Category: Thoughts

Random Musings From My Happy Place

~ Doug

When I started blogging in 2007, it was easy to have something I thought interesting enough to inspire writing a post once or twice a week. As time passed, it was not as easy to come up with something I hadn’t shared before, so blog posts became less frequent.

Instagram has made it easy to share a random photo of a work in progress, and that platform seems more suitable for such things, and that has also made finding something to post here more difficult.

This is a common problem in any form of specialized serial media. I have let go of subscribing to most woodworking magazines because though often informative to some degree, there have already been many articles about sharpening a chisel or setting up a plane or learning about the latest and greatest tool or device I should run out and buy, and they no longer held my interest.

I chose not to write blog posts for the sake of creating content, as I am interested in sharing information about making dulcimers and playing music, rather than posting for the sake of promoting a blog.

All that aside, here’s an update on the latest adventures.

Dulcimers in progress on the workbench.

I recently reorganized my workshop, which was akin to combining the fields of archaeology, waste management, and ergonomics into a three-week adventure.

The primary reason for the reorganization was to make working in the 10-foot by 15-foot room “where the magic happens” easier for the parts of my body that do not work as well as they once did. Bending, twisting, and reaching aggravate my back and legs, which in turn aggravates me, and I am trying my best to minimize those motions in order to optimize the amount of time I am able to work at the bench, which for about 12 years, has been less than I would like it to be. My hope is that the new layout will allow me to have a few more hours a day of time in the shop, which I also refer to as “being in my happy place.”

This is also the reason that, at least for now, I am no longer taking advance or custom orders for dulcimers. I think I will be able to make more dulcimers by just making them as I am able, with all the choices of materials and design left up to myself. I enjoy custom work, but for various reasons, it always takes a lot longer. There are also new designs I have in mind for dulcimers and dulcimer-like instruments that I am excited about developing, and I need time for that as well.

Please know that if you are reading this and are waiting for a dulcimer you have ordered, you are indeed on the list!

For some time, I have wanted to post videos of the music I play, and I am almost comfortable enough with the technology to make that work; almost, but not quite! Sometimes, the video and sound quality come out well on the first try, and at other times, several hours of exorcising poltergeists seems to be required to create a simple, presentable video.

In other news, a lone tom turkey wandered through our yard this morning, most likely looking for love. Grass and wildflowers are growing, and days are brighter and longer.

I hope all is going well for you!



Dulcimer Making – My Process

~ Doug ~ 2 Comments

My workbench, or as I prefer to call it, my happy place!

My dulcimer making process is consistently inconsistent.

Maybe a better way to say that is my methods and design are in a constant state of evolution.

There are certain measurements and features that need to be precise; fret placement, fretwork, setup, action, bridge compensation, string spacing, etc., but when it comes to exact body shape and size, bracing, thickness or thinness of the top, sides and back, and just about every other detail, they are unique to each dulcimer.

My methods of work suit my temperament. I like to work by feel and intuition, and most of the work is accomplished using traditional hand tools. I like to get intimate and personal with my work, and I let the wood dictate a lot of where the final design is heading.

Because of how I approach dulcimer making, I don’t make parts in bulk. I tried that for a short time, and I found it creatively constraining. I prefer to make each part for each dulcimer, and the proportions of each part are based on all the other parts as the dulcimer comes together. Making a dulcimer is like watching a plant grow.

That’s how I do this. My methodology would be ineffective if I was trying to produce dulcimers in a more economically viable quantity, but anytime I have tried doing production work, even on a small scale, I don’t enjoy the process, as it feels like I am manufacturing rather than crafting, and it is the process of crafting I enjoy and love.

My blog posts have become infrequent, but I regularly post photos of the thrill and adventure of being a dulcimer maker on Instagram.

Working On Dulcimers And Working On My Body

~ Doug ~ 4 Comments
Physical therapy I can relate to!

I just want to let folks know how I’m doing and what I’m up to.

The back surgery in early July went well, and my initial recovery was surprisingly comfortable and easy compared to others I have experienced.

After about six weeks, I was able to do some very light work in the shop, and currently, I am able to work at the bench for a total of two or three hours spread across the easier days.

Physical therapy is helping my body, and being able to do some work in the shop is helping my mind and heart.

That’s about it for now. Fall has arrived here in Michigan, and I can taste Winter coming soon.

You can see current work in progress by following me on Instagram.

Working With What You Have To Work With

~ Doug ~ 4 Comments
Doug Berch
Photo by Pooh Stevenson

This post isn’t about the various tools or materials I use when making dulcimers. It is about working with the body I have to work with.

I was part of a panel discussion last week about how disability affects one as an artist or artisan, and before the event, I was interviewed by a local public radio station.

You can listen to the short interview or read a transcript by following this link.

