Confused about strings gauge reccomendations...
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
@gerardo1000, it's a good idea to start with the luthier's recommendations about string gauge, as you are doing, but don't feel locked into those gauges. Follow your own preferences. And in fact, a difference of 1 or 2 is inconsequential, so I wouldn't fret about the difference between .011 and .012 or .022 and .024.
There are factors other than VSL to consider, and again, the most important is your own preferences. One thing to remember is that you want some consistency of tension across the strings. You might consult a string tension calculator such as this one to ensure that the three courses have similar tension.
FWIW, I prefer slightly heavier strings for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they are louder and also that they provide more resistance, allowing more precision when bending. There is also a faster response to the flatpick (something enhanced with heavier picks). On my dulcimers with VSLs in the 25"-26" range, I use .026 on the bass, .016 on the middle, and .013 on the melody. YMMV, of course.
Strings are cheap. I would suggest buying single strings (not pre-packaged dulcimer sets) and experimenting to find your own personal preferences.