Search Results for: "read this article"

Heat Pressing Necks

1978
DS#86   LW p.110            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ No, you don’t press a neck to take the wrinkles out. Sometimes it’s necessary to heat a crooked neck, overbend it with clamps, then hope it cools and relaxes into some semblance of straightness. This sort of caveman lutherie is still called upon from time to time, and you probably won’t find a more detailed description of the operation than this one. With 5 illustrations.

Oil Varnish Techniques

1978
DS#89   BRB1 p.284            read this article
David Rolfe                                                                                           

▪ Violinmakers can (and do) talk at length about varnish formulas. Rolfe leaves that to others, and instead describes at length the process of getting the varnish onto the instrument with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of cleanliness. Included is a discussion of brushes, rags, rubbing down and polishing materials, drying boxes, and where in your shop to varnish.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Epoxy

1978
DS#90   BRB1 p.353            read this article
Paul Jacobson                                                                                           

▪ There is a small but vocal movement afoot to return lutherie to a “purer” state by (among other things) reverting to hide glue and French polish. Don’t be too quick to sign on until you’ve read this thought-provoking article. There is no such thing as “pure” lutherie, and you should understand what you’re surrendering before you relinquish modern techniques. Epoxies have advanced since this was written in 1978, but the reasons for using them remain the same.

The Design Diamond

1978
DS#100               read this article
Dan-Neil McCrimmon                                                                                           

▪ The basic idea behind this geometry jazz is to have the elements of design organized in such a way as to give a sense of cohesion to the total design.

Guitar Outline Formula

1978
DS#79               read this article
Leo Bidne                                                                                           

▪ The determining factors besides the obvious ones for making a guitar the shape that it is and a possible formula that produces an ideal outline.

Novice Notes

1977
GALQ Vol.5#3 p.29               read this article
Donald Curry                                                                                           

▪ The final step in the making of an instrument is the finish, which includes preparation of the wood, applying material, and final polishing.

Harpsichords: Reconstructing an Era

1977
GALQ Vol.5#4 p.29               read this article
Byron Will                                                                                           

▪ The music of the renaissance and baroque has undergone a rebirth in the 20th century, with musicians and makers attempting to rediscover the high level of art that was reached.

Foam Cases

1978
DS#62               read this article
Reagan Cole                                                                                           

▪ These paper-styrene laminates are very strong and make good forms for laminating forms in vacuum presses.

Spraying Lacquer With Nitrogen

1978
DS#64   BRB1 p.373            read this article
Harry Coleman                                                                                           

▪ If you’re hurting for space or can’t yet afford a compressor, you may find that spraying with a tank of nitrogen makes sense. You may find that it makes sense no matter what, depending on the volume of your finish work.

A Laminated Neck Design

1977
DS#50   LW p.112            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Necks fashioned from one hunk of wood are beautiful but wasteful. Laminated designs intended to conserve the most wood are often considered unsightly, so Olsen tackled the problem with a laminated design that offers the prettiest wood, the highest strength, and that makes the installation of a curved truss rod a snap.Pretty cool. With 7 drawings.

Potassium Dichromate, Oxalic Acid, and Carnauba Wax

1977
DS#55   BRB1 p.36            read this article
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Various chemicals have been used for centuries to color (or de-color) wood. Fiddle makers are hip to tons of these, but Elliott describes a couple that he finds useful on his guitars. He also advocates lubricating tools and work surfaces with carnauba wax, which will not contaminate your wood.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Pearl Inlay

1976
DS#29               read this article
John Thierman                                                                                           

▪ Inlay is the process by which one substance is inserted into a background, then sanded off flush, creating a pattern within the background substance.

Intro To P.E.G.

1976
DS#35               read this article
H.E. Huttig                                                                                           

▪ PEG is a chemical that resembles Paraffin, is non-toxic, non-corrosive, colorless and odorless, and when applied to wood, greatly improves the dimensional stability and eliminates splitting and warp problems.

Tamburitzas

1975
DS#18               read this article
Nick Hayden                                                                                           

▪ A rundown on the Tamuritza family, which came first from Yugoslavia, from the smallest Prim (transposing instrument) to the Brach (alto member) to the Berda (bass member).

Luthiers Library

1975
GALNL Vol.3#5,6 p.17               read this article
Frederick Battershell                                                                                           

▪ The Successful Craftsman: Making Your Craft Your Business by Alex Bealer, is a book that promises a great deal and delivers nothing of lasting value, thus betraying its author’s profession, advertising.

Soundboards

1975
DS#9   LW p.16            read this article
David Sturgill                                                                                           

▪ The function of the soundboard in any musical instrument is to convert the mechanical energy produced by the strings to sound waves in the atmosphere.

Electronic Aiding of Stringed Instrument Sound

1975
DS#10               read this article
R.W. Burhans                                                                                           

▪ Information and resources for string-sound transducers, low power audio, amplifiers, electronic filters, resonant boxes, and parts and supplies.

The American Luthier: A New Era

1973
GALNL Vol.1#1 p.1               read this article
J.R. Beall                                                                                           

▪ A growing number of intelligent people are looking for work that is individual, creative, challenging, and fulfilling in the stringed instrument world.

Review: The Modern Harpsichord by Wolfgang Joachim Zuckerman

1973
GALNL Vol.1#1 p.4               read this article
J.R. Beall                                                                                           

▪ The Modern Harpsichord by Wolfgang Joachim Zuckermann is a large, well illustrated, intelligently written and edited volume that lists and comments of most of the known makers of today.

Finishes

1974
DS#3               read this article
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ As a hobby, Brune has collected many obscure and archaic recipies for varnishes and other potions, which he discusses here.

Calculating Fret Scales

1974
DS#4   LW p.104            read this article
Bob Petrulis                                                                                           

▪ The author gives you the math to lay out the frets for any scale length and demonstrates how to use a computer spread sheet to do the same operation a lot faster. With a drawing and two charts.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.