Hitch pins

Before stringing the harpsichord, the hitch pins, which are the terminus of the strings, need to be installed.

I'm using 1.8 mm diameter iron hitch pins, which go into 1.7 mm holes drilled through the walnut soundboard moldings into the soundboard liner. The pins are 35 mm long and I want them to project about 5 mm above the molding.

Since the hitch pins are so close to the edge of the case, no normal drill bit can safely drill the holes, because the drill chuck will collide with the case walls well before the hole gets deep enough. The long extension bit shown here keeps the drill clear of the case rim:


The blue tape is a depth indicator for a 32 mm deep hole. A piece of cardboard acts as a shield to protect the case walls from scuffs.

The hitch pin setter shown below has a hole 5 mm deep which leaves each pin exposed by that amount. Once the holes are drilled, the pins are installed by hammering them into their holes with the setter until the tip of the tool contacts the walnut soundboard molding. A scrap of maple veneer protects the case interior as the pins are driven:


I waxed the lower part of each pin a little to avoid excessive friction during installation.

Because the hitch pins block easy access to the lowest part of the case interior, I made sure to apply two coats of my case finish—a gel varnish—to the bentside and tail interiors before driving in the pins. I haven't applied finish to any other part of the case yet, but I decided to do these areas now.

When I string the instrument, I'll bend each hitch pin slightly backwards. This will discourage the string loop that hooks onto each pin from sliding upwards.

Applying shellac to the soundboard

Today, soundboards often receive a few thin coats of shellac as a finish. In past centuries the old makers sometimes applied nothing at all, or they used a wash coat of dilute hide glue. Probably the latter was intended to seal the soundboard surface before painting it, but the brittle quality of dried hide glue is thought to have a positive effect on the soundboard's tone.

I decided to apply shellac because it offers a modicum of protection against humidity, though shellac is not very resistant to liquid water. I don't have experience with hide glue, so perhaps in some future project I'll explore this particular use for it.

After sanding the soundboard, the walnut moldings, the bridge and the nut one last time, I applied a couple of coats of dewaxed blond shellac, sanding very lightly after the first coat to knock down any raised grain. The end result was a more golden appearance for the soundboard and a subtle sheen. The walnut items darkened and received a pleasing gloss.

My soundboard rose is a two-part ornament. The first part was glued to the underside of the soundboard hole a long time ago; the second part is a decorative ring that surrounds the hole from above. Before applying the shellac, I covered the hole perimeter with masking tape to preserve an unfinished gluing surface. After the last coat of shellac dried, I glued down the ring with fish glue. The result is rather nice: