difrangia

Interesting read. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/samuel-stochek-violins?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=atlas-page

I have a Taig micro-lathe that I'll be setting up with a taper attachment to turn pegs.

As FiddleDoug posted above, First skills need to be sharpening, adjusting, & fine tuning the various tools used in the craft. One can view the effort as a task or, preferably, as an opportunity to become intimately acquainted with the tools needed to accomplish desired goals. I actually get more satisfaction from building, rebuilding, zeroing in, and building a relationship with the tools that I use in violin repair or any of the other endeavors that I undertake. As with many things in life, tools can be allies or foes. Steve

Camphor tablets ??

Maybe something in here would be of use nt. http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/325816-burning-bridges/?hl=branding#entry538818

Addendum to previous post: Made from bits & pieces laying about the shop. Brass ink-pen tube & spring & a piece of piano wire. Short piece of steel tubing for spring seat and a clip of heat-shrink tubing to keep the post-claw captured in the tube. The knob is a piece of plastic rod scrap. Works well enough for me that I plan on a few possible design changes when I get some spare time. Steve

A couple of photos of my 'country boy tinkerer' remedy for the frustrations of mastering the conventional postsetter. Also used to retrieve the post from the violin body. I use the heavy conventional setter (Herdim, I think) to hammer, push, & pull the post around once it's standing. Steve

Craig, I'd guess that what probably intrigues me to a great degree is how early this is in the lineage of the violin as we know it. Also, it appears that from what is on the Cozio site, the instrument has not been very accessible for inspection over time which, along with its travels over the centuries, adds to the mystery for me. Something akin to the lore of the Hubermann, Messiah, and Red Diamond Stradavari instruments. Maybe it's just eye candy to a novice, and not so impressive to more experienced violinistas, but I've always been enamored of the Brescian double-purfle instruments

I've always been intrigued by the carving on the Gasparo Da Salo 'Jewel Room' violin. Photos from Cozio. http://www.cozio.com/Instrument.aspx?id=243 Steve

Looks like a tied up roast. Reminds me of my optometrist telling me about one of his tours in Europe. He works on vintage clocks as a hobby. Takes an occasional pipe organ tour in Europe on which historic organs are visited, played by professionals, and by the tour participants. He said he visited a site dedicated to Mendelsshon. Maybe a residence of the composer? The story was that in hard times the original hand written manuscripts of Mendelsshon's compositions were being used to wrap meat at a butcher shop. At least some of the ones rescued were displayed at the memorial location. Im

Anytime I pick up an older instrument (50+ years old), even before an eye scan, a quick nose scan of the 'F' holes is mandatory. Another sample is taken at various stages of a refurbishment. An old German Da Salo copy of mine, and one of my favorites, has the most entrancing aroma of any that I've experienced. Not for everyone. Steve

I first made up the wood peg rounder after thinking the process out a bit wanting to speed up the process a little. Built the wooden one first and used the tapered peg reamer inserted through the hole in the end opposite the end with the beveled outside diameter to ream a taper to seat the peg in. Then glued the dowel rod in to spin the contraption with. Slip the peg into the taper through the side slot and press into the taper with the end protruding after the excess is trimmed close to finish length. Then support the jig close to the protruding peg with one hand and spin the jig by the dowe

I first made up the wood peg rounder after thinking the process out a bit wanting to speed up the process a little. Built the wooden one first and used the tapered peg reamer inserted through the hole in the end opposite the end with the beveled outside diameter to ream a taper to seat the peg in. Then glued the dowel rod in to spin the contraption with. Slip the peg into the taper through the side slot and press into the taper with the end protruding after the excess is trimmed close to finish length. Then support the jig close to the protruding peg with one hand and spin the jig by the dowe

BINGO !!! Lots of sinister stuff going on behind the curtain and a bit over half the populace is mesmerized by the flash & dazzle on the illuminated side of the curtain; re.Survivor, Idol, DWTS, sh1tcoms, etc, ad-naseum. Nuff o' that blather. Back to the instruments. Always an escape there.

In case anyone might be interested. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/06/gibson-guitar-settles-claim-over-imported-ebony/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 http://www.americanthinker.com/printpage/?url=http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/02/what_gibson_guitars_did_with_the_wood_the_government_returned.html Steve