THE APPALACHIAN MOUTH BOW: EASY TO MAKE, EASY TO PLAY!
(Page 2 of 3)
May/June 1983
by Rick Sell
If you do have suitable tools and wish to cut the slat yourself, you'll need to get a piece of stock that's at least 2" X 2" X 36" (this will produce strips for more than one bow). Allowing for the loss of some wood in sanding, slice off a strip a little more than 3/16" thick, then trim it to slightly more than 1-1/4" in width and 32" in length.
RELATED CONTENT
AP Poll: Most pet owners would perform CPR on pets, but few are prepared for emergency...
A Plowboy Interview with an outspoken opponent of strip mining and a staunch supporter of Appalachi...
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious virus that affects all cloven-hoofed livestock,...
This mix comes from Craig Bumgarner which was included in Edward B Garvey's book, Appalachian Hiker...
SHAPING AND STRINGING
Once the slat has been cut, you'll need to form a gentle point at each end, starting the taper about 6 inches from the tip. You can do this by sawing or by sanding, whichever is easier, and the curve produced can be gradual or sharp. Do, however, try to make both ends symmetrical.
Now, smooth the slat. You can use a mechanical sander to take down any really rough spots . . . but be careful to move the tool lightly and evenly over the wood so you don't scrape it down too far. Further hand sanding with fine sandpaper—and perhaps even with fine steel wool toward the last—will make the slat as smooth as glass.
When the split is ready, drill a hole into each tip to accommodate a brass screw (a 5/64" hole will- suit a No. 2 screw). Twist the two pieces of hardware into place, making sure that the slots in the heads are positioned so that the string can run end-to-end through them.
If you're planning to use a ball-end string, drill a 1/16" hole about 1-1/2 inches from one end of the slat, centered and slanting upward toward the tip (see the diagram). If the string that you've chosen has a loop end, nail the brad in at an angle 1 inch below the new hole.
The loop will hook over the brad, and the string can then be threaded through the hole. Now, on the opposite end of the slat, drill a 5/16" hole—or one of whatever size is needed to accommodate your violin tuning peg—straight through the slat, at a point about 3-1/4 inches from the tip. The tuning peg is tapered and should fit snugly in the hole, with an available portion from 1/2" to 3/4 "between the fingerhold and the slat—upon which the string will be wrapped. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We found our test model much easier to put together after we drilled a 1/16" hole through the tuning peg, close to t he point at which it entered the slat. The end of the guitar string was threaded through this hole and bent, and the string was then wrapped around the peg as usual.]
ASSEMBLE IT
At this point you should be able to assemble your bow and try it out to see if it'll hold together. First, thread the string through the slanted hole and wrap the far end around the tuning peg. Then run the string around both tip ends and through the screw slots. Now, flex the slat into a bow-one that's perhaps 4"-5" deep at its midpointby standing the tip on a stable surface and applying a little pressure . . . take up slack in the guitar string by wrapping more of it around the tuning peg . . . and thrust the peg firmly into its hole. Finally, hold the bow well away from your face and pluck the string with your finger or a pick. If everything holds together, you're ready to finish the job.
