From: de19@umail.umd.edu (Dana S Emery)
Newsgroups: rec.music.early
Subject: Re: Harpsichords as Do-it-yourself
Date: 6 Nov 92 10:09:54 GMT
Followup-To: rec.music.early
Organization: personal

In article <tlukka.720811155@snakemail.hut.fi>, tlukka@lk-hp-6.hut.fi
(Tuomas J. Lukka) wrote:
> 
> Yes, but the other problem is, that I live in Finland.. where could
> I get one? [a kit]

Mail order I suspect, I would look at 'Early Music' for adds, it is
international in scope.

> But also, I desire to have an instrument for which the detailed
> plans are my own... not ready-made.

Musical instrument design is not easily learned, an apprentice lute maker
expects his first 50 instruments to be poor, some of those will be junk.  A
harpsichord contains numerous parts for each string, and when you factor in
2 manuals, you have a demanding project for a novice.

Since you seem willing to make this a long term project, I suggest you plan
on developing some skills first, simpler projects might include a hammer
dulcimer, a clavichord, or a psaltery.  I beleive kits exist for all of
these.

> What is a 'carcase' joint, Webster's doesn't seem to know it.

Carcase is a term used by british/american joiners.  It refers to a sturdy
frame, often from whole planks, tho paneled carcases are also done. 
Through / blind dovetails are common carcase joints for wide planks, as is
draw-bored mortise/tenons for paneled carcase frames.  An alternative
commonly used for bowed-fronts is to laminate up a brick-laid wall which
then gets planed to a smooth shaped surface and covered with a veneer. 
Prior to the 19th century, such a veneer would have been sawn, and would be
a bit thicker & stronger than todays knife-cut veneer.

> Handfitting the joints and making the harpsichord out of just about
> nothing would be a dream for me!
> 
> The time doesn't matter, I have years to pass.

Sounds like you are retired, a good time for such a labor of love.

> What kind of a heatbox are you referring to? I mean, is it just for
> drying the wood first?

Yes. Many woodworking shops have these, especially if they work on stringed
instrument repairs. Useually an incandescent lamp inside a large enough
plywood box does the trick, A thermometer inside is a luxury.  Can take a
days/weeks for large hardwood pieces to stabilize, but soundboards are not
usually dense or thick, so they dont take so long.  Helps to work in winter
when the actual water content of the air is already minimal.

> I have not got the possibility to travel so much around here.. is it
> possible to order some from them or something? 

Museum policys vary, you may find some museum catalogs in a local or
university library, Mail order can take care of the rest, but I would want
to do a personal inspection wherever possible.

Museums are under a lot of presure to make instruments available for
inspection, and many instruments are too fragile for casual handling, so
plans/photos/xrays etc are made available to placate the demand. 
Recognized instrument makers are sometimes suffered to inspect instruments
closely, especially when such instruments are scheduled for restoration. 
It is at such times that measurments are taken and plans drawn up, the
originals are usually kept by the museum for its files, and sometimes made
available for dissemination.

You will need to survey the literature I cited, and more.  I would also
suggest you search your libraries for literature on early keyboard
history/construction/design.  The harpsichord and early forte-piano have
had a fair amount of descriptive literature published in English, German
and French.

Numerous materials have been tried in search of the perfect jack plectrum,
modern plastics technology has simplified this for us, giving us jacks
which dont bind (because they dont swell), but the plectra it self remains
a bit of a puzzle.
--

Dana S Emery <de19@umail.umd.edu> | "Novo, de Novo,
                                  |     de novo, de no-o-o-o-o---, 
                                  | Novemba come an' dey gonna go home."