What a pleasant way to spend a gray rainy day sequestered from the virus. I ventured out with mask and gloves to send his ukulele to Randy in California. I was the only person in the post office at 10:00 am. Enjoy that uke Randy, its a good one.
Then back to the workshop to spend a day of whittling and attaching tone bars.
Then back to the workshop to spend a day of whittling and attaching tone bars.
What is it about whittling? Sitting in a comfy chair thinking deep thoughts as your fingers and muscle memory do what they have done for perhaps 80 years, carving wood just the way you want it. I recall sitting on the beach on San Juan Island carving little birds or boats from the abundant cedar driftwood, smelling the lovely wood and listening to the gulls. Whittling is always a joy for me.
today I was whittling Sitka Spruce, tough and springy, it makes perfect braces and tone bars for instruments. Note the fine grained wood that I select for my ukuleles. the vertical grain acts like an arch, stiff strong yet able to vibrate.
All done, 24 slim and springy tone bars ready to be glued into place, First the bridge patch must be glued in place. That is what is under the bag of lead shot in the upper part of the picture. 25 pounds of lead makes a good clamp while the glue sets.
While the glue is setting up on the tone bars I finished the braces for the backs and got them glued up in the Go-Bar. Then it was time to attach the first of the Tone bars.
Got about half of them glued and clamped. I will get the rest of them after dinner.
I will get the rest of them tomorrow.
