I have started to build the keyboard, beginning with the keyframe.
I made the stiles and rails for the key frame today. The stiles were made from left-over poplar that used to be bed rails and the rails were made of left-over red oak from some other project, that I found in the garage. You don’t have to always be buying new material.
Keyframe Parts
Ernie received his CD in the mail today and sent me an email to thank me. He was quite pleased with it. I enjoy those types of projects very much, as much for myself as being able to do something like that for someone else.
Received the basswood shipment today and after matching up four of the best six boards, glued them up into a single panel.
Keystick Boards Glue Up
I milled up some pieces of walnut and mahogany to start making the sharp keys. The milling was quite time-consuming as walnut is very difficult to plane. To me one of the most difficult things in woodworking is conceptualizing the sometimes complicated cuts required. I just couldn’t get it in my head how to cut the sharps and went through a bunch of ‘trial’ material before I finally figured it out! At this point I have 25 walnut and 25 mahogany sharps cut.
Harpsichord Sharp Blanks
I traded some emails today and yesterday with Ernie about the CAD program in which I’m now drawing the Kupfer Moskvichka balalaika plan. [I have a website about rebuilding a balalaika called “Rebuilding a Prima Balalaika“] It’s challenging, but a great learning experience. I asked Ernie a question about the keystick length for the keyboard and the arcade and lo’ and behold it was missing from his original CAD drawing. So, in typical Ernie fashion, he updated his diagram and sent me a new copy.
Confessions of an Amateur Luthier 