Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'build process'.
Found 1 result
-
On request from a few others here, I'm going to document the build process of my first violin. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I've built a couple of other instruments (22 string lap harp and an alto rebec) but they're not quite as complex or have the same level of pedantic attention to detail that a violin requires. We'll see how I go, yes? I took inspiration from Ernie's "Long Pattern Strad ..." thread - as he has so generously documented his instrument, and there were some good tidbits from Roger Hargrave along the way. That led me to picking the 1694 Muir Mackenzie as a reference. Another reason for picking this instrument is the mould (B form) is on the poster, so I didn't need to worry about creating it (from the outline). Over the past few weeks, I've had more tools, wood, posters and other bits arrive in the mail. It's been a steady stream of christmas all month I made 3 copies of the back of the poster, one laminated for a shop reference, and the other two for transferring onto the mould and half-template. Courtesy of cdavies' retirement, I obtained a few gouges and some aged wood for much later. (Very nice steel and wood!) The wood for this instrument came from Old World Tonewoods. It's reaonably flamed and a few years old. Definitely good for a first instrument. Still not sure what I'll varnish it with. I did get some bottles of "oil varnish" from International Violin, but there are no details to be had on its composition, so maybe I'll use that, maybe I won't. That decision will be made after I've done some colour tests. I will be sugar grounding it, thank you jezzupe for your research there! There has been some tool building, and I daresay that'll keep happening over the course of this instrument. (Mwoar clamps!) In the attached pic, there's a poster to the left, some shiny gouges, my first attempt at the mould, the Old Old wood to the right (No touchy!), the OldWorld wood up the back, and a pack of 15 ribs in the middle. That stack of ribs will become test pieces - for varnish tests, planing and scraping practice and learning how to bend them.
