101 POSTS (and "Back to School" Fall, 2010)!!

OK, OK, OK... I know I haven't posted much over the Summer, but well... IT WAS SUMMER!! I was busy! I hope you were, too! I know some of the 2 or 3 of you that watch this blog were busy... you told me ;)

but anyhow...

The time of scholarly pursuits is again upon us... the mildewy and musty smell of the "newly removed from the hope chest" Harvard, BU, and BC tweed has begun to, once again, waft through the streets... the scent of formaldehyde and machinery lubricant has again started to emanate from the lab coats of MIT and Wentworth... the linseed oil, charcoal, and photochemical soaked rags of the students from MassArt and School of the Museum of Fine Arts have permeated the air... and, of course,  the acrid and repellent funk of cheap beer, bad decisions, "(Lol), I'm at coll--edge (hic) and wikkid drunk (lol)", & regurgitated Mexican food has mingled to bring the familiar aroma of Fall to the Boston area...

Yes, I too was part of this collegiate onslaught; this ravenous desire to learn.

So I begin my Fall semester at the SMFA.

Woodworking!! Specifically... building a Dulcimer! 

(types of woodcutting below)

Now, I have toyed with the odd woodworking project before (post occurs in the future ;), so I know my way around things like a 2"x4" and a Japanese pull saw... but when it it comes to building a musical instrument?

I am noob at best...

 ...so here are pics from the first class:

these are incomplete pieces from previous classes.

 Below are my wood choices... Mahogany foot (?) and Walnut sides and head (?)

some tools and figuring...

 

a rough shape of things to come... I think I am going to make a "boat" shaped dulcimer...

...more to come; be on the lookout for post tagged "dulcimer" and "guitar"!