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  1. ErnieM

    Latest harpsichord finished with sound

    This is my latest instrument, finished in May of this year. The case is poplar and is ebonized with India Ink, a product I've never used before. I used SpeedBall Super Black india ink, and it was much easier to work with than I thought it would be. I will definitely be using it again. To hear a...
  2. ErnieM

    Jim Byrnes Thickness Sander - Review

    When building a harpsichord, there are a few parts that must be fabricated within a couple of thousandths of an inch for them to work properly. The harpsichord's jack, which ultimately holds the plectrum that actually plucks the string, is one of those parts. The actual dimension is less...
  3. ErnieM

    California Air Tools free to good home

    Hello all, I have a California Air Tools model# 10020C air compressor. It's six years old and, until today, has given me excellent service. Today, it started tripping the circuit breaker every time I tried to start it up. I may know a little about building harpsichords, but when it comes to...
  4. ErnieM

    Band Aids

    If you're like me, you manage to cut yourself a lot in the shop. The older I get, the more often these little cuts and scrapes seem to happen. As a result, I use a lot of band aids - not because I need them, but to keep blood off of the wood I'm working on. I've tried many brands of band aids...
  5. ErnieM

    10 years - cigarette free

    On November 1, 2011, after 45 years of smoking cigarettes, I tried an electronic cigarette on the urging of a friend. Today marks the 10 year anniversary - 10 years without a cigarette. While I am still somewhat addicted to nicotine through the use of e-cigs, my body sure doesn't miss the...
  6. ErnieM

    Anyone know a good furniture touch up person?

    A friend of mine collects these Jack Daniel's cases, and this one was damaged during a recent move. The finish is lacquer, and while it looks black in the photo, it actually has a bluish sheen when viewed in some angles. The case is worth over $1000, and I'm certainly not capable of repairing...
  7. ErnieM

    UPDATE - .4mm PEEK wire FOUND!

    Thanks to everyone for your replies and suggestions. I finally found a company in Germany that is sending me 1,000 feet (a lifetime supply) at no charge. All they want is for me to pay the shipping costs. My sincere thanks to the Monosuisse company for their generosity. The search is over...
  8. ErnieM

    SealCoat has vanished

    SealCoat is impossible to find in my neck of Eastern NC. Unfortunately, the only local source has been Lowes, and they no longer carry it. In my work, I only use it once or twice a year, so mixing up flakes doesn't make sense to me. Ordering SealCoat on the internet is not a problem, although...
  9. ErnieM

    Wet sanding water based finishes

    I've been using oil based finishes on my instruments for the past 40 years. It's high time to try out the water based finishes that so many folks are using. I'm wondering what lubricant you all use to wet sand water based finishes. I've always used water with a little detergent mixed in to wet...
  10. ErnieM

    Dust Collector Rattle - UPDATE

    I have a 2hp Grizzly dust collector that is several years old. Recently it has started to make an ear-splitting buzzing rattle that starts a few seconds after the unit is turned on. I've tightened every bolt I could find, but the noise persists. Unfortunately, tightening bolts is the extent of...
  11. ErnieM

    Latest Harpsichords

    HI all, Thought I would post some pictures of harpsichords I've built in 2019. The first is an instrument of my own design. It is meant for people who have no need for an instrument with all the bells and whistles. It is only 5' long and has 49 notes with a single string per note, along with...
  12. ErnieM

    Email notification

    I am not receiving any emails telling me that someone has responded to a post that I'm subscribed to. Is this feature not working, or has it been discontinued?
  13. ErnieM

    Lost my mentor and friend

    I just found out that my friend and mentor, Paul Kennedy, has died. In the mid 1980's I met Paul and he took me under his wing. For the next 6 years, he taught me all he knew about harpsichord building. As we lived a couple of miles apart, I was in his shop constantly - asking questions that...
  14. ErnieM

    Visit to Charlie's shop (candy store)

    Yesterday we had the February meeting of the New Bern lunch bunch at Charlie Stickney's shop in Raleigh. Sandy and I got there at 10:00 and I was like a kid in a candy store. What a fabulous, well thought out shop. Charlie has to import dust from other shops as he never has any lying around...
  15. ErnieM

    Duct tape failure

    For years I've been using 3M duct tape for clamping thin moldings etc. I like it because it stretches, so a reasonable amount of pressure can be applied on thin wood. Lately, I've run into a problem - the tape doesn't stick. It's fine when first applied, but checking on it a few minutes later...
  16. ErnieM

    Need a Stanley #80 scraper

    Anyone have a Stanley #80 scraper they'd like to sell? I'm not looking for a fixer-upper but one in decent condition. Thanks, Ernie
  17. ErnieM

    Harpsichord - Bowls - Sculpture from the New Bern Lunch Bunch

    Having just completed my latest harpsichord, the New Bern Lunch Bunch decided to hold our March meeting in my shop in Chocowinity to check it out. Charlie (Charlie Stickney) and Leon (Leon Harkins) came down all the way from Raleigh to join us. Fortunately for us, they brought with them some...
  18. ErnieM

    Oh No!...I'm getting cranky again

    Like a lot of you, I watch a lot of woodworking videos on the internet machine. Lately, I've noticed what, to me, is a disturbing trend - videos with no narration. So you sit there and watch some guy cutting wood, drilling wood, sanding wood, gluing wood, etc. over, and over, and over again. You...
  19. ErnieM

    Glue dispensers - UGH!

    Hi all, As I'm getting older, I find myself more annoyed with little things that probably shouldn't bother me. Today's complaint is about glue bottles - I hate them. I've tried many and they all are great at one thing - clogging at the tip. My last attempt at solving this problem was the...
  20. ErnieM

    Free Scroll Saw

    Is anyone looking for an entry level scrollsaw? I'm not a scroller, but I just purchased a Hawk 220vs at a price I couldn't turn down. My current saw is a Sears 16" variable speed model that's about 6 or 7 years old. It has held up well, but I only used it a few times a year. It's missing a hold...

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