| Blog series by JonJ | updated 29 days ago | 8 parts | 2731 reads | 46 comments total |
Part 1: My third bowed keyboard
After nearly 2 years of planning and other projects…I am FINALLY starting another bowed keyboard; a streichklavier. It is basically a bowed harpsichord, similar in concept to the wheelharp project I posted earlier. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/3563I realize I never finished my blog on that (if anyone was following it) but I kind of went about it backwards by posting the finished project, then trying to blog it’s construction. How this instrument turns out will be as much a surp...
Part 2: It's about to stand on its own...
Over the weekend, I got the case all glued together. Ideally I would have like to let the dovetails hold it all together, but hopefully I won’t ever need to take it apart. I got the bottom cut and set in a rabbeted channel in the bottom, but still have to glue it.I got one of the cabriole legs done, and the other 2 are glued up ready to cut. I couldn’t wait and had to prop it up and get a look. If the whole picture doesn’t show up of the leg, click on it, and I think it will...
Part 3: standing alone...
Finally! No more work on the floor. Got the bottom in, and legs done. They pop out and will stow in the triangular area for transport.
Part 4: soundboard done
The soundboard is done (but not glued on yet) bracing is in, and I think I’m very close to stringing it up. I may go ahead and apply finish to outside before I string it, so all the “nasty” work will be done before detail work. The soundboard is spanish Cedar…not sure if that is a good soundboard material, but saw it at the sawmill and just had to have it. The lid is done except for the flap that covers the end, and cutting it apart so part of it can fold back. It spru...
Part 5: Adding strings
Been a while since I posted progress, but I have been busy. Both on this, and installing an alarm system so I hopefully can keep my tools till the project is done (long story) An overview as to what this is: A harpsichord shaped instrument that will use a treadle driven belt to bow the strings when a key is pushed. It will use a different bridges and stringing arrangment than harpsichord- this is more like a big hammer dulcimer in design. I applied dye and laquer- still needs work, but...
Part 6: back at it- ready for the keyboard
In case anyone was following this project, I haven’t given up…I just had to get away from it for a while. I didn’t get in done in time for the festival in May, but I did take it to show what I had done. I had spent so much time in the shop I was really testing my family’s patience, not to mention all the odd jobs that had piled up. The first order of business was pressure washing and sealing a chapel on my mother’s property that the family built as a memorial to...
Part 7: at the fall music festival in Ironton MO
I didn’t get completely done, but took it to the festival anyway. Friday night I had it working pretty good about midnight, but as I was getting ready to put it away for the night- I heard a popping noise every time the belt made a full circle. I knew what that meant… time for a new belt. I cut the old one off and spliced a new one on. I use gorilla glue and clamp the splice between waxed paper. this time I used maple blocks and two clamps so I could really crank down on it. Sat m...
Part 8: A short recording of bowed keyboard
For those of you that have not seen this yet, a short recap…A harpsichord type instrument that uses a rosined nylon belt driven by a foot treadle to bow the strings when a key is pushed. This is a little video I made while it was working halfway decent. The first little clip is shot with video mode on still camera- the rest is an audio recording with older shots of construction to fill the video void. I plan on adding another keyboard that will pluck strings similar to a harpsichord, bu...
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