I start with a quarter inch hole when using a violin peg reamer. The bent sides look very good.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks for the suggestion- I will look at their page. The pegs I plan to use are for violins size 4/4 
(see the pic attached), so they should be the correct size. I also will buy the reamer, that thing isn't cheep though!
Well, things are moving along with my project- the dulcimer rib sections have been bent to shape and the fretboard has been made, with some relief carving on the sides. I have ordered a set of four Perfection Planetary Violin Pegs (size 4/4) for the dulcimer tuning head that I just started to work on.
These geared tuning pegs are highly rated and I do like the traditional/classical appearance over other geared tuning pegs.
I have not installed these before, (and actually the pegs have not arrived yet) so I am looking at various tutorials on YouTube and such.
My first question is what size to drill the peg holes in the peg box before they are reamed ? I have not found any info on that! (I am ready to start carving the tuning head & scroll and want the holes bored first.)
My guess is 3/8 " but don's want to make any errors.
Does anyone have some advice as to the hole size?
Thanks!!
Jim; iff you go to this discussion, there is an attachment of the Wfret file that you can click and download:
http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/group/dulcimermaking/forum/topics/fret-layout-2?commentId=3745489%3AComment%3A573798&groupId=3745489%3AGroup%3A2913
Ken Hulme said:
There are, here in the Building sections, several posts which list the fret spacings for some of the common VSLs. There is also the free downloadable "old" version of Wfret which some od us can send you that allows you to set any VSL and print out a template. Other fret calculator don't, IIRC allow print outs of templates.
Hi Ken,
I had the old version of WFRET on a desktop that died a few years ago. I am ready to build a few more dulcimers and discovered the "new" version doesn't support the mountain dulcimer diatonic option. Could you email it to me?
Thanks in advance, John
There are, here in the Building sections, several posts which list the fret spacings for some of the common VSLs. There is also the free downloadable "old" version of Wfret which some od us can send you that allows you to set any VSL and print out a template. Other fret calculator don't, IIRC allow print outs of templates.
I go up to E with a 0.022w on my McSpadden. And like Robin T I've used a false nut for some applications. In fact all the tunes in the key of G on The Cadair Idris Sessions were played in Ddd with a false nut under the bass string at fret 3 to give Gdd (a nice bright tuning). Note though that a false nut only works for noter drone playing as it raises and throws out the intonation of the string for fretting - this is why 95% of players have not heard about a false nut as they would be unable to use one for chord melody playing styles.
David, I agree with you, most of the instruments I have built have revolved around the use of quarter sawn timber, but now and then , either because I like the look of a piece, or because its all I have to hand, then the grain is whatever !! I like the stability of quarter sawn stuff, and it usually includes the bonus of being easier/more predictable to work, but I have a dulcimer 7 3/4 " wide, made from reclaimed true Hon. Mahog. (panels from a bank door) the back of which has grain which is truely tangentially sawn. It has stayed 'true and flat' and plays like a dream. So, while I agree with KenW re the mixing of timbers, with your choice of available material, I think I would go with maple for everything except the top, where I would use your red spruce, (I do love straight grained s/w tops) IMO this should result in a 'bright' sounding instrument, with the light coloured timbers darking down with exposure to light. I repeat, just my opinion based on my experience !
looking forward to see what you come up with
John
Quartersawn wood is certainly nice; especially for bending, but it is not necessary. You can make a fine dulcimer out of slab cut wood. Just be careful when bending the sides. Personally, I would make the whole thing from ash if i had enough. I don't like mixing too many woods.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
IIWM (If It Were Me) I'd use Ash for the sides (I like working with Ash) and the cherry for the back. Spruce, IHMO is a bit too soft for a back (which gets more wear than the top).
Clive, I have to add some info to my answer. Technical the pizo receives the vibrations of the bridge, but... the feedback coming from the body will alter those vibrations. Imagine experimenting with a magnetic pick up on a normal (classic) guitar, on a semi-acoustic guitar and on a solid body guitar. The sound will have each time a different character. The same goes for a solid body dulcimer.
Wout
It picks up the movements of the bridge (with feedback), so it will work. It even works with no body at all, as long as it makes contact with the bridge.
Wout
Thanks Richard and Helen - unfortunately I've been away from my dulcimer for MUCH too long. I had taken on a job caring for an elderly lady and that took most of my time. Unfortunately she passed away on Wednesday...so I am hoping to jump back into learning again!
Marg and others, forgive me for adding a little music theory, but there are different types of notes:
I would suggest forgetting about sixteenth notes for a while. You will be playing awfully fast to get those in dulcimer music, and most of us aren't ready for them yet.
There are two ways of indicating eighth notes. If you just have one by itself, it has a little flag as in the picture I posted. If you have two together, they are joined by a bar across the top as in the examples from the pictures Carrie posted and Marg quoted.
