HdP_lYcGBvTRB88Bz4s6vgWSe7SP2YR0ltLtSaZI-HGdHwTEbr8TMeNoSMvxXfKTkDOzjG2vBbHRyxSSxsovvU0RMrKU1Ulmty-4oKJ3_HU_2opFSXX6GX8wot5hiKdaWQ/s640/IMG_20190826_144115.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As you saw in earlier posts, this is how I check the angle of the neck in relation to the body--with a long straightedge held against the top surface of the neck, viewed in relation to a thread stretched across the body at the bridge position. This is why I need the top surface of the neck to be flat--so that my straightedge will register cleanly against it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG5uFVjcDzzp1yIFG8eG1EClKlIbjceBa_IzlxfOV0ar_JyaKmjyYAc0xDW4aAu11ty6-mMhkduBQXNu6HV92PCUmcLNt1oyLTW4_M8dmNeWlVjYP9g_oZKJ9YyCnGCSnKq4SoGZY1BI/s1600/IMG_20190826_142904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG5uFVjcDzzp1yIFG8eG1EClKlIbjceBa_IzlxfOV0ar_JyaKmjyYAc0xDW4aAu11ty6-mMhkduBQXNu6HV92PCUmcLNt1oyLTW4_M8dmNeWlVjYP9g_oZKJ9YyCnGCSnKq4SoGZY1BI/s640/IMG_20190826_142904.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also check the alignment of the neck with my centreline thread. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHny0wup-Bm5C_kQVHu_1bqih2pw8Xg879M_vNMvU5HJG7c0sFiZ2CSGm2pL05trK1bhv4j9USGbMJ_AOnLg7zwaCVHqmjepH4GCwHcZze1AaN68n8ra4K0od2rIcHvoZZo8racceCqe0/s1600/IMG_20190826_144453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHny0wup-Bm5C_kQVHu_1bqih2pw8Xg879M_vNMvU5HJG7c0sFiZ2CSGm2pL05trK1bhv4j9USGbMJ_AOnLg7zwaCVHqmjepH4GCwHcZze1AaN68n8ra4K0od2rIcHvoZZo8racceCqe0/s640/IMG_20190826_144453.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The alignment looks pretty good. Remember, on this 13 course lute--and in fact most wider-necked lutes--the centreline of the body and that of the neck do not coincide (the neck is usually 'tipped' a little toward the bass side.) In this photo you can see the pencilled neck centreline, but the body centreline is covered by the thread that I'm stretching up from the bottom of the body.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskm5aA8wBSf_zuEZtydGw2cHqO2giYnAvd9wbfyjzNMdcB0gZ6AayQm0xcssWdbTPcmk-EMlQWzQM_2KPOikjf4_59G49Uq-h9YxXnJdfcrq8mRjbWUcqLp99psc0A_KMTjNeJGw0fUQ/s1600/IMG_20190826_144535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskm5aA8wBSf_zuEZtydGw2cHqO2giYnAvd9wbfyjzNMdcB0gZ6AayQm0xcssWdbTPcmk-EMlQWzQM_2KPOikjf4_59G49Uq-h9YxXnJdfcrq8mRjbWUcqLp99psc0A_KMTjNeJGw0fUQ/s640/IMG_20190826_144535.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looks good down at the body-neck joint too. You may notice in this picture that I haven't flattened the entire neck surface--I've really only paid close attention to flattening the outside edges, which is where I hold my straight edge to check the neck angle. The upper neck surface actually remains a little humped-up in cross section (and as long as the alignment and neck angle are good, that won't bother me a bit.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbXCaukWja6GOQ-ccufmzQHR6Wxfrm82b0G1TwYpm4DkOPzj5v7vTN5HvO_kf4xSNuCPNqV5gH3CeSY-Vnfj-99_WumEjVhUVn9RK0wXt2VWowN5cMlYgtImNG3oFJfOn00Vnq1KDk6o/s1600/IMG_20190826_144733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbXCaukWja6GOQ-ccufmzQHR6Wxfrm82b0G1TwYpm4DkOPzj5v7vTN5HvO_kf4xSNuCPNqV5gH3CeSY-Vnfj-99_WumEjVhUVn9RK0wXt2VWowN5cMlYgtImNG3oFJfOn00Vnq1KDk6o/s640/IMG_20190826_144733.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here my neck is fitted, and I'm getting ready to glue. Since the pencil mark I've been using to align things is going to be obscured by glue squeeze-out, I need a better, clearer way of marking neck alignment when I glue up. I put down a strip of 1/2" masking tape across the joint...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhL4_Cwdf-v5G8LlF3BqOYYXTBdA-OQvX8fcXafO43GEA-Fusqro9v9o1YceRgvLdg8NPizq-UBW6i4RPPrdghQqJTDBOC8h8hgdzHq4ewneKNi3iPk9fa81FFkVV0jsHAvTRKbyTO3c/s1600/IMG_20190826_145020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhL4_Cwdf-v5G8LlF3BqOYYXTBdA-OQvX8fcXafO43GEA-Fusqro9v9o1YceRgvLdg8NPizq-UBW6i4RPPrdghQqJTDBOC8h8hgdzHq4ewneKNi3iPk9fa81FFkVV0jsHAvTRKbyTO3c/s640/IMG_20190826_145020.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then cut the tape in two with a knife, right along the joint. Then I can unscrew the neck from the body, and get ready to glue the neck in place.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58FhyphenhyphenKpfchjxlGIKVe617Amj14SsA4cne338d04QVtFZgsHNHplz1BLGdqVkjfv0YBBJs0ShfRVDLEfQ-zws4qe0uK-Gew1nWgakveogYCATFTe5pJIhi2C0KI_SvrbK3sVR8GWys_mk/s1600/IMG_20190826_145033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58FhyphenhyphenKpfchjxlGIKVe617Amj14SsA4cne338d04QVtFZgsHNHplz1BLGdqVkjfv0YBBJs0ShfRVDLEfQ-zws4qe0uK-Gew1nWgakveogYCATFTe5pJIhi2C0KI_SvrbK3sVR8GWys_mk/s640/IMG_20190826_145033.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's what I'm looking at just prior to gluing. I'll warm both surfaces with a hair dryer before brushing glue on both surfaces.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JrEu2fyqpphMs45CkjIo-8D7X1GBUIJwN1kFceI91sl0Lk0g8jdPkb-uELc7-QiIJ1MG0NOXlHl6_o3vrv4Dxbr7rXAPuwTtltBxQuSRYeieXxzM5P7dK99fBL3nazI2NnYjcnGfeOQ/s1600/IMG_20190826_150042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JrEu2fyqpphMs45CkjIo-8D7X1GBUIJwN1kFceI91sl0Lk0g8jdPkb-uELc7-QiIJ1MG0NOXlHl6_o3vrv4Dxbr7rXAPuwTtltBxQuSRYeieXxzM5P7dK99fBL3nazI2NnYjcnGfeOQ/s640/IMG_20190826_150042.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a wider shot of the gluing situation, courtesy of my A/V assistant, Carl, whom you met in the previous instalment. I'm about to do a rehearsal, a dry run. When I go for real (in about twenty seconds from now), I'll warm the surfaces, brush glue on both surfaces, rub the joint slightly to get good contact, make sure alignment with the tape is correct, and then twist the screw home.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPlo4qM48znQbnYPR0fy0sKWLJSRZNt_KGjlagWwuB2rKIKaVUvgzS7O2ZqtxDz7dTpZIYjcR6bcYDL6v6Rq9jzqufMiSdy8K8XyIleXngPF3GhpglIEq5OalvUS_0jpcYZrwfNYiiuA/s1600/IMG_20190826_151052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPlo4qM48znQbnYPR0fy0sKWLJSRZNt_KGjlagWwuB2rKIKaVUvgzS7O2ZqtxDz7dTpZIYjcR6bcYDL6v6Rq9jzqufMiSdy8K8XyIleXngPF3GhpglIEq5OalvUS_0jpcYZrwfNYiiuA/s640/IMG_20190826_151052.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The immediate aftermath, showing the tape alignment and glue squeeze-out. Rather than clean up the excess glue, though, I will actually add to it, by painting more full strength glue along this glue line...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo20-JJVVEGWswQocyL6y8t-MDF-9Fuc9KE62pTyk-4C0qPG1sDVkiGw6CMam88Pm5AiKIhBKVUU98LgSk0-SG9-alx_9M6WYr3CqIs2ZsbAhpCuYTGtrn9Cml8X9j4LC_eSDf3l9jIk/s1600/IMG_20190826_151147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo20-JJVVEGWswQocyL6y8t-MDF-9Fuc9KE62pTyk-4C0qPG1sDVkiGw6CMam88Pm5AiKIhBKVUU98LgSk0-SG9-alx_9M6WYr3CqIs2ZsbAhpCuYTGtrn9Cml8X9j4LC_eSDf3l9jIk/s640/IMG_20190826_151147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And on the backside of the joint as well. Here is where we see the beneficial aspect of hide glue's tendency to shrink as it dries--the drying glue will contract and pull the two edges of the joint together, providing external clamping pressure (along with the internal pressure applied by the screw.) I will actually paint more hot glue on the outside of the joint a couple of times over the next few minutes, to create more concentric layers of clamping pressure.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCvpEVXeTDlavcMHtcbp-a5pW4fQK733rFzBgy_5TbKYc9-zMRcqQpN5CENZdI5uh96zg0_FKJLCsLZaad0DXfvlNGYjB__G-8dsMYtIVMpcsU7BWoLThtJ3aLAAZ9SPykZUWfybsrCU/s1600/IMG_20190826_151259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCvpEVXeTDlavcMHtcbp-a5pW4fQK733rFzBgy_5TbKYc9-zMRcqQpN5CENZdI5uh96zg0_FKJLCsLZaad0DXfvlNGYjB__G-8dsMYtIVMpcsU7BWoLThtJ3aLAAZ9SPykZUWfybsrCU/s640/IMG_20190826_151259.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't hang the lute to dry, but prop it up gently instead.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNiKiBA23RL6cLwM3O98IVIMEdmxwWVtACZNLWWI-l9Tj5ys5fqtbDsm_yOvZcX4n6E7Cjx9bpn697_jLUzcHZ1fiUJhaDm43AV4x-ljCMNLgtg3tobE4eWhaQ16cXaup8UZuq2QI5SQ/s1600/IMG_20190828_111710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNiKiBA23RL6cLwM3O98IVIMEdmxwWVtACZNLWWI-l9Tj5ys5fqtbDsm_yOvZcX4n6E7Cjx9bpn697_jLUzcHZ1fiUJhaDm43AV4x-ljCMNLgtg3tobE4eWhaQ16cXaup8UZuq2QI5SQ/s640/IMG_20190828_111710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next morning: here's my result. The alignment looks good, and the joint looks tight (though again, you can see where the middle of the neck surface is a bit humped up in relation to the top block.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rqqcIg5XxFqDqXddw-Rs9YQGXZk1Biqn1gbArC1Cgiqyd08U2yNijUohoMeKCkvfaqpOpKxGXKBWgtWZ_qUZMIdYKPeZ6XZlxgRfo0JXu-fJbpAIHixhqC4HBKGcgOQGAnkEgxij6w0/s1600/IMG_20190828_114527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rqqcIg5XxFqDqXddw-Rs9YQGXZk1Biqn1gbArC1Cgiqyd08U2yNijUohoMeKCkvfaqpOpKxGXKBWgtWZ_qUZMIdYKPeZ6XZlxgRfo0JXu-fJbpAIHixhqC4HBKGcgOQGAnkEgxij6w0/s640/IMG_20190828_114527.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I usually use a piece of paper towel to clean up excess dried hide glue. I wet the glue first, then lay down paper on it, then re-wet the paper as need arises over the next 15 minutes or so. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrWAz9W3b7Yk8HoEAKfOBH6HTv6vdNQ3NsiSN0AOJxGcI7GkhNRQ10v38ayg-jo0KqT-1uofJgRzpqDb3dX6LuOLZdKahyphenhyphenbS52TZD7OVq4lFEr_BN5BmT5tQBD3Wh1wLCIC1dEyXkHJA/s1600/IMG_20190828_120245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrWAz9W3b7Yk8HoEAKfOBH6HTv6vdNQ3NsiSN0AOJxGcI7GkhNRQ10v38ayg-jo0KqT-1uofJgRzpqDb3dX6LuOLZdKahyphenhyphenbS52TZD7OVq4lFEr_BN5BmT5tQBD3Wh1wLCIC1dEyXkHJA/s640/IMG_20190828_120245.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">By then, the glue is soft enough for me to clear away with a sharpened spruce stick.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAcqRPHdyjBV_DsRAHLh5KVaGxuEnz_4dX-sJLYxIJVxL04gLo1SxPQ-msg5G6YTSNerRNThN9Zfi0f7mQLSc98nz1IiZ1tM7n8uDnjrVJKbjtmPqyX_8qsx07r0B4EvPR1k0zxRZomM/s1600/IMG_20190828_120714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAcqRPHdyjBV_DsRAHLh5KVaGxuEnz_4dX-sJLYxIJVxL04gLo1SxPQ-msg5G6YTSNerRNThN9Zfi0f7mQLSc98nz1IiZ1tM7n8uDnjrVJKbjtmPqyX_8qsx07r0B4EvPR1k0zxRZomM/s640/IMG_20190828_120714.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLDkI8MceHrJ8ot8G9S-aKd6gL1gyX5_bDkbX2fopVfu9ZhFRee5e_6WBwYBIxm_QJUEPJrUySvdVaYWylAKEEd1405Vl58wX-VZazRGM0__hNZ27CaLscFJBPCP1Swm1Rp1OdAYuMVU/s1600/IMG_20190828_151834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLDkI8MceHrJ8ot8G9S-aKd6gL1gyX5_bDkbX2fopVfu9ZhFRee5e_6WBwYBIxm_QJUEPJrUySvdVaYWylAKEEd1405Vl58wX-VZazRGM0__hNZ27CaLscFJBPCP1Swm1Rp1OdAYuMVU/s640/IMG_20190828_151834.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my joint: the alignment of veneer and ribs looks fine. Not perfect--such a joint only rarely comes out perfectly, and there is generally always some filing and rectifying of either the veneer or the ribs to be done. But this looks good. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlU18L5JaDDavd98HoSz9CEt5b_6FDqEgIXgViKfDokHhpipy84TzJZIDuiQJZM_dgvw4tZJYm6SiX3d59-5g9ZgG7K5mbYR9BtYUF0zQXK4fIRC4UfgWACyFnbS08pXnIVJTyuTSYv_k/s1600/IMG_20190828_171847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlU18L5JaDDavd98HoSz9CEt5b_6FDqEgIXgViKfDokHhpipy84TzJZIDuiQJZM_dgvw4tZJYm6SiX3d59-5g9ZgG7K5mbYR9BtYUF0zQXK4fIRC4UfgWACyFnbS08pXnIVJTyuTSYv_k/s640/IMG_20190828_171847.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">So for the time being, I'll hang this one with his fellows (an 8 course on the left, 7 course on the right, both also with veneered necks). By the way, at this point I will not re-check the alignment of the neck, either with my centreline string or my straightedge and thread--there will be plenty of opportunities for me to check those things a little farther down the road. For now, I've got bigger fish to fry...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZvQ1XqJzkfBUmRETfjotgaIfEeBsuiDI8M8PWYkKZJ7hzef49CuRXH-6ob1tOjAdrXeN2XIdar4jZG3PdPcrWEDvAwCMf6sTvfwq0bw1twLKnAyIhQerK6knl2e4gKcDTwGfHuSH-ds/s1600/IMG_20190828_171858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZvQ1XqJzkfBUmRETfjotgaIfEeBsuiDI8M8PWYkKZJ7hzef49CuRXH-6ob1tOjAdrXeN2XIdar4jZG3PdPcrWEDvAwCMf6sTvfwq0bw1twLKnAyIhQerK6knl2e4gKcDTwGfHuSH-ds/s640/IMG_20190828_171858.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Or should I say fish bellies? In our next episode of 'The Tedium and the Triumph,' I'll let you know how I go about thicknessing these flounders--and preparing them for carving their roses.</span></td></tr>
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Before I sign off, I'd like to thank everyone who got in touch with me after the last blog post, where I expressed some misgivings about my (rather exhaustive) sharing of my working techniques in building a 13 course lute. Three people in particular helped to clarify my thinking, and I hope they don't mind me mentioning them here--Grant Tomlinson, Bill Good, and Bob Eby. Just share, they said, and don't worry about it. So that's what I'll do. Thanks.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-27877847247770932282019-08-25T22:36:00.000-07:002019-10-26T17:04:01.955-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 3: Veneering the NeckHi friends, today I want to document veneering the neck with a single piece of ebony.<br />
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If you've been tuning in to this series, you'll know that my rationale in these posts is to present a photo and one-or-two sentence description of each discrete operation in building a 13 course lute. It's not my intention to present a how-to blog, though of course there's much information to be found for those who want it.<br />
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I have to confess that, after making the first two posts in the series, I felt a little pang of something--maybe of guilt, maybe of jealousy--with which I've had to reconcile before continuing the series.<br />
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Guilt first: on one hand I'm happy to talk about my working procedures (and nobody's forcing me to do it, after all), but I've had a nagging feeling, as I've been doing it, that they are not quite mine to share. After all, I learned them from my great teacher, Grant Tomlinson; and he learned them from his own great teacher, Stephen Gottlieb. Am I not appropriating their ideas, and presenting them as my own?--And yet these procedures <i>are mine</i>; I've earned them with my hard work, and though they have their source in those great makers, for better or worse I've taken them and made them my own. And so, I share them humbly, and hope in so doing to show respect and pay tribute not only to Grant Tomlinson, but to all the teachers, woodworkers and luthiers who have guided me (and still do guide me) on my journey in craft.<br />
