Tuesday Workshop Update

I am working on The Coolest Project right now. Well, "working on it" meaning that I have ordered parts, and have purchased materials and have begun design work. I can't actually begin construction until certain parts arrive, and I really can't begin full construction until all the parts arrive, which since international shipping is involved means the end of the month. *sigh*

What am I making, you ask?

Well, it's electric (boogie woogie woogie woo). And it's musical. And it has four strings.

Yes, I am attempting to make an electric violin. I go back and forth on the height of my hopes. (Why does "height" add an "e" from "high"???) I don't have a band saw (I have a rule about not owning power tools until I have a sawdust containing workshop of my own), nor do I know anyone who has a band saw (*SIGH*), so I'm going with cutting out laminates and gluing. It means the beauty is going to have a bit more of a resonating chamber than I had originally planned for, but she's going to be quite beautiful.

Are the parts here yet? Are the parts here yet?

Wait, slow down, return to design. I'm learning a lot about reference points, what's needed, what's not, what's balanced, etc. My electronics involve a nice preamp, which means a battery pack will be involved, which is quite a bit of weight to be put into her somewhere. Working with laminate means also that I'm working with much weaker woods. On the plus, this means that there is the potential for a lot more resonation. This can also be a minus. This can also mean that the lbf (pounds force) of the fully tuned strings could over power the spine, so I have to make sure that the spine, top, and sides are structurally able to handle the lbf of the strings. (For reference, the lbf of violin strings reach maximums of 9 lbf (40 N) to 20 lbf (89 N).)
 An electric violin doesn't need a resonating chamber; indeed, this is why I want one: so that I can play and not too much disturb neighbors. But, acoustics are acoustics, and the surrounding wood frame will have an effect on the sound of the instrument, so I have to design carefully.


And that's your Tuesday Workshop Update! No guarentees that this will ever happen on a Tuesday again, but there you go, you got one today.


Are the parts here yet? Wait, what do you mean, "work"? What is this "work" you speak of? Oh, you mean... this "to do" list is stuff *I* have to do...? ;)