Musicmaker’s Kits 31 String Gothic Harp Kit User manual

Musicmaker’s Kits
P.O. Box 2117
Stillwater, MN 55082
[phone] www.harpkit.com
31 String Gothic Harp
Kit

© 2008 Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc.
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31 STRING GOTHIC HARP KIT
1 set of Assembly Instructions
WOOD PARTS:
1 soundboard, laminated birch
1 back panel, thin plywood
2 sides, solid hardwood
1 curved neck, laminated hardwood
1 pillar, laminated hardwood
1 shoulder, laminated hardwood
2 feet, solid hardwood
3 internal braces, hardwood
1 base, laminated hardwood
1 ctr strip for soundboard, hardwood
1 reinforcement bar, hardwood
1 hardwood dowel, 1" dia, 3-1/4" long
2 oval wood overlay pieces, hardwood
1 bottom trim strip, hardwood
6 stiffener battens (for back)
HARDWARE:
31 threaded harp pins
31 medium brass eyelets
31 threaded bridge pins
Allen Driver 5/64"
1 brass driver for threaded harp pins
4 wood plugs, 3/8" cherry
1 oz wire nails, 3/4" X 18
2 wood screws, 3" drywall
2 wood screws. 2" drywall
6 wood screws, 1-5/8" drywall
4 wood screws, 1" drywall
Spacing Guide
1 set of 31 harp strings
1 tuning wrench
1 drill bit, 1/8” (for eyelets)
8 ft of decorative inlay banding (Inlay J - 3 strips)
10 ft of iron-on veneer tape, cherry
1 small dowel pin, 1/4 X 2”
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Please take the time to check over the parts of your kit now, to make sure everything is
there. If you discover a problem, call us right away so we can rectify it quickly without
causing you much delay in your project. We also suggest skimming through the entire
directions before beginning, just to get an overview of the project. You may decide that you
need to gather more tools or purchase a few optional decorations or accessories to enhance
the finished instrument. Now is a good time to decide so you can avoid delays when you
reach those steps of construction.
If you have any questions about the
assembly process – please visit our
online Builder’s Forum at
www.harpkit.com/forum

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THE SOUNDCHAMBER FRAME
______1. Check all parts of your kit against
the parts list, lightly labeling them in pencil if
desired.
______2. Find the two SIDES, the BASE, and
the SHOULDER for the soundchamber frame.
Hold them together dry to check the fit of each
joint.
IMPORTANT
Be certain that you understand which is the front
and which is the back of each piece. The front of
the SHOULDER has a slot cut in to allow for more
vibration of the soundboard. The front of the
BASE has two holes pre-drilled in the center for
attaching the pillar. The front edge of the SIDES
is not square with the BASE.
______3. Drill pilot holes for wood screws at
each end of the BASE, as follows: Hold the
BASE in position on the ledge of the SIDE
piece with all edges flush and tight. Drill
through the BASE into the SIDE piece with a
7/64" bit. Repeat for the other SIDE. Take
care to aim your pilot holes into the core of
the SIDE material. These holes will guide your
screws.
ANOTE ABOUT GLUE
DO NOT ASSEMBLE THIS PROJECT WITH 5-MINUTE EPOXY, SUPERGLUE, OR HOT MELT GLUE!
Find a good woodworking glue. Many luthiers (guitar & violin makers) still use the natural hide
glues that have been around for centuries, carrying on a fine old tradition, but that does not mean
that you must do the same. We build this instrument with modern woodworking adhesives (such
as Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue or Titebond) because they hold the parts even more securely than
the old hide glues. The few advantages that some people claim with hide glue are more than offset
by the strength, durability, ease of application, and availability of modern woodworking adhesives.
When gluing parts together, be sure to put enough glue on the joint to wet the entire surfaces to be
joined. A good sign of proper gluing is that a little excess will squeeze out around the joint when
clamping pressure is applied. Too little glue may cause the parts to separate later, whereas too
much glue makes things messy. We always keep a damp rag handy for quick cleanup, as
necessary. It is especially helpful to keep your fingers clean while gluing, because gluey fingerprints
have the embarrassing tendency to appear on the finished product in places you never expected.
Most woodworking adhesives "set" sufficiently after 30 minutes of clamping to allow you to proceed.
Check your dispenser for recommended drying times.