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Now, jealousy. As I write these posts, I sometimes wonder: am I not sharing too much? Am I not giving away the farm, by talking in so much detail about how I do my work? It's a good question; many makers have derived income by packaging and selling such information. Well, maybe I will too, at some point; maybe these blog posts will eventually form the basis of a best-seller on how to build baroque lutes, and my sweetheart and I will retire on the royalties to our private island in the Caribbean. Indeed!--For now, though, I've resolved not to feel jealous about sharing what I know, and what I've learned. For one thing, there is plenty of information that I am <i>not</i> giving away in these posts, information that can really only be imparted through personal contact between a teacher and student, side-by-side at the bench. For another, if what I offer here helps someone to build a better baroque lute, and in consequence there are more excellent baroque lutes being played, and more people listening to great players on excellent baroque lutes, then I'll count that a good thing, not a bad one. So by all means, dear reader: take whatever is useful to you, use it to build great baroque lutes, and please, pass it on.<br />
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To begin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2IEzftEUqhcJb78YT0xpTGehSGUiBw86vT3-gy5R_nfBPwm84p5wUsQVkopIcPUORW_Xxtf17FmPcQo4dWSXaXhFpjXR8zb6Zt-Kga9pdW2vGLnOu_QhJAqG7cINA1ikZk9_Bp78bTw/s1600/IMG_20190819_104018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2IEzftEUqhcJb78YT0xpTGehSGUiBw86vT3-gy5R_nfBPwm84p5wUsQVkopIcPUORW_Xxtf17FmPcQo4dWSXaXhFpjXR8zb6Zt-Kga9pdW2vGLnOu_QhJAqG7cINA1ikZk9_Bp78bTw/s640/IMG_20190819_104018.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've carved the neck, and allowed for the thickness of the veneer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwqJYLJZnzF_Ouo8I0A8EE3qG0iiv8oDt8UozdY2KRQS8furJ3kl2F-Brr2X8zf2xalWjHqgQyg6hlJYqSd0DQP1i3uHNcKUjzodGQE-PC8W09E660T3LLzGJENnbbuyHSjIUl48hI9k/s640/IMG_20190819_105918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is my neck veneering jig (and my cup of coffee.)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwqJYLJZnzF_Ouo8I0A8EE3qG0iiv8oDt8UozdY2KRQS8furJ3kl2F-Brr2X8zf2xalWjHqgQyg6hlJYqSd0DQP1i3uHNcKUjzodGQE-PC8W09E660T3LLzGJENnbbuyHSjIUl48hI9k/s1600/IMG_20190819_105918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aKsu_RboOe5IIeJpICGdpksBKY80AzkCQ5JRr7B3e3rFyFlzqs4WwM5R8wnOfYXcDM55GGt6ht3dQsfXu0-QnWJmE0SnUM_NA6Omqk1EtKr6QtPL7c4qmDUUkWT0QB19fTvtvaFCG5w/s1600/IMG_20190819_105929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aKsu_RboOe5IIeJpICGdpksBKY80AzkCQ5JRr7B3e3rFyFlzqs4WwM5R8wnOfYXcDM55GGt6ht3dQsfXu0-QnWJmE0SnUM_NA6Omqk1EtKr6QtPL7c4qmDUUkWT0QB19fTvtvaFCG5w/s640/IMG_20190819_105929.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another view.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTPDn8aC4k0PdI90vbyfWC3vrk_F7qvZ1C9K8w5hpB9dHdCVXKIdm6ELAWGQOTOPgzBv7PA3g8waiuwggi7VXhrxVajW6vNP6nM3TThwHagBUGtApmbWbyndkFe6CQqiHJejijzxxyI/s1600/IMG_20190819_105939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTPDn8aC4k0PdI90vbyfWC3vrk_F7qvZ1C9K8w5hpB9dHdCVXKIdm6ELAWGQOTOPgzBv7PA3g8waiuwggi7VXhrxVajW6vNP6nM3TThwHagBUGtApmbWbyndkFe6CQqiHJejijzxxyI/s640/IMG_20190819_105939.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And yet another: this view shows the length of thick cotton skate lace that I use to tie the veneer down to the neck. I use skate lace because 1) it is very strong woven cotton, and 2) it is wide and flat.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hscfAkzKOp3Jrx0yVxS3lbUZES1YXShQmT9rt4VUpndxzsD3uLMjSeYrgNjYAm47A2DCN-wWVUai6m6yoV3aBmqSaIzSPttGD4kpVA059I1ruop7BRV8ATVXkgkdII9lYfHLqlj5if0/s1600/IMG_20190819_115437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hscfAkzKOp3Jrx0yVxS3lbUZES1YXShQmT9rt4VUpndxzsD3uLMjSeYrgNjYAm47A2DCN-wWVUai6m6yoV3aBmqSaIzSPttGD4kpVA059I1ruop7BRV8ATVXkgkdII9lYfHLqlj5if0/s640/IMG_20190819_115437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The neck must sit up from the jig at a particular angle so that the veneer will tie down closely at the edges. I've worked out this angle (and made these wedges) through trial and error.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGekfgHKNq9LxTGpatEWG-WUkefzvV9phdINX8PddfcdxQy3T1ZOPr4nEGmYB_bIajBg6VPB53iDdv8TZ0GWvEE0rPtNiz93sWIUzLF70OhBM2kXL8g3FpAmsEE2qxdTf6CCkgfVmYgUU/s1600/IMG_20190819_115522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGekfgHKNq9LxTGpatEWG-WUkefzvV9phdINX8PddfcdxQy3T1ZOPr4nEGmYB_bIajBg6VPB53iDdv8TZ0GWvEE0rPtNiz93sWIUzLF70OhBM2kXL8g3FpAmsEE2qxdTf6CCkgfVmYgUU/s640/IMG_20190819_115522.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The nut end of the neck must sit up higher than the bottom (joint) end. </span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-Nijk0N2vIPnBmmJqVj6vHHio0sG9-juQ71TFWY3rWcjxwiIvG4eMQnA4j9B8SL7xJgac5WCHcgRfarhrqzjwzxDA69mlkKfTOcjget4jybX9Pxq8_WnDmz3VDQBUKr3xPIQARJ-JlE/s1600/IMG_20190819_115941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-Nijk0N2vIPnBmmJqVj6vHHio0sG9-juQ71TFWY3rWcjxwiIvG4eMQnA4j9B8SL7xJgac5WCHcgRfarhrqzjwzxDA69mlkKfTOcjget4jybX9Pxq8_WnDmz3VDQBUKr3xPIQARJ-JlE/s640/IMG_20190819_115941.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because the neck has a slightly asymmetrical shape, it must also sit slightly askew the centreline of the jig. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40g3oZCt9p3wzyg6bMek9_NpiLLw5pXSByMyUoAYViHLWSdOEitkQjVzY4xQnlq-JwQyI6HFJV7DnzIXBihON0ZD35fFWGiKV42TrhmmTjuEG3tDVFfvHUqPyl6I1XgrspwFK6ZdkaJ8/s1600/IMG_20190819_120107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40g3oZCt9p3wzyg6bMek9_NpiLLw5pXSByMyUoAYViHLWSdOEitkQjVzY4xQnlq-JwQyI6HFJV7DnzIXBihON0ZD35fFWGiKV42TrhmmTjuEG3tDVFfvHUqPyl6I1XgrspwFK6ZdkaJ8/s640/IMG_20190819_120107.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A dry run with the skate lace allows me to check whether I've got the angles right, and the veneer will tie down tightly all along both edges of the neck.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHRnyL65t_Ka9lS3F5o4BhrKoISFsxLIftVzboaejXY4-aw-_syfYVcs2BpMeZyXlIBcpJ1iJhGFC2gzhkRiOszOhyphenhyphenODpLO8b0oDnsbjWCLRmo2NafOUIouIK3UI3KkEyFSnRo5qZjHw/s1600/IMG_20190819_120114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHRnyL65t_Ka9lS3F5o4BhrKoISFsxLIftVzboaejXY4-aw-_syfYVcs2BpMeZyXlIBcpJ1iJhGFC2gzhkRiOszOhyphenhyphenODpLO8b0oDnsbjWCLRmo2NafOUIouIK3UI3KkEyFSnRo5qZjHw/s640/IMG_20190819_120114.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It also allows me to rehearse the best way to tie the lace around the bottom end of the neck. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDSinRHFj-mLaDp5fmroJFR5UOTUHOIkCrbXKiaeHi9MMb-p5phgY3FVnx4mayTk_A-vgnAF2XupzSureDcuyTZuCr3oA-5iLPXRdgd8MdQIKrfUa0WPJTJbS198AU18-5NieQ28_VIM/s1600/IMG_20190819_121447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDSinRHFj-mLaDp5fmroJFR5UOTUHOIkCrbXKiaeHi9MMb-p5phgY3FVnx4mayTk_A-vgnAF2XupzSureDcuyTZuCr3oA-5iLPXRdgd8MdQIKrfUa0WPJTJbS198AU18-5NieQ28_VIM/s640/IMG_20190819_121447.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark out the veneer, leaving a couple of millimetres extra in each dimension.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho86o22OpszRW2n6DCyCTqcKUSeTta5yOtgF_ALAQW3Ir5pD557mPj-DV_uU3Qh32EyWEEVLeSi24nuIfjHEWUj4AlBXkFxZ4IkxB7sC56pTJ2V6MCdTssF570e3BwVD4RUYYSwRaiGGw/s1600/IMG_20190819_130726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho86o22OpszRW2n6DCyCTqcKUSeTta5yOtgF_ALAQW3Ir5pD557mPj-DV_uU3Qh32EyWEEVLeSi24nuIfjHEWUj4AlBXkFxZ4IkxB7sC56pTJ2V6MCdTssF570e3BwVD4RUYYSwRaiGGw/s640/IMG_20190819_130726.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I cut it out and run it through the thickness sander.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOLWFxe8zwNmQajFrRG0OgPBFGwITdPxSz5A0HX7dKrV3jhQv2KJaV-Niy_BlsniyJLfFWf9w7ME8jkJP9XgBHFWP_cvafL0eJE7mXeEYafVxsJ6ieNOw9FkQYafqrvBHiAwqMXuyQtw/s1600/IMG_20190819_131838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOLWFxe8zwNmQajFrRG0OgPBFGwITdPxSz5A0HX7dKrV3jhQv2KJaV-Niy_BlsniyJLfFWf9w7ME8jkJP9XgBHFWP_cvafL0eJE7mXeEYafVxsJ6ieNOw9FkQYafqrvBHiAwqMXuyQtw/s640/IMG_20190819_131838.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I scrape the outside surface free of sanding marks, then run it through the sander one more time (with the outside surface face-down) to take the veneer to its final thickness.