During the summer of 2008 I decided I wanted to build a harpsichord. I found a book in the library that contained plans and instructions but ultimately ended up designing my own. It took all my spare time that summer to complete, and I took several photos along the way to document my progress.
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Life-size plan and stringing scale for the harpsichord
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Curved frame for gluing up the curved side of the harpsichord
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Clamping the curved side while the glue dries
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The pieces of the frame are held together with interlocking finger joints
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Three pieces of the frame held together with interlocking finger joints
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Protruding fingers cut off and sanded down
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Clamping and gluing in liners to secure the bottom and soundboard
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Here is the bottom of the harpsichord
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The bottom has been secured, and I am installing internal braces to help support the tension of the strings
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Things are starting to come together. Frame is complete, and legs are installed.
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The large block on the inner side will later secthare the pinblock (a large, thick slab of solid maple that will hold the tuning pins)
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The key frame with pins installed that will secure the keys
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The keys were cut out of a single sheet of wood.
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Cutting out the keys with a band saw
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Here are all the keys, cut out, with holes drilled for the pins
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Test fitting the keytops
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Gluing on the key tops
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The bridge was cut out of a single piece of maple.
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The soundboard is arguably the most important part of an instrument
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The sondboard is made by gluing together 1/8″ slabs of quarter-sawn spruce.
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Here is the bottom of the sound board showing the braces. The large one is called the cutoff bar.
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Gluing in the soundboard and clamping it down with “go bars”
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The jack slides hold the jacks, which sit on the back of the key and come up between the strings when keys are pressed
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Planning where to drill holes for the tuning pins
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Tuning pins, hitch pins, jacks, and strings installed. Almost ready to play
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A closer look at the jacks.
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Tuning the harpsichord up for a concert
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