Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'varnishing'.
Found 5 results
-
Hi there, Im finally having my first attempt at varnishing a violin. This is a violin that I bought off Ebay, with the purpous of varnish experimenting, trying different varnish techniques etc. (The violin was literally painted over, so I felt no guilt in stripping the paint) My question for this topic is: When you varnish, must the varnish be perfectly even in both color and texture? Or do you even out the color when you are "rubbing it down"? Also, when do you actually "rub the varnish down"? After it has completely dried? And what would you use to "rub it down"? Thank you, and I look forward to reading your replies.
-
I live in a country where we don't have any good luthier. Moreover, it's a hard deal to find a good violin, there's no music shop with normal violin (only cheap fake ones).. So I don't have any option except doing it myself. I will do it this way or another, but dunno the steps. Please don't judge me badly hahahah))) 1. As you see there are minor cracks. What material should I use to cover those cracks? Is it necessary to cover them? (pics of inside & outside below) https://imageshack.us/i/po9jreixj https://imageshack.us/i/plY0MBn1j https://imageshack.us/i/plH2Zi2Gj 2. Most of the cracks are on the ribs, but ribs are covered with additional ribs, so should I remove them, or it's okay to leave them this way? (pics of inside & outside below) https://imageshack.us/i/plSIOz4Bj https://imageshack.us/i/po33wiqAj 3. One more crack is on the neck. I think no need to do anything with it, still I took photo just in case.. (pics of inside & outside below) https://imageshack.us/i/pmXujnWtj I'm about to receive hide glue soon for it, so far, that's the only material I have for now. Now, one more important thing. When I fix them and put the spruce back I need to varnish it. I saw in few videos I found that the luthiers put coating, then they varnish the violins. Or I might be mistaken. Just need to know what materials to buy to varnish violin, how many layers of coating, how many layers of varnishing. Actually I'm not aiming to make the violin shiny, would like to make something like this (link in the comment). I hope you'll share your experience, please.... -
Hello all, I've decided to start this thread as a way to document my violin making adventures. I'm going to start out with my most recent trials in varnishing. I recently purchased a white violin and planned to try the following system on it: Shellac coats (various colors) to seal and ground, then IVC oil varnish for hints of color followed by clear coats and rub down. So far I've completed the shellac sealing and grounding. The pictures below are in chronological order (going from white violin to sealed to final ground coat). I would describe the resulting color as a light golden walnut. Feel free to ask questions or critique my process. Thanks The pictures go: Back, Ribs then Front. Each progression of that pattern represents another step or part of the sealing and grounding.
-
Hello all, After being told my varnishing area smells very strongly, I wanted to do some research to make sure the smells/fumes weren't health hazardous. I've attempted searching, but have come up relatively unsatisfied. So, when varnishing, is there a health risk? Any dangerous solvents or varnishes? Or am I overreacting? I just want to be sure that myself (and others) will remain as healthy as can be. Thanks!
-
Hello everybody, this is my first post on Maestronet, although I have enjoyed following many discussions. I'm making a new cello for a customer and I've just completed the varnishing process. When I went to string it up, I realized that the projection had dramatically changed from 80mm to 92mm. As I do for all my instruments, before starting to varnish, I set up the cello and had it played for a week in the white. As everything was fine I removed the whole set up, including the fingerboard and post and began the varnishing process. It took almost two months and half of the time it was under UV light where I kept the cello humidified. Throughout the two months I had issues with some persistent open seams which I attributed to heat in the UV cabinet. Since I discovered the projection problem I removed the front for a thorough inspection and found the front arching quite distorted. All the corners, specially on the treble side, curled up and the cross arching had flattened, causing the f-hole wings to raise above the central area. I measured the arching heights both top and back and found that they had dropped by 3-4 millimiters. Since then I clamped the front onto the ribs to keep it flat as well as setting the old post, which I had to cut down a couple of millimiters in order to stand it up. In the last 5 days I've managed to gradually pull the post to its correct position and that has helped the projection to go down by 5mm, so that it is now 87mm. I was told by the supplier that the wood was seasoned and ready to be used. I haven't glued the top back yet and am wondering if this has happened to anyone here. Any suggestions would be most welcome! www.protaniviolins.com