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabv2fF7r96tOY-nY2bt0WPIGvRWYYknStPypBvcm1W9H8c2Vsj4JvDnk2ktTPyxtzqNFCf0kfPsYOe__wPcRq0oOBXzTawq-26L_RWcNykwMMy27GmmmkpwECq_JYLCwo7_hsd_sQO2E/s1600/IMG_20190819_134754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabv2fF7r96tOY-nY2bt0WPIGvRWYYknStPypBvcm1W9H8c2Vsj4JvDnk2ktTPyxtzqNFCf0kfPsYOe__wPcRq0oOBXzTawq-26L_RWcNykwMMy27GmmmkpwECq_JYLCwo7_hsd_sQO2E/s640/IMG_20190819_134754.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My neck, my veneer, my jig, my glue, my bending iron, are all ready to go. I'll bend the veneer and glue it, working at a fairly quick but careful pace.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_Eogq8sENDSKR6VqYtd3PR8OnFJEM4M-Qt-7iK67YC1_jj_Aqsu168xOq0gAomkSYiD6aZtRscwLF_byoxo6LtONkQX_WiJghW4gBHjrIDYR3Kp7S2z_p8cPq_tDgyobhROyBW6Hm1E/s1600/IMG_20190819_135833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_Eogq8sENDSKR6VqYtd3PR8OnFJEM4M-Qt-7iK67YC1_jj_Aqsu168xOq0gAomkSYiD6aZtRscwLF_byoxo6LtONkQX_WiJghW4gBHjrIDYR3Kp7S2z_p8cPq_tDgyobhROyBW6Hm1E/s640/IMG_20190819_135833.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K-DAMCm7D11BvmgtJKp16MoOeFNn0uRq48uAhhEaBPOLeCwO4VjXWd0jD3wQE695dCHh9TFRfS2TFduFDRDhwJgZFYB6t92wl2oJ72QX1gx1z7CbnGG727UHINgfrBm2qfBGDgTAS6s/s1600/IMG_20190819_135917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K-DAMCm7D11BvmgtJKp16MoOeFNn0uRq48uAhhEaBPOLeCwO4VjXWd0jD3wQE695dCHh9TFRfS2TFduFDRDhwJgZFYB6t92wl2oJ72QX1gx1z7CbnGG727UHINgfrBm2qfBGDgTAS6s/s640/IMG_20190819_135917.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've heated a saucepan of water, which I brush on the outside of the veneer. The veneer begins to curl immediately.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAtFJ4P196U3KBdEwxcBn5ScAIVHfzxDlIvKNbhSmK3bm_yf-fDAmZP5sBExnGN-Br9-7QsZ7xoBtqFfPYe_N_10l0_WBT51b-IWyurd4-u_5k9SPJWJyM7C0TNY7UNAxhRaSNrm32z4/s1600/IMG_20190819_135939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAtFJ4P196U3KBdEwxcBn5ScAIVHfzxDlIvKNbhSmK3bm_yf-fDAmZP5sBExnGN-Br9-7QsZ7xoBtqFfPYe_N_10l0_WBT51b-IWyurd4-u_5k9SPJWJyM7C0TNY7UNAxhRaSNrm32z4/s640/IMG_20190819_135939.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also heat the underside of the veneer on the hot plate, which helps to curl the veneer even more. (The only use I have for the bending iron is to do some fine shaping on the outer edges of the veneer, near the nut end of the neck.)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaozIcE0570E9nigGraRYECzuY6QtAWZTzvQtk1iM50uqVq_ARJTpOvXJ229bpxe7o15yWzznkNhzhJI9UvTWNBFYCIXRt_w-AOAcMtiL4EW8m2m9owMQOiBjfxSdDHamBdHrPM65aIE/s1600/IMG_20190819_140452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaozIcE0570E9nigGraRYECzuY6QtAWZTzvQtk1iM50uqVq_ARJTpOvXJ229bpxe7o15yWzznkNhzhJI9UvTWNBFYCIXRt_w-AOAcMtiL4EW8m2m9owMQOiBjfxSdDHamBdHrPM65aIE/s640/IMG_20190819_140452.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I locate the veneer carefully and hold it in place while drilling a small-diameter hole through it. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0TXWp5kOeYG18bl6eD6GKrHikSUt79Wtnr1KUUjOb22ae216xse9ORk4zPtCQtFmGZbqmqb-jcYWl5PfiRIPs3OjKzWLJsDf_YtTSzgZieX9_AcKON_Ok5Bu2JFK0meW041G9Kw-Xw8/s1600/IMG_20190819_140520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0TXWp5kOeYG18bl6eD6GKrHikSUt79Wtnr1KUUjOb22ae216xse9ORk4zPtCQtFmGZbqmqb-jcYWl5PfiRIPs3OjKzWLJsDf_YtTSzgZieX9_AcKON_Ok5Bu2JFK0meW041G9Kw-Xw8/s640/IMG_20190819_140520.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can then locate the end of the veneer securely with a push-pin.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj6pdbp9Ln3o9jiXv7mFaUOxCuj10Nuikl7cP174NZimTxhA_elWEqhHDChtUTsP1cP-E5TPwmQ9or7lGoQ2HVmYRM27MYyhvBR6YYxP1PZZMKOUryCaUCJrRQ9RJvRwLMm4UVxCsX9s/s1600/IMG_20190819_140725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj6pdbp9Ln3o9jiXv7mFaUOxCuj10Nuikl7cP174NZimTxhA_elWEqhHDChtUTsP1cP-E5TPwmQ9or7lGoQ2HVmYRM27MYyhvBR6YYxP1PZZMKOUryCaUCJrRQ9RJvRwLMm4UVxCsX9s/s640/IMG_20190819_140725.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I drill another hole about halfway up the neck for a second location pin.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWUJVoUgSzmg246UUE8WH9m-jDy-4OteVXIpftoKpZKe6AgST_N3mxaAd3fp65ULOqjSwGc2vuAx_3WysG6s7Vgn5CJBdJhdvji2M7kP8ZNQAMB7rpZTLG5gQgiCuXO9RgIb1jibh1nQ/s1600/IMG_20190819_141252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWUJVoUgSzmg246UUE8WH9m-jDy-4OteVXIpftoKpZKe6AgST_N3mxaAd3fp65ULOqjSwGc2vuAx_3WysG6s7Vgn5CJBdJhdvji2M7kP8ZNQAMB7rpZTLG5gQgiCuXO9RgIb1jibh1nQ/s640/IMG_20190819_141252.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Working quickly, I heat the neck surface and the inside surface of the veneer with a hair dryer, then brush hot glue on the neck core.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhql9vAoiMI2HPp7L-FTPCgMLI8Y72CBjhKLsJGISVY9pG2T1BC6nIiwL_bIKmcTTCCIDbrvK8MzsTFDcYDDlZUXqPR95GDOijvCeBR0M5L-zIx8Wi1Aj0grCQZUHX2a-80LjmjnERgccg/s1600/IMG_20190819_141333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhql9vAoiMI2HPp7L-FTPCgMLI8Y72CBjhKLsJGISVY9pG2T1BC6nIiwL_bIKmcTTCCIDbrvK8MzsTFDcYDDlZUXqPR95GDOijvCeBR0M5L-zIx8Wi1Aj0grCQZUHX2a-80LjmjnERgccg/s640/IMG_20190819_141333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I brush hot glue on the inside of the veneer.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ2dtzXYt7T9qipfbwhfI-We6fzfN-CmPLrJDX4EpQ7XW6UWo_r2Nci3K2SHlFONI1fvVkSExkVBaIHTYDCGMf12JPHvj8Fyv1mz2dyb92zIRCocPmZo8VnaPkDzweFAyof6PHYt0ze4/s1600/IMG_20190819_141451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ2dtzXYt7T9qipfbwhfI-We6fzfN-CmPLrJDX4EpQ7XW6UWo_r2Nci3K2SHlFONI1fvVkSExkVBaIHTYDCGMf12JPHvj8Fyv1mz2dyb92zIRCocPmZo8VnaPkDzweFAyof6PHYt0ze4/s640/IMG_20190819_141451.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I get the veneer in place quickly, and locate it with my pins.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3g_gqTUndUn8Mt0diYVHGENBAftgE0EgR4-MR8-GulklZuvPXm6T6bztKAZB9uix22b3PSam8HH6Hd_eo6LMKENf51_UuMfYtnBiYG2J4lEi9s3RZyyK-3hXbMZu1SP3FD47AMEEBqA/s1600/IMG_20190819_141544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3g_gqTUndUn8Mt0diYVHGENBAftgE0EgR4-MR8-GulklZuvPXm6T6bztKAZB9uix22b3PSam8HH6Hd_eo6LMKENf51_UuMfYtnBiYG2J4lEi9s3RZyyK-3hXbMZu1SP3FD47AMEEBqA/s640/IMG_20190819_141544.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I start tying it down tightly with the skate lace.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WlkF4CJ4Z7HyHrbqGB7tHokdFFNJy4YsS93Mn9ciT2bd1lrWJwiHMEucgZCaX6lZApL0-dId6lf5OZayZ1XjB8YJja-6OpwYJRk4FagbGpK28JPSm9p3wR-S8ot9WioQCUtOAJM0WYE/s1600/IMG_20190819_141834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WlkF4CJ4Z7HyHrbqGB7tHokdFFNJy4YsS93Mn9ciT2bd1lrWJwiHMEucgZCaX6lZApL0-dId6lf5OZayZ1XjB8YJja-6OpwYJRk4FagbGpK28JPSm9p3wR-S8ot9WioQCUtOAJM0WYE/s640/IMG_20190819_141834.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">So far, so good. I can remove the location pins...</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Py5ti1IMd0J8B4AcvlzS8Ssv4tqDAWC-6CfL7lJ4dS6tzLz_YgdXepK1idpbUizKxP9ZK7MGdnc6AlNSY8nbKzOt0_O64Dfl_gbUkXxvHEmq0hA22PfPqpcokPy4_qlkMbO4V-hILHM/s1600/IMG_20190819_141934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Py5ti1IMd0J8B4AcvlzS8Ssv4tqDAWC-6CfL7lJ4dS6tzLz_YgdXepK1idpbUizKxP9ZK7MGdnc6AlNSY8nbKzOt0_O64Dfl_gbUkXxvHEmq0hA22PfPqpcokPy4_qlkMbO4V-hILHM/s640/IMG_20190819_141934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And start applying heat and pressure with the iron. You can see I'm getting some significant glue squeeze-out through the hole for the location pin, halfway up the neck; I also check for squeeze-out along the length of the neck, on each side.