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Monthly Archive for January, 2009

Dulcimer Finishes

Finishing wood enhances the beauty of the wood while protecting it from moisture, dirt and other contaminates. The finish chosen for a  plucked stringed instrument must also be considered for it’s tonal properties.
Before a finish is applied the dulcimer receives final scraping and sanding.
A note here about preparing a surface for finish; modern industrial standards [...]

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Adding extra frets to the traditional diatonic dulcimer fret pattern is nothing new.  Most common are the 6 1/2 fret and the corresponding 13 1/2 fret an octave higher. These two frets are so common that one could say they have become standard issue on most dulcimers. These two frets are standard on the dulcimers [...]

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Its a beautiful snowy day. I found the thickness calipers I misplaced. I leave soon to play a very pleasant gig close to home. Life is good.
I spent the morning getting two dulcimers ready for final scraping and sanding. A third is on the bench close behind.
My photographic skills are lacking but this photograph appealed [...]

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Frame Saws Make Me Happy

I’ve mentioned before that I prefer using hand tools instead of power tools whenever possible.
My shop is on the second floor of the house and my band saw lives in the garage. I also usually have a 1/2″ blade on the band saw since I primarily  use it for resawing.
I use a few frame saws [...]

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