Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 7-27-2004
Location: Los Angeles
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Purfling, revisited
When I was making my first oud, I had a lot of trouble with the thin purfling strips between the ribs. I got a lot of help from Dincer, Hank, and
others.
I want to ask for any more tips.
Here has been my approach:
Set the first bent rib. Then, glue on purfling strips to each side of that rib after you have somehow managed to bend them to shape. I use tape to
hold the purfling onto the rib while the glue dries. Then, I place the next rib.
Unfortunately, I always end up introducing small errors allong the was when I add that purfling strip, and the fit of the next rib becomes more
problematic.
Dincer's approach seems reasonable (setting the rib, putting the next shaped rib next to it but not set, and then using a hot iron to push the
purfling into the space), but I have a hard time getting the purfling to stay in the same plane as the rib itself--it's trickier than it looks for me,
but, of course, Dincer is a master, and it might just be a matter of me learning the technique. It might help if I built one of those solid
moulds/forms like Turunz or Kyvelos, but I guess I am trying to avoid that---I just built two traditional moulds, and I want to use them.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Dr. Oud
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Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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I always bent the purfling/strips just like the ribs, then glued them in as I assembled each rib, but I don't even use a mold. It would seem to me
that you would need a solid mold to use Dincer's iron-in method, otherwise the purfling would just squirt into the gaps between the bulkheads of your
bulkhead mold. I suppose you could use the heat blanket bender machine, but you'd need to clamp a bunch of strips together somwhow or they would
probably twist.
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Jameel
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Didn't Hank once mention tying a whole bunch of lines together with thread and bending them as if they were a single rib?
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Jonathan
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Thanks, guys. Doc, I agree with you--I think a solid mould would help with Dincer's approach, but it looks like on his site he is using a
traditional mould. That's the problem I am having--it only stays in the right plane at the bulkheads.
I have tried Hanks approach, but I still end up getting the twisting.
I think my problem may just be that I am having more difficulty because the purfling is so narrow.
I actually scrapped my project (6 ribs down), and I am going to restart it, but, this time, use a thicker purflling. One wood, maybe 1/8 inch wide or
a little wider, and I will try to treat it just like a rib--sanding it just like a rib.
I appreciate your help.
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SamirCanada
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Registered: 6-4-2004
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Wouldnt the open holes between the bulkheads allow you to get in there with your other hand and push agains the purfling being Ironed down? With
another tool like a smooth peice of metal sheet that's been rounded off. Just a suggestion.
The trick part would be to get the bowl held, so you can work with both your hands free. Jameel's marine CB radio holder could do the trick if mounted
right.
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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Yes, you can do that Samir. I guess the problem is that in so doing, I mess up the angle a bit.
If the purfling does not lie exactly flat against the adjacent rib, the angle is off, and the next rib is tough to fit. Also, if any little drops of
glue wind up on the outside of the purfling, the next rib is going to be tough to fit. It really is not possible to sand it down after it has dried
in place, becuse the purfling is so thin (at least the stuff I have been using).
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