Days 52, 53, and 54: Oh, I Know.

The weekend was really nice. Saturday morning I woke up so late, 7:15! It was really nice to ease into the day. I had the house to myself so I stayed in bed and read for an hour or so--after I fed the boys, of course. They are used to eating before 8, so I'd feel bad to change their schedule.

Day 52: I walked over to the market, where I bought my week's fruit, some cheese, a loaf of garlic and herb bread, and some spicy pickles. It is always such good people watching, and I've always loved a flea market/outside market kind of atmosphere. There were more musicians this week than any other, and they were drawing crowds and making money.

I went over to Dwain's to work on my instrument, and while I was rubbing out the varnish I discovered that the top was loose. So I reconstituted the glue and clamped the top to the ribs where the glue was wet. I was disappointed that the instrument broke, but I was proud that I found the problem. WooHoo! trouble shooting points. Since the machine had to be clamped there was nothing more I could do for the day. But at least I got the varnish rubbed out before it got too hard.

When I finished as much as I could Dwain and I were just talking, and I said wouldn't it be cool to use treenails to put a dulcimer together. A treenail, also trenail, trennel, or trunnel, is a wooden peg used fasten pieces of wood together. Then we got talking about how much of a dulcimer could be made without glue. I said the challenge now is to make a glueless dulcimer. It was fun to create and imagine with Dwain; I excel in this area, so I feel like I can talk to him on equal ground.

Then I went home to do my laundry--which I didn't do. But as I scoped out where to hang out my clothes I noticed that the berry bushes were full of berries, so I picked some for lunch. What a great addition to the lunch I made. I had two hard-boiled eggs, one of which was sliced up and put on a feta cheese and spicy mustard sandwich on my garlic/herb bread, some berries, a sliced peach, almonds, peanuts, a garlic clove, and a pot of black tea. Gretchen came home as I was preparing my lunch, and she had some great leftovers from her cooking retreat--where she cooks for people retreating from the world. So I got to add some potatoes to my feast!

Then I just hung out all day and watched the end of the second season of "Orange is the New Black." If you've not seen this yet you are really missing out. George loves the show and is very upset that he will have to wait for the new season.

I had a great dinner of soup from the retread and toasted bread with butter, sweetened and salted butter--and a clove of garlic. Then I read until I went to sleep.

Day 53: Sunday was chill. I got up early-style, around 7:30, and I eased into the day with some more reading. Then I needed to go running because it was not too hot--and I just wanted to! Like I said before, I just like to go away when I run. I did my fast run, but I was a minute and a half off of my best time. I ran hard and it felt good, so I'm not sure why I wasn't super fast. But I got up and did it!

Then I did laundry, for real. Then I was so hungry from being awake, I guess, that I had to make lunch. Gretchen had banana bread from her retreat, and she brought back some peanut butter, almond butter, and something else butter. So I made a peanut butter sandwich with banana bread. Like I said, I was hungry, so I added two spicy pickle spears, some almonds and peanuts, a sliced pear, a garlic clove, and some tea. Dang that was so good!

Then I just kicked around the house and did my blog, which hadn't been done for three days. And I read. Then it was so pretty that I walked to the CVS. I needed some BC powder. When I was there I wanted some chocolate thing, but I couldn't find anything that I wanted--it was all crap. But not the bag of turkey jerky I bought. No way, we all need nitrates!

When I got home there was some gardening going on, so I helped Gretchen a bit around the place. There was some tree trimming, so weed pulling, and some general picking up of stuff. While we were working Bonnie, the neighbor across the street, asked me if I'd help her carry her groceries in. She had a lot, with two cases of water and a dehumidifier. So it was not a big deal to help.

Gretchen was cutting back this and that. She really works hard to keep her gardens up. She has so much going on, really. But the house is lovely, for sure. And Jim, another neighbor, was out and about. He is a really neat guy who has led an interesting life. He has a collection of guitars, and he wants to do a duet with me on the the dulcimer. Well let's go then! I say.

He brought over his brother's banjo, and I worked it for a while. Yeah, I suck, but damn do I have fun. Then we played our own instruments, me the dulcimer and him his '51 all mahogany Martin that sounds as rich as chocolate.

 Day 54: As I was leaving today Dwain said good work in the shop. And it really was a positive and productive day, but Jiminy Cricket there was some stuff that just was not great.

As I was putting the feet on I noticed that there was a noise coming from inside. Well,  now that the top is firmly attached to the ribs again that there is a brace inside that is loose. So I'm going to have to make my first repair on the first instrument that I've not even finished building! But what we are going to do is get the instrument playing and then when Dwain takes off early this week I'll take the instrument apart and fix it and put it back together--unsupervised! Trouble ahead, boys! So we moved on.

Next we put the pins in to hold the strings on my three string dulcimer. Do you see a problem here? Well I learned an important lesson--other than don't make too many decisions early on a Monday when both guys working in the shop are a bit flat. I learned to count the strings before I start making holes in the instruments. Dwain showed me the formula for finding out where the holes go so that the pins don't tear out of the side of the tail block. And then we did all of the math. And then we drilled the holes, even the extra one.

Then we had to finish the finish. The only thing left was to wax the instrument and buff that out. I couldn't screw this up, could I. Well...I did have to take the string pins out (I installed them backwards, which is for strings with a ball end, so I guess this is okay.). Then I waxed and buffed. Damn does the machine look pretty! I'm really stoked about how it looks, and as the day progressed and more of the finishing touches were added the prettier it looked.

Then the nut was put on and needed to be put on a second time and then a third time because I used too much shellac in a place that wasn't supposed to have any shellac to begin with. Cutting the slots in the nut was no big deal, but we had to shim it to get it to the right height--which was the wrong height! The one that I choose at the beginning would not work because it was a smidge too narrow. Man am I learning so much. I now know that the nut should be .055" above the fretboard. So after the bridge would not stick two times, I fixed it so that it stuck for real! Then it had to be banged off so that I could dress it down to the right height. But I did!

Next came the pegs. I decided that I wanted traditional pegs in there, and I'm so glad that I did because just wow. There is quite a process to fit and dress the pegs, and I'll need some special tools for that. Dwain has some that he doesn't use, so I'm sure we'll come to some terms for me to buy them.


So I got them in and dressed, and they really look good. We got the bass string on there and then had all of the issues with the nut. So this is where we left it for the day.

Now if this seems like complaining or whining I have to assure it is not. I'm just relating a story and telling you how much I learned. Don't you dare feel any pity for me while I'm having so much fun learning to make great art under the tutelage of a master. Plus living and working around two long-time zen practitioners might be rubbing off on me. But mostly it is just that I am really having one of the best times in my life, building instruments and a career to carry me and my lovely wife forward!

And we moved on again. There is always something to do. We got back to the carving part, which I really am digging on. There is a lot of time for things to go wrong, but I feel like I can do this. Even if I chip something out or knock off something that needed to stay I now realize that it is repairable.

Dwain gave me a lesson on how he removes the wood to get the scroll head carved. He started off working on mine, and then wanted me to do the same to his. Nope says I. I'll screw mine up, but I won't screw yours up because I ain't touching it. As it turns out I did just fine, but still...you never know!