Once Again, I’m Back To Work, Slowly But Surely

~ Doug
Dulcimer builder at work

Since I last posted, I’ve spent a lot of time resting, which is contrary to my nature, but combining that with lumbar injections and physical therapy has helped the game of Jenga taking place in my lower back recover well enough to let me return to working at the bench sporadically.

I have to be careful and not push myself too far, which is also against my nature, but slow and steady wins the race.

During the downtime, I rearranged the shop to make working easier, and in the process, I discovered some tools and parts that had gone missing as well as some I had no memory of ever bringing into the shop!

The people waiting for dulcimers have been wonderfully understanding and patient, and I appreciate that immensely. I made it clear that I am working slowly and sporadically and that I can’t give a firm deadline as to when their dulcimer will be ready, should they need or want to get a dulcimer elsewhere and sooner, but they all chose to wait.

So that’s the news from here. I hope you are all staying safe and doing well.

I regularly post updates about work in progress on Instagram, so you might enjoy following me there.

Just Saying Hello

~ Doug ~ 2 Comments
Dulcimers hanging around the shop.

This is a quick post to say hello and let you know why I haven’t posted much lately.

I’m dealing with some lumbar issues once again. Why? Because everyone needs a hobby!

But seriously, I have congenital issues that cause problems with my back, and I have had to rest my back for the last 2 months. The good news is rest has been helping and symptoms have become milder. I had steroidal injections a few weeks ago and will get another in 3 weeks. The hope is that rest, combined with injections, will work well enough to avoid having another back surgery. So far, so good.

Folks waiting for dulcimers have been very understand, and I appreciate their patience. The dulcimers in the above photo have been patiently waiting for me to get back to them, and that will be the first thing I do when I get back to work. I appreciate dulcimers that wait patiently; sometimes they can be impatient and rude when not getting enough attention!

Only kidding. Or am I?

I’m not a person who is wired to sit around and do nothing for extended periods of time, so during a break from making dulcimers, I have been working on the design of a new model of dulcimer. I’ll share more about that when I am able to start work on the prototype.

Another project has been rearranging things in the shop as I am able to help prevent my having to twist and bend as much while working on dulcimers, as that will make it possible for me to get back to work sooner than later.

I miss working in the shop; it is my happy place. But life is big, and life is full, and I am enjoying the ride.

I hope you are doing well and that you are happy and safe.

A New Toy, I Mean Tool, In The Dulcimer Shop!

~ Doug ~ 2 Comments
A tiny little table saw.

Sometimes a tool is a toy and a toy is a tool. This new tool is a bit of both!

I don’t feel the warm and fuzzy feelings for power tools that I do for a good hand tool. Though I appreciate the functionality of power tools, I feel a few steps removed from the work I’m doing when using machines. An exception might be when I use a bandsaw to resaw wood. That’s a lot of fun! Otherwise, there is noise, sawdust, and scary sharp things moving very fast, and that doesn’t make me happy in the way a fine chisel or plane does.

Still, machinery has its place, and I do have a few basic woodworking machines that help with some tasks.

Though remarkably versatile and practical, table saws are not tools I enjoy using very much. I have a portable table saw that makes a few tasks easier, but it is too powerful, loud, and scary to fit in my comfort zone.

To make life less scary and more fun, I have considered buying or making a miniature table saw for a few years but never got around to it. My thinking was that a small model makers table saw would be perfect for making binding and a few other tasks.

Recently, while researching the two brands of miniature table saws I was considering, I learned of a third called Jarmac. The Jarmac table saw was made of mostly aluminum and steel rather than plastic, and that appealed to me.

After shopping around, I saw one on eBay and decided to place a bid, and I won!

It is a nice little machine, though I have not yet thoroughly road tested it. The saw takes a 4-inch blade and the arbor of the saw is half an inch; an uncommon size blade. The blade that came with the saw was not in good shape, though I think I can sharpen it and make it usable again.

I found a 4-inch carbide blade that fits the saw and works well for crosscutting, though it is not very useful for ripping. I just found a source for a thin, hollow ground blade that should work better for ripping and have it on order. The motor on the saw is rated at 1/16 horsepower, and such a small horse will be happier turning a thinner blade!

Changing the blade was an adventure. A previous owner had overtightened the nut that holds the blade on. The nut is proprietary to the saw and made from aluminum, and removing it without ruining the nut or the saw was not easy. I had to buy two new wrenches in sizes I didn’t have, use some WD40, and gently but firmly try to free things up. After an hour of thinking, tinkering, and occasionally uttering words not suitable for print, I got the nut free, and though the nut looks a little rough around the edges, it still works.

This is a fun little machine that I can put on the bench when needed and put under the bench when not needed. I placed a dime in front of the miter gauge to give you an idea of the actual size of the saw. Perhaps the next mouse I catch in the live trap will be interested in apprenticing, and I can have it make binding in exchange for peanut butter and cheese.

I frequently post about dulcimer making, music, and other stuff on Instagram, so please follow me on Instagram if you want to keep up with my thrill-a-minute lifestyle!