7 course Renaissance Lute Build

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:36 am

Good one Hesh.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:35 pm

Lilian..youre very naughty.

Feeling a bit better today but could have done without the hot water system blowing up. While helping the plumber cart the new cylinder up the path the bldi rubber hand gribs on the sack trolley came off in my hands and the cylinder came crashing down on top of me. I escaped with bruising on both ankles but it could have been alot worse.

Hot water back on line and its time for a long hot shower and NO Kim and Hesh youre not invited!)

zendo · Post by **zendo** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:22 pm

kiwigeo wrote:Lilian..youre very naughty.

Feeling a bit better today but could have done without the hot water system blowing up. While helping the plumber cart the new cylinder up the path the bldi rubber hand gribs on the sack trolley came off in my hands and the cylinder came crashing down on top of me. I escaped with bruising on both ankles but it could have been alot worse.

Hot water back on line and its time for a long hot shower and NO Kim and Hesh youre not invited!)

Hello Martin, So you are back with us.... and back to the lute in time hey... Robert, still at it....

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:55 pm

Yes back in the land of the living Robert.

Hows work going on your lute? I guess youre busy gluing in ribs. Hope its all going smoothly.

I received Lundberg's book the other day and have spent many hours reading same. He takes a slightly different approach than van Andrews to many parts of the construction process but for now Im going to stick with van Andrews tutorial.

Cheers Martin

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:04 pm

Crap weather here in Adelaide so I spent the weekend hiding in my climate controlled workshop. Managed to get the body of the lute off the mould, got the inside of same cleaned up and got the endliner bent up and glued in.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:14 pm

Looking fantastic Martin. Was it difficult to get it free from the mold? And how about cleaning up the inside. When I built my canoe, the inside was a complete PITA to smooth up. Enough so that I don't ever want to do another.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:20 pm

Allen,

Getting the body free of the mould was a moment of nervousness. Luckily id smeared enough Ubeaut paste wax on the mould before starting rib glue up and my artists pallet knife was just the thing to get down between the mould and the ribs and free up a few spots where the ribs had become glued to the mould. Next time Ill follow Lundberg's suggestion to run the pallet knife under each rib after its glued in.

Cleaning up the inside starts with a dish sponge with a scourer surface on one side. With a bit of hot water and the sponge most of the excess glue gets removed. Whats left comes of with a cabinet scraper which I worked into a suitable curve on the bench grinder.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:31 pm

Mmmmmmmmmm melted cheese! Looking really good at the moment Martin and that moment of separation would be pucker inducing I can well imagine! Did you have to renew the edge of your scraper much after removing the glue from the outside?

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:42 pm

Martin,

That looks great - much neater than mine at the tailblock end. Well done. What does Van Edwards recommend to use for the reinforcement strips on the inside joins?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:47 pm

Hi Dave,

van Andrews recommends 120gm/m2 acid free rag paper. Not sure what Ill use. I notice you used silk and I assume this was reccomended by Colin. Will be checking out some artist supply shops next week to see what paper theyve got available.

Cheers Martin

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:16 pm

That is looking very cool Martin.
Dom

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:06 pm

Nick O wrote: Did you have to renew the edge of your scraper much after removing the glue from the outside?

Nick, glue buildup on the outside of the body isnt as bad as on the inside. I work with a fleet of 6 scrapers so Im always working with a sharp one.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:10 pm

kiwigeo wrote:Nick, glue buildup on the outside of the body isnt as bad as on the inside. I work with a fleet of 6 scrapers so Im always working with a sharp one.

Good thinking that man

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:29 pm

The same sound planning applies with sheep.....always have a few spares waiting out in the pen in case you wear your date out.

Nick O wrote:
kiwigeo wrote:Nick, glue buildup on the outside of the body isnt as bad as on the inside. I work with a fleet of 6 scrapers so Im always working with a sharp one.
Good thinking that man

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:59 pm

That is looking real nice, I also liked your kiwi shirt

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:44 pm

Fantastic work Martin, she's coming along beautifully.

Cheers

Kim

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:04 pm

Thanks for the accolades chaps. All going okay so far but along way to go yet.

It took me three attempts to get the end liner right....had two tries at bending the bldi thing on Saturday and gave up. Switched on the bending iron this morning and went off for a cup of tea. Came back and looked at the smoldering iron and then turned it off and went off up to the village for a coffee. Decided over coffee that a lute wasnt going to get the better of me and came home and got the thing bent up in 40 minutes and glued in 30 minutes later.

Dennis Leahy · Post by **Dennis Leahy** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:07 pm

Wow, that looks fantastic, Martin!

Dennis

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:25 am

kiwigeo wrote:The same sound planning applies with sheep.....always have a few spares waiting out in the pen in case you wear your date out.

Always keep a few for just such a case

This lute building caper certainly sounds like it could be a frustrating business!

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:03 am

I have questions:

Why aren't the ribs glued to the tailblock whilst still in the mold, as they are to the neck block?

Violin makers use SOAP as a release agent at the sides of the mold because it doesn't interfere with glueing later on. I have not had much luck with wax of any sort. Soap is way better.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:26 am

Matthew,

There is not tail block on this lute. Alot of lutes dont appear to have tail blocks.....I believe its because it would intefer with acoustics of the top. Its the same reason linings arent common on lutes.

Soap could be used on the mould I guess...I just had the paste wax handy. There is nothing that gets glued to the inside surface of the lute body so its not a huge issue.

Cheers Martin

matthew wrote:I have questions:

Why aren't the ribs glued to the tailblock whilst still in the mold, as they are to the neck block?

Violin makers use SOAP as a release agent at the sides of the mold because it doesn't interfere with glueing later on. I have not had much luck with wax of any sort. Soap is way better.

zendo · Post by **zendo** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:56 am

kiwigeo wrote:Matthew,

There is not tail block on this lute. Alot of lutes dont appear to have tail blocks.....I believe its because it would intefer with acoustics of the top. Its the same reason linings arent common on lutes.

Soap could be used on the mould I guess...I just had the paste wax handy. There is nothing that gets glued to the inside surface of the lute body so its not a huge issue.

Cheers Martin

Hello Martin
You are right I believe. The tail block would have an effect on the sound. A Lute is much quieter than a classical guitar. Torres designed his to attempt to fill the larger concert hall. Filling larger spaces was also a problem for harpsichords, clavichords and the like - so the piano was invented.... your lute is looking so good.. are you going to sell it and/or make another? What about a baroque Lute as well? cheers, Robert
matthew wrote:I have questions:

Why aren't the ribs glued to the tailblock whilst still in the mold, as they are to the neck block?

Violin makers use SOAP as a release agent at the sides of the mold because it doesn't interfere with glueing later on. I have not had much luck with wax of any sort. Soap is way better.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:13 am

zendo wrote:What about a baroque Lute as well?

Looks like he could have almost ended up with a Baroque lute if it hadn't come off the mold smoothly

*Grooooan*

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:34 am

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:22 pm

Okay its getting that time again. That time when I pack my bag and head west for another hitch out on the briney blue.

Cant do alot more on the lute until I get in some wood for the neck, pegboard and bridge. Havent yet decided on what Ill use but may have to ferret around sourcing same.

Will be spending a little bit of time in the shop before I head off next monday....theres a french polish job to finish on a classical.

Tomorrow therell be nothing happening....Ill be all day at a Geologists Lunch.

Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

7 course Renaissance Lute Build

Who is online