Joe Leahy

Basement workshop about 14’ x 20’. Includes bandsaw, drill press, desk, tool and wood storage, work desk and 3 various sized work benches. Lots of room if well organized.

Just wanted to thank BassClef for taking and posting these instruments. I’m sure a lot of people on this forum appreciate your efforts. Very nice meeting you this morning!

In my humble opinion, as you seem to like it and treasure the memories, I think the best approach is to leave it as is but refrain from lashing it to the roof in the future. The memories are in the way it looks now. Coating it to preserve things will take away from that. Just my thoughts. More wear, more memories.

Just wanted to send my deepest condolences to Craig’s family and friends. Craig and I corresponded a couple of times by email and spent an enjoyable afternoon on the phone chatting during one of his dialysis treatments. Craig was very generous in sharing his thoughts and will be missed.

Hi Jim or Manfio, apologies in advance for being a pest but would appreciate it if you could send me the article when you have a chance. Thanks in advance. Joe

Thanks!

Has anyone compared the Daniel Smith Qinacridone Gold oil to the water soluble oil and/or the water color in terms of transparency, color etc.? Haven't used any of these yet. Just looking for comments. Thanks. Joe

Hi Colleen, I only check in to the forum periodically so just saw your post. Welcome back! Was wondering where you disappeared to after your first build. Good luck on the one you're working on now. Joe

Hi Jackson Haven't been on the forum for a while. Glad that you have the belt sander working and find it useful. I too find it's one of the more useful tools in the shop. Joe

Hi Barry, and anyone else that can comment on this. Does everyone leave the bridge and the soundpost down when shipping? If they are left down, do you arrange for setup at the other end or is this left up to the purchaser? Joe

Hi Luis Well done, Very attractive. Looks like there is no or limited fuming or chemical treatment on this one. But I guess it's always hard to tell with the lighting in photos. Joe

Thanks Luis, that helps a lot to understand what you are doing. My approach is pretty similar. I recently listened to a video, not sure where, of one of your later Violas. Very impressive. Joe

Hi Don Thanks for the reply. My plates are not thinned at the edges but was I was wondering what effect that would have. Your comments help confirm what I had thought or read somewhere. Don't think I have read Davis' article so will do that. Joe

Hi Manfio I see on both Violas and Violins you are graduating the plates a bit thinner near the edges. Is this your practice for both tops and backs? Also, can you elaborate on the reason for this vs leaving them the same general thickness as the rest of the top? Last question for anyone. Does anyone have any comments about the pros and cons acoustically of thinning the plates at the edge vs leaving a bit more thickness (therefore stiffness) in this area? Thanks. Joe

Hi Ernie The following was posted on an alternate violin related site. I understand that this refers to a paper written in 1995 so the information may now be superseded by more current understanding but this is what it says. _________ In the transcription of the Dartington Violin Conference 1995, Sam Zygmuntowicz talks about top distortion due to the post. He noticed differences in the middle bouts between the top and back of the Ysaye Del Gesu (110 mm for the back and 107 for the top) and related this to the top push up. "(Ysaye Bass Click-bout side): What about the arching contours? The first obvious fact is that the bass side is much less full than the treble side (the treble side also has the soundpost) so it's a good guess that the post has pushed the arching up, a pretty sensible deduction. I've often thought that for new makers it would be very clever to make the soundpost side lower to start, in just a few weeks it would be even." "Any distortion I have seen is of the tops gettingnarrower and the arches getting higher. Seen in this light, most Guarneris probably had rather lower arches than is commonly thought. The Panette now has a top arch of 15mm. Very likely it started out around 14mm or less. The Plowden top is now 14mm, but it may have started out even lower. The lowest Guarneris top I have measured is the 1735 D'Egville, at a little more than 12mm." ___________ Understand that I do not have access to these papers and so I sincerely hope that this was quoted accurately. If this is an inaccurate quote, please let me know and I will delete it immediately. If however it is an accurate quote and is still relevant, can someone elaborate so I can fully understand this concept. Thanks Joe