Anyone Building Spinets

[Al Dodson]

Haward c.1668.xlsx

(47.75 KiB) Downloaded 868 times

Clay; it's good to see some of the old familiar names. Seems i associate you with doing lots of experimental stuff. I knohttps://www.mimf.com/phpbb/download/file.php?mo ... 0c7f7c650w Allen Caruth did also. Noticed Barry is still around too. Anyway lets give this a try

[Al Dodson]

There are about a dozen different spinets. . I believe about half of these tell where they are located and i Have not seen these but I trust the measurements. The ones that have no location, I have seen and know who made the measurements and have their ok to publish them. I think there may also be measurements of some of the cases also. I will post everything I have in the next few days.

The 1668 Haward posted above is almost certainly the one mentioned by Samuel Pepys in his diary for which he paid Five Pounds. It was most likely began by the elder Haward and finished by his son; one of which was John the other escapes me. Lets try a couple more Hawards

download/file.php?mode=view&id=12354

download/file.php?mode=view&id=12355

[Al Dodson]

One more Haward

download/file.php?mode=view&id=12356

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Al,
I guess I did do a few things that were somewhat "experimental". I was building "Formica" back and sided instruments when an acquaintance stopped in the shop who said his son in law (who worked for Martin) would be interested in seeing them. I never met his son in law but not long after that Martin brought out a line of HPL bodied instruments. I think they were on the same track.
I was also among those who started laminating backs and sides (in a non-plywood fashion) for hand built instruments before laminated sides were fashionable. Because of the epoxy bleed through I also "pore filled" with epoxy, which was initially a "no-no" (tone killer?), but has since gained popularity.
Recently I have been using bending ply to make solid linings. They flex similar to Ryan's A5 but can be made for pennies per piece. They do cause the plates to be glued to end grain which is a weaker bond, but because of the relatively large surface area I don't think that will be a problem.
I have also been working on neck constructions that are less wasteful of wood than the typical one piece necks many use now.
Some things I've done might have been called experimental back then, but other things I've been interested in, like working out a machine process to make the traditional modified bridle joint Martin used have their roots in the past.
So how have you been? I think at one point you mentioned you were in the Lancaster area? Are you still doing things with Horology?

[Al Dodson]

Hi Clay. I am still in Lancaster. I guess I’m retired; ain’t hit a ‘lick at a snake’ this year. I’ll probably set up a shop sometime but just to play in. Hard to totally give up your profession after fifty years; trash hauling and chartered accountancy excepted.

Interesting what you say about the experimental stuff now being mainstream. Don’t know if you recall how far ‘out there’ my associates and I were at the time too. I’m pretty sure I posted some stuff on how we were using a vacuum to mold sides using seal-a-meal bag rolls. I believe I also posted how embarrassing it can be to mold a cut away back if you don’t make a mirror image mold. Left hand guitar anyone. I’m looking forward to hanging out a bit and seeing what’s up.

I am still thrilled with the Maccafferri instruments we built l play mine almost exclusively. It sounds as good better today than it ever did.

I will be posting more spinnet stuff here soon. I wish I were a keyboard player. I’ve had the astounding privilege of sitting at the 1668 Haward; it is awe inspiring.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Al,
I have also joined the ranks of the retired, or as a friend's wife calls us "unemployed bums". I tell my wife I am "working" on instruments, but she's not buying it. I think it's the lack of remuneration that tipped her off.
I live about 35 miles south of you in Cecil County, the county Marylanders don't seem to think is part of the state. My wife and I used to pass through Lancaster on our way to the flea markets up above there in Adamstown.
I do remember the vacuum forming "experiments". People are now using kits created for vacuum molding skateboards to laminate guitar sides, so that idea has also caught on. I'll be looking forward to your posts

[Jim McConkey]

Congratulations on retiring, Clay! But where are you going to get all that Formica from now?

[Al Dodson]

I just looked for my old posts and they only went back to 2012. I couldn’t find any information on how to find the older ones.

Jim, I had forgotten about your, way North of Baltimore, address. Are you close to Lancaster County also?

[Charlie Schultz]

Might try the libraries here: viewtopic.php?p=18277#p18277

[Al Dodson]

Thanks Charlie, I’ll take a look. I appreciate your efforts.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Jim,
If I ever run out of Formica scraps I know a few dumpsters I can raid. I still build a few HPL bodied instruments, fun little stick dulcimers and a few ukuleles. The last guitar I used it on was a "Formica Blanca" I built several years ago. It is actually made with Alpi Ligna - a prefinished HPL with wood veneer bonded to it.