Show us your melodica workspace!
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The Proxxon is hand operated. If I needed a CNC-system, I would probably buy a different machine. I use the pantograph with upscaled (2:1-5:1) templates for cutting brass/aluminum parts. This works well with curved shapes. You can only shave a minimum amount of material off per pass, but the template keeps the mill bit in track.
MM, the Proxxon disc sander has a plastic body. I think all Proxxon tools have a large amount of plastic in them. This can be a problem with some of their products, but others are quite sturdy and accurate. The disc sander has always worked well for me.
Here’s an interview by the Finnish public broadcasting company, YLE, with some pictures of my workshop: http://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9485794 there’s also a couple of video interviews in there.
Tatu, I notice that you have some timber stacked for drying. Do you check the moisture level before you mill or do you rough mill to a size close to what you need and let sit for a time. How much does the stability of the wood concern you. I removed the moisture on the wood I was using for the Diamante with a microwave and was surprised how much moisture was left in the wood.
Melodica-MeThe planks need to dry at least a year per inch of thickness in steady room temperature (before that, a couple of years in the yard). After that, I cut it into smaller pieces. There is still some warping of the wood because of the inner tensions, so I leave room for planing 2 sides of the timber. I have tried thermal treatment in an oven, it reduces moisture but makes the wood harder and more brittle. Not good for a keyboard. So I just take care selecting the right piece of wood for the job. In Finland, it’s really dry in the winter and humid in the summer. It’s better to watch the wood for a year or so to see the annual changes in shape and if it’s dry enough.
I use nowadays rowan ash for my instruments. In northern Finland, the rowan ash gets rotten at the core when it reaches over 70 cm diameter. The rest of the wood stays hard and the natural resins make it good for moisture-resistant applications. I have used it for harmonica combs etc. My old teacher showed me that you can make a knife out of rowan ash, it easily cuts trough alder, birch and maple, the more common Finnish hardwoods.
Great interview Tatu. I tried reading it through google translate, which was ..interesting. Thanks for posting it here. I think it talks about how you don’t work for commercial gain
Nice looking workshop. Looks like you have everything you need there?
And what about this keyboard? Is it constructed entirely out of wood? What timber are the black keys, they look good? What reeds have you chosen? When will we hear it? 🙂
I like how you choose local timber for your instruments. I wonder what a good choice would be here in the UK?
So I am done with purchasing melodica building equipment for at least this year lol. finally added my mini Lathe and 5″ disk sander.
So I am done with purchasing melodica building equipment for at least this year lol. finally added my mini Lathe and 5″ disk sander.
If anyone is interested I posted pictures on Pinterest of my Melodica workshop showing different pictures of the Diamanté Build. I will be posting more as I move closer to completion of current project.
Melodica-mePinterest… http://pin.it/uIRUh4-
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