Abstract: A method of making a violin including forming the body, neck, sound post and backplate as a unitary structure from a single piece of material such as wood. The fingerboard, shim and nut is also formed as a single piece. The top plate, bridge, tailpiece and peg structure are separately provided and assembled with the body-neck and fingerboard members in a simple and inexpensive instrument. A kit with components thus formed is disclosed.

Abstract: A soundboard for a piano comprises three plies of wood bonded together, the front and back plies being of substantially equal thickness and the center ply being of a thickness greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the front and back plies. The center ply comprises a plurality of elongate boards each having a preselected curvature from side-to-side, these boards are bonded together edge-to-edge with the curvature of each board in the same direction to form a composite board having a substantially continuous curvature, concave on one side and convex on the other side. Consequently, the assembled, three-ply soundboard has a curvature imparted thereto by the center ply.

Abstract: A complete production line of a wood I-joist manufacturing apparatus, the method of manufacture, and the I-joist products having lumber chords and a plywood web are available, wherein both the chord lumber and the web plywood are initially made into essentially endless lengths for subsequent cutting to lengths of the then pre-specified sizes of I-joists being prepared. Smaller lengths of chord lumber are finger jointed and glue cured together into longer lengths, which are then cut to specified overall lengths. Thereafter they are grooved to receive the opposing cut side edges of the web. Then these cut interfitting surfaces of both the chord lengths and the web first receive an application of glue before their subsequent convenient conveyed, converging, assembly. Once assembled, their overall glued joints enter a radio frequency heating glue curer which insures an excellent attachment between the chords and the web. The web is then cut to match the length of the chords.

Abstract: A method of making wood shingle sidewall panels by assembling a layup including a face layer of high-grade tapered wood shingles with their longitudinal edges in abutment, each such shingle having a rabbeted longitudinal edge, an intermediate layer of veneer and a backing layer of wood shingles tapered opposite to the taper of the face wood shingles, and bonding the shingle layers to the opposite sides of the veneer, respectively. The face layer of sidewall panel shingles having rabbeted edges simulates the appearance of shingles individually applied to a wall.

Abstract: A beveled edge trim structure for counters, such as kitchen counters, includes a beveled inlay groove cut along an edge of the counter. A laminate inlay strip is adhesively bonded in the inlay groove. A first router tool includes guide surfaces which guide a first high speed cutting element along straight and rounded edges of the counter, cutting beveled inlay grooves along the edges. For right angle corners, a jig is attached to a partially installed inlay strip after alignment of a pair of inclined guide edges of the jig with corresponding inclined end edges of the beveled inlay groove. A second routing tool is guided along the inclined guide edges of the jig, cutting a beveled pointed end on the inlay strip. The beveled pointed end is aligned with the corresponding edges of the corner inlay groove.