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Find the following items for the next step:
Carpenter’s glue
4 small wood screws, 1-5/8”
Cordless drill with Phillips screwdriver bit
Woodworkers clamp or large C-clamp
______4. Clean all surfaces of the SIDES, BASE and
SHOULDER. Apply glue to the ends of the BASE and
the bottom notch of each side. Hold pieces together
while you insert the screws to draw the joints up
tight.
______5. Apply glue to the edges of the shoulder and
to the notch at the top of each side piece. Place the
parts together and clamp them, making sure all
edges are flush. (Note: it is very important that the
front of each part faces the same direction.)
______6. Turn the frame (if necessary) so the front
faces down on your work surface.
Find and check the fit of BRACES #1, #2, and
#3. They should fit between the SIDES at the
positions of the notches.
Be sure the convex curve (hump) of each BRACE faces
up, and that you place these BRACES right up to the
back edge of the SIDE pieces, so the curve matches
the ledge cut along the SIDE piece, as these braces
establish the curvature of the back.
NOTE
Sometimes the BRACES do not fit perfectly between the
SIDES. This could be caused by sloppy cutting on our
part, or it might be that the SIDES have bowed a little on
their own. We recommend checking the SIDES with a
straight-edge and fitting the BRACES so as to push or
pull the SIDES into alignment. If a BRACE is too short,
you may shim it with a scrap of veneer. If too long, use a
disk sander to remove a small amount of material without
changing the angle or rounding the end.
______7. When satisfied with the fit of each brace,
glue them in place and apply pressure (clamps or
tape) to hold until dry.
______8. Check over the back edges of the harp
frame. If any of the BRACES stand taller than the SIDES, sand them down flush with the
ledge.

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_____9. Test fit the BACK panel to the convex (humped) side of the frame. With a little
effort, it should bend to fit the curve of the BRACES and seat into the ledges of each SIDE.
You may have excess plywood extending beyond the SHOULDER and BASE of the frame
which can be trimmed off later.
It is not uncommon for the BACK to need sanding or planing along the edges to make
it a little narrower. Our parts are often generously sized. Use a hand plane to shave the
edges of the BACK to fit. Don't be concerned about a perfect fit, however. Slight gaps will
be covered over later on when you add veneer tape.
HINT: Find two scrap boards (bed slats or old 2 X 4's work fine) to place under the SIDES
of the frame before beginning to tack the BACK in place. This will keep the frame from
rocking from side to side as you pound the nails in. It may also help to place a thick
blanket or towel under the harp for padding.
Find the following items for the next step:
hammer
a few C-clamps
glue
bag of small nails included in this kit.
a friend to help with this step (four hands and two hammers make this easier)
______10. Clean off all sawdust from the frame and the back panel.

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Before you begin gluing, locate and start several nails along the sides of the panel, so they
are going in but not through the panel. This will make installation considerably faster after
gluing.
______11. Apply a thick bead of glue to the backside of the entire frame where it contacts
the BACK panel, including the cross BRACES,
SHOULDER, and BASE.
Immediately place the BACK in position with one clamp at
the BASE and another at the top of the SHOULDER.
Make sure the panel will bend down to fit into the ledges
at each SIDE.
Install a few more C-clamps at each BRACE, using the
large holes for easy access.
Begin tacking the plywood to the frame. Start by tacking
across the bottom so the BACK is held firmly to the BASE.
Place the nails 1" apart and centered on the frame below.
You might want to start tacking in every other nail,
working your way up each side to the SHOULDER to get
the plywood attached, then go back and put in the rest of
the nails.
DO NOT PLACE TACKS ACROSS THE TOP OF THE
SHOULDER OR ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE BACK
BRACES.
Try to work quickly, before the glue becomes too
thick.
POINT OF INTEREST
We use nails here because it is difficult to put clamps on these curved surfaces. The nails
do a nice job of holding the parts together until the glue dries. We provide wood veneer
tape to cover them later so they won’t be noticed by nosy friends or critical relatives.
______12. When the nailing is complete, check over all the seams to see if you need to add
or adjust clamps. Check especially at the top of the SHOULDER where the seams will show
on the finished harp.
HELPFUL HINT
Before gluing the SOUNDBOARD or BACK into place, get two clean rags wet, and have them readily
available for cleaning up excess glue that squeezes out of the joints. Keep your fingers clean too.
The second rag should be used for final “scrubbing” any affected area, just to make sure all glue
residue is removed. This will help save you lots of time toward the end of this project when you are
preparing to apply the finish.

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______13. Clean off excess glue with your damp rag right away, making a thorough job of it.
___ __14. We find it helpful to add STIFFENER BATTENS
along each side of the top three access holes in the BACK,
just to reinforce this thin laminate. Glue and clamp these
BATTENS to the BACK near the holes, as shown.
THE SOUNDBOARD
_____15. Draw a centerline down the length of the
SOUNDBOARD, on the front and back sides. Then draw a
pencil line 3" from the bottom on the back side only.
_____16. The REINFORCEMENT BAR is to be glued to the backside of the SOUNDBOARD,
starting at that line. It does not reach all the way to the top of the instrument because we
want the SOUNDBOARD to be thinner at the top. You may taper the thickness of the top 6
inches of this REINFORCEMENT BAR to make it gradually blend into the SOUNDBOARD.
Then glue and clamp it in place, as shown.
_____17. The front face of the SOUNDBOARD has the notch drawn on it (or precut).
POINT OF INTEREST
Many people ask why we use laminated wood instead of
solid for the soundboard. The reason for this is that we get
much more strength from laminated material than from
solid, and much less trouble with cracking. This superior
strength allows us to use a thinner soundboard than if we
were to use solid wood, so you get remarkable sound and
tuning stability with minimal risk of breakage.