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmvU01RLNq2Jce6ikGFmXbJKTK_hk-Qng4m4CiNYYtjUZy2Wuw4fxCtnjp6fK1e1d1UCIJBDHC3KX0L8lZ374jzWasD7wyMJTYVf-AEgx43Pc2E6Ns0BW9r8Y-KCvm2UJerTf8W5x2NU/s1600/IMG_20190819_142439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmvU01RLNq2Jce6ikGFmXbJKTK_hk-Qng4m4CiNYYtjUZy2Wuw4fxCtnjp6fK1e1d1UCIJBDHC3KX0L8lZ374jzWasD7wyMJTYVf-AEgx43Pc2E6Ns0BW9r8Y-KCvm2UJerTf8W5x2NU/s640/IMG_20190819_142439.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I continue tying off until the entire veneer is tight.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisizmZVYflzGLrwIUx3_tfkOiUJY8UkYR1EjSlQfnMElvEXfthw_ocrxSQ35RtNSAxXoYXAZ9ClTUbBvxezBTa1i3o4ugmmt_G8aZI_Yl6uup3WDBI-2wUigsNsXOKZEvw4UowbUEmid8/s1600/IMG_20190819_142628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisizmZVYflzGLrwIUx3_tfkOiUJY8UkYR1EjSlQfnMElvEXfthw_ocrxSQ35RtNSAxXoYXAZ9ClTUbBvxezBTa1i3o4ugmmt_G8aZI_Yl6uup3WDBI-2wUigsNsXOKZEvw4UowbUEmid8/s640/IMG_20190819_142628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also keep ironing until I'm quite satisfied that the veneer is glued closely to the neck core, and that there are no gaps or air bubbles.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJ8AYnN4cCYbTz_zhMkpuv6wybbS04Rb6T77VLlnjJcssRDk-aqppmhvSrRsWW-F9QVvUZuukvlgLh81axJcSk0vW1cNVqXNpecsEwTisftz03TS_M4isg9xj46ywd73ZfKHhr0riFcM/s1600/IMG_20190819_143345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJ8AYnN4cCYbTz_zhMkpuv6wybbS04Rb6T77VLlnjJcssRDk-aqppmhvSrRsWW-F9QVvUZuukvlgLh81axJcSk0vW1cNVqXNpecsEwTisftz03TS_M4isg9xj46ywd73ZfKHhr0riFcM/s640/IMG_20190819_143345.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The fit looks pretty good from the nut end...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">... and from the bottom end too. I clean up the glue squeeze-out with a brush, and then give the surface of the joint a coat of glue size.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlfO0tJvPoFOAGX38F8_NrRHat-xF0mWCwGYqTz0qpfCs1qxDDBtnC5mw415Qnizow4wIOb3fUtCcB1NpSmGGnU2wHVM3mprFikw3YF_5gM2p0lL-z6J-9x1bzi6QMTgp1tBfP3bm2e8/s1600/IMG_20190819_144450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlfO0tJvPoFOAGX38F8_NrRHat-xF0mWCwGYqTz0qpfCs1qxDDBtnC5mw415Qnizow4wIOb3fUtCcB1NpSmGGnU2wHVM3mprFikw3YF_5gM2p0lL-z6J-9x1bzi6QMTgp1tBfP3bm2e8/s640/IMG_20190819_144450.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this time, I would like to introduce my audio-visual aide, whose name (for some reason) is Carl. Without his sturdy assistance, none of the actions shots of me working would be possible. Thanks Carl!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next morning: the glue is dry, and I can remove the veneered neck from the jig. Here I am beginning to carefully saw away the excess veneer at the joint end of the neck.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9kHrDeG-GwP3UlY9KQHYl7OBlFrLvxPJ98gyhpEYzusdwYLn1t0W1Itc9S8IASYjCzRYgJ0Rdwek08py2NZyoRwj54JaUnDZbykeC9KtBlGtpAyjv95fnkT_U2NbnjoZ6dfT3XEAVEc/s1600/IMG_20190820_151825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9kHrDeG-GwP3UlY9KQHYl7OBlFrLvxPJ98gyhpEYzusdwYLn1t0W1Itc9S8IASYjCzRYgJ0Rdwek08py2NZyoRwj54JaUnDZbykeC9KtBlGtpAyjv95fnkT_U2NbnjoZ6dfT3XEAVEc/s640/IMG_20190820_151825.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I use my low-angle block plane (with the sole well-waxed) to plane the veneer almost flush with the surface of the joint. I use the low-angle plane to bring all the other veneer edges flush to the neck core as well.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsk3TAk4X6qHnRns5a9x4YDYT3ZMrT49oHTCwr0QTNSnwZlVTciAWLaaNrRJfaMcaaZZt4qQwfeQxOh5XQCrcJXW31hDtDeqWJB-AVvYyeRm9ouvZ505Fim_oW7kgxuyT4fW9t6nV3x4/s1600/IMG_20190820_154908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Top view of the veneered neck: I think I got a good result.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The back side looks good too. No big lumps or bumps, no air pockets; everything looks solid.</span></td></tr>
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Now, I will set the neck aside for at least one week before re-fitting and gluing it to the body. This is because hot hide glue, when used over a large surface such as this, will take a long time to dry thoroughly. While it dries over a number of days, it will continuously contract, mainly across the grain, but also along the grain as well. (This property of hide glue to contract as it dries is one of the main difficulties of working with it, but also, in certain circumstances, one of its great benefits.) As it contracts, it exerts a great deal of force on the woods on each side of the joint, and ends up significantly distorting the shape of the neck. The upper surface of the neck was dead-flat when I began shaping it; it's no longer anywhere near flat, either in cross-section or long section. The same is true for the neck-joint surface. By putting the neck aside for a week, I hope to allow the woods and the glue enough time to reach an equilibrium before fitting and gluing the crucial neck joint.<br />
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And so the blog will take a break as well. Happy lute making--and happy lute playing--and I will talk to you again soon.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858989391440501233.post-8951713162359836952019-08-12T11:20:00.001-07:002019-10-26T17:04:11.213-07:00Building a 13 Course Lute, Start to Finish, 2: Fitting and Making the NeckHello dear friends, here's the second installment of the ongoing series, in which I chronicle the building of a 13 course lute. As I explained at the outset, what I want to do with the series is to document the stages of construction in as much detail as reasonably possible. I'm presenting photos of each discrete task, and accompanying them with a one- or two-sentence explanation of the operation depicted.<br />
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This is not, strictly speaking, a how-to blog, though of course I do hope (and in fact I'm quite sure) that much can be gleaned from my depiction of the process. Sometimes an image of a maker doing some operation, or a photo of a particular jig or setup, will be enough to spark the imagination of an onlooker who can take that concept and make it work for them in their own building practice.<br />
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However, I think that this post especially, in which I describe working with the bowl and doing the initial alignment of the neck, may prompt a lot of questions. That's natural, because my work in this stage will really lay the foundations for the instrument's final action and playability. If I work well and carefully now, I'll eventually end up with an instrument that has a very comfortable neck size and shape, a well-curved fingerboard, and string heights that are nice and low--all of which go together to create a consummately playable instrument.<br />
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I may, therefore, pause once or twice in the chronicle to give a bit of background and explanation of what I'm up to. I don't want to purposely confuse anyone (though I'm sure I'll do it anyway...)<br />
