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Harpsichords and Related Topics

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From:
Jack Peters <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:25:25 -0800
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A few weeks back I announced my quest to produce an instrument from this 
far eastern wood. I happy to report that today is the day I will hear 
results for the first time. In the weeks I've been working on this 
project I've learned enough to know I want this wood on hand from now 
on. I still do not know exactly what it's price per bd foot is, but for 
those of you who have difficulty finding perfectly clear wood, this 
should put you at ease. I have found out that there are very 
conservative views out there on the list that I never knew before.
   Here's a brief review: Paulownia Tormentosa or Paulownia Elongata are 
know as Empress or  Princess trees and have grown all over Asia for 
centuries. The wu-tong(in chinese) and Kiri (japanese) has been the 
choice wood for stringed instruments in the zither family including the 
sound board. Despite its extreme light weight it is very strong and 
tough not needing the vertical grain as do conifer soundboards.
Knowing that italian builders used slab cut timber for soundboards and 
often made entire instruments from the same wood, I decided to use my 
experience and try this wood out on a traditional western european 
keyboard instrument.
    I have so far convinced a few to look into this wood for bottom 
planks to save weight, but I like it now enough to want it for so much 
more. Moving instrumenys around by myself is very important to me and 
last night after a full day I easily lifted my italin style case from 
the go bar deck across the shop to the work area by myself,
    Working this stuff requires very sharp tools but for those of you 
who take pride in you hand planes, this is the wood for you. It's soft 
yes but oh so stiff!   Lots of silica in the cells. A great wood for violas!
I chose to design an instrument which would test the material for 
comparison with traditional woods. I know what a lebanon cedar case 
sounds like with iron scale, so I should get so good feedback putting 
strings on today. And, there are parts that I did not use Paulonia for 
this time: The hollow stress skin wrestplank feature a bar of elm along 
the front edge to provide friction for the tuning pins. The balbce rail 
is a hardwood to again hold the pins, the bentside line is laminated 
from maple strips, the bridge is walnut, and the keytops are tigre caspi 
from Peru. The Earl Russell jacks are walnut with hollo tongues and I've 
weighted them and the paulowina keylevers. The sharps are paulonia 
capped with ebony.
    I wish I could seend a picture but I just can't yet. The wood is so 
resonant that the case sings when I start up the jointer. This project 
has injected a new and lively spirit into an old dog!  Ok
                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Jack Peters

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