Monday 21 July 2008

Tool marks

I've been doing some more shaping and carving on my Rebec. Might have got slightly carried away as you can see light coming through at a couple of points ! Perhaps I could have the sound hole at the back ?




As I was carving off the shavings I wondered about the hand tools I was using - chisels, gouges, knives, drawknives, spokeshaves etc. If I had roughed it out with power tools and then put on a hand tooled finish would anyone know the difference ? (I would) Would the instrument have a different/better sound ?

Got to source a nice piece of European Spruce for the front now + horsehair + catgut . . .

3 comments:

rika said...

Lovely:) As an admirer and not a craftsman I like to think I can tell the difference between something done by hand or by power-tool, but it's likely a bit of pretentiousness showing through . . . I do think it ought to matter to the maker and it seems to, to you.

Are you going to do any fine carving on it?

Anonymous said...

It is already a thing of beauty. And I know what you mean about a few spots where light passes through to much...I've made a few spoons like that! The odd one ends up as a boiled-egg removal spoon!

Can't wait to see the instrument completed.

p.s. Ellie said, "thank you" for the comment. She was thrilled.

Mike Dearing said...

Robin, hand carved the rebec will irrevocably be linked to your DNA - an e3ssentially element to my mind where instruments are involved - its looking fabulous, we will try and make linford or the chilterns over the weekend..

Mike Can Cam