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So let us begin, where we left off last time: with the completed bowl.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyEal0koZ4mYZkOZFs7kbZvKCW_iaEfuHlrS_s_lrB3SkDuc3pGTTE4gR3S92vYrGbnPRe5wSBvTzvGGUQKJtMv3caRSfn3dICMezeq-QkS2SyX7Gz36Bvz4l4N0wmTw3tClHzBzWeiM/s1600/IMG_20190718_110613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyEal0koZ4mYZkOZFs7kbZvKCW_iaEfuHlrS_s_lrB3SkDuc3pGTTE4gR3S92vYrGbnPRe5wSBvTzvGGUQKJtMv3caRSfn3dICMezeq-QkS2SyX7Gz36Bvz4l4N0wmTw3tClHzBzWeiM/s640/IMG_20190718_110613.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seen here: poplar top block; honduras rosewood ribs; paper rib tapes; spruce counter-cap.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhR7XSKuSvbd6qTefwAbCxZQUVlLbrJHXC_UimeCmjxb6gu6HALwuAOXgBVsLjVSryAbWh5j_NQ5AM9Cn7Ms9uzWHMPhVTKDhZEhskbC18ug66iwzO4BuCAVhgINI6Ee491sEVZqdKLE/s1600/IMG_20190718_110650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhR7XSKuSvbd6qTefwAbCxZQUVlLbrJHXC_UimeCmjxb6gu6HALwuAOXgBVsLjVSryAbWh5j_NQ5AM9Cn7Ms9uzWHMPhVTKDhZEhskbC18ug66iwzO4BuCAVhgINI6Ee491sEVZqdKLE/s640/IMG_20190718_110650.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This photo, and the one below, show the bowl with the false belly fitted inside. This piece of carefully-shaped 1/4" pressed board will preserve the body outline securely throughout the building process.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYmDA1wB23dfoz2wRmqho4dQPp-yTgb1JSoFXJJu2zXXQsHDNX6ZDQ4Ava3brd8bo_UZV5ucMXvVCAeP0ueWEmiZMPPlM8pG0ZkerDMZUJdSiyCPH1GDN2ztbvVrSntTSCkmuG8zmkME/s1600/IMG_20190718_110702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYmDA1wB23dfoz2wRmqho4dQPp-yTgb1JSoFXJJu2zXXQsHDNX6ZDQ4Ava3brd8bo_UZV5ucMXvVCAeP0ueWEmiZMPPlM8pG0ZkerDMZUJdSiyCPH1GDN2ztbvVrSntTSCkmuG8zmkME/s640/IMG_20190718_110702.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've spot-glued in a few places along the side ribs to keep the false belly in place. I've used weak glue size, so that it won't be too difficult to remove the false belly when I eventually need to do so.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UlW7UX5XZwilLkski9lYb4X4pwA_vvxRnHYBz5hRXhtfe2iksEM5LoiZhvwdQ3LsHXnrLkcQD9AHcs9vjLgweqm9SG92cpozTSNdp-ysI6YxeLt0-nbH-N3DLuNXptqui3toM_soYYE/s1600/IMG_20190726_155809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UlW7UX5XZwilLkski9lYb4X4pwA_vvxRnHYBz5hRXhtfe2iksEM5LoiZhvwdQ3LsHXnrLkcQD9AHcs9vjLgweqm9SG92cpozTSNdp-ysI6YxeLt0-nbH-N3DLuNXptqui3toM_soYYE/s640/IMG_20190726_155809.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here I'm marking the various depths of the 'belly scoop' on the edge rib. I will then plane this scoop evenly into the edge rib on both the bass and treble side.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've planed in the belly scoop, and you can see how it creates a smooth curve from the bottom end, to the middle of the bowl, to the top end. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIyR3z3KaI5o-sGz0tx73dGZb5icypws942IYeH4yWX693ZpIcKZHPS6cdwMcW4DSXkaHNzmgNEcZ-WgtTfxYdikjwX2x0bftkrE_awqVUWLjeqfWDr0zrwcLpMDe8f9RJtltfw3ghXU/s1600/IMG_20190729_164510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIyR3z3KaI5o-sGz0tx73dGZb5icypws942IYeH4yWX693ZpIcKZHPS6cdwMcW4DSXkaHNzmgNEcZ-WgtTfxYdikjwX2x0bftkrE_awqVUWLjeqfWDr0zrwcLpMDe8f9RJtltfw3ghXU/s640/IMG_20190729_164510.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I mark the position of the front edge of the bridge by transferring it from my working drawing. Then I stretch a length of black thread across the body at that point, and tape it securely in place with masking tape.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdWxwzsL7EJKYG8R9hiabK_RDunRgy3Cn6JgRa1v1rVry3W_EuWjIeX2mXwth63wZtuBVD3fdJgJ4ZYZYS65SU6xdXmo8NaftdkUhDmxZRxByW7-e9_pLka1Je0ind0Ov_i7za8-vzaU/s1600/IMG_20190729_170309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdWxwzsL7EJKYG8R9hiabK_RDunRgy3Cn6JgRa1v1rVry3W_EuWjIeX2mXwth63wZtuBVD3fdJgJ4ZYZYS65SU6xdXmo8NaftdkUhDmxZRxByW7-e9_pLka1Je0ind0Ov_i7za8-vzaU/s640/IMG_20190729_170309.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also determine the body's centreline, and tape a length of the same thread to the bottom end of the body. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fHyOj-6yOjsPxV4xz-ZzgZmXG10CPero68lU8o_e6O13sBCkLfnuP11r1XL0imjxRAneKHdIhnyjDMldBup8iKTwg8NDnhD11KoLkgix5eOYoHqbZPGrWdoXyo0nsoPGZqU8szfVT1o/s1600/IMG_20190729_170314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fHyOj-6yOjsPxV4xz-ZzgZmXG10CPero68lU8o_e6O13sBCkLfnuP11r1XL0imjxRAneKHdIhnyjDMldBup8iKTwg8NDnhD11KoLkgix5eOYoHqbZPGrWdoXyo0nsoPGZqU8szfVT1o/s640/IMG_20190729_170314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A close-up view of the crossroads.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_38HGbMQATAs0B1p5TA13dP1idnoGImNP4ZgZ0oQKtl0Hl2qZ8NuqWJG3ZGUPgxrrHqyphHf6IQfJn7bgwYDRudZ_A5IhrR1HnlqE0afMTBSdnJqn3yGwSjjXHPqjAer59PJFWGqWlww/s1600/IMG_20190729_170325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_38HGbMQATAs0B1p5TA13dP1idnoGImNP4ZgZ0oQKtl0Hl2qZ8NuqWJG3ZGUPgxrrHqyphHf6IQfJn7bgwYDRudZ_A5IhrR1HnlqE0afMTBSdnJqn3yGwSjjXHPqjAer59PJFWGqWlww/s640/IMG_20190729_170325.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The centreline thread is long enough that I can stretch it across the marked centreline on the top block, and eventually use it to align the neck. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zxumAi0Vr43Qk8NoOJMc2rH8U6B7ATll9cKWPIefcshoWSiTW-M_3CHl8U0lGA7p75krbPj5kUVGnPxx7BraQarGyO9v5hX4keeVzvOKzLo2zfU0cI5AtP-l0f_QhmOkVCnVX_M7SEc/s1600/IMG_20190729_171736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zxumAi0Vr43Qk8NoOJMc2rH8U6B7ATll9cKWPIefcshoWSiTW-M_3CHl8U0lGA7p75krbPj5kUVGnPxx7BraQarGyO9v5hX4keeVzvOKzLo2zfU0cI5AtP-l0f_QhmOkVCnVX_M7SEc/s640/IMG_20190729_171736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A view from the bottom end.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCDCM04j9CoBQaoFa7OW_sA0SFfq4EU-tyS_sEMS24y5W4zLwF1eXkZfkOKn0umu-zcLTIVvzJyZmvViNt0LuwUWrDRxfAvXkmSx6ZugRLcgiQG_lk1geFB0k7BjF9PsHy05WIFGFA5k/s1600/IMG_20190729_171759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCDCM04j9CoBQaoFa7OW_sA0SFfq4EU-tyS_sEMS24y5W4zLwF1eXkZfkOKn0umu-zcLTIVvzJyZmvViNt0LuwUWrDRxfAvXkmSx6ZugRLcgiQG_lk1geFB0k7BjF9PsHy05WIFGFA5k/s640/IMG_20190729_171759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">After drilling pilot holes, I screw a pair of plexiglass blocks into the top block. These blocks are crucial in setting the neck at the proper angle, and keeping it from slipping forward during gluing (after the neck is shaped and veneered).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9A4iGEtPYvuT-OnuJvp29MHSvrsgNHXnIMraX2aEiH_-R4yXR39iA-9_LY3QZdBWbMZTFgpbfmxtUyalbcSnI74XrSOW6cmjbVtJQGyTQdi26Ynb88dT7tjKmpjac7qgP1X1JTG7C28/s1600/IMG_20190729_173702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9A4iGEtPYvuT-OnuJvp29MHSvrsgNHXnIMraX2aEiH_-R4yXR39iA-9_LY3QZdBWbMZTFgpbfmxtUyalbcSnI74XrSOW6cmjbVtJQGyTQdi26Ynb88dT7tjKmpjac7qgP1X1JTG7C28/s640/IMG_20190729_173702.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now I can start working with the honduras mahogany neck blank. The first step is to flatten the top surface, which I do with a low-angle block plane. (This neck blank is built up of three pieces, which were offcuts from a plank which also yielded a number of single-piece neck blanks. I glued the pieces together a number of years ago; this neck will be as stable as a single-piece neck, and will use perfectly good material that would otherwise have gone to waste.)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAQxm-mjh_29mCkOZXONQHeditVEkrab88-uZEcsXTy5O83d2DLU1P6eps4NSmq8aPAvbd-Bii1sHy29TDx5V5TsTSp_zshUCSFwntY_CbAWM5nOz6RzsRwYnhLYIJFXIuzYWXXJnkfg/s1600/IMG_20190730_130958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAQxm-mjh_29mCkOZXONQHeditVEkrab88-uZEcsXTy5O83d2DLU1P6eps4NSmq8aPAvbd-Bii1sHy29TDx5V5TsTSp_zshUCSFwntY_CbAWM5nOz6RzsRwYnhLYIJFXIuzYWXXJnkfg/s640/IMG_20190730_130958.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is my method of determining the neck cut-off angle: I lay a straightedge from the bridge across the top block, and a sliding bevel on top of that. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULkAWpQqilyOYsNwAEew-QVlnsVMZGsBZWNrOdfIdWaIgJtkAOQjPm1JGc-MevwJk9Le4mPvLcpmoTZ_wsJ7dABWvUtGQKqRojSO9_pAf6oUY4vKPqE6dozVzArknq0-YPIlLsx8yNPg/s1600/IMG_20190730_131007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULkAWpQqilyOYsNwAEew-QVlnsVMZGsBZWNrOdfIdWaIgJtkAOQjPm1JGc-MevwJk9Le4mPvLcpmoTZ_wsJ7dABWvUtGQKqRojSO9_pAf6oUY4vKPqE6dozVzArknq0-YPIlLsx8yNPg/s640/IMG_20190730_131007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I adjust the bevel so that it matches the angle of the top block face.