Harps, Harps, Harps

[Marc St Louis]

My wife started something and I just haven't been able to work on any bows lately.  She started training people last year, mostly retired nurses and doctors, for palliative work using Harps and now people want them.  I have been working on Harps on and off now for several months but lately the demand has increased even more. I just finished a 26 string Harp a couple weeks ago and am working on a 31 string Harp for another retired Nurse with 2 more Harps to come after this one.  I like making them, although I do prefer making bows, but I would like a bit of a break  .  This particular Harp that I am working on now is made of BC with a Spruce soundboard and since there was a bit of interest, previously, I thought I would post a few pictures, sort of like a build-along.

The first picture is of the soundbox parts being assembled, all Black Cherry of course.



The second picture shows the soundbox glued together with the soundboard which has been glued up, gluing the soundboard down onto the soundbox is one of the last things to do.



Next is the soundbox along with the arm and pillar, I lay everything down to make sure the alignment is good for the strings, this is very important.  Once I make sure alignment is good then I mark and drill all the holes into the arm and then cut the splice and glue the 2 parts together.



The next picture shows the supporting end pieces glued into the soundbox, at this point the arm and pillar are glued together and trimmed to fit to box.



This last picture, for now, shows the soundboard fitted to the soundbox, I still need to glue down a couple strips of Cherry on the inside at this point to strengthen the board and to support the strings as well.  Just for reference, the strings of a 31 string Harps exert over 1000 lbs of force on the sounboard.

[Hawkdancer]

Marc,
Real nice, I may have to talk about a lap harp with you, my 34 string is a bit much to take on the road😀   I have been playing sort of for about 6 years.  Don't have the space to make one or the skill!
Hawkdancer

[PEARL DRUMS]

As long as those harps are paying the bills your bows normally would, Id say you're in a good spot

[willie]

very nice divergence from bows

Is PA  the only place you post your work?

[Marc St Louis]

Thank you guys

I am surprised, you don't hear of many people owning a Harp.  The cost of shipping even a small Harp would be substantial, that's why I advertise for local pickup only.

If you mean message board, willie, then yes.

[Marc St Louis]

Did some more work on the Harp this morning.

This picture shows the re-enforcing strips on the back of the soundboard



This one shows the template I use for marking the string holes prior to drilling



Here is the back of the sound-box with the sound-holes cut out



And this last picture shows the soundboard with the string holes drilled.  Everything is now ready for the assembling of the soundboard to the sound-box

[Stoker]

Cool project .. Change is good sometimes
Thanks Leroy

[bjrogg]

Real nice Marc, maybe you could do guitat or fiddle next
bjrogg

[TimBo]

Keep the photos coming!  I am going to get around to harp building some day.  My 6th grade daughter just started harp this fall.  She has a 26 string model, but I may want to try making a bigger one. 

[Hawkdancer]

Marc,
We could arrange a local delivery, been looking for a reason to make a trip north, where are you from Windsor?  A great grandfather was from there, I think.  A couple of gigs for the band or just me and the wife would make it tax deductible.  I will pm a sample of our music/& material.  We would like to make over to the maritime provinces, as well
TimBo,
Let her get good with the 26, and then decide if she want to go further!  Big harps are hard to move around, especially for a young lady.  Btw, a friend of ours is the harp professor at Colorado State in Ft Collins - plug! Plug!😊😊!  Also, one of my alma maters
A little variety keeps folk aware that we are not one dimensional and the harp is a vary ancient instrument!
Play on and shoot straight.
Hawkdancer

[BowEd]

That cherry ought to finish up really nice.

[Pappy]

Man of many talents, love seeing your work Marc.
 Pappy

[Marc St Louis]

Thanks guys
Sorry but no interest in violins or guitars.

Windsor is a ways South of me, like 6 hours South

Cherry does finish nice but I cut a couple Black Ash trees for Harp building 2 years ago and that is what I generally make them out of.  One of the trees had figured wood, a devil to plane but the look is stunning when finished.

[Marc St Louis]

I spent a few hours on it this morning and she is now ready for a finish

Here is the finished sound-box with top cap.  The soundboard has pretty striking grain to it which the finish should enhance even more



And here is the Harp ready for the finish



Once that is done I can put the bridge pins and the tuning pins in and we can start stringing her up.  More pics will follow but it will be a couple days.

[Marc St Louis]

Here's a few more pics as an update

This picture shows the soundboard with the brass eyelets inserted



This pic shows the wood grain of the soundboard



And this last picture shows the brass bridge pins installed in the arm



The last thing to do before stringing is installing the tuning pegs