Here are some photographs of things going on in the shop that have been cluttering up my hard drive.
As a dulcimer maker I do a lot of fine, detailed work requiring extreme precision and accuracy.
Perhaps this is why I love using a mallet! Here is my often used mallet resting on top of the form [...]
Category Archive for 'Fun'
Some odds and ends I’ve gathered from here and there.
Some of these ideas make sense. Some make some sense. Some I’m just not sure about.
Boing To The World!
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 [...]
The Okeh Laughing Record – 1922
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
I had a great time at Dulcimer Week 2009, a wonderful festival organized and produced by the lovely and talented Lois Hornbostel.
One evening I performed a set of three songs. I decided to “clear the palate” between two somewhat serious songs with something “a little lighter.”
The song in question was “Shame And Scandal In The [...]
On My Way To The Cranberry Dulcimer and Autoharp Gathering
Posted in Dulcimer, Friends, Fun, Hammered Dulcimer on Jul 23rd, 2009
I’m starting to pack for a road trip. I’ll be setting up a booth and showing my dulcimers at The Cranberry Dulcimer and Autoharp Gathering near Syracuse, NY. I’ll also be offering a hammered dulcimer workshop. The last time I played at this festival was in the late 1980’s or the early 1990’s. Should be [...]
I put a lot of time into choosing which pieces of wood become a finished dulcimer. Sometimes I spend hours deciding which board (or boards) will provide the top, back peghead, fretboard, endblocks and sides for a particular dulcimer.
I am currently working on two walnut dulcimers. One is curly with beautiful red, brown and orange [...]
I’ve been busy with one thing or another and not getting enough time in the shop. Luckily I found this helper who is ready to go to work with a plane and a board in hand. I thought some of my readers might find him useful too!
Click the thumbnails for the big picture:
I just spent the last hour hand planing a beautiful piece of figured walnut.
I was reminded of an idea I’ve had for some time; an exercise program for woodworkers called “Plane Away The Pounds!”
It’s really simple! You get a bunch of rough-sawn lumber, preferably locally harvested in an environmentally conscious manner and sawn by a [...]