jonsparrow
1105 posts
Sep 27, 2009
9:56 AM
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huh?
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scstrickland
259 posts
Sep 27, 2009
10:01 AM
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How are you going to cut it?
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jonsparrow
1106 posts
Sep 27, 2009
10:17 AM
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band saw.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
247 posts
Sep 27, 2009
11:13 AM
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Find somebody who can cut boards for you. That's the cheapest way. I used Badger Lumber in Parkersburg, they have a shop, I can bring them in a piece of reclaimed American Chestnut, and they saw it up like I want it. This fall, I'm going to be selling some American chestnut for combmaking, although that might not be the wood you'd want to start on.
I'm getting more into this over the fall in winter, harvesting wood and selling it for combmaking by next year sometime.
If you have a woodcraft store anywhere near you, that would be a good place to go.
The cost per comb isn't that bad regardless of the wood, cause you can get a lot of combs out of a single piece of wood. But the deal is, most wood you find already cut is crap... just be careful you check for warpage.
I presume/assume that you are gonna seal the wood. You'd be better off starting with something soft like mahogany, or chestnut wouldn't that bad... It's going to be more forgiving at the saw.
You want 1/4 inch thick wood. Sand it flat before and after cutting.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Sep 27, 2009 11:14 AM
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jonsparrow
1108 posts
Sep 27, 2009
11:26 AM
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great thanks for the info!
what about composite materials?
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Philosofy
276 posts
Sep 27, 2009
12:45 PM
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Try a local Woodcraft or Rockler for wood. Someone there might even plane it down for you.
As far as using a bandsaw, that might be good to cur the rough shape, but I have another suggestion that will give you a dead on accurate reproduction of your original comb, and it only uses a drill press.
First, you need a drill bit and a router bit of the same diameter, and make sure they are small enough to fit in between the teeth of your comb. 1/8" should do it. You will also need a flat board, a couple clamps, and some double stick carpet tape.
Clamp the board to the drill press table, and use the drill bit chucked into the drill press to drill a hole in the table. Now, without moving the table, remove the drill bit and put it in the hole you just drilled. It should fit tightly, but if it doesn't, use some tape from below the table to fix it. It only needs to stick up about 1/16" to 1/8" above the table.
Next, take your original comb and fix it to your new comb blank using double stick tape.
Chuck the router bit into the drill press, and adjust the speed (fastest for wood, slower for metal or composites.) If you are cutting brass, you can use vegetable oil as a lubricant.
Lower the bit so it is low enough to cut into your blank, but won't touch your original. Place the combs (original down) on the table, and using the drill bit as a pin guide, rout out the shape of the comb. I would use two or three passes at lower depths to finish the comb.
What you've basically made is a pin router.
http://www.woodnshop.com/shopfox/IMAGES/w1736_det_c.jpg
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jonsparrow
1111 posts
Sep 27, 2009
12:55 PM
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i think i might get a drill press this week.
edit: ooh ok i had to reread that. didnt get it the first time. thanks thats a good idea. im gonna try that. thanks for the site too.
Last Edited by on Sep 27, 2009 1:04 PM
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Philosofy
277 posts
Sep 27, 2009
1:37 PM
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I've tried it once, using some bloodwood, but the teeth chipped off at the end. I think I should have band sawed out the rough shape first, so the router bit just cleaned it up, not hogged out the whole space.
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GermanHarpist
632 posts
Sep 27, 2009
1:48 PM
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Btw. what materials are composite combs made off?
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germanharpist on YT.
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phogi
38 posts
Sep 27, 2009
2:31 PM
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I like the idea of a composite comb...corian seems like a cool material. plexiglass?
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jonsparrow
1113 posts
Sep 27, 2009
2:45 PM
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i would like to make a plexiglass one just to have one. like buddahs ice harp. they look cool.
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GermanHarpist
634 posts
Sep 27, 2009
2:56 PM
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I don't see the advantage of using composite material.
Plastic, to me, seems like the easiest material to use (plexiglass, sounds too cool). But then, I don't know about the workability of these composite materials.
What about soapstone.. you can seal and polish it with oil.
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germanharpist on YT.
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jonsparrow
1114 posts
Sep 27, 2009
3:34 PM
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i know chris rynolds has been known to use marble.
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Gwood420
36 posts
Sep 28, 2009
5:53 AM
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jon, i was thinking a bout plexi too.. i think it would look sweet.. i will have to check out buddahs...
on a side note:
i also thought about trying to make a lighted one using a plexiglass(lexan is stronger) comb, and a torn down mini led light, the kind that come in the laser pointers.. i think it can be done.. but probably wont...
Last Edited by on Sep 28, 2009 5:55 AM
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jonsparrow
1117 posts
Sep 28, 2009
9:33 AM
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lol that would be cool. the battery would take up alot of room though. you would need a big harp like a golden melody or somethin.
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SUNDOG
71 posts
Sep 28, 2009
4:34 PM
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I wonder if IronWood from Arizona would be a good material.... It is really dense (Sinks in water) and extremely fine grain texture..... Still ??????? also could the combs be LASER cut ??????
Last Edited by on Sep 28, 2009 4:36 PM
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jonsparrow
1121 posts
Sep 28, 2009
5:46 PM
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ya i seen a site where some guy laser cuts his combs.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
253 posts
Sep 28, 2009
5:46 PM
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Ironwood from West Virginia would also be awesome. Here it's Eastern hophornbeam... think y'all have a different tree out there that's called ironwood.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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