We all completed elementary school and learned our fractions, so this shouldn't be too hard. A whole note gets four beats, a half note gets two beats, a quarter note gets one beat, and an eighth note gets 1/2 a beat. Another way of saying that last part is that you play two eighth notes in the space of one quarter note.
That is why it helps to learn to strum in both directions. If you are strumming out once a beat, as Julie is in her rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle," then strumming in as well will let you play eighth notes. Maybe a short demo is in order.
Remember that this stuff takes time. Be patient. First goal: develop a steady strum in one direction. Second goal: develop a steady strum in both directions. Third goal: start to "swing." Fourth goal: have fun skipping strums and creating cool rhythms.
Are we to practice what we see?
When a note has a bar it goes out in? So 3 notes would be out in out? and 4 out in out in?
were we to click on the photo or just use it as a guide?
Thanks Carrie, everyone is very helpful but sometimes it still doesn't make any sense - yet.
And this pix by Doug Berch
Everyone at one point in time or another just has the strum get 'em down. These are just a couple of aids that may help you "whip" that strum into shape!
Julie, you're doing great! Stop beating yourself up. Your rhythm is steady, even when there are rests or half notes. Just keep doing what you're doing.
It seems like you are only strumming in one direction, and for now that's great. Twinkle Twinkle should only be strummed in one direction. When you feel more comfortable, try to strum in the other direction as well. So if you are going out now, you will want to add in strums.
To start out, try playing the Alphabet Song, which is basically the same tune as Twinkle Twinkle. But when you get to "L-M-N-O" you have to play eighth notes. Keep your hand moving just as steady as it is now, but on the M and O you will want to strum in rather than out (your hand has to move that way anyway!). There is no rush here, so if you don't feel ready for it, just put it off for a while. But that will be the next hurdle for you to cross. And given how you are playing now, I think you are about ready for it. And the main point is that your hand does not have to move any faster than you are playing now. But instead of only strumming in one direction you will, when the music calls for it, strum in the other direction, too.
Julie Semones said:
Alrighty all, I've been trying everything you all have posted, I think I'm finally catching on....here I am (YIKES, can't believe I'm sharing this!!LOL)
That's how it starts, Julie! 
Julie Semones said:
Alrighty all, I've been trying everything you all have posted, I think I'm finally catching on....here I am (YIKES, can't believe I'm sharing this!!LOL)
Alrighty all, I've been trying everything you all have posted, I think I'm finally catching on....here I am (YIKES, can't believe I'm sharing this!!LOL)
Alrighty all, I've been trying everything you all have posted, I think I'm finally catching on....here I am (YIKES, can't believe I'm sharing this!!LOL)
Thank you all for your responses!! I am going through reading them all. I've been trying to play since Aug 2013, which isn't really that long at all. I'm proud of myself for plucking out the tunes I have. My dad for Christmas made me some beautiful noters, and I've tried using those too...beautiful sound.. Please don't think I'm ignoring comments, I am just taking my time reading through them all!
Thank you all for your responses!! I am going through reading them all. I've been trying to play since Aug 2013, which isn't really that long at all. I'm proud of myself for plucking out the tunes I have. My dad for Christmas made me some beautiful noters, and I've tried using those too...beautiful sound.. Please don't think I'm ignoring comments, I am just taking my time reading through them all!
Many great suggestions here in everyone's answers- I think everyone's advice and approach is useful and good...check them all out, Julie, and you are sure to find an approach that suits your particular learning style perfectly.
There are a couple of different issues being addressed here. Julie commented that she has trouble strumming while playing a song. Most of us have given advice on how to develop a better strumming technique. One specific piece of advice was to practice with a metronome.
Ken's advice is how to arrange a song. And indeed playing a song by replicating on the dulcimer exactly how you would sing it is one way to arrange a song. It probably is the most obvious for people who are used to singing, and for those folks it might be a good way to start. But there are others. You might develop a rhythm that you think characterizes that song, strum that rhythm, and fit the melody notes into that rhythm. Another is to play a harmony part on the dulcimer. Or a counter-melody on the dulcimer. Those latter two take a bit of practice, but not perhaps as much as you think. Strumelia has a wonderful video on how to play a harmony part to Go Tell Aunt Rhody.
But none of those ways of arranging a tune are incompatible with the use of a metronome. When you practice with a metronome you do not strum every time the metronome sounds. Rather, the metronome keeps time for you, and you fit what you are playing into that steady rhythm. A metronome is usually set to a quarter note or half note, meaning it sounds two or four times a measure. But you might play one note per measure, eight notes per measure, or whatever, depending on the tune. Practicing with a metronome helps you develop a steady strumming pattern that sounds smooth rather than choppy and is consistent throughout. If you want to start with Ken's suggestion of strumming the melody the way it would be sung, that's fine, and using a metronome will help you do that steadily and consistently.
