Urban Luthier

i use the standard jigs that come the unit + this one for gouges

I hollow grind all my blades using a tormek grinder. I find it easier to sharpen and hone free hand with a hollow grind.

great idea!

As for CG visualization - i think what would be very useful as a study aid is the kind of techniques automotive designers use to study the curvature of class A surfaces. In the old days you'd need tools like Alias to do this but now you can do it in any number of tools like Fusion (Free) or Rhino.

Guad Simpson poster from the Strad is 7/8th ish (cant find it in their shop). The Saveuse Strad (the one Robert Max plays) is a bit smaller.

If you are talking about making a solvent free oil varnish than yes many here have done that. Typically 1:1 ratio of linseed oil to cooked resin by weight. Have a look at the Bass Book by Roger Hargrave. It is all there.

Thanks Jacob. Understood. 2-3mm is too much tilt based on your recommendation. I was wondering if a 2-3mm step behind the nut is reasonable to accommodate 1mm tilt as well as future repairs.

@David Burgess and @jacobsaunders thank you both. Makes perfect sense. One follow up question - for new construction - how much extra wood should one leave on the neck gluing surface to accommodate the tilt? 2-3mm? I've seen new cellos that appear to have the pegbox set back a few mm from the neck gluing surface. Like the notch shown where the pegbox meets the neck in @Davide Sora fine drawing. I assumed it was to allow for future repairs. However in light of this discussion, it makes sense the extra surface is planed at an angle to achieve the tilt as well.

I'm working on my first cello. The execution aspect of the tilt is still a bit of a mystery for me. @jacobsaunders and others; question for you: To slope down 1mm from A to C on a cello, does one plane the neck face on an angle (as pictured in Weisshaar) or does one cut the dovetail joint in the block on an angle to achieve the the desired slant? Would the latter look odd with the scroll/neck turned slightly to the left?

Ha - Got the idea from Melvin! I had hoped to use beech + poplar for mine but the beech I had an eye on was was too short. Going with maple this time around. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Might motivate me to move forward!

Really nice work Jim. Are the ribs beech?

of course not - the way that is shown in the post above by @Geigenbauer [where did post numbers go?!!] looks practical with the added benefit of being able to cut many blocks at once (in my case enough to last decades). In the end this is a far more practical workflow regarding danger of a miter saw- i would agree. It is the table-saw that scares me. I have a miter saw and have used it extensively for home renos (trim work and mouldings). Easy stuff compared to builders who do roof framing - all those angles and so many ways to mess up unless one knows what they are doing.

Since I've never been able to get the block cutouts on my moulds perfectly square, I don't bother using power-tools to cut the corner blocks. I simply cut them to length by hand using a bench hook appliance and carcass saw (couple of mm over), glue them to the form and level them with a block plane (test for rocking on a sheet of glass)

+1

I enjoy your varnish making posts. I have one of the veritas guides as well. I mostly use it for awkward blades I cant sharpen freehand. Lee valley just published a page on sharpening (more for hobbyist but still some useful info).

nice work - love the setup

Tasty!

not only the same cello but the same photograph!

As noted above i have the luthier's bench iron and strap. I was able to bend a cello rib set with it. It was a challenge but it does work

Roger argues the same for the rest of baroque setup in his articles published in the Strad a few years back. I haven't read the current Strad letter exchange, but if it is about saddle hight - the argument is the same. Quote from Roger's original article "BAROQUE TAILPIECES varied considerably, from flat inlaid maple to slightly arched solid ebony. However, in most cases the tail gut passed over a bottom nut or saddle that was initially no higher than the belly edge. The gut entered the tailpiece from below, effectively lifting the tailpiece to the height of the modern saddle. Making and mounting a Baroque tailpiece in this way creates a string angle at the bridge that is entirely similar to the modern angle.'"

wow fantastic work!

Love your varnish Guy! looks even more stunning in person!

beautiful!

Chris Schwarz's books on workbenches are a very valuable resource. I wish I had the time and patience to make a first rate workbench. for those who don't and have the fund's the lie Nielsen bench looks stunning.