More harp progress

Things are moving apace. The pillar is pretty well done. I might do some further detailing if I get feeling frisky.

I hung it up to keep it from being damaged by debris on the bench. The only hard object that might hit it here is my head.

Also accomplished are the brass cheek bands. Sawing them out was excruciating as I didn't have a proper saw blade. The cheek bands are set into the neck.

As soon as I get the delivery of tuning pins I can drill and ream the neck and drill out the cheek bands. Then I can start shaping the neck.

In the meantime, down at Maine's First Ship....

I have been volunteering on this project for four or five years. Last winter I made the main mast, mizzen mast and a couple of spars. In January I was asked to build the rudder. It's BIG! The rudder post is 13' long, the rudder itself is about 8" high and 3-1/2' wide and averages 10" thick - all white oak. I figure it weighs about 1100 lbs.



(Note the work environment. What you see in the background is the Kennebec River, which always has a refreshing breeze in the afternoon - especially in the winter)



A big rudder needs a long tiller. We split this out with wedges then refined the shape with a variety of hand and power tools, following the grain as much as possible.

It's a little over 9' long - the forward end has to clear the mizzen which limits the length.