What a pleasure it is to participate in a list with such people. We have
three approaches to the forming of a lute body. We have three experts
advocating their own approach (two of them the primary sources, David and
Dan - and the third a student of the late Bob L.), and we have no argument.
Some of you may have spent time on the "lute list" and seen the arguments
over the number of angels who can sit on the head of a pin (is it a baroque
pin or a renaissance pin).
Dan's photos of his jig are good, and I think I see how it works. David's CD
is my bible (when I get back to making my lute - my lady and I are in
negotiation to sell her NYC Co-op and my NJ Condo and move to a joint
apartment), and I think I'd be more comfortable with Bob's solid form as
described in his book.
A side comment on the above, the conjoining of residence will reduce our
separate expenses greatly, and increase our space. Over thirty years
together and we finally get a bit of sense! (but I've only been here in NJ
for 12, used to be a couple of blocks away in NYC). I will get a 15' x 15'
bedroom for a small bed and a large workshop (instead of having my lathe and
workbench in a walk-in closet - and the rest of the tools in the bedroom and
living room). She will get a living room to decorate, without my sawdust,
and a bedroom next to it. I will get an attic to keep my spare wood and
seldom used tools (as well as her twenty boxes of summer and winter and
spring and fall - and should she go to Mars or Venus - traveling clothes).
At that time I'll get back to my lute, and the "clearsach" carved harp I've
planned, and the easy manufacture of my own designs for psalteries. I hope
the deal will be consumated shortly, but there is a potential block on the
funding due to her Co-op Board - something annoying I shan't explain here.
Back on topic. I agree with all three approaches. I like Dan's approach of
the variable jig - but then when I see the "ego wall" that David offers in
his link I am awed (and David, the term "ego" in that isn't meant as
insult - the "ego wall" is a standard US phrase for the wall of diplomas
that doctors and lawyers (and some less qualified) display. You have joined
another friend (that one a lad of 70 that I sang with some 55 years ago, and
ever since each year) - his "ego wall" is the shapes of the boats he has
designed - Rod's J-boats are perhaps the fastest class boats in the world in
all classes, or perhaps only in most - and he does custom work as well - and
all that as a Princeton Tigertone with a bit of a love of sailing, and a
talent for design discovered in middle age. The Wind in the Willows, water
rat like nothing better than messing around with boats, just messing around
with boats.
I can't speak for Bob, regretfully we lost him too soon. But David has
already done so with the magnificent wall of solids and skeletals. And Dan's
pictorial of his cutting jigs shows us the shape (pun intended) of his
process (although I'm not yet clear as to the gluing of the ribs, is the
"last cut" rib on the form - or is the jig arc put aside and the ribs
contained by the frame). Whatever, there is a real dichotomy here between
the beginner and the professional - and that is not meant to imply any
choice between them. It is David's wall of forms that tells me what I should
do. At my advanced age (72) I may make but one lute from a form, I want to
make that one carefully. I confess that I'm a bit less concerned now having
found a local vendor of good woods, my cherry ribs that I carefully shaved
down from 1/8th after buying them from Exotic Wood a two hour drive away
aren't as sacred ( or as expensive) now that I have my own facitity for
resawing. I may blow those ribs in a practice test, and then make my own
from scratch. LMI and Exotic Wood are the only two instrument quality makers
I knew when I started. Now, or at least when I get the new shop set up, the
only thing I'll need to buy is from a musical wood vendor is the soundboard
(no way I can do the resawing that deep, I'm limited to five inches). I'll
go for the Englemann, or German, guitar soundboards and shape them - unless
anyone has a better suggestion.
Should I live long enough to make lutes for sale (and that would require a
number of years, not for my skills but as lutenists are picky about the
reputation of the instrument), I'll try all three methods. But for now I
think I'm going to be happiest with the solid form (although I might note to
David that my skeletal, as per your instructions, looks pretty good - I
might try forming on that first - in fact I should since I now can make new
rib blanks - I guess I'm just in love with my draw knife and spokeshaves -
and trying to put off the "day of reckoning" in shaping the ribs).
A note on my work on psalteries and harps. I'm comfortable with the good
laminates of Swedish Aircraft grade birch, or a five ply 1/8th of Sitka
Spruce - the soundboa
