Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
thank you both Charles and Talfryn. for you insight and help. Ive learned in doing my research this is a common issue with the clark harp separating at that joint. It seems they were built so fast that the wood was not always properly seasoned. the glue in the tuning peg holes was a concern from the get go. how do I check the current pins to get the proper taper reamer? I may seem a bit obtuse here but I want to do this as best as possible. email a bunch of luthiers again hopefully some one locally will answer. Talfryn I would love to see your harps. and anyone elses harps they have made would love to see what you all do.
thank you for the reply. I am in Florida in a very rural area. I would like to do the work myself. i generally tend to study things to everyone around me is sick of it lol. I do want advice and would welcome help as well. but getting no replies from several people after asking for advice. even if I gt I cant help you but no answer at all. how do you run a business to sell instruments and not reply to inquiries? I have asked if it were possible to hear or see one their harps and some advice as well and nothing. tomorrow i may hit up Music makers anyway. I have been contemplating getting either their plans or a kit as many of my tools were stolen in a break in about a year ago. I’ve had a rough 3 years as have many. I dont have the money I used to have. I would love to tear apart a few broken harps and see how they are put together. and possibly restore them as well. BUt I have built about a dozen guitars a small 22 string harp for a friend of mine. a reverie harp a dulcimer a mandolin and harp stands for friends. I have also been looking for a tech because a friend of mine has a harp by John Chambers he is no longer making harps and does not even want to see one. however her sound board is incredibly warped and needs replacing and I do not know how he built it and dont have some of the tools I would need to even contemplate fixing it anymore. she and I have both been trying to find someone who will work on it with zero luck.
sound board. i hop ethese are good enough for you all to see details. if not ill have to find somewhere to post them that I can link to to post the full sized images.
i am having trouble uploading the larger version of the photos it tells me they are too big to attach my limit is 512KB but let me see if I can upload them one at a time. I dont want to use a lot of glue here that I know but what ever held the joint together has failed. the joint seems to be a lap joint so the upright column has one side of the joint and the neck/ harmonic curve has the other half. if I turn a tuning key that joint spreads or closes a bit but i dont want to push it. everything else seems to be solid thought I do see a couple of surface cracks on the sound board running horizontally on the board. ive contacted a couple of harp makeers Ive found near me and its been 2 weeks with no reply so I am looking for other options.
i have built a small harp before and I am well aware of the string stresses. this is an antique and I want it back together and in working order if at all possible. i do know it has sat in a corner for decades. i guess I was poor at explaining the split here are a few photos so you can see what I see. I appreciate the advice
I am curious as if everyone who was happy is still happy with their Mikel Harps. they claim to have a US distributor and will speak to me until I ask about one then they go silent. I have never touched one and I would like to honestly. I am coming back to the Harp and my funds are not what they once were.
