Are there luthiers who will build with your wood?

Gwyn Calvetti
Gwyn Calvetti
@gwyn-calvetti
9 years ago
12 posts
Thanks everyone. My new dulcimer is coming down as I type. I have mixed feelings about it, but having the new dulcimer made will allow it to sing in the years to come.
Pete Staehling
Pete Staehling
@pete-staehling
9 years ago
5 posts

If you manage to have some dried lumber from the tree I might be able to help. Most of my dulcimers are kind of unique in a number of ways, but if they are of interest to you, I would be willing to work with customer supplied lumber that was properly dried. I am used to breaking down larger pieces into pieces suitable for instrument parts.

My instruments are non traditional in a number of ways and most of them are travel oriented. If that interests you you might have a look at:

https://www.facebook.com

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FeatherDulcimer

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
9 years ago
2,111 posts

Yeah.... you could probably make a couple of dulcimers out of a 4 ft diameter walnut log....<grin>

Gwyn Calvetti
Gwyn Calvetti
@gwyn-calvetti
9 years ago
12 posts
Thanks for the insights. We live near Amish country and many families run sawmills, so we would be able to get that part done, too. The tree is easily that big around, probably closer to four feet diameter.
Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
9 years ago
2,111 posts

There are certainly builders who will work with your wood, but it needs to be cut and cured (dried) properly. Your "tree cutters" can cut the trunk into logs about 3-4 ft long. Hopefull the good parts of the tree are 8"-10" in diameter. But unless the "cutters' work for a sawmill, they won't have any idea of what to do beyond that. A local sawmill, or someone with a large band saw, can then slice the logs into planks of varying widths and ideally about 1/4" or 1/2" thick. These planks are then stacked together with spacers to allow air in between the planks, and allowed to air dry slowly (out of the sun) for 6 months or so before they can be used for building instruments or anything.

Gwyn Calvetti
Gwyn Calvetti
@gwyn-calvetti
9 years ago
12 posts
We have a black walnut tree that has to come down, and I'd like to have a dulcimer made with some of the wood. So...are there builders I the US who might do this? I 'd like to find out how to prepare the wood properly, and if the tree cutters need any specific instructions? Thanks.
updated by @gwyn-calvetti: 08/04/23 06:43:45AM