Clavichord Day 11 - We're Back! Lid Work & Stain

After a long hiatus, we're back in action!

On our way to finishing the case work, the first small step was to plane down the toolbox lid until it fit nicely in place.



That being done, the last major part of the case to be done was the lid. The job was to get the hinges on the lid and case, so that the lid opens and closes freely with an equal overhang on all sides. The first step was measuring for the exact location of the hinges, and marking the screw holes.


Then, the pilot holes were drilled.


The hinge, perfectly in place.


With the lid in place on the instrument (and floating just a bit above the case, so that later the hinges won't scratch the top of the spine) the holes were marked on the case itself.


A look at the case from behind, with the lid screwed on!



Now, it is time to decorate the case. This will be a long and rewarding project. The look we are going for is a rich red stain on the case, with faux inlays of tortoiseshell surrounded by bands of gold leaf.

First things first. A wood conditioner was applied to all the pieces requiring staining.



Then, the stain itself was applied.



A look at the various pieces of the instrument after 2 coats of stain:
That's all for Day 11. It's fun to be back!