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEqbKGfDw-7O8cdVc7LqiFM5q6ol3GkscVMhoko1BKlpujLKrMzlBrBaObpWjLZflmh51qoSJOU-b4jIzRQRANTXXAT8IHOCi3oxMKsWiRZUQMQym2nq26ODKePay2Nm9F2UkLAWw_tc/s1600/IMG_20190730_131012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEqbKGfDw-7O8cdVc7LqiFM5q6ol3GkscVMhoko1BKlpujLKrMzlBrBaObpWjLZflmh51qoSJOU-b4jIzRQRANTXXAT8IHOCi3oxMKsWiRZUQMQym2nq26ODKePay2Nm9F2UkLAWw_tc/s640/IMG_20190730_131012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A brief aside about what I'm doing here: the thread I've stretched across the body represents the position of the front of the bridge, according to the plan view; it also represents the <i>elevation</i> of the bridge, in relation to the edge of the bowl. Referring to my side-view working drawing, and making some careful calculations involving the height of the first string at the bridge, the thickness of the soundboard, the thickness of the fingerboard, and other factors, I can determine the angle of the top surface of the neck <i>in relation to</i> this string. What you see in the photo is my straightedge resting on a spacer block of a precise thickness, which I've chosen because it will allow the straightedge to rest an exact distance below the thread (which I've calculated.) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnMz1HVlJO6ze757apq1QQnmQMIs9jVBJ_57SzkvwczeACUnCyNv3pAzstbh5DRDajhnFk9DiE57J8n6JVet0tfIW1uxSa2YSpg7-gNdDpOrTNaCDF1-FTgdRE0RZxHwdznGs_7VGs4M/s1600/IMG_20190730_131551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnMz1HVlJO6ze757apq1QQnmQMIs9jVBJ_57SzkvwczeACUnCyNv3pAzstbh5DRDajhnFk9DiE57J8n6JVet0tfIW1uxSa2YSpg7-gNdDpOrTNaCDF1-FTgdRE0RZxHwdznGs_7VGs4M/s640/IMG_20190730_131551.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once I've got the angle exactly right, I can then transfer it to the side of the neck blank...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsIRbZK8IC9zHyz06-PQaUABuKc6uRWcMSCjEwkt1wz_5X6YW82NKZFZ-S81loDJkfgwwh2-YPP83gUDj8Ob26pyPyCM9skukqWko4fTL6hMxSxizwDTeS9JmCY3YlpKF-2NqEIt-K-I/s1600/IMG_20190730_131737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsIRbZK8IC9zHyz06-PQaUABuKc6uRWcMSCjEwkt1wz_5X6YW82NKZFZ-S81loDJkfgwwh2-YPP83gUDj8Ob26pyPyCM9skukqWko4fTL6hMxSxizwDTeS9JmCY3YlpKF-2NqEIt-K-I/s640/IMG_20190730_131737.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And make the cutoff by adjusting the bandsaw table to the proper angle.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaLQd04nNdeKUfUd6sd9F7UJZZqODeAkC__DCo7zQUMeQl3quHWT6nZxCRKd6JQxMj_ORUfaAELKrcd5wVUrjCTbtnMRkPBLvQJ3RX9p0mMfT-_d-Fcn9lFfASTlwx0eYr5Zi4V_XmXM/s1600/IMG_20190730_132707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaLQd04nNdeKUfUd6sd9F7UJZZqODeAkC__DCo7zQUMeQl3quHWT6nZxCRKd6JQxMj_ORUfaAELKrcd5wVUrjCTbtnMRkPBLvQJ3RX9p0mMfT-_d-Fcn9lFfASTlwx0eYr5Zi4V_XmXM/s640/IMG_20190730_132707.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I then refine this angle with a low-angle block plane and, at the very last, a sanding block. This surface must be dead flat, and I check for flatness carefully with an engineer's square.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpbGTfphkQDCB_GDbhyzU2QAo_jParCXK1MFtccAoMbUcOHl266mkGpmhUhWKA654Kusu0Fj2tvHI3AKkl8M0JpCjnxGX6Aq45p8tPVvjEPCFdodleKh91_7BQFFB0CqEmlogD2eNuIE/s1600/IMG_20190730_133917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpbGTfphkQDCB_GDbhyzU2QAo_jParCXK1MFtccAoMbUcOHl266mkGpmhUhWKA654Kusu0Fj2tvHI3AKkl8M0JpCjnxGX6Aq45p8tPVvjEPCFdodleKh91_7BQFFB0CqEmlogD2eNuIE/s640/IMG_20190730_133917.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Holding the neck in place with the left hand, I bring in a straightedge to hold against the neck surface. This allows me to check the angle of the neck surface in relation to my bridge thread. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPeNFTusooC-M9EIT-F2-gif464Y_mK4FrjA_9P5BIPgznwsR18Ti9Ufb4oGBXHNW7MLvfXfS96ndQezRtoVQb11AIne_mz_iiel9NFNzC_WKFN0M_JAZxOTj7EFHYjhRsArKF0r28us/s1600/IMG_20190730_134053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPeNFTusooC-M9EIT-F2-gif464Y_mK4FrjA_9P5BIPgznwsR18Ti9Ufb4oGBXHNW7MLvfXfS96ndQezRtoVQb11AIne_mz_iiel9NFNzC_WKFN0M_JAZxOTj7EFHYjhRsArKF0r28us/s640/IMG_20190730_134053.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've stuck a bit of steel tape measure to the corner of the straightedge, so that I can see exactly how far below the cotton the straightedge sits. I will adjust the neck cutoff as needed with the low-angle block plane, files or sanding block, until the angle of the neck is exactly what I want.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfc8mIoPdHIjdMBBb03y29f8ESwbrXpg4kp4azpJaVuainbII395oqZk9iSWxsXkf5DVMhxkWK-2hthsy1x_VLDrsheCnTmrhz6czNHF8Qu3DroWLh1T5YFOr-7BsINLjJT8NOG5QbCo/s1600/IMG_20190730_152847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfc8mIoPdHIjdMBBb03y29f8ESwbrXpg4kp4azpJaVuainbII395oqZk9iSWxsXkf5DVMhxkWK-2hthsy1x_VLDrsheCnTmrhz6czNHF8Qu3DroWLh1T5YFOr-7BsINLjJT8NOG5QbCo/s640/IMG_20190730_152847.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've got the angle, I size the end-grain of the neck cutoff a number of times with hot diluted hide glue.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrih0TFp3Yx9GD97bQlhsIBg9tm3dAwlRGpqqVNCyz7V2f3DChMR0BJqj7wJ9Aasl3k09qWVX3HNczKa4zhlayqBN32-DmTP-Rwmj96JrNFrOfS8CpydZTNr8PPC6si22A_YaaT3UpaCM/s1600/IMG_20190730_152900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrih0TFp3Yx9GD97bQlhsIBg9tm3dAwlRGpqqVNCyz7V2f3DChMR0BJqj7wJ9Aasl3k09qWVX3HNczKa4zhlayqBN32-DmTP-Rwmj96JrNFrOfS8CpydZTNr8PPC6si22A_YaaT3UpaCM/s640/IMG_20190730_152900.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also brush a few coats of size on the top block surface. I let both surfaces dry overnight, then re-fit the next morning, making sure one more time that the angle is exactly correct.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaJwEIyDyuaBksoJs4PN47omfgWdg4twK3JXK8Pf4G_fY3taYHa7D-XbTRZKp4-CoFo_dVRKbII3YboZR877jHkLNdzideZ0FlOYyWtL73JdqiVkZOoKxDXVgUlPmwG4SxFmi56jpBiE/s1600/IMG_20190731_153707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaJwEIyDyuaBksoJs4PN47omfgWdg4twK3JXK8Pf4G_fY3taYHa7D-XbTRZKp4-CoFo_dVRKbII3YboZR877jHkLNdzideZ0FlOYyWtL73JdqiVkZOoKxDXVgUlPmwG4SxFmi56jpBiE/s640/IMG_20190731_153707.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I've re-fitted the neck yet again, I mark the position of the neck screw by pushing a shop-made awl through the screw hole in the top block.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcNb8HM24OhUm2MKbG8BzsTRv7-_3IW_dErA5-bpxWMRcWfP0MMRFS4Z01Oasd1Wp_pD-nT6M8h3STgAV84D0uwIvBU4eL8cUIFkVduFG22niD4uSjULhOqWvqoeC0wKhUol0MruTci8/s1600/IMG_20190731_154040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcNb8HM24OhUm2MKbG8BzsTRv7-_3IW_dErA5-bpxWMRcWfP0MMRFS4Z01Oasd1Wp_pD-nT6M8h3STgAV84D0uwIvBU4eL8cUIFkVduFG22niD4uSjULhOqWvqoeC0wKhUol0MruTci8/s640/IMG_20190731_154040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my mark.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJfnH0lcABaFCwNxla9ba1LVH7SRQhUARp89k1eM-GMNhkDcEkm6bfQ4zfWhPVdNjH0WAsOzRYXR3rW0WI8WpFU0ZzJiHho1uFj5f47Pt2J29kQsIxJE8eSTevqqF61nwcd1ZBnXdDck/s1600/IMG_20190731_154451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJfnH0lcABaFCwNxla9ba1LVH7SRQhUARp89k1eM-GMNhkDcEkm6bfQ4zfWhPVdNjH0WAsOzRYXR3rW0WI8WpFU0ZzJiHho1uFj5f47Pt2J29kQsIxJE8eSTevqqF61nwcd1ZBnXdDck/s640/IMG_20190731_154451.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a good solid jig that I can clamp the neck to, to hold it upright while I drill a pilot hole.