Day 55: Beautiful Weather.

I just have to start with this!

This video isn't as good as when Val is the director and camera woman, but she is really busy with ukelele stuff--and few states away. But I see here next week!

Today was busy with the final stuff to get the instrument finished. Everything had to do with the nut and saddle, where the measurements are in the .001 of an inch. The instrument's intonation on the bass and melody string was right on in the open string and seventh fret. But the middle string was off such that we had to add a bit to the front of it to shorten the vibrating string length, by .030 of an inch. Imagine cutting that. But Dwain is set up to do so, and this is one of the important reasons why his instruments are consistent--control. He has shown me that the more control I have over the processes and techniques needed to build dulcimers the more I can make a good instrument consistently.

But I'm way ahead of myself. Te first thing that had to happen was to get the strings on so that we could figure out the action and the placement for the saddle. So the bass string went on, and it was from here that we figured out the height that the saddle would need to be. The action is really low!

Then the instrument had to be intonated. What I had to do is take the height that the saddle should be, and make a replica saddle out of a bone shim and wire. This way the two can be moved around to find the place where the open string and seventh fret are at the same note. This is a wonderful puzzle, but it does take quite a bit of patience and exactitude. So I got the saddle set for that, and had to mark the fretboard, where I had to cut the slot for the saddle.

Dwain made a jig for this, too. I did say that he has specific tools for each step so that he can control as much as possible. It will take me some time to get all of my tools, jigs, and other aids to build to this level, but that is my mission.

So this wasn't nerve wracking at all. But I got id done and right.

So the nut was in his new home, and I only had to file it down a bit and cut the slots. Then I restrung it, tuned it up, and made the video!

But first...

Dwain had an appointment and had to leave early, so I worked a bit on my own, which was nice and necessary for my growth.

Right before Dwain left I started working on the tail block again. I had one side carved down, and I wanted to get the other to that point. I really like carving, and Dwain says I'm doing a good job on it. So I have high hopes for the scroll on the peg head.

He gave me some final instructions for installing the saddle, and I finished that. Then finished stringing and tuning the first one, and played and was in joy and am pleased.

The sun was shining brightly and it was in the high 70s; it was gorgeous today. So I decided I'd go sit in the garden, but the neighbor is sanding his doors, and that buzz is too loud. So I sat on the porch and basked in the beautiful weather.