Musician and Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer Maker
Posted in Fun, Jew's Harps on Dec 22nd, 2009
Many of my friends know that I have chosen two possible epitaphs for my tombstone that I feel succinctly sum up certain aspects of my life:
“No One Said There Would Be Math”
“He Played The Hammered Dulcimer But Never Made A Christmas Album”
In light of the second possibility I would like to share that I love [...]
Posted in Tools on Dec 19th, 2009
To start off I would like to say that it is my firm belief that nothing is perfectly flat, straight or in tune. Everything on earth seems to always be a little bit off. This includes myself from what I have been told.
That being said, hand-planing the thin stock used for dulcimer tops, backs, sides [...]
The full title of this book is, “Field Book Of American Trees And Shrubs: A Concise Description Of The Character And Color Of Species Common Throughout The United States, Together With Maps Showing Their General Distribution.” I guess they were into long titles in 1915!
Woodworkers and luthiers could not do what they do without tress. This book [...]
My shop used to be a bedroom, a small bedroom. It is what a realtor would describe as being “cozy and intimate.”
I work primarily with hand tools so most of my time is spent standing or sitting by the bench.
I tend to multitask so there are several things in the works in this picture; [...]
Posted in Jew's Harps, Lutherie, Music on Dec 1st, 2009
Musical bows are most likely the original stringed instrument.
Some are played in a fashion similar to the Jew’s harp; the player’s mouth is used as a resonator and by changing the shape of the mouth different harmonics are emphasized to produce melody.
Some musical bows are designed to allow defining notes by fingering the length of [...]