Pedal Harp String Spacing?

[John Leclerc]

Thank you Balfour , your very helpful!
Mine is 14.5 at the bottom, so half your size, if your inside spline is 1 inch at bottom I feel safe using my 1/2″ wood, as far as it getting thinner at the top I guess I can power sand it a little.

[John Leclerc]

Removed veneer and found this under it lol , Stanley!

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[balfour-knight]

Hi John,

I just measured the string support strip (inside spline) in my Dusty FH36S lever harp. This harp has a solid soundboard that has to support the pull of 36 strings, not so different from your 40 strings, except that this is lever harp string tension instead of concert harp tension. The strip is about 3″ wide at the bottom and 1/2″ thick, and it tapers to about 1″ wide at the top and 1/4″ thick. My soundboard width at the bottom of the harp is about 13 1/2″. I think you are on the right track!

Best wishes,
Balfour

[John Leclerc]

Thanks, so here’s a screen shot from a youtube L&H factory tour, image of soundboard for what looks like a 47 string, pretty thick at the bottom, looks 1 inch, I can glue a 1/4 thick board to my 1/2 inch and get pretty close.
I know those strings want to pull right thru it, that should be pretty strong.
As far as attaching soundboard to soundbox, after inspecting soundbox surface where SB is glued, I removed the putty ,cut out bad sections where Stanley did damage, glued in small wood pieces, should be way stronger, I will have to nail or screw down SB to sides, I’ve seen some builders do that along with glue.
Redwood being a softwood pretty close to spruce (that’s what Titebond engineer told me) method should be OK.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by John Leclerc.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[John Leclerc]

One thing I learned about veneer glue, they use contact cement, kind of rubberized, it allows sound board to bow outward without breaking bond.

[balfour-knight]

I hope a harp builder or rebuilder that is reading this will tell you what sort of screws or nails to use, along with a good wood glue, when you reattach the soundboard to the body of the harp. How many, and how close to each other they should be, would really help. I have never done this before, so I have no clue. I only know that glue alone would seem insufficient, and I personally think that screws would be better than nails, and they would also clamp the soundboard down to the glue. You might also have to use some clamps, or bands around the harp to make sure it is really secure until after the glue has sufficient time to dry.

I wish I could offer more help, John. Musicmakers Harps have harp kits which you can buy and assemble yourself, with very good instructions. I remember something about putting a soundboard on a harp, back when these instructions could be viewed online. They may be able to give you some advice, even if the instructions are no longer online. They are very nice folks, with excellent customer service. They also stock supplies for harps and harp builders.

Good luck!
Balfour

[John Leclerc]

I would rather use small thin wood screws. predrill holes so things don’t crack, so glue soundboard and screw it down, screws would act as clamps, looking at the soundbox I don’t really see any screw holes from original soundboard, they must have used just glue, some special epoxy, I’m just going to use titebond glue, as long as its wood to wood bonding its super strong 750lb of pulling force before it lets go, and that’s every 2 inches.
I’m a long way before I can install it, next I’m going to fabricate the rear spline setup and glue it.

[John Leclerc]

Still at it, call me crazy lol.
Part 5-6 of repairs, fun but time consuming!

[balfour-knight]

Hi John!

I enjoyed watching your video. You are very resourceful! Too bad you are not a harp tech–we need more of them. With your skills and attention to getting everything right, you would be a good technician.

I think your soundboard is strong enough to support at least lever-gauge strings. That solid redwood that you have used will indeed probably sound good. When you get far enough along to actually string up the harp, I hope you can find a harpist to tune it and play it. I know you and your wife are more interested in just having it for looks, but it would be so nice to have it playable again! This harp wants to “talk again.” It would have cost more than $10,000 back in 2006 when it was new. I can’t conceive of Stanley doing what he did to such a valuable instrument.

My name is said like BAL-fer, like the English “colour” since it is an English name. It looks like “four” and folks often call me that, ha, ha! Just thought you might like to know.

Best wishes, and you are very brave and persistent with this worth-while project. The harp is saying “thanks, John!”

Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[John Leclerc]

Thanks!
Its a lot of work with caveman tools lol.
Just finished the final sanding of soundboard, next I’m going to apply a clear to the rear side, L&H has it.
Yesterday went to the store and bought contact cement, so pricey, $10 for 3 ounce can, so bought 2 , they don’t carry anything bigger on store shelves in California, drug attic’s must sniff the stuff??? wanted at least one pint so returning the 2 I bought, found a pint on eBay $21, don’t need to run out when applying veneer, 3 ounce can covers 900sq inches , calculated soundboard is a hare over 850 ,times 2 that would be close.
As far as tuning the harp may son is a musician, guitar, piano , has a good ear for proper tone, plus he just tuned our piano and has the gear for it.
Starting to look better!

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[balfour-knight]

John, it would be good for you to have some lacquer thinner on hand, if you don’t already, as a clean-up solvent for the contact cement. It works great, and you don’t need to buy whatever solvent they claim that you need especially for contact cement. I always keep lacquer thinner around, and definitely “not for sniffing,” ha, ha!

Great that your son is a musician. You all will have a wonderful time stringing, tuning, and learning to play this harp, I’m sure! Harps are addictive!

Have a great day,
Balfour

[Biagio]

Catching up again….for the more lightly strung lever harps, as compared to concert ones, these days the sleek look is “in” and many builders rely only on the adhesive. This will often be something like Titebond(R) or slow cure epoxy such as T-88. If you look inside though you will see that the internal glue ribs are quite thick and wide. Sometimes the internal seam will also be strengthened with fiber glass or even carbon fiber.

Personally I think that unless one has lots and lots of clamps and lots of experience, relying on glue alone is tempting a sprung board. I’d advocate 1/2″ pneumatic staples covered by a thin rub rail for aesthetics in such cases.

As for veneer: if the harps is intended to be played and not just looked at contact cement is worse than useless. Builders who apply a veneer use epoxy and the veneer is “clamped” with a vacuum press.

I don’t know if you, John, have looked at Rick Kemper’s excellent documentary on building the lever harp, but if not please do so. See http://www.sligoharps.com/

Sorry I have not been following this closely…plaudits to John for taking this on!

Biagio

[John Leclerc]

Great tips thanks
Question, where do soundboards usually break? Is it down the center or pulls away from sides.

[balfour-knight]

John, in my experience, soundboards usually pull away from the sides. That is why screws, along with the glue, seem to be absolutely necessary. Both of my grandfathers and my father always said “screws, not nails!”

By the way, your harp is looking GOOD in that last photo you posted!

Best wishes,
Balfour

[John Leclerc]

Yes on the screws! Will counter sink them, still mocking everything up and things are fitting pretty nice, have the front center spine done all 40 holes drilled, what a nightmare lining those up thru 4 layers!
I was able to taper the sides of top spine, looks cool, it’s 1/8 thick, I think it’s more for beauty, finished look than strength .
Thinking about the moulding for the sides, would be nice if I could find some that fits off the shelf, but don’t think so, unusual angles, I can make custom ones I guess.

[Author]

Posts