Building Dulcimers

Headstock sides are book-matched and predrilled before assembly.

Cutting mother-of-pearl fretboard inlays with a Gorton pantograph mill.

Abalone heart inlay.

Cutting the fret slots with a homemade jig and templates.

Fretboards are sanded smooth.

Ready for frets.

Pressing in the frets with a small arbor press.

Filing the fret ends flush and smooth.

Cutting sound holes with the Gorton.

Cleaning the fuzz with Swiss files and rifflers.

Gluing the fretboard to the top.

Fretboards ready to be glued.

Clamps.

Next, the excess top material is removed from over the hollow fretboard.

Clamping and removing waste.

The sides are dampened and bent on the bending iron, then placed in the form.

The linings are glued and clamped in place with clothespins.

The side comes out of the form holding it's shape.

The moisture from bending raises the grain, so the sides get sanded smooth.

The sides are then glued to the headstock and tailstock in a form.

The top is ready to be glued to the side assembly.

Lots of clamps.

The top then gets braces and a bridge plate.

Four dulcimers ready for backs.

The back is marked and braced.

Once the back is glued on, the top and back overhangs must be trimmed.

Chisels, files, and sanding blocks make a nice, neat overhang.

The dulcimer is now ready for final sanding and finishing.

After the first coat of finish.

Final setup.

Dark Hollow Dulcimers

256 Durham Road,  Ottsville,  Pennsylvania  18942