murray kuun

The secret here is that you mix the colours into a bit of varnish? If not this method(artist oil pint), what system do you recommend - assuming the wood has been sealed?

I always understood that the wood itself is never dyed, hence the sealer of egg-white or gelatine? Or not?

My tests do show a bit less transparency, yes. What do you suggest?

Am doing some research before varnishing a violin I made 15 years ago. I did not like the colour and stripped it all those years ago. It has aged nicely and now I want to re-varnish it and found these Oldwood products on line. It is horrifically expensive to do all the steps they advise on their YouTube videos. I still have stock of Hammerl varnish and now want to colour the violin - the question is: can/should I use normal artists oil paint colours for rubbing on the colour (after clear ground coat)? Or perhaps mix the varnish with the oil colours and apply by brush? I do also still have the pigments I bought from Hammerl all those years ago. I found it quite difficult to get even applications of pre-coloured varnish in those days. Doing tests now, I can get nice even applications if I use pure artist colours (with my fingers) - then coating that with clear varnish.

Seems to be impossible for me to order oil varnish for delivery here in Africa (flammable). I can get spirit varnish in powder form from Hammerl but in "my day" only oil varnish was acceptable, has that changed at all with the current ban of the transportation of flammable goods - is spirit varnish acceptable? Or shall I resort to alternative methods like French polish perhaps?

Do you have any idea how I can contact him, the website only has a phone number (strangely) and I am in Africa.

I'm returning to a bit of violin making after many years just making guitars (which I continue to do). Keen to know what "brand" of varnish you guys would recommend nowadays. I had used NRI and Hammerl before (over egg white) but NRI do not exist anymore and Hammerl cannot export. I do not have the confidence to try to boil up my own.

If I were to design this now I would certainly re-design all the parts, probably closer to my recent Sophia archtop.

Thanks

Hello, I used to be a member here a long time ago, then moved to guitar making. Anyway, I am going to be getting back to my roots to help one of my students make his first violin. I'm sure nothing has changed technically but I wondered what "brand" of varnish you guys would recommend? I used to use some nice varnish (over egg whites) from NRI but I cannot find them online anymore. I also used products from Hammerl in Germany back then. This is a pic of my last traditional violin "Carmen". and my "Norma Jean" which is still sounding beautiful.