Hello to everyone. I've been lurking here for a little while, and wanted to introduce myself and ask a couple of questions. I'm in the "Sopranos Country" area of New Jersey, and I'm about to embark on my first "real" build. I've built a few cigar-box instruments (not all guitars - one is a Greek Baglamas), each one more complex/sophisticated than the last, and they actually sound pretty decent plugged in. I've also built a Saxon lyre, but, while that sounds pretty nice, it's a pretty limited instrument... Now I want to have a crack at a more complex, fully acoustic instrument. I will build for my own enjoyment, and have no desire to make it a career or anything like that.
I've been a woodworker for many decades, have a fairly well-equipped hand-tool shop. My only power tools are a small lathe and a drill press that I use mostly for metal work. I really love making my own tools, and do a little smithing to serve my tool needs. I'd like to build instruments using only (or mostly) hand tools, mostly because I enjoy working that way, but also because of limitations of budget and space.
I should be starting my first real project soon - I'm leaning towards something in the lute family, either a tzouras or a trixordo bouzouki, and anticipate starting to cut wood within a week or two. If anyone is interested, I'll keep records and post progress (though I'm sure my efforts will seem hopelessly naive to most of the folks posting here...).
The tzouras is traditionally carved out of a single log of mulberry wood, though many are made with glued up ribs nowadays, like a lute. The bouzouki is always made more like a lute. I live near NYC, and have no access to logs of anything, but do have a few large slabs of what I believe is basswood. So here's the first question: How much impact would the choice of wood have on an instrument whose body is carved out to a wall thickness of between 3/16" and 1/4"? Wondering if I should just use those slabs for something else, and go with bent/glued ribs...
Second question: It really makes no sense to buy guitar sets to make ribs for lute-style instruments. Figure is irrelevant, and I would probably have to buy at least two sets to make one instrument, with lots of waste. Instead, I was considering buying some 8/4 maple and/or walnut at the lumber yard, and then ripping 1/4" strips off the boards (in the quartersawn direction) and planing them down to make the ribs. Does that make sense? I figure about 4 board feet would give more than enough to make all the ribs for a 24 rib instrument, including waste ...
Third question: I've always done all my stock prep with hand tools. But the thought of ripping 50 linear feet of maple or walnut by hand is giving me pause - I'm not as young as I was...
I still have space limitations, though, so was considering getting a 9" or 10" benchtop bandsaw. Is it worth it, or are they just toys? If so, any recommendations? Maybe I need to suck it up and just rip this a little at a time...I've really enjoyed lurking here and reading the old threads. What a storehouse of knowledge you've created here! Thanks in advance for any feedback/answers.