In my post above I did not mention using a metronome, but I think it a good idea. And in the video lesson to which I linked I don't address how to arrange a tune; that comes in the subsequent videos. The first thing is to develop a steady strum that feels comfortable, stays on beat, and moves smoothly across the strings.
Most beginning players concentrate on the left hand. They think that finding the right notes to play is the key to being a good musician. But most of our playing is done with the right hand. How smoothly we play, how loudly we play, how fast we play, whether we play one string or all three, all those decisions and more are determined by the right hand. The fact that you are aware of the need to work on your right hand is a good sign. Just being aware of it and working on it will make you a better player, better able to express whatever it is you want to express through music.
Julie, once you discover your strum and become comfortable with it, I would highly recommend the use of a metronome when practicing. A metronome is probably the most valuable implement available to novice and professional musicians alike for developing rhythmic and technical accuracy. 
I'm gonna suggest something different, Julie: don't try to be a metro-gnome.
Strum in the rhythm of the words not a machine-like rhythm. Start with songs you already know how they sound.
Strum once for each note -- in the rhythm of the words. Melody string only or across all three courses, it doesn't matter.
One of my favorite teaching tunes is Frere Jacques, because 1. Nearly everyone knows how it goes; 2. It's a simple repeated string of notes; 3. It has a distinctive, but not 'flat' rhythm.
Julie, here are some posts I wrote, along with videos, concerning getting your strumming rhythm to feel more natural:
Why is it taking so long?:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-is-it-taking-so-long-for-me-to.html
Strumming tips for beginners 1:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/01/video-tips-for-beginners-strumming.html
Strumming tips for beginners 2:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/01/video-tips-for-beginners-strumming_08.html
Muted strumming practice tips- fun!
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/02/many-new-players-understandably.html
Strumming patterns song 1:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/01/video-tips-for-beginners-sugar-hill.html
Strumming patterns song 2:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/01/video-tips-for-beginners-sugar-hill_19.html
Figuring out where to add the extra strums:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/01/video-tips-for-beginners-where-to-add.html
I suspect you are using mostly wrist or finger movement, many beginners do. Try making the movement more like brushing something off your lap which is more movement via the elbow rather than the wrist. You can advance to the more controlled wrist/finger strokes later.
Julie, not sure how long you have been on your dulcimer playing journey. I have only been at it for 4 months now. This forum had been of great help and encouragement. A month or two ago I described that my playing sounded like a series of rear end car crashes. Several members recommended that I practice strumming with a metronome and it really helped. After about 2 or 3 weeks of practicing strumming to a metronome things started coming together. I also practiced walking my fingers up and down the frets as I strummed to the metronome. This really helped with the strumming hand to finger hand coordination. Start off at about 60 BPM and work up to somethingyou are comfortable with. Occasionally you may need to take a day off to get the tick, tick... tick out of your head. http://www.metronomeonline.com/ . I had never played an instrument before and am 68 so my fingers to brain speed isn't what you would call fast anymore. After 110 days I posted a video of "Ode to Joy". It isn't Carnegie Hall quality but it is a great improvement over the Atlanta highways in the snow noises I used to create. See video below - I can strum in both directions but was nervous and just wanted get through it without dorking it up. Keep practicing, don't give up and things will happen.
Julie, I would suggest putting your left hand entirely over the strings of the dulcimer so they are muted. Don't think about playing notes at all. With your right hand, hold the pick so that most of the pick is securely between your thumb and index finger, but hold it loosely, not tightly. Think of strumming as brushing across the top of the strings rather than actually plucking them. As you strum out, angle the top of the pick away from you and just barely touch the top of the strings. Do that as you count 1-2-3-4. Just take it slow. Once you have a nice, slow, even stroke going out on the beats, count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & and strum out on the numbers and in on the &s. As you strum in, you want to angle the top of the pick toward you.
Reminders: 1) keep lots of the pick in contact with your fingers; you don't want to just hold the end while most of the pick sticks out; 2) hold the pick loosely, not tight; 3) brush across the tops of the strings softly; 4) keep a steady beat even if you have to go very slowly to do so.
Carrie has already pointed you toward John Keane's excellent video on strumming . I also put together a three-part instructional video on using a flatpick . The first video covers strumming. You might find it helpful.
You might also keep a pick with you at all times. I sometimes practice rhythmic strumming on my leg, my stomach, the steering wheel, the arm rest of my chair, etc.
Just take it slow and don't get impatient. Good technique takes time.
Be patient with yourself, Julie. It takes a great deal of time and patient practice. Make sure you SLOW everything down a LOT! work slowly on small little sections at a time and don't worry about speed for now. Speed comes later. There is nothing wrong with you, it's just the nature of the beast. It will get easier and easier with time.
