Re: Building

"paddydix" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

>I was beginning to wonder James ! I found some plans and was just curious as
>to to tips to make it go easy!

I've been known to build one or two.

The best tip to make it go easier is don't start!  Also, if you want to save
money, let someone else build it.  Really--I don't think I have ever saved a
dime building my own dulcimer.  Now, I know hat won't stop you, so here is my
advice:

Consider starting out building from a kit.  Stewart MacDonald, Cripple Creek
Dulcimers, Black Mountain Dulcimers, etc. have relatively inexpensive kits.  A
lot of the hard work (like bending sides and roughing out the scroll head) are
done for you.

Get Dean Kimball's "Constructing the Mountain Dulcimer."  He has thought out a
lot of the jigs and such you need to make the job easier.

Use good woods.  I have seen dulcimers made from utility hardwoods (like Tulip
Poplar) that puzzle me.  Why spend the effort to build an instrument using a
wood that has known issues to luthiers such as poor stability and high acoustic
damping?  A good start is the more or less traditional Walnut back and sides
with Spruce or Cedar top.  All Wlnut is also a workable alternative.

Use a good finish.  This means **not** boiled Linseed oil or Formby's Tung Oil
varnish.  These penetrating oil finishes tend to increase damping factor of any
wood with which they are used.  This is an area in which adds unexpected cost
to the instrument, BTW.  Most hobby builders can not justify the cost of a
compressor and sprayer and spray booth.  So hand rubbed finishes look like a
good solution.  But pass up the Linseed oil and Formby's for something like Tru
Oil, which does not penetrate so far into the wood.  There is a good overview
of different finishes at:

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/FinishOverview.htm

I have also used nitrocellulose laquer sprayed from an aerosal spray can (from
www.stewmac.com ) with good results.  The key is to always spray the laquer on
wet (if you do not know what this means, try practicing on scrap wood with a
ceap can of spray enamel).  I am thinking of trying rubbed on polyurethane for
the next project.

Final tip--take your time.  There is some point in the process in which you are
tempted to rush to finish the instrument and see how it sounds.  You should
avoid this.  I recommend that you buy a completed dulcimer on which to work out
your frustrations while the project is underway.

Hope ths helps.

Best wishes,

Dr. Jim Lowther