Finally, the key chest is firmly attached to the gurdy body! I managed to sand the block at the wheel end to fit the arc of the top without scratching the sound board. We have decided that the arc is not large enough to affect the sound but is mostly cosmetic. Thus in the future, the manual will mention this. Oh no, another change I need to make in the builders manual. 
Building my own Monarch was a good idea but is making more work for me in the long run. I also learned why some builders choose to finish the instrument after parts are in place. Scraping off the finish where parts must be glued on is delicate work but necessary to assure a secure glue joint.
Building my own Monarch was a good idea but is making more work for me in the long run. I also learned why some builders choose to finish the instrument after parts are in place. Scraping off the finish where parts must be glued on is delicate work but necessary to assure a secure glue joint.
The most time consuming part was locating the right drill bits and making sure the key chest is aligned properly. Sharing the shop with two guys and several orders seems to give the smaller tools legs! I picked up my key chest lid from my brother at Intri-Cut Etchings and was astounded at the way he captured my sketchy idea to continue the monarch theme. The wheel and shaft are in place and soon she will be humming a tune. Oh yes, I did break my commitment to “do it myself”. Mel was so patient with my questions, I let him drill the holes for the chest attachment. He did a good job and then handed over the drill so I could screw it together.
Hi Ann,
ReplyDeleteOn finishing before or after assembly -- one approach that has worked for me with a lot of furniture is to finish before assembly, but mask the areas that need to be clean for glue joint. It may or may not be a worthwhile approach for lots of small parts, but something to consider. I think I'd prefer to mask before finishing, rather than scraping finish off to get a good joint.