choo-choo plane

Hi Jeffrey and ViolinBriges, Thank you for your advice. I shall do some searches to find out more as you suggest. Also, I wasn't aware that Hammerl sells pigments and dyes so your replies have been very useful.

I need to buy various colours of retouch varnish. I haven't used it before, but from what I understand it is strongly coloured varnish suitable for use in repair work where original colour needs to be reproduced as closely as possible over damaged/repaired areas. Anyway, I would like to hear some of your opinions about a good source for this varnish. I'll require various colours obviously, including a rich red/orange. I am after varnish of high quality and reasonably fast-drying. What do you (the repairers here) use, and where do you buy it from? Thank you for your help, André.

Thank you Jeffrey. That's fine; I wasn't aware that the Private Topics forum was unlike the other forums in function. Not to worry though, In a way it is also interesting to discover people's backgrounds through many various posts over time... (-:

Dear Andres Sender, I have to say that although you might not have meant to be offensive, I am offended by your post. I spent quite a bit of time last night setting up 2 threads in the Private Topics forum, specifically for everyone's benefit, not for my own. One thread was to discus our history of how we came to start making violins, a bit about our violin making philosophy, and perhaps other things that we make. The second thread was set up specifically for everyone to post photos of their work. The reason for separating the text-based thread from the photo-based thread was to keep the text-based thread fast-loading. Furthermore I had absolutely NO intention of the thread being used to discuss "politics, religion, or mud-wrestling" as you suggested. The threads were intended purely for everyone here to get to have a bit of background about each other's violin-making. It was not even envisaged to be a discussion at all. I imagined we would each write 1 post, and the thread would thus become a little collection of our backgrounds biographical and luthierie. The reason I set it up in the Private Topics forum and not the Pegbox was because I understand that the Pegbox is intended only as a forum for discussing the technical side of making. I have no interest in other people's religious/political/personal beliefs. Not in this forum anyway. I think I'll go and delete the threads I created yesterday.

Please tell me how to invite everyone! I guess that's what I need to do, but I don't know how!

Interesting..... It shows that already 14 people have "viewed" the thread in the Private Topics forum. So people are managing to see it somehow..... If you have done so, do you think you could please explain to everyone else how you go in? I do hope this ends up working for everyone. I already wrote about myself there and also prepared a seperate thread specifically for us to put photos of our work and so on.... I hope someone comes to the rescue soon....

I have started a thread in the Private Topics forum. It is an opportunity for us all to introduce ourselves as PEOPLE and get to know each other better! Have a great day. André. PS: Please reply to this post with just a word or whatever, just to prevent this thread from slipping down the page and getting lost under all the inactive threads. Just for a few days. Thank you!!

Omobono said: "You could probably do it unnoticed here in the Private Topics Forum which is empty." hahaha!!! That's so funny and sinister in a twisted way!!! (-:

I had a horrible thought that someone in Australia or another distant country with a VERY different time zone to America could sit at their computer ALL day while America is asleep, and just write 10,000 posts. No content in them of course; just a full stop or a random letter in each one. And then by the time America wakes up the next day, someone else will have beaten Micheal to 10,000 and it'd be so cruel and horrid yet ironic because Micheal sat and waited for so long before writing his 10,000'th post! A bit like the story of the hare and the tortoise!!!! (-: Don't worry; I won't do it! And DON'T ANYONE ELSE DO IT EITHER OK?!!

Amori, it's nice to see a luthier broadening their mind by taking lessons from other luthiers periodically. Your teacher in this photo looks rather small, but serious none the less. I suppose being that size would allow one to sit inside a cello while trimming down the linings and so on! (-: André.

Melvin, I can't stop smiling! Looking at your violin has made me feel happy and excited! -And it's not even mine, and I didn't make it, yet I feel excited none the less.... (-: Thank you for showing us, and for the information you wrote to go with it. André.

Thank you for your advice. I have to say, as soon as I saw photos of the Herdim clamps I knew they were really practical and would work very well. It was only my reluctance to have plastic in my workshop which stopped me from buying them!.... If I could be sure that the plastic in these clamps will still be flexible and strong in 50 years time then I wouldn't hesitate about buying them. One would hope though, that Herdim being a very reputable brand, and this being the year 2007, plastic used in these clamps will be of high quality and very long-lasting....... I think you guys are right, and so I will more than likely buy them. I suppose those larger, boxwood ones with the wooden 'handles' would be rather heavy, making gentle/light clamping difficult to achieve since the clamps might want to fall off due to their weight. Also, I love how the Herdim ones press down over the ribs/linings where one wants the pressure to be. OK, I think you've talked me into buying the Herdim ones..... Well done!.... (-; André.

This has become quite a thought provoking discussion! -Thanks for all the contributions, I'm learning so many things! I must say, the twisting that the bridge legs suffer from tightening a mechanical spreader had not occurred to me at all. Thanks for the heads up Micheal. Now I see why pushing the legs apart with a sound post or stick of some sort would be better (and wouldn't blunt the knife!). I now understand that cutting a really good cello bridge involves both designing the bridge to be as resistant to spreading as possible (like that old Withers bridge with inclined legs), while also aiming for a bit of controlled spread to get that 'hug' or 'squeeze' that Magnus says improves the sound. Thank you for that very comprehensive tutorial Micheal. I see now that reading all I can before I start is going to save me from many potential errors, however all those tiny details you speak about (belly changing shape etc) are going to really exercise my brain while I'm fitting the bridge! -Anticipating movement and warp... Something years of experience probably makes second nature. Thanks again to you all. I'll write this info into my notebook so I don't forget any of it! André.

About 4 years ago I made a large number of violin spool clamps. Each one took a lot of time, needing drilling, the edges rounded, smoothed, varnished, leather pads cut ad glued...... By the end of it I didn't want to EVER have to make any more. However now I am venturing into the realm of cello building and I will require cello clamps! My first thought was to make them, but the idea made me feel exhausted so I'm looking for a bought alternative. I've seen the ones in the DICK catalogue, but the Herdim ones (though very practical-looking indeed) have lots of plastic on them and that puts me off. DICK also sells boxwood spool clamps and they look nice, but I'd be interested in hearing anyone's opinion about them. 1) Can anybody point me to a good source for really nicely made, quality wooden spool clamps? 2) If anyone has some old spool clamps that work really well and look good, feel free to post a picture of one of them so I can get inspiration for making my own. Thank you, André.

Thank you Brad. You've answered my question perfectly. As far as the unit being in the way, perhaps a different spreader can be designed which is shaped more like the arch under the bridge. I'm imaging two threaded rods branching out from the top of the arch forming a V shape. Then by turning a knob at the top of the arch the bottom ends of the arched mechanism would be pushed outwards, seperating the legs. This would keep the space between the legs open for one's fingers and so on.... Sorry; that description was probably very unclear. I think I might try to design something like this and perhaps make one. I'll post any progress if I get there! Having said that, I should wait until I've fitted a few cello bridges before I go designing anything... (-: