Since I forgot to update this blog on Monday, I guess I’ll make up for it today by making two posts!

I finally got my thin-kerf bandsaw blade in the mail today, and I was finally able to saw up the curly maple board I had wanted to use for the back of this psaltery. Since the blade is so thin, I was able to get two full bookmatched sets out of the one board. (Tim – just in case you needed a second one to match.)

I dampened the back with mineral spirits to make the figure more visible for photography purposes. This is probably one of the best pieces of maple I have right now.

As you can see, the frame is assembled, and I simply set the back on top of it to show how it will look. I still have a ways to go though.

As an aside, I was really blown away by the fantastic results that I got with my new bandsaw blade. It just slices through the wood with so little effort, and it has a fairly thin kerf, (less sawdust, more usable wood), and it leaves a pretty smooth finish.

Now, if by some chance any fellow woodworking geek should come across this web-page by accident, or through a search engine, let me give you my recommendation:

I’m using a Timberwolf 3/4″ x 2/3 variable tooth blade available from Suffolk Machinery Corp. It has the “variable positive claw” tooth design, and the overall kerf is only .048″ wide. I really thought that the 2 tpi would hack up the wood, but it left a surprisingly smooth surface.