G'day All from a folk harpmaker!

[HARPER]

Yeah guys & dolls, I've just joined, & am looking forward to learning new skills, sharing the ones I have, & hopefully getting some more good gear.
I've been a muso nearly all my life, thanks to my persevering mum who started me on piano as a boy, later when at uni I picked up classical guitar, which gradually morphed into folk/country style (mainly gospel). Soon after retiring, I started in the harp world, tried several sorts, but couldn't buy the sort I desired, so started designing & making them. Funny thing, tho my harps are just a smaller, updated version of an old Spanish harp invented 450 years ago, they are unique nowadays, except for a few makers in Europe doing restored models with prices of $5000 & up!

OK, I can make them from readily obtainable timbers & other materials, except for a really strong glue (help please), & I get my strings and fittings from the USA. The usual hand tools plus an electric drill would be the bare minimum, but really a table saw with tilting blade, a jigsaw or band saw, a drill press, & a palm sander speed the job up, and facilitate accuracy. A lathe & a drum sander would help too. Total cost of materials would be roughly $60 to $100, depending on the size.

I guess you'd need moderate skills at least to make my sort of folk harp, tho I've found if one is keen, one can learn new skills. The design is fairly simple, as harps go, they sound great, are easy to play, allow plenty of scope for creativity with choice of woods, decoration & finishing.

I'll try to include a photo - sorry, it's rather complicated. Please contact me, & I'll email you a photo.

Cheers!

[crowie]

G'Day & Welcome to a top forum Harper.
Sorry I just play the radio so can't help on the musical instruments.
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum.
Enjoy your woodwork.
Cheers, crowie

[tdrumnut]

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your stay

[tom42cook]

G'day Harper,
Are you by any chance making cross strung harps? I'm trying to guess what they had in the 1550's in Spain. I'm looking forward to the piccies.
Just curious, why buy strings and stuff from OS? Do you chase particular brands?

At the moment I am refurbishing my 34 string that got a cracked neck due (I am sure) to using the wrong glue to laminate the neck and pillar. While it’s apart I am replacing all the string eyelets which cost a few cents each at the time and were made of thin brass tube rolled over at the top. The trouble was some of them at the lower end were splitting and biting into the string rib. For between 5 and 10 dollars in 10mm brass rod (and about 8 or 9 hours at the lathe) I made my own which should last for ages. Now if I can work out how to mill a 4.6mm square end on a piece of 7.96mm 316 SS rod without a mill, I’ll replace all the tuning pins as more than half of them shed their plating and rusted.
Have you had this happen?
Which brand pins do you use?

Look forward to hearing more,
Tom

[wheelinround]

Look forward to seeing and hope to hear yours

[Christos]

Welcome to the forum. I hope you find this place interesting as well as stimulating.

[HARPER]

G'day Harper,
Are you by any chance making cross strung harps? I'm trying to guess what they had in the 1550's in Spain. I'm looking forward to the piccies.
Just curious, why buy strings and stuff from OS? Do you chase particular brands?

At the moment I am refurbishing my 34 string that got a cracked neck due (I am sure) to using the wrong glue to laminate the neck and pillar. While it’s apart I am replacing all the string eyelets which cost a few cents each at the time and were made of thin brass tube rolled over at the top. The trouble was some of them at the lower end were splitting and biting into the string rib. For between 5 and 10 dollars in 10mm brass rod (and about 8 or 9 hours at the lathe) I made my own which should last for ages. Now if I can work out how to mill a 4.6mm square end on a piece of 7.96mm 316 SS rod without a mill, I’ll replace all the tuning pins as more than half of them shed their plating and rusted.
Have you had this happen?
Which brand pins do you use?

