Cutting the Tails

Next we’ll work on the tails. Each tail will be about 7/16” wide by 3 ½” long [11 mm x 88.9 mm]. First we cut some ebony into 3 ½” [88.9mm] long pieces using the table saw as before. This 3 1/2" [88.9mm] measurement may seem too long - it isn't. The tails must be long enough to extend beyond the front surface of the Nameboard Batten. Make certain to orient the grain to run the length of the tail. Then, on the bandsaw, we cut the blanks into 5/8” [15.8mm] wide strips – again to allow for sanding and fitting. The next photo shows the 30 head and tails (plus a few extra just in case). Because there is no D# above the highest D, the highest D has a tail that is wider than the tails of the other natural keys. Remember to make a properly sized tail for this note.