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Cut out the notch marked at the bottom, using a
jigsaw or coping saw, so the reinforcement bar is
flush with the notch in the soundboard.
NOTE: SAVE THE SCRAP of wood from this cut-out.
You will use a portion of it later on.
_____18. Find the CENTER STRIP for the SOUNDBOARD. It is a long
narrow piece of walnut or cherry with punch marks in it. Sand the
sharp corners of this strip, as shown, to round them over.
_____19. Glue the CENTER STRIP to the SOUNDBOARD as follows:
A) Be sure the top and bottom are properly oriented. The punch
marks are closer to the bottom end than to the top.
B) Place the bottom of the
CENTER STRIP right next to the
notch. The upper end may extend
beyond the top of the SOUNDBOARD,
or you may cut it shorter and taper the
top end just beyond the last punch-
mark.
C) Draw the outline of the strip in its proper position so you can be sure to keep it properly
centered when clamping.
D) Make certain string hole markings are facing up.
E) Apply only a small ribbon of glue to the underside of the CENTER STRIP so you don't get
too much squeeze-out that will need to be cleaned up.
F) Use weights or clamps (in an emergency, look for a heavy sacks of flour, sugar, sand, or
fertilizer to use as weights!) to hold it until dry.
G) Check it again for straightness, if possible. This little strip can easily slide around under
the pressure of your clamps.
HINT: If the CENTER STRIP is not straight, hold a straight-edge against it to force it into
place, and use masking tape to hold it straight before applying clamps or weights.
CUSTOMER SUGGESTION: One customer who has built several of these harps suggests
tacking the CENTER STRIP in place with the tiny nails in the kit, instead of using clamps.
Place the nails at the punch-marks, but be careful not to pound them all the way in -- leave
the heads sticking up so you can pull the nails out later. We think this is a great idea!
Just take care not to split the wood when pounding the nails in.

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_____20. This would be a good time to sign and date your harp, on the inside of the
SOUNDBOARD, where it can be seen through one of the access holes in the BACK.
POINT OF INTEREST
Some people ask about finishing the inside of the soundchamber. We do not recommend trying it.
Guitars and violins are never finished on the inside, so this instrument need not be sealed on the
inside either. We understand people’s concern about the effects of humidity on the wood, but even
the best varnish or lacquer does not hermetically seal the wood. It blocks spilled milk from soaking
in, but it does not prevent the wood from “breathing” moisture vapor from the surrounding air.
_____21. Turn the SOUNDBOARD over and note the punch marks along the CENTER STRIP. Use
a 1/8" drill bit to bore these 31 holes through all three layers of wood in the SOUNDBOARD
assembly, as shown below.
INSTALLING THE SOUNDBOARD
_____22. Lay a straight-edge across the frame, from BASE to SHOULDER, and measure
the gaps between the straight-edge and the center of each BRACE.
HINT: Just as for the BACK, use bed slats or other supports along the sides of the harp,
underneath the protective padding, to hold it steady while pounding the nails into the frame.

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_____23. Subtract 1/8" from each measurement and cut a small scrap of wood to fill each gap, so it
reaches up within 1/8" of the straight-edge. Tape the scraps to the corresponding BRACES, so the
soundboard REINFORCEMENT BAR will rest on the scraps when you install the SOUNDBOARD.
(Don't worry; you will remove the scraps later!)
_____24. Test fit the SOUNDBOARD to the front of the
frame. You want it to have the same kind of curve that
the BACK has, along the entire length. And you want
the top of the "notch" to be at least 3” from the top of
the BASE. The scraps that you just taped to the
BRACES will help you achieve the proper curve to the
SOUNDBOARD. These scraps can be left in place until
you install the strings. The string tension will pull the
SOUNDBOARD away from the BRACES, allowing the
scraps to fall free.
You may have to push pretty hard to test fit the
SOUNDBOARD all the way along its entire length.
Make sure the SOUNDBOARD fully covers the
SHOULDER and the BASE. Again, you may need to
shave a little off each side to make this piece narrower.
Don't be concerned about a perfect fit along the SIDES.
Slight gaps will be covered over later when you add
decorative trim.
_____25. When you are satisfied with the fit, make some pencil marks on each edge so you know
where to position the assembly quickly after applying the glue.
Gather the following tools and supplies ready for quick use:
hammer (s)
glue
bag of small nails
padding to protect the back of the harp
two damp rags for clean-up
a friend to help you with this step (just as with the BACK)
_____26. Remove the
SOUNDBOARD and start
several nails along the
edges, as on the back, to
make installation faster,
and then apply a thick
bead of glue around the
four edges of the frame
that will contact the
soundboard.
NOTE: Do not put
glue on the scraps
taped to the
BRACES.