A LOVELY DAY IN EVERY WAY

THE MORNING BROKE clear and warm, not a cloud in the sky, the daffodils are peeking out of the ground and the flowering plum tree across the street is in full bloom.  Ron at Bellingham Music yesterday suggested I call luthier Dorothy Smith to see if she had the tapered reamer that I needed for the cello end-piece I will use on the Bass.  Dorothy turned out to be a delightful and pleasant person who has been making and repairing violins and cellos for 35 years.  She had the reamer I needed and cordially invited me to bring my instrument to her shop.


What a delightful visit, her lady helper was equally pleasant and we quickly got the hole in the bass tapered.   A fascinating workshop with violins and cellos everywhere.  I must get to know this charming lady better.

Here is the end piece set into the properly tapered hole.  I now must make a handsome inlay to go from top to bottom and hide the seam.  That will come after the back is glued on.  For now, getting the proper taper in the hole is a great step forward.
Next event was a lovely 20 mile drive north to Blaine Wa. to the home of Pat Madsen.  He hosted a practice of the B.U.G. Community Players who will play at a retirement center this saturday.  A pleasant drive and couple of hours playing music with Pat and the others.

Back in the workshop I took the body of the bass to the sander to flatten the area that the neck must attach to.  I got it done nicely and now it is time to fit the neck.

Here is what it looked like.

And now the neck is going to fit nicely.  Now I must locate and drill the holes for the screws seen on the top of the bass.  They and a dose of epoxy will firmly fix the neck to the body of the instrument.