Clavichord Day 19 - Balance Pins, Backrail Cloth, Punchings

Continuing on with the keyboard, we started out the day getting the balance pins into the balance rail. First, they were lightly tapped in.


Each pin should only stick out 5/8", so we made a small block at that height and drilled a hole in it. With this block set over each pin, it was easy to hammer them down to the right depth.




Here's a look from the front with the nameboard in place. The 5/8" height of each balance pin is perfect for sitting just below the nameboard without touching.


Here's an illustration of the "see-saw" point I made yesterday about the keys. Notice the key sitting around a balance pin in the center. The thumbnail we previously glued onto the back of the key sits in its respective slot in the guide rack.


The backs of the keys, as seen above, will constantly be swinging up and down when the instrument is being played. Thus, the backs of the keys will be landing on that backrail quite often. To soften that blow, we now cut to size and nailed in place a length of black wool along the top ledge of the backrail, where the backs of the keys rest.




The keys will also get a lot of action at the balance pin, so to protect the centers of the keys we put on each balance pin a small red felt punching.


Here's a look at the case with the black wool on the backrail and the red punchings on the balance pins. Looks neat!

Clavichord Day 3 - Soundboard Liners and Backrail

Today's job was to put in the front and rear liners (which will form part of the platform for the soundboard to rest on), and also to glue in the backrail, on which the backs of the keys will rest.

We started by trimming and then gluing the front liner in place, up against the wrestplank on the right. As always, the clamps were put to good use.


Then we did the same with the rear liner.


A quick look at the case with both liners glued in.


Before putting in the backrail, it had to be sanded to fit.


Then, just as with the liners, the backrail was clamped and glued in place along the rear of the case, but up against the hitchpin block on the left end.


As usual, Kyla cleaned up after the gluey mess.


The clavichord at the end of Day 3, liners and backrail in place!