Monthly archive for March 2008

Spring Cleaning

Friday, day 28. March 2008

This week, probably for the first time this entire year, it feels as though I am finally “cruising” on building psalteries. I don’t have to go out and buy any supplies. I don’t have a cold or flu. I don’t have to make any new jigs or shop fixtures. I can focus on just psalteries.
I’ve […]

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Some New Note Markers

Thursday, day 27. March 2008

I’ve added a few new note marker options. (You can check out all the options here.)

The first is the elegant Black Star Diopside. (Which reflects a beautiful floating light within the stone.)
And the second addition is a timeless classic: pearls. (Genuine pearls cultured on a freshwater pearl farm.)

I’m continually experiementing with new stones and new […]

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A Psychedelic Rosette

Thursday, day 20. March 2008

As I was cutting some straight-grained 1/4″ x 1/4″ strips of Cocobolo for  rosettes, a funny thing happened. I rotated the otherwise straight-grained strip 90 degrees onto its side, and was amazed at the crazy colors and patterns that were present in an otherwise plain board.
Show to the left is a rosette made from the […]

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Some Nice Cherry

Friday, day 14. March 2008

Here’s a cherry bowed psaltery that I’m currently working on. Its not strung up or finished yet, so I can’t say for sure how it will sound, but it’s tap-tone is outstanding. This is a great piece of cherry, with an unusual amount of resonance for a wood this light. (Note, as of right now, […]

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Quiltage

Saturday, day 8. March 2008

I felt constrained to help explain the phenomenon in certain types of Maple (mostly in soft Maple), known as “quilting.” Now, I’m certainly no expert on the matter, but I have worked with the wood before.
Basically, the wood looks blistered and crinkled up - and the more three dimensional the quilt, the better.
Now, another factor […]

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Strings, strings, and more strings

Friday, day 7. March 2008

Well, after quite a prolonged shortage, I’ve finally got my shipment of wound strings! Look for a new batch of bowed psalteries to be listed on the main site: Phantasy Psalteries in the near future.
After having experimented with all sorts of strings during the beginning of the year, I really am leaning toward nickel-plated […]

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