MikeC

I like that! What is it?

How do you make yellow varnish? Sounds like an interesting idea, using layers of different shades of color, might make a more complex looking finish. I've thought about starting with a yellow layer then adding more red in each successive layer so it would have the 'color change' effect as it wears away but I don't know how to make a yellow varnish.

The ground color looks good. Can you say what it is or is it a secret sauce?

Can you show a picture of your ribs with the corner blocks? I was thinking the upper corners look too long also, maybe the points of the corner blocks extend out too far. When I made mine I copied the blocks from the CT scan of the Titian Strad to make sure they were right. It's possible using the mold to get the outline right and still have the corners too pointy.

I agree on the unsawn plate, it got a little better after I sawed it out, second pic. As I finalized the finished plate it got a little better still. When I get a chance I'll post pics of the finished plate, it's became a bit more curvy.

I went searching and found it. An oval made by a three bar linkage... actually four bar but anyway... It may not look like it in the picture but when I put the plate from an old German Strad copy on top of the drawing the curves of the oval exactly match the C bout curves. Not saying a German Strad copy is a good example of a violin but it's all I had. Amazingly one linkage makes both curves without changing it's position.

I also use points on the center line to mark the corners, as for the curve they widen a little but from the 2.5mm overhang in the bouts. You can find pics in my thread. Well, I'll post some here. I have a pic somewhere if I can find it that shows the curves of an old violin closely match a specific type of oval.

Hans still has the mapping software available. I didn't find a link to it on his site but emailed him and he had it. It works well and not difficult to use. I don't have magic probe so I don't know how it compares. I think the probe sends data to the software so that would be a nice feature. With Hans' software you import a picture of your plate, or in my case the graph paper with thickness values, then you click on the image to mark the measuring points and enter the thickness values, then the program creates the map image. I am a programmer but only just now beginning to learn Python and C# so decided to skip that learning curve and purchase it.

Thanks, do you have a picture of what it looks like on wood? Also I see you have a product called Linox, what exactly is that?

Results look good so far. I've just started getting into the Octave tutorials.

yeah what halos? And Joe what would you suggest to darken the inside of a violin prior to closing it up so you don't have stark white wood shining out through the F holes? Do you have a stain or product for that purpose?

Don't polishes on violins tend to yellow over time?

Mine is almost 8cm 6.7 seems too small.

Ten years where does the time go... Ten years ago I could have bought bitcoin for next to nothing and i'd be rich enough to buy a real Strad now. Hindsight is 2020

The PG in the pegbox is Cozio's handwriting (1755 - 1840) but he and Vuillaume (1798 - 1875) were both around at the time. Just a fun factoid.

It's measured in punti, no not really, It's 64ths of an inch because that's the scale on the antique caliper that I have. I just got a new dial caliper in millimeters and will be making a handle for it. yes the red / blue / pink is thinner and yellow / green thicker. I'm not sure if the color scheme can be changed, I may ask Hans about that. I'm going to re-measure and make a new plot sometime this weekend. I can shine a light through spruce but that doesn't seem to work with this maple, I suppose it's too dense for that.

I got the mapping software from Hans Pluhar and have been playing around with it. Here is a scan but it's out of date since I've thinned my back plate some more since this map was done. I have since thinned out the so called Sacconi plateau at the ends and made adjustments in other areas also. I have come to the conclusion that it needs a certain flexibility, a certain feel in the hands. It has to feel right and has to sound right but that's hard to describe. I'll try to get another updated version posted sometime soon. Edit: These measurements are not in millimeters but it would look the same if they were.

I'm interested in your varmish making too, show more pics!

yeah don't cut yourself, I did that recently and realized it's not a good way to get a protein sealer on the fiddle... Dave what kind of varnish do you use?

Nice work! I like your purling. That's some good looking quilted maple.

I would try extending the fluting farther and taper it out so it blends better and maybe cut the hair lines into the fluting a little way so it looks like the hair is flowing into the fluting. Just a thought.

What resins are soluble in alkaline solutions besides shellac?

Right, I don't give opinions while I'm still naked...

I can see what appears to be stripes on the lower bout, did they do that on real flamed maple? That would be an odd thing to do.

Looks like you're doing sort of a Stainer Lion head, very stylized rather than realistic. I like the head carving on your frame saw, how did you do the pins that hold the blade are they strait or tapered? I used strait ones and they tend to rotate while using the saw. I've read that old ones have tapered pins so they wedge in and don't have that problem.