More Shop Notes

After a record-breaking hot spell, I was able to get back into my shop for longer periods of time again and get a lot of work done. The temperatures got up into the high 90’s, which is pretty unusual for us, being only 1/2 block from the Monterey Bay. My shop got even hotter so I was only able to work early in the day. By mid-afternoon, the interior was 98 degrees. Now the fog is back and the temperature’s dropped to a cool 55-60 degrees—typical for this time of year.

On the workbench are two instruments that are coming along pretty well: a small medieval-style harp, and another Memling-style hog-nose psaltery. I have other projects I need to get back to/continue on, such as two more dulcimers, the larger Chapter House harp, and also the Chapter House portative organ. (So many projects, so little time!)

The top picture shows me sanding the “coopered” staves of the small harp’s body. Shortly after the sanding, I laid out the string spacing and drilled the soundboard for the string pins.

The next picture shows me using a small violin maker’s hand plane to shape the hog-nose psaltery’s soundboard bracing.

The last picture is my carving work area with some of the hog-nose psaltery rosettes in the process of being carved. Next to them are two dulcimer heads nearing completion.

On the restoration/repair front: I’m now working on two concert zither restorations simultaneously. I try to work an hour or two in the morning on these before I head to the studio. I have a work table set up in my garage workshop just for my restoration work. My repair schedule for the rest of the year is now full-to-overflowing with work. And… I better get going!

Onward through the fog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arts & Crafts in the Desert

The Scottsdale Arts Festival is over for another year. It was another eventful outdoor show with around 180 really, really good artists. Many of the fine crafts and artwork were imaginative and well done. The Festival is held at Scottsdale’s Civic Center Plaza, a very nice, green-grass park with an odd profusion of trees, palms, and cacti. It doesn’t look like it, but the heat tells you you’re in the desert.

Last Friday, on the first day of the show, several experts walked the grounds judging all the arts and crafts, which they do every year. That night, there was an awards ceremony and buffet dinner for all the artists. I was surprised and very fortunate to get  awarded third place in the Wood category. (That’s me in my booth by the ribbon.)The big plus to getting an award is that I don’t have to get juried into the show next year. I’m automatically accepted!

I’ve done this show for five years now, and I think this year I had a better booth location than I’ve had before. It was a corner booth on a very well traveled intersection of walkways. It also was situated so most of my instruments were out of direct sunlight. And speaking of sunlight… the temperature the first two days were pretty warm, around 85-90 degrees. On Sunday, it  cooled down a little because of the wind, which we all thought was going to be around 40 mile per hour, prompting the Festival officials to warn everyone to “batten down the hatches.” There were a few strong gusts, and one glass artist lost one piece that blew off a table, but the day turned out ok.

My wife and I spent one extra day on Monday visiting friends in Phoenix and left early Tuesday morning. We got home at almost 11 pm. After unloading everything yesterday and putting it all away today, I’m pretty exhausted. I can barely raise my hands to type this blog. I plan to rest up a day or two before getting back to work in the studio.

While staying with our friends in Phoenix, I began planning and drawing up some new and different types of artwork, and I can’t wait to start on it. However, I’ve really got to finish up the several pieces I’m currently working on before jumping ahead to those new works.

Anyway, once again, onward through the fog. (And it has been foggy here in the morning lately.)