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1lw59Ji9snzajTnNDHQ9UCSG0_3rXa7ccaVV7BvAkPk3lsN4acAX0KXyeEf0-zUrFqKKvzaptCzQy_02_wnLV8XW50ZlBjXVsQkxzrSbrbaHEjQfh7LxELingv0T9NfPV65SzUzTumY/s1600/IMG_20190731_154529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1lw59Ji9snzajTnNDHQ9UCSG0_3rXa7ccaVV7BvAkPk3lsN4acAX0KXyeEf0-zUrFqKKvzaptCzQy_02_wnLV8XW50ZlBjXVsQkxzrSbrbaHEjQfh7LxELingv0T9NfPV65SzUzTumY/s640/IMG_20190731_154529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Your humble narrator, in action, drilling the pilot hole for the neck screw.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS7Uc8kXLRRZBKNmwxVeMVfkdZkfw_xjV4jPbfPXVfojiwYNeuVABADXqXXQM9QNK68b4pZ3hJ8lPnud7XSTbmvwn83N8W-hje3ROw_SsDYWCSkeYfAPSc-vFmnx3g2t-mRyQmBbtNbw/s1600/IMG_20190731_155710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS7Uc8kXLRRZBKNmwxVeMVfkdZkfw_xjV4jPbfPXVfojiwYNeuVABADXqXXQM9QNK68b4pZ3hJ8lPnud7XSTbmvwn83N8W-hje3ROw_SsDYWCSkeYfAPSc-vFmnx3g2t-mRyQmBbtNbw/s640/IMG_20190731_155710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once the pilot's drilled, I can screw up the neck, and bring up the thread to mark the centreline.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGFFtRE_CfsW6rU6a7xfRJ47qvUhglD9ieL22O_qu79orpFym2ffE9iK9WlfZvJDxeuPO5iOex-_-bpUVdsDbkm518x0qhI65uwhuIY1bT6GBoPEMaaCb6HIteQzhnHq33xVB0RXIC-w/s1600/IMG_20190731_161559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGFFtRE_CfsW6rU6a7xfRJ47qvUhglD9ieL22O_qu79orpFym2ffE9iK9WlfZvJDxeuPO5iOex-_-bpUVdsDbkm518x0qhI65uwhuIY1bT6GBoPEMaaCb6HIteQzhnHq33xVB0RXIC-w/s640/IMG_20190731_161559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And once I've done that, I can lay out the edges and centreline of the neck. (As you might notice here, the centreline of the body and that of the neck do not coincide, which is often the case with 13 course lutes.)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNj3oSYMFkiWGCsKV1qER0G0LObvCSfJ7L9szFDoBNRucMZKASKEEaAgFwhQykr3-679mzkkY874N9xALgtMbG4vE8n6enWRGXYy8g2hoWq36Ow0GHYf2QTaoSF39KqaHNm7erlrccno/s1600/IMG_20190731_170406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNj3oSYMFkiWGCsKV1qER0G0LObvCSfJ7L9szFDoBNRucMZKASKEEaAgFwhQykr3-679mzkkY874N9xALgtMbG4vE8n6enWRGXYy8g2hoWq36Ow0GHYf2QTaoSF39KqaHNm7erlrccno/s640/IMG_20190731_170406.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's me laying out the neck shape at the nut end. Note that I will prick along the inside line, subtracting the thickness of the neck veneer.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW-mqu2L-8-PFARfAcLB3hbBU9OHeeH7JOoMQFR-Bu88ccRvUbk-f6uc2Ar7Hlm_2Jzq6qwCOE8IBRPD_C7XIX6FnteI0dW9Olsoq27K1QW8bCP9-tNesjZRtqJtb1TXfk1wujbAsENw/s1600/IMG_20190731_170901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW-mqu2L-8-PFARfAcLB3hbBU9OHeeH7JOoMQFR-Bu88ccRvUbk-f6uc2Ar7Hlm_2Jzq6qwCOE8IBRPD_C7XIX6FnteI0dW9Olsoq27K1QW8bCP9-tNesjZRtqJtb1TXfk1wujbAsENw/s640/IMG_20190731_170901.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's my neck profile at the nut end.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKgCFCw3QWxoWJM6x28niHD3q4xoN3X-0lI2XljgFPqG3sVfBQ9HM1nzClm3PxJ5nBsTqNx2NJAYCd6XumSTY7ITz0bRBFbgE8AMI7t0_GKyfuweuAoBjm02NvbN9EgdJLCHXGWtLAvk/s1600/IMG_20190731_171931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKgCFCw3QWxoWJM6x28niHD3q4xoN3X-0lI2XljgFPqG3sVfBQ9HM1nzClm3PxJ5nBsTqNx2NJAYCd6XumSTY7ITz0bRBFbgE8AMI7t0_GKyfuweuAoBjm02NvbN9EgdJLCHXGWtLAvk/s640/IMG_20190731_171931.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here's my neck profile at the body-neck joint. Note that I've marked an inside line here too, to allow for the thickness of the veneer.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg95b1LyzFL_bZIRqO1Qhb4PARef5sSYVTLfMhPHiTDcB99ECLaH69eyUpN7Nq_hP3dPzMP3E89aytP9XUEk_HCbhi_wAg5Eyvajp7wdi3gzHodwmyEqXs5WZJOW1ygDx29osc-i1t5Q/s1600/IMG_20190801_163523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg95b1LyzFL_bZIRqO1Qhb4PARef5sSYVTLfMhPHiTDcB99ECLaH69eyUpN7Nq_hP3dPzMP3E89aytP9XUEk_HCbhi_wAg5Eyvajp7wdi3gzHodwmyEqXs5WZJOW1ygDx29osc-i1t5Q/s640/IMG_20190801_163523.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first step in shaping the neck is to shape the long section only.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE0Scarq7MsyZJZRQGpkSxIxEdR-xCznXEX0hOPk3MDrOR0HwNzO0p2lVPpuEpg6yzTw10mK402CUNY0sf_E-kQWNTwpih43Sh0EkSHi2jVdCdWdnMVaW7vgPGniDYUUZ4qpy1xjAJaI/s1600/IMG_20190801_170016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE0Scarq7MsyZJZRQGpkSxIxEdR-xCznXEX0hOPk3MDrOR0HwNzO0p2lVPpuEpg6yzTw10mK402CUNY0sf_E-kQWNTwpih43Sh0EkSHi2jVdCdWdnMVaW7vgPGniDYUUZ4qpy1xjAJaI/s640/IMG_20190801_170016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's the long section: note how the line quickly re-curves as it comes away from from the body-neck joint, then flattens and tapers evenly out toward the nut end.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56RGnRPyIifrKGvrjHakZjTLm8qQ-7VKSJqPGHf5grgSqryw1Z574IzKWWiR-8O-vtaUeEG5RlGLbxwhvpQYX4ThwH48SjlnAiy8LDuH3IcKCpGwVQz-e5hvjcGFuP5c5mkdykpmUfvI/s1600/IMG_20190802_131128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56RGnRPyIifrKGvrjHakZjTLm8qQ-7VKSJqPGHf5grgSqryw1Z574IzKWWiR-8O-vtaUeEG5RlGLbxwhvpQYX4ThwH48SjlnAiy8LDuH3IcKCpGwVQz-e5hvjcGFuP5c5mkdykpmUfvI/s640/IMG_20190802_131128.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I shape the neck using, first, a spokeshave and small fingerplanes, then the low-angle block plane, then rasps and files, as you see here.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZTVt7fGL5FUub5miIv5s89JcsMLJlkUM8E8VadNPlKlDL0qCjTnBP15wVyDzqnFBzJ5Xgv7aChjdQKXreKzsVCi2SFPmpuP0zOdOy2vmMBUMwGWfk8Jv9LCLsrLbiUJcb5lJFOvikRs/s1600/IMG_20190805_155710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZTVt7fGL5FUub5miIv5s89JcsMLJlkUM8E8VadNPlKlDL0qCjTnBP15wVyDzqnFBzJ5Xgv7aChjdQKXreKzsVCi2SFPmpuP0zOdOy2vmMBUMwGWfk8Jv9LCLsrLbiUJcb5lJFOvikRs/s640/IMG_20190805_155710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The re-curve in the long section, along with the change in cross-section profile from a near-semicircle at the body-neck joint to a very flattened profile at the nut end, make this neck a very complex shape to carve gracefully. This photo shows the nearly-finished shape.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihT2MJSauyirfIrlk46RcyZIGYyPiD8UvKse7mDcxAlf72riMMgUiOKKcq0P00Uoz4vlQ1V5GTt6K7udDkGaaNY0huE2RnnFlDB59EZZ1ihapB416D0MS7ObFS8Sl-X7E9tIgf9J92cSw/s640/IMG_20190802_163915.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">As a final check, I screw the neck to the body to make sure I've left the correct space for the veneer.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihT2MJSauyirfIrlk46RcyZIGYyPiD8UvKse7mDcxAlf72riMMgUiOKKcq0P00Uoz4vlQ1V5GTt6K7udDkGaaNY0huE2RnnFlDB59EZZ1ihapB416D0MS7ObFS8Sl-X7E9tIgf9J92cSw/s1600/IMG_20190802_163915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihT2MJSauyirfIrlk46RcyZIGYyPiD8UvKse7mDcxAlf72riMMgUiOKKcq0P00Uoz4vlQ1V5GTt6K7udDkGaaNY0huE2RnnFlDB59EZZ1ihapB416D0MS7ObFS8Sl-X7E9tIgf9J92cSw/s1600/IMG_20190802_163915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZw6QSmzge_P-fGhaRLsJ7m0m94WIiX2lJ8cO0JWJCt3wY1ePqQe7ol5WKm96JOkFSjcBNvCbEXMjsaYiHFYmRB4cNYqVd0s2MKmVYGCq0ll4gjMM3yWWkkoDa1MxEW64G2vTuOuIy0w/s1600/IMG_20190802_151909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZw6QSmzge_P-fGhaRLsJ7m0m94WIiX2lJ8cO0JWJCt3wY1ePqQe7ol5WKm96JOkFSjcBNvCbEXMjsaYiHFYmRB4cNYqVd0s2MKmVYGCq0ll4gjMM3yWWkkoDa1MxEW64G2vTuOuIy0w/s640/IMG_20190802_151909.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then, at the end of a long, long, long, long, long, long day, I sweep up.</span></td></tr>
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I hope you've enjoyed this, the second installment of "The Tedium and the Triumph." So far much tedium, not too much triumph. But it does feel good to get a good shape on the neck, and I'm looking forward to veneering the neck next week, which I'll share in the next installment.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149684115949805572noreply@blogger.com4