Introduction

[Charles Stroom <charles@yc.estec.esa.nl>]

I guess it is time for another introduction.  I am Charles Stroom and
one of those amateur musical instrument makers Cary was referring to.
My musical instrument interests date from a long time ago, but they
became really serious when I followed a course in recorder making with
Alec Loretto in 1980 (and since then I did a few more of his courses).
Although I have made an occasional renaissance type wind instrument
(crumhorn), my main interest is the baroque recorder.  I have made a
quite a few also according to a Terton alto which I measured in the
Hague Gemeentemuseum in 1985, but have to admit that usually I turn to
one made by a professional for my own playing.  I learned somewhat of
wood working because of repair/restoration work on my own furniture,
some of which is older than I am and occasionally falls apart.

Since some years I haven't made any recorder, because of occupation
with other things, but recently I started an Italian virginal (and if
someone knows of a possible way how to make reproducible square holes
in the solid box slide for the jacks, but not using fancy modern
tools, please let me know).

I started as a physicist by education, got a job in the space industry
in my home country Holland as a thermal engineer in 1968, and,
although I am still in the space industry, my major occupation is with
the development of simulation software, i.e. nothing musical at all.

A remark on oiling.  I made the bore in my recorders using a shell
auger (static auger with turning wood blank), and hand reamers for
sizing.  Reamers are made from a solid metal, turned into the desired
profile and cut longitudinal and sharpened.  Looking from the top they
have the profile of a slightly more than half moon.  Both work better
using oil during boring and reaming, and although I have used other
oils, all my recorders are oiled this way with raw linseed oil.  I am
also using the wood shavings with linseed oil to polish the outside,
works beautifully.  Would oil be used for this purpose in ye olde
days, I wonder?

Charles Stroom

charles@yc.estec.esa.nl