Folc harps are hand made. Not only are they hand
made they are made almost entirely with hand tools.
Power tools are used for a few of the gross milling
operations. Sometimes a circular saw reduces the
ten and twelve foot planks to workable billets.
Some of the broader parts are sized using an electric
thickness planner and some of the pieces are
roughed out on an electric bandsaw. But once these
rougher pieces of work enter the inter sanctum of
the shop, that's it. No more power tools!
made they are made almost entirely with hand tools.
Power tools are used for a few of the gross milling
operations. Sometimes a circular saw reduces the
ten and twelve foot planks to workable billets.
Some of the broader parts are sized using an electric
thickness planner and some of the pieces are
roughed out on an electric bandsaw. But once these
rougher pieces of work enter the inter sanctum of
the shop, that's it. No more power tools!
Not only are no electric sanders used to shape the parts nor finish the harp,
almost no sandpaper is used at all. Sandpaper is only used when the scraping
tool feathers a curious spot in the wood where sandpaper would smooth it out.
Otherwise all the wood is finished with the edge of a specially shaped piece of
metal that gently shaves off the surface of the wood.
almost no sandpaper is used at all. Sandpaper is only used when the scraping
tool feathers a curious spot in the wood where sandpaper would smooth it out.
Otherwise all the wood is finished with the edge of a specially shaped piece of
metal that gently shaves off the surface of the wood.
Straight cuts, as in this side piece to the right, are done with Japanese
reverse tooth saws. When done properly and with patience, it leaves a
smooth cut the first time that requires no other dressing or fitting.
reverse tooth saws. When done properly and with patience, it leaves a
smooth cut the first time that requires no other dressing or fitting.
Straight edges are made with hand planes and curved surfaces are
shaped with spokeshaves. No electric sanders are used to shape the
wood. It is all done with planes, shaves, knives, and chisels.
shaped with spokeshaves. No electric sanders are used to shape the
wood. It is all done with planes, shaves, knives, and chisels.
Why make harps this way? Is it some attempt to make the more authentically in the spirit of ancient instruments? Not a bit of
it. I began making harps with all manner of power tools, great bellowing disk and belt sanders, whining drills and routers,
snarling saws for every purpose. Two things happened. Along of my great patriarch's beard, no mask would keep out the very
fine sawdust from the sanders. The fine dust would send me into choking fits, especially the black walnut dust. Then holding
the orbital palm sander in my right hand during the finishing gave me an inflamed tendon and wrist joint that put me in a wrist
brace for a year and half.
it. I began making harps with all manner of power tools, great bellowing disk and belt sanders, whining drills and routers,
snarling saws for every purpose. Two things happened. Along of my great patriarch's beard, no mask would keep out the very
fine sawdust from the sanders. The fine dust would send me into choking fits, especially the black walnut dust. Then holding
the orbital palm sander in my right hand during the finishing gave me an inflamed tendon and wrist joint that put me in a wrist
brace for a year and half.
So I was provoked into looking into hand tools. Much to my delight I found that the efficiency and speed of modern power
tools for such work is largely hype. Modern tools most often are a substitute for skill, not an enhancer of skill. Since then I've
been making harps in blissful silence or else to the sound of harp music on the CD player.
tools for such work is largely hype. Modern tools most often are a substitute for skill, not an enhancer of skill. Since then I've
been making harps in blissful silence or else to the sound of harp music on the CD player.
The unlooked for benefits of hand work came as surprise. Because the wood is worked by hand and rubbed to a finish with
natural oil by hand the jointry is smooth and organic rather than laser beam perfect and glassy finished. It looks and feels as if it
were made by human being and made of once living wood.
natural oil by hand the jointry is smooth and organic rather than laser beam perfect and glassy finished. It looks and feels as if it
were made by human being and made of once living wood.
Almost all folk harps are made by building a soundbox and a neck/pillar
assembly separately and joining the one to the other. Often this joining is
little more than letting the tension of the strings pull them together.
Function first in a harp of course, but it ought to look as elegant as
possible as well. The look of box with the neck abruptly clamped onto it
appeals to me as a bit artless.
So Folc harps are made in an entirely different manner. The neck/pillar
assembly is made and then the sides and bottom are fitted to it. Then the
back is installed. The last thing is the soundboard.
Of course on all harps the pillar joins he box in the middle but the neck is
over to one side. Since for most harps the box is made separately and
made square and plum, the harp lies perfectly flat on its back on a level
surface and the neck/pillar is slightly twisted to allow the neck to join to
one side.
With Folc harps, since the neck/pillar is made first and the soundbox
built around it, the neck/pillar is straight and the soundbox is very slightly
twisted. It wobbles a bit when laid on its back.
assembly separately and joining the one to the other. Often this joining is
little more than letting the tension of the strings pull them together.
Function first in a harp of course, but it ought to look as elegant as
possible as well. The look of box with the neck abruptly clamped onto it
appeals to me as a bit artless.
So Folc harps are made in an entirely different manner. The neck/pillar
assembly is made and then the sides and bottom are fitted to it. Then the
back is installed. The last thing is the soundboard.
Of course on all harps the pillar joins he box in the middle but the neck is
over to one side. Since for most harps the box is made separately and
made square and plum, the harp lies perfectly flat on its back on a level
surface and the neck/pillar is slightly twisted to allow the neck to join to
one side.
With Folc harps, since the neck/pillar is made first and the soundbox
built around it, the neck/pillar is straight and the soundbox is very slightly
twisted. It wobbles a bit when laid on its back.
There's no practical ramifications of that. I just thought you might find it interesting.
What this construction method does mean, however, is that it would be just about impossible to mass produce these harps.
Alas, it seems to me that considerations for mass production do enter into some harp designs. When a Folc harp is made,
each piece is fitted one at a time to each other piece. An assembly line would not speed up nor enhance this process.
Alas, it seems to me that considerations for mass production do enter into some harp designs. When a Folc harp is made,
each piece is fitted one at a time to each other piece. An assembly line would not speed up nor enhance this process.
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