Nerdy Gurdy · Nerdy Gurdy assembly instructions CC BY-NC 3.0 Jaap Brand, 2018-02-03 Final notes...

Nerdy Gurdy Assembly instructions

Nerdy Gurdy assembly instructions CC BY-NC 3.0 Jaap Brand, 2018-02-03

This manual describes how to assemble a Nerdy Gurdy kit. Go to http://www.nerdygurdy.nl for more info about these instruments. Jaap Brand The Netherlands January 2018 General directions:

The parts are glued together with regular wood glue (not included in the kit).

Don’t glue the bridge or any part that’s adjustable.

Make sure that all surfaces that touch are fully glued together. This prevents undesirable vibration when you’re playing.

When removing parts from the plate that are still attached, it’s best to cut the attached points with a sharp knife, to avoid splintering.

Before gluing, it is wise to assemble the parts without glue, so that you’re sure how they fit together. You can assemble most of the instrument without glue, to get an idea of how the parts go together.

It’s best to read through the whole sequence, before starting.

If you do something wrong, it is possible to release wood glue by heating it (e.g. with a pressing iron)

http://www.nerdygurdy.nl/


Parts Included

wood sheet 3mm 4x

sheet 6 mm 2x

Loose parts pegs 5x

threaded rod M8 6cm 1x

threaded rod M8 24cm 1x

nut 8mm 11x

nut M3 4x

shaft bush-ring 1x

bolt M2,5 x 10 48x

bolt M3 x 10 4x

bearing 8x22 3x

screw 2,5 x 13 4x

screws back plate/strap pins 3.5 x 17 6x

spacer ring 8,4 mm 5x

felt 1x

ground ring terminal 2x

strings chantarelle (viola) 2x

trompet 1x

bourdon (cello) 1x

printed parts Knob (A) 1x

tangent high (B) 28x

tangent low (C) 20x

shaft nut (D) 1x

bearing ring (E) 2x

strap pin (F) 2x

Front bearing assy (G) 1x

backplate glueing jig (H) 1x

Finished parts wheel 1x


Not included in kit You will need the following materials to build your Nerdy Gurdy (not included in the kit):

Standard wood glue

(retractable) knife

A number of gluing clamps

Varnish (optional, but recommended)

Sand paper

Some tools (screw drivers, 13 mm spanner, etc.)

Some basic woodworking skill and patience :)


1) Glue the borders to the top and bottom of the Nerdy Gurdy

Notes:

Make sure that you glue the border to the correct side of the top plate: it’s not symmetric (red circle)

The two borders are symmetric and identical

Make sure that the parts are nicely centered. You can use mating parts to check alignment (picture below)

You can use some books to press the parts together


2) Assemble the ‘head’ and front bearing support

head

Front bearing support


3) Mount the head between the top, pillar and rear between the top plate and bottom plate.

Notes:

Make sure that the opening at the rear side is at the top of the Gurdy (red circle).


Front bearing

The shaft is screwed into a bush at the front bearing, to avoid it from rattling. It’s most easy to assemble this before you attach the sides to the instrument.

There is a hole in the bush to prevent it from rotating, when you’re assembling the shaft.

Attach the bearing holder with 2 x [screw, 2.5 x 13]


3) Mount the sides, starting from the head

Notes:

You can glue the parts in steps, if you don’t have enough clamps (like me).

I use the machine heads to clamp the head plates together.

Complete the head, assemble the bridge

Notes:

You don’t need to glue the bridge: it may be nice to be able to replace it. A spare part is included.

Some spacers are included (red circle)


Assemble the tailpiece

Make sure these parts are on the correct side, as shown

Notes:

Make sure that you insert the nuts, before you glue everything together.

I use the top plate as a mold, to ensure the spacing of the bridge parts is correct.


Place the bolts, wedge parts and bridge segments

There are two types of tuning peg. For the other positions both will fit ok. For the tail

piece you need to use the correct version.


Glue the rear cover pieces together

A tool is included to align the pieces for gluing

Assemble the key box


Glue the lid pieces together

Notes:

A blank plate is included in the kit, if you don’t want to have the lettering on top.

Glue the buzzing bridge support together


Apply lacquer You may want to lacquer or paint your parts at this point in the assembly.

Glue an extra layer on top of the short keys

Notes: The numbers are on the top of the keys. That’s the side on which you need to stick the extra layer.


Glue the key box to the body, and assemble keys and tangents

Assemble the bourdon support and buzzing bridge support

Don’t glue these parts, just place them!


Assemble the shaft

Notes:

The printed ring is screwed to the back plate, to secure the bearing (2 x [screw, 2.5 x 13]).

You may need to add some glue to lock the thread of the nut that secures the knob. Else it may come loose while turning. Alternatively you can use a locking nut (included in newest kits).


Assemble the wheel The wheel slides into the slot on top, and you screw the shaft into the wheel. In the end, the shaft needs to be screwed into the bush with the front bearing. Insert a pin into the bush, to prevent it from rotating:

You may need to tweak the locations of the nuts on the shaft a bit, to get the shaft properly aligned and straight.

The shaft may not be perfectly straight, so you will need to ‘true’ the wheel after you assemble it. Rotate it by hand and apply a scraping iron or horizontal chisel, until it is perfectly round. Afterwards, finish with fine sanding paper.


Mount the strap pins

Mount the strings


Notes:

You need to tie a short string from the machine head at the rear, to the string. With this knob you can adjust the trumpet effect. You may need to tweak the location of the string a bit, to get a good buzzing effect.


Final notes I’ve designed this instrument with the purpose of making a Hurdy Gurdy with an acceptable sound, for a very good price. I hope that it enables people to start playing the instrument who would not have had the means otherwise, or are hesitant to invest thousands of dollars straight away. The design is unconventional: it was designed from scratch with the above purpose in mind. Therefore the construction method is in many ways different from traditional instruments. It does however sound pretty good, and it is very playable. And because of the material and the method of construction, it is very stable New players will still need to learn how to properly apply rosin to the wheel, and cotton to the strings. But there are many tutorials online, if you don’t have experienced players who can teach you. Enschede, January 2018 Ps. This manual and the Nerdy Gurdy itself are an ongoing project. Please let me know how they can be further improved.

Nerdy Gurdy · Nerdy Gurdy assembly instructions CC BY-NC 3.0 Jaap Brand, 2018-02-03 Final notes...

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