Tag: Dulcimer Makers

What I Did During My Summer Vacation

~ Doug ~ 2 Comments

Just a quick note to say I do indeed plan to keep this blog going, but I haven’t been up to anything dulcimer-related to share these past few months.

My old, familiar back issues slowed me down for a few months, but I was back in the shop working on a few dulcimers and began work on a prototype for a new model during May and early June. Then, while at a concert at an outdoor amphitheater, I took a tumble down some concrete steps. I don’t recommend you try this, especially the part where you come to a sudden stop at the end.

All things considered, I was remarkably lucky. About a third of my face had road rash, and I was very beat up, but there were no internal head or abdominal injuries.

I did, however, dislocate two fingers on my left hand and sprained the other fingers on both hands. My right hand is fine now, though my left hand will need more time to heal. Fortunately, my left hand is still able to play the dulcimer; it just isn’t very comfortable at the moment, but there is constant improvement as healing progresses, and I feel optimistic that all will be well. I also start hand therapy this week, and I look forward to that.

This experience has also shown me how much I depend on my non-dominant hand while handling tools, etc. Working at the bench requires more hand strength than playing the dulcimer, and my left hand isn’t quite there yet. This has meant taking a break from working on dulcimers, though I do hope to start easing back into working at the bench during the next few weeks. I miss it!

A poster of a workman showing his hands with the caption, "Your ten best tools—take care of them." No extras in stock."


Since starting this blog in 2017, I have posted almost entirely about music, lutherie, and related topics, but I may branch out a bit and share thoughts about things some readers may also find of interest.

Mainly, I just wanted folks who follow this blog to know I haven’t fallen off the planet.

I hope you are doing as well as possible, especially during the strange times we are living in.

Book Recommendation – “Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking”

~ Doug

Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking

I’m working on the design for a new model of dulcimer, and I am also looking at my tools, mostly hand tools, but also, a few basic and rather funky woodworking machines, and figuring out how to approach building the new model efficiently.

“Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking” is a book I often turn to for ideas and inspiration. Mr. Frid was an old-school woodworker. He taught his students how to accomplish most tasks with hand tools and/or the power tools available at the time so they can do whatever work was necessary with whatever tools were at hand.

The book was written long enough ago for him to recommend purchasing a table saw that can use a 10″ blade rather than an 8″ blade if possible. There’s no fluff about buying fancy, expensive gizmos, because with knowledge, skill, and ingenuity, one can do complex work with relatively simple tooling.

Bending wood and finishing are covered, again, using accessible materials and methods.

In a section on sharpening, he mentioned what he calls “a Belgian clay stone.” One day, while reading the book, I wondered what the hell a Belgian clay stone was, and after some time on the Internet, I learned he was referring to Belgian coticules, and this ignited my interest in learning about the various natural sharpening stones people around the world have used for ages, and in many places, still use daily.

The book covers everything one needs to know to turn rough wood into fine, finished objects in a small shop or a larger production facility.

A beginning woodworker or luthier might find there is a lot of information presented a bit too quickly to absorb, but there is just about everything you will need to know about woodworking tools and methods to get the job done between the covers.

There are various editions of the book, and I believe at this time all are out of print, but it is fairly easy to find them using a used book search aggregator.

What’s On The Bench, And What’s New In My Dulcimer Making Adventure – February 29th, 2024

~ Doug

On the bench is what will be a 3-string cherry bass dulcimer with walnut binding. The back and sides are complete, and I’ve started work on the fingerboard and soundboard.

A bass dulcimer under construction.

This cherry bass dulcimer is also last on the list of advance and customer orders I have been working through for several years.

I had attempted to stop taking advance orders a few times before, but always failed to do so, but the time has come, and it seems like the best way to move forward.

In 2007, when I started making dulcimers again after a 25-year break, I was productive enough to usually have 3 or 4 dulcimers available for sale on my website while working on a similar number of custom instruments. This worked out well, kept me busy, and it meant someone could purchase a dulcimer from me immediately, but if they wanted something different from what I currently had available, I could make it for them within the next 6 months or so.

In 2012, I developed back issues that impaired my ability to work as much or as often as I would like. People waiting for dulcimers have been wonderfully patient and understanding. Since prioritizing making dulcimers for people who were waiting for them, I have rarely had time to make dulcimers available for immediate sale. The ebb and flow of dealing with physical challenges has made it difficult to predict how much and how often I can work in the shop, and as I’ve learned to accept that, I’m going to embrace what I consider the best way for me to remain both productive and happy.

My plan is to continue making dulcimers as I am able and offering them for sale when they are complete. There are also new ideas I want to try and styles of dulcimer and dulcimer-like instruments I hope to be making soon.

