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My first attempt(s) at making a PVC shakuhachi are done. Follow the link below to see my video review.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0xUTXP5ch8
1A was done following the instructions on Kinya Sogawa’s website.
http://www.fides.dti.ne.jp/~sogawa/englishpagepvc.html
1B was done using Perry’s instructions from this forum.
http://shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=3500
However, I also studied Molado’s video a fair bit before starting, so I am sure there was in influence in construction technique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRkoKrCLJCY
Things I would like to improve on:
-Utaguchi construction (practice practice)
-alignment of the holes (more precisely in line)
Things I want to introduce:
-a box or work stand to hold the shakuhachi
-wooden wedges that would serve as a rest/guide on a belt sander so that I could us it to get the angle I want for the Utaguchi. (and to slope back the part that rests on the chin)
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Rob Bondy wrote:
Things I want to introduce:
-a box or work stand to hold the shakuhachi
-wooden wedges that would serve as a rest/guide on a belt sander so that I could us it to get the angle I want for the Utaguchi. (and to slope back the part that rests on the chin)
This may be of some use to you (note that this is on a long flute, and that the backcut angle (for chinrest) is more than for, say, a 1.8; in my experience an utaguchi angle from 30 to 35 degrees works well for 'modern' flutes):
This image will print at 5 x 5 inches at fair resolution (96ppi), so it could be printed, enlarged if desired, and cut out and glued to a thin piece of wood or cardboard to use as a guage to get in the ballpark (after all, this is not quite rocket science, but mostly ballpark...).
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Rob Bondy wrote:
Thank you Edosan.
Nicely done video, Rob.
Here are some tips on drawing straight lines and getting holes where you want them. This stuff works best on PVC (smooth) tubes, but I've also used the methods on bamboo:
It's quite possible to draw a pretty straight line down the PVC: First, ascertain the center of the tube relative to your utaguchi bevel, mark it, then put one end of the tube against your stomach, and hold the other end with your non-drawing hand (I'm left handed, so reverse this if necessary). Hold the pencil like this (observe finger placement carefully, it's important):
The idea is to stack you fingers together against the tube to form a solid foundation/guide for the pencil. Don't grip the thing too tightly, just make everything come together and stay there. Line up with your utaguchi center mark, and lightly make the line, not too fast, almost to the end at your body. NOTE: place the tube against your body off to the side toward your drawing hand, so your hand doesn't hit your body as it comes in. Piece of cake (especially if you've done it for about 30 years...). This is an exercise in paying attention.
Now you'll want to locate a point just opposite your line for the fifth hole. Fold a piece of printer paper in half, short edge to short edge to make a nice sharp straight edge at the fold. Trim of the sheet so you have a 1 1/2-2 inch wide strip. Wrap the piece around the tube so that it overlaps with itself, and make a mark just at the overlap, like this:
Now find the center point between your mark and the end of the strip by either measuring it, or folding the end to the mark and creasing the strip to mark the center:
Finally, wrap the strip around the tube so your first mark is aligned with the front line, and then mark the center on the back using the center mark on the strip. Now make another short straight line on the tube in the vicinity of the fifth hole location on the back.
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When i'm trying to get a straight line, i take a piece of angle bracket.....(or wooden corner moulding) and take just the tube....no utaguchi attached and lay the pipe in the angle bracket like this....
and then just a quick line with a pencil gets you a perfectly straight line. Then i can easily align the utaguchi with that line and know that all of my holes will be perfect.
and as far as the utaguchi...i make it BEFORE i put it on the tube... that way i know it's perfect, before i even use it....
kinda like it's shown on here...
http://www.navaching.com/shaku/pvc.html
Hope that helps....
jacques
Last edited by jaybeemusic (2009-09-15 11:06:49)
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I use narrow blue painter's masking tape. Works great for bamboo that is very curved. Just eyeball the strip of tape down the length from the utaguchi, tag it to the nodes, adjust it press it down when you are satified, and then measure and mark the holes. Just drill right through the tape. It leaves no residue.
Also to mark the thumb hole placement (as was covered above), make your measurement on the top dead center, and take a piece of tape and circle all the way around from your top mark. Cut or mark your tape where the ends come together to give your circumference, pull the tape off and fold the tape non sticky side in half and mark it. Then put it back on the bamboo, and drill on your mark. You don’t need to make any measurements for quick perfect placement.
Last edited by Taldaran (2009-09-15 12:13:06)
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