Look forward to hearing more,
Tom

Well, Tom, I sure appreciate your message. Ok, I get my strings, tuning pins -actually just regular zither pins @ 40c. each, brass bridge pins, & soundboard eyelets/grommets from Robinsons harp shop in S. California (Googles easily); I've tried to source them in Oz, but no luck. I can heartlly recommend this firm, the only prob. is they only carry red & "midnight blue" coloured strings -I use mid blue and black strings as well as clear ones for my X-strungs. I used to get them from another crowd in Cal., but their service became poor. So I've started to buy clear monofilament nylon strings in 25 yard bulk rolls, and plan to dye some myself using RIT fabric dyes, which is what Robinsons recommended. For the bass strings, from about the first F below mid C and lower, I've used nylon wrapped on nylon, but getting these right is tricky; you have to specify the string length and the pitch...
I haven't had any major issues with the zither pins corroding, though they do lose their shine (cadmium plating?) within 12-18 months.
I make my necks from at least hard softwood, like Pacific maple (choose a hard reddish piece), or a medium hardwood, like Tassie oak, in 2 pieces of 140 x 18 mm, cut out with a jigsaw, & glued together. There's a moderate curvature, and I've not had any probs. with this design.
Nearly all of the several failures I've had were with the soundboard joint with the body. This stands to reason, since there's about 6 kg tension per string pulling the soundboard upwards; my two main models have 32 and 37 strings, giving a total tension loading of roughly 200 kg plus! Especially I've found the joint between the soundboard and the base just has to be strong. The soundboard fits into 5 mm deep grooves in the base, sides, and top.

I'm interested that you're making some fittings, Tom. They should last indefinitely. I only started making harps in late '08, & so far the fittings are OK, as far as I know -with a friend's help, I've made 40-odd harps in several sizes, & sold nearly all of them. This in Belize, where I could get a powdered resin glue by Weldwood, & just mix to a paste with water to use, & it dried really strong.

Talking about glue, I use the regular AR glue like Selley's Aquadhere for all joints, except the one of the soundboard mentioned above. This has to hold regardless -the AR glues do gradually let go with the sustained tension. I'd like to get hold of Selley's 308 hi stress glue, but it's very scarce, as no-one buys it. I wonder if the hide glue that luthiers use would work. Any ideas please, anyone?
Maybe I should import the Weldwood glue!
I'll try again to include a photo.

One last note (pun intended!). I've figured out a way to play by ear based on simple harmony, & it works well with folk/country/gospel songs. I worked out our Nat. Anthem with this, quite easily. I could explain it if anyone's interested, but it would need several sessions & your thinking caps!

Remember, everybody, Safety Comes First! Especially with table saws!

Cheers,
Harper

[tom42cook]

Here's a good read on glues
OldTools Archive -- thread with message 30401

The harp I made is pretty close to concert tension so I used Techni Glue think it was called.
It’s a two part epoxy - along with screws down from the SB into the side rails and horizontally through the sides of the sound box into the same rails. Have you seen there is a little bit of harp talk in the musical instruments section of this forum, there are also some really helpful people on a harp specific forum
harpmakers : Harpmakers

but the pick of the lot in my opinion is the site this bloke put together
Sligo Harp Shop - Home Page
well worth reading what he has to say.

Tom

[HARPER]

Yes, thanks Tom for your suggestions, I shall check 'em out.
I might say I've found that with my low tension harps, I have to be careful re the weight/mass; like an aircraft, they have to be strong to withstand the tension, but light. This is so the vibes are not "lost" in the mass of wood or metal, like they are in the neck.
I've contacted a tech. bloke in Selleys who told me where I can get their 308 glue; he also recommended good old Araldite.
Really, I'd love to get the US made DAP Weldwood plastic resin glue I used quite successfully in Belize -easy to use, very strong, & not too dear; any ideas if anyone imports it? Maybe, I'll do it!

I should thank you guys (belatedly) who welcomed me here earlier, I appreciate it.
Really, I've found a vital element in life is helping others somehow, as we may.
Regards to all,
Harper

[JJF]

Welcome to the forum

[trevor1944]

Hi I know it's a long time since you posted but I have just started getting my stuff together to make my first harp.I'm thinking Celtic type harp with 34 or 36 strings but I'm still a little undecided on that score.Pictures of your stuff would be appreciated
Thanks
Cheers
Trevor

[trevor1944]

Oops! I have'nt introduced myself.I was on this forum a long time ago but went "offline" for a few years.I live in South Africa and am now fully retired and getting bored.So I am getting my shed up and running.
Cheers
Trevor

[KBs PensNmore]

Trevor, last time Harper left a comment was 8th November 2013, don't know if he's lurking or gone?
Kryn

[old1955]

Welcome to the forum.

[Old_Tom]

Hi HARPER and welcome to the forum. Enjoy the stay!