Even when I was most productive, I was not a production-oriented dulcimer maker. I’m always trying new ideas and new methods of work, and though not the best way to turn out a larger number of dulcimers, I find it is how I thrive and do my best work. 

So the adventure continues, and I do hope to have dulcimers available for sale during the next several months.

I post photos of dulcimers in progress on Instagram far more often than I post here, so please take a look if you find that sort of thing of interesting!

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.

Binding Dulcimers

~ Doug

Dulcimer Binding ToolsDulcimers traditionally did not have binding. Every time I put binding on a dulcimer I am reminded of this; putting binding on a dulcimer is a lot of work!

Putting binding around the edges of the soundboard, especially a soundboard made of a soft wood, helps prevent dings and chips along the edges. To my design aesthetic binding the soundboard is also like putting a frame on a picture.

I usually do not put binding on the backs of my dulcimers unless someone really wants it.  I don’t think it is necessary to bind the back since it is usually made of hardwood. Also, should the dulcimer ever need major repairs an unbound back simplifies removing the back of the dulcimer to gain access to its innards.

In the photograph above are the hand tools I use when preparing the dulcimer for binding.

In the upper left is a shop-made binding scribe. It consists of a scalpel blade glued and taped to a piece of wood the thickness of the binding that is again glued to a piece of wood that serves as a handle. I use this tool to gently score the binding channel on the soundboard. After the channel is scored I deepen the scored cuts with the scalpel and knife.

I use a simple router jig to remove some of the bulk and then finish up the binding rebate with the small chisel and file. I also use the chisel as a scraper, using my fingers as a depth stop to guide the cut.

After taking the photograph for this post I noticed the fingerboard did not look quite right. I realized I had left out one of the fret slots! It has since been cut and all is right with the world.

Forgetting to cut a fret slot is not a big deal as it is easy to add at anytime. What is a big deal is cutting a fret slot where one is not supposed to be.

Guess how I learned that lesson?

 

What’s On The Bench 12/18/2016

~ Doug

Sanding dulcimers. The fun never ends.Two dulcimers have been gone over with scrapers and files and now comes sanding. And sanding. And then some more sanding.

I enjoy working with scrapers and files. Sanding is messy and time consuming.

There was a time when most luthiers did not do much sanding. The finished instrument did not have a perfect, homogeneous surface. It looked like wood that was worked by hand with edge tools.

The tool marks and slight unevenness in finish and texture of a scraped and filed instrument is beautiful in my eyes. In our current industrial society many people think wood should look like a photograph of wood more than wood itself.

So I sand my dulcimers.

Still, there will be the occasional tool mark that I don’t sand out. I made this dulcimer. I made that tool mark.  And to me it is beautiful.

By “tool mark” I am referring to a subtle witness that a plane, chisel, scraper or file had been used to work the surface. By “tool mark” I don’t refer to marks left by the sawmill, the bandsaw, a dulcimer-making machine, etc.

For years I have thought of making a sandpaper-free model. I’m sure some people would like it. Or not. Maybe someday.

That’s dulcimer #157 on the bench. The old shaving brush is great for sweeping away dust from all the nooks and crannies.

Not in the photograph is the dust mask I wear while sanding and and air cleaner that sucks the dust out of the air.

You can see photographs of work in progress regularly by following me on Instagram.

 

What’s On The Bench – 8/23/2013

~ Doug ~ 1 Comment

Today I was preparing wood that will become dulcimer necks and fingerboards. I am also preparing stock for the frame of a contemporary style of begena I am making for my friend and fellow musician Temesgen. You should check out Temesgen’s page and listen to his music!

A piece of wood can only be hand-planed as flat as the surface beneath it. Even a slight warp in the top of the bench will create a concave or convex surface on the final work.

Part of my regular shop maintenance is planing the top of my bench flat once or twice a year. I am currently unable to do this as it would put too much stress on my back and legs. In a few months I should be able to level the bench top but I have work to do until then!

The stock I needed to plane was long and narrow.  It came to me that all I needed was a flat surface long and wide enough to plane the work at hand.

My solution was to take a long 2 X 4 of quartersawn oak I had lying around the shop and turn it into a planing surface. I trued up the surface and drilled a hole for a dowel that serves as a bench stop. I clamped the oak beam to the bench top using bench dogs and the end vise.

Dulcimer builder creates a long, thin planing support. What will he think of next?Bench stop made from a dowel

This setup worked so well that I will probably keep using it even after I level the bench top!

The plane is my old #7 retrofitted with a thick blade and cap iron.

I love hand planning!