Jim Bress

Love your varnish. You consistently make some of my favorite reds.

Seems only "logical" that we should be on the Stradivari diet (whatever that was).

The African goose may be laden (e.g. carrying a coconut) given it's much larger size than the Greylag goose (European).

Yes it does!

I’ve not built a cello (yet) either. The long handle has more to do with how I use the roughing gouges. The shape of the “ball” end lets me hold the gouge with my wrist straight and allows for twisting like a door knob as needed. The length let’s me locate my arm against my torso and I do all my pushing with my legs and hip torque, not my arms. This really helps my back and add lots of power. Maple, spruce no difference. If the gouge is sharp I cut right through it. David does the same thing, pushing with legs and body not arms, but in a little bit different way.

Well done Doctor Fox. Your patient is looking much better and is ready to return to work.

You could add a pool cue joint for a multi-length gouge handle.

Thanks Nate. Great and detailed info as usual. -Jim

No lathe required. My old gouge handle in the pictures was turned by a pen maker I know. I like the one I made without a lathe better. I used a combination of measurements and "feels right". If you can make a neck there's no reason you can't make a decent gouge handle in short order. I don't know that I deserve Edi's praise. I just made adjustments to suit me. In the schematic, the handwritten numbers are what I adjusted the dimensions to. The chunk of walnut cost me $10 if I remember correctly.

I looked at the picture before reading your post and thought that's got to be an uncomfortable handle. Do you have a link to the site? Thanks, Jim

How long is long? Is this what you use for your celli? -Jim

No drill press?

It's called "The Nature and Art of Workmanship". I have it and found it an interesting read. https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Art-Workmanship-David-Pye/dp/0713689315/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords="The+nature+and+art+of+workmanship"&qid=1553167434&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

This anecdote may not apply unless you have an optometrist that has no direct connection with the cataract or LASIK surgery which is unlikely. When I needed my first (left) shoulder surgery I asked my primary care physician how can I tell a good orthopedic surgeon from a mediocre, or bad one? He placed three calls to other physicians he new well and asked "if you were having this surgery on your own shoulder who would you want to perform the surgery"? He got the same name three times with out hesitation. I doubt I'll be lucky enough to get that kind of recommendation when my eyes reach the point that my insurance company is willing to pay for the surgery.

Thanks. One of the many lessons I've learned from Joe Thrift. If you make a mistake don't waste time getting mad, just fix it and move on.