Looking for advice on building a 34 or 36 string harp.
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Looking for advice on building a 34 or 36 string harp.
I have never built a harp but like everything else now there will be info on line. Other and easier way is to get one in kit form for a first go. I did my first dulcimer from the on line assembly instructions for a kit but I made the parts myself to save money. Just about to attempt a mountain banjo doing the same thing. Enjoy the build however you go at it and remember to post the buildalong for us all to watch.
Regards
John
This or maybe slightly smaller is also on my list. I'd be interested in what you find out..Quote:
Originally Posted by trevor1944
Russ
Check this site
Building the Lever Harp
it has a lot of good info
Tom
Thanks Tom that is a very interesting site.I have picked up quite a few good tips there.
Thank you for your replies gents.I have started to build my harp which is going to be a 34 string.
I have laminated three 15 mm thick boards together giving me 45 mm from which to cut the harp neck.The wood that I am using is Kiaat.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterocarpus_angolensis.
I will try to do photos as I go along.
Greetings from RSA
Trevor
Attachment 434315
GRAYLORE LUTES
This gentleman makes medieval instruments, some from a few illustrations in old books and some from measurements of instruments in museums.
Pete
I've made three - two 34 string irish harps, and a smaller one. At the time internet wasn't really around to help, so learnt a lot from two great Australian harp makers, both with different approaches. this was the smaller one, of purpleheart, mountain ash and a sitka spruce soundboard.
It's a delight because there are no formulas - makers all have different approaches with different results. Happy to answer any questions.
One of my most useful handmade tools was to get an inner tube and cut it into long pieces. Harps have awkward angles to clamp, so the inner tube is remarkably flexible way of supporting the clamping process.
Also, one of my bigger harps had a nasty fall and split on the neck, because of course the grain can't follow the shape of the neck. To repair it I went from three to four laminations in the bigger harp and offset the grain in the centre laminations make sure there was grain in the direction of wherever the curve went. And the centre laminations were made of two pieces (see centre pic - that's why I'm clamping it) to achieve more grain directions - if that makes sense. The outer laminations are single pieces because it's a thing of beauty. The smaller harp only has three laminations on the neck - and the pillar only needs two but wanted to match the sandwich effect of the naturally purple timber with the white mountain ash.
I do have a .pptx with a lot of the process captured in images.
It's an exciting thing to string it for the first time and hear its voice.
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Where in South Africa are you? I get to Joberg most years.
That looks fantastic. :2tsup:
What glue did you use?
In all my harps the primary glue is titebond (yellow PVA, crosslinked PVA). It's wonderful stuff for repairs as you can use heat.
That includes -
* joining soundboard pieces (even though I go down to 3mm at top)
* Joining laminations
* String bars
* Body construction (I've done rounded, half rounded and square back).
* Attaching soundboard
The only joint I had trouble with on an Irish harp is the neck/pillar join on the 34 string models. On the rock maple harp no problem, but on the softer mahogany harp it wants to pull over. When I replaced the neck that broke I used marine epoxy.
On the small harp pictured here I then used marine epoxy on a few critical joints. Neck/pillar... I think the shoulder to the neck (not neck to body, which is not glued!). I can't recall all the places I used it.
Hi bcp I live in the Western Cape province in a small village called Sedgefield. Are you in Oz or USA.Do you use Skype?
I would very much like to stay in contact with you. I have just finished stringing my harp and trying to tune until it stabilizes