What are you making?

[ErnieM]

?

For the past 10 months I've been working on a set of two harpsichords. The previous two instruments were commissioned by two North Carolina Universities, so it's nice to be building instruments on speculation where there are no time constraints. The first is a 6' long Flemish single manual that I finished a couple months ago.

The second, that I'm working on now, is its little brother - 5' long. It seems as I get older I'm working on smaller and lighter instruments. Here's a photo of the case with its interior structure on display.

View attachment IMG_20250413_094246430.jpg

Thanks for looking.
ErnieI

 

[Charlie]

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The second, that I'm working on now, is its little brother - 5' long. It seems as I get older I'm working on smaller and lighter instruments. Here's a photo of the case with its interior structure on display.

View attachment 235965

Thanks for looking.
Ernie

Absolutely amazing. For anyone that has never seen one of Ernie's harpsichords in real life, you have no idea of the craftsmanship quality.
Photos do not do him justice.

 

[scottryan]

Trying out some mitered drawer fronts and cabinet doors. I spent too long looking and called a few router bit makers looking for a cope and stick set until I took a closer look at the photos of the doors I’m copying and realized they aren’t cope and stick at all… doh!

 

[Jvsquare]

That looks like a great start for How-to article for the Resource forum. Please? And, thank you!

It'd be from a beginner's perspective, but happy to.

 

[Dee2]

It'd be from a beginner's perspective, but happy to.

Great. Every (new) day, I'm a beginner!

 

[ScottM]

Not done yet but making progress on my eagle. I just cut this bass plaque too.

 

[Strom]

I am near the end of my gate project and thinking about the next several designs I want to build.
So, I was wondering what everybody else is working on.
Even if you are not ready to show it to the world can you please just give us a hint?

One of the things I have worked on and built several times were shave horses.
Still not happy with any I have, so thinking about ways to improve work holding, comfort for long work hours, portability,
storage, and unique design features.

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(Free Stock Photo)

Just finished the Lutchens bench

 

[mlau]

COOL. I have always thought that might be the gateway project to making musical instruments - which 'sounds' very enticing.

My issue is that while luthiery (sp?) would challenge my woodworking skills, my muscial ear is so 'deaf' that I couldn't tell a mediocre tone from a terrible one. I could only judge success by how the thiing looks and not how it sounds.

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In response to Mike's question about what I am working on - for me it finishing touches on a bathroom renovation. I still need drawer fronts for the vanity, and I need to finish an inset open-shelving unit; the latter is in process and the former can wait until last.

Hey Henry,

Do it! As for not having a musical ear, two of the best luthiers I know are half-death. Al Carruther has compensated by using scientific measurements likely Kladny diagrams and deflection measurements to get really consistent, nice results.

FWIW, I'm thinking of getting back into building some ukuleles and a bass.

 

[Henry W]

Hey Henry,

Do it! As for not having a musical ear, two of the best luthiers I know are half-death. Al Carruther has compensated by using scientific measurements likely Kladny diagrams and deflection measurements to get really consistent, nice results.

FWIW, I'm thinking of getting back into building some ukuleles and a bass.

Good point - I could use instrumentation (electronic) to measure instrument sound.
But does that really get to assessing the 'tone' of the thing? (which I believe is more about harmonics and acoustics of the piece than it is about the pure initial tuned sound). I don't know, probably illustrating my ignorance here.

 

[mlau]

Good point - I could use instrumentation (electronic) to measure instrument sound.
But does that really get to assessing the 'tone' of the thing? (which I believe is more about harmonics and acoustics of the piece than it is about the pure initial tuned sound). I don't know, probably illustrating my ignorance here.

Depends on how fancy you want to get.
At the end of the day, "Do you like it?" "Does it make you happy?"

After spending way too much of my life obsessed with acoustics and the perfect guitar, my conclusion is that there's no perfect guitar.
A flamenco guy won't want a guitar with too much sustain. A bluegrass guy will want something different than a contemporary fingerstyle guy, different than a blues.
The beauty is that one guy's crap is someone else's treasure.

If you want to get into the weeds, check out MIMF or Delcamp guitars on any post from Alan Carruth.
Or you could email him (I can't find his website anymore).

If you're interested, I'd recommend starting with a Stewmac kit or building a cigarbox guitar.
Don't spend too much going into it, and have fun!

 

[Robert LaPlaca]

Never thought I was going to see another John Townsend tall case clock in my shop.. My wife loved the first clock so much she requested that I make one for her.. The project has been ‘in process’ for a while