Nick Allen

Lol "saddening".

Just hazmat transporting protocols more likely.

The fingerboard scoop is important. But not too much, as you see on most setups. It allows adequate clearance for the low positions, while still keeping the string heights reasonable in the high positions. A flat board can't do this.

I don't think that they do. They are rather stable, actually from what I've heard.

Hey all, I've been in the search for some chemicals for varnishing that are hard to get in my part of the world (US). More specifically, I'm looking for Shellsol d70 and methoxypropanol, both of which can't be purchased here easily... Does anyone here in the states have any experience with chemical acquisition from other countries? What are the procedures and buying/shipping channels? I'd like to know, because my 4:1 resin-oil varnishes are not usable without the proper solvents. Turpentine is out of the question. I need a slow evaporating solvent that will allow me to apply my heavy resin varnishes easily. Unless there's some kind of equivalent out there. Danke Schoen.

I don't really have any. I carve my own. But if someone wants to have it done differently, then good for them. It's no less of a violin once it's finished.

What's the difference between having a 3rd party company carve them to spec or an apprentice?

You can use water displacement. Dipping it in a graduated flask for a second or two won't hurt it that much, especially if you were it anyways during finishing. You also have the option of applying cyclododecane over the scroll. It's a chemical that's available from Kramer or any conservator supplier that's solvent in mineral spirits that, when applied to wood, will turn it hydrophobic for a week or so. But the magic of cyclododecane is that it evaporates, returning the wood to its original properties. It's often sold as evaporating wax.

That's actually pretty good time. I take much longer, but make everything myself (sans purfling stock). I would consider your goals and why you are making perhaps. Using prescribed scrolls it totally fine, and I have no qualms about it. But you must consider if you're going to sell to dealers. Often they will spot commercial work in an instant and might not be as confident in the product as a result.

This is a great way to reduce my scrap wood that I'm clearly getting maladaptively sentimental about.

I will. Would you recommend a particular wood species to burn?

I've been seeing more and more with top-shelf modern work, there are cooked resins and dyes/pigments with some kind of carriers used to supplement wood color. Like shellac, colophony and I've even seen great results with iron oxide pigment nanoparticles. There seems to be less concern with historical elements when doing antiqued jobs and copies. I'm more interested in antiqued fiddles, and I don't really care to do historical reenactments and cosplay as a renaissance-era craftsman. Anybody have any luck with resins or oxides/dyes in the wood with sealers?

I like the ash water idea.

Bro it's not that bad.

I just bought some. It's really great stuff. It gives just the right color to the wood. Not too hot in tone. A nice cinnamon brown with a little orange. It just looks like oxidized wood.