Search found 46 matches

by Dale Penrose
Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:03 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Using persimmon
Replies: 9
Views: 10811

Re: Using persimmon

Brian, I found it one of the easiest woods to bend. Didn't think of this before, but maybe I should cut some binding strips from some of the boards with little heartwood and wormy sapwood.
by Dale Penrose
Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:42 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Using persimmon
Replies: 9
Views: 10811

Re: Using persimmon

Here are a couple more pics
by Dale Penrose
Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:54 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Using persimmon
Replies: 9
Views: 10811

Using persimmon

done.jpg
The first dulcimer up using persimmon I harvested a while back.
by Dale Penrose
Sun Nov 21, 2021 11:56 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Persimmon lumber
Replies: 5
Views: 8831

Re: Persimmon lumber

The ends are painted, bark off and trimmed. It's stacked with stickers in my shop attic. The picture was taken right after rough sawing.
by Dale Penrose
Sun Nov 21, 2021 9:06 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Persimmon lumber
Replies: 5
Views: 8831

Persimmon lumber

237418560_10216939447753209_4324800711701501147_n.jpg
Was lucky to get a few logs of this persimmon. Some boards up to 10 inches wide. Lots of heartwood, the sap has nice curl, as does some of the heartwood. Now to wait for it to dry!
by Dale Penrose
Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:31 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Dulcimer top and fingerboard/soundboard
Replies: 16
Views: 15143

Re: Dulcimer top and fingerboard/soundboard

Normally the two halves of the top are glued together. The fretboard is glued on to that. Many hollow out the bottom of the fretboard to reduce weight, claiming it makes for better sound. While I usually hollow out my fretboards, I'm not going to make claims about it improving the sound, there are t...
by Dale Penrose
Sat Jul 06, 2019 1:16 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Dulcimer sides
Replies: 43
Views: 32626

Re: Dulcimer sides

OOPS!
multiply by 10.
by Dale Penrose
Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:31 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Dulcimer sides
Replies: 43
Views: 32626

Re: Dulcimer sides

I shoot for .010-.012 on my dulcimer sides. The curly maple should bend fairly easily on your bending iron. Practice on some scrap wood. Tho I have never used Spanish Cedar, I think you will have a nice sounding instrument.
by Dale Penrose
Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:46 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Old School
Replies: 10
Views: 9414

Re: Old School

Karl Wicklund, I bent the staples myself out of .042 music wire. Once I got the hang of it, it went quickly.
Bryan Bear, I'm in Webster Groves, we'll have to meet up for a beer someday at Urban Chestnut.
by Dale Penrose
Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:35 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Old School
Replies: 10
Views: 9414

Old School

Was recently asked to build a "old style mountain dulcimer", three strings, hand carved pegs, and staple frets. Twas a fun build, had to learn how to make the frets. Here's a short clip of the new owner with his dulcimer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4uOuN0Ky4M&t=3s
by Dale Penrose
Sun May 26, 2019 8:02 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Curly Burr Oak
Replies: 12
Views: 12370

Re: Curly Burr Oak

Thought I'd show a picture of the dulcimer made from the above board.
by Dale Penrose
Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:39 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Curly Burr Oak
Replies: 12
Views: 12370

Curly Burr Oak

Being primarily a mountain dulcimer builder, I can use woods in my builds that are not the "norm", such as this curly burr oak. I wetted down the board with water to show off grain and color.
by Dale Penrose
Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:22 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: 10-20 drum sander
Replies: 2
Views: 4857

10-20 drum sander

For those who own this model and similar ones....Have you had problems with the threads stripping out on the height adjustment? The female threads. I have owned this drum sander for three and a half years, it has stripped out twice. The second time, this past week, I was told the part containing the...
by Dale Penrose
Fri Sep 21, 2018 7:55 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: mesquite
Replies: 4
Views: 6961

Re: mesquite

Fretboard!
by Dale Penrose
Wed Aug 29, 2018 5:51 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Persimmon
Replies: 7
Views: 8431

Persimmon

https://www.facebook.com/WildMeadowDulc ... =3&theater
Bought a little persimmon yesterday. After planing it, part of the board showed some curl, so thinking of using it for an instrument or two. Has anyone used persimmon? How does it bend?
by Dale Penrose
Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:01 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Tools I wish I never bought
Replies: 27
Views: 37736

Re: Tools I wish I never bought

A power jointer. Ended up replacing it with a jointing plane, no. 7 I believe. Can join backs in half the time with a much better joint, and the hand plane cost me 1/2 what the power tool cost!
by Dale Penrose
Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:26 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Jet Drum Sander
Replies: 2
Views: 4703

Jet Drum Sander

Went out in the shop today, went to sand the saw marks off a newly cut brace, and discovered that the height adjustment nut had stripped. Those of you who have had this happen, should I replace the screw also? It doesn't look damaged....
by Dale Penrose
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:51 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Ash
Replies: 5
Views: 9092

Ash

I recently acquired a curly white ash board. The curl is as tight as high quality maple. I have never used ash before, plan on making a mountain dulcimer with it and was wondering if it is worth resawing into some guitar stock. Anyone with experience working with ash in acoustic instruments?
by Dale Penrose
Thu Feb 01, 2018 7:15 am
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Dust Collectors
Replies: 8
Views: 10079

Dust Collectors

Does anyone do anything special to ground the hoses/tubes? I added a homemade cyclone to my dust collector, 4" dryer vent between my drum sander and barrel. First day using it I noticed a static shock every time I touched it. I have since placed a length of bare copper wire between the tubes an...
by Dale Penrose
Tue Dec 05, 2017 6:32 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery
Replies: 5
Views: 9543

Re: Bowed Psaltery

I posted a brief video of my grandson trying to play. He had fun messing around with it. Look under Wild Meadow Dulcimers on Facebook.

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