Idea: More sun coverage of varnish while curing

[M_A_T_T]

I am very near the varnish stage with my next violin. I will most likely be using one of the oil varnishes I am testing, and one thing that I've been thinking of is how the violin will be situated outside in the sun to help cure the varnish. I was just thinking today, why not attach a jig to a fan, the kind with the swivling head that goes back and forth, and set the violin on it? We have a couple fans like that, the range of movement is just short of ninety degrees. That much movement would allow for a decent amount of area to be hit by sunlight, like the sides & back, or sides & top.

[HongDa]

I have one of these fans above my bench. Just looking at it now but seems there would be problems mounting it and it goes pretty fast.

What about a rotisserie? Or getting the same type of motor used in a rotisserie (step motor?) and rigging something up with that?

[MANFIO]

I tie a nylon string on the scroll and let it swing under the wind's flavour under the sun. In this way it will be moving all the time, because there is allways some wind.

[M_A_T_T]

I just finished the attachment for my fan. It uses a wooden holder tool I previously made. I may stick some rubber pieces along the inside for a tighter fit. It works very well, the fan has no trouble operating with the violin on top, and it does not move too fast at all on the lowest setting. I purposely situated the fixture right above the axis of the gear that moves the fan head left & right. This way the violin simply rotates on the endpin as an axis instead of a slight side to side movement.

[Janito]

Matt

This set-up looks unstable because of a high centre-of-gravity. This means that a gust of wind or an accidental tap could lead to some serious damage.

As a side comment...

I varnished a cello a few years back and hung it on a clothes line across my lawn. A pole was stuck into the endpin hole to reduce the weight on the line.

Unfortunately, nature conspired against me because a gust of wind managed to swing the cello hook off the line.

No damage to the cello, but the day before I had seeded the lawn and the varnish was completely sprinkled with grass seed...a very tedious job to correct.

Anticipate the unexpected!

[GMM22]

I think you missed a golden opportunity. You should have sprinkled water, let the seed sprout, and market it as a cello for the footie fan, complete with natural turf varnish.

[Option1]

quote:

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Originally posted by:

Janito

Matt

This set-up looks unstable because of a high centre-of-gravity. This means that a gust of wind or an accidental tap could lead to some serious damage.

...

Anticipate the unexpected!

---

I agree. Looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Neil

[DarylG]

Why not just make a lightbox?

[Janito]

"I think you missed a golden opportunity. You should have sprinkled water, let the seed sprout, and market it as a cello for the footie fan, complete with natural turf varnish."

GMM22, if only MN had existed then...imagine the heights I might have reached.

By the way, I used to be an avid fan of Subbuteo, so a turfed back with flattish arching might have worked.

--------------------------

A question...

Had I done this, would I have had to specify the turf height in any diagrams of the arching?

[mcarufe]

Hi Matt,

The high center of gravity accident factor is sound wisdom, but I am sure a craftsman of your caliber will find a effective solution. The only problem is the bottom of the lower bout ribs will still need exposure to sunlight which means you will have to hang it upside down for a similar amount of time. Maybe while you are making a base for the fan you can add some reflective material that would get the bottom of the fiddle too.

Mike

[M_A_T_T]

The Joseph Hammerl varnish I am testing has actually been drying overnight just in my workshop, without sunlight. Some homemade stuff I am also tesing requires sunlight. I will most likely go with the JOHA varnish, in which case I won't use the tippy jig.

[HongDa]

You could put weights on the base if you really want to use it. Or use tent stakes to fix it into the ground.

It looks really cool actually and could probably be sold as modern art. Just figure out how to connect some kind of a rotor wound with bow hair to the fan motor so that it will spin on diffrent strings as it rotates.

[Brad Dorsey]

You could also rig a safety line to something secure overhead.

[Janito]

Sounds like overkill.

What's wrong with Manfio's nylon line idea - it's been tried and tested over centuries...well, not the nylon.

[Neil_004]

How about a mirror? Then you would cover both sides (most of the time).

[David Tseng]

I hang the violin on a portable cloth dryer, move it every few hours. I hand-rubbed a sealer coat on this violin ( lime stone powder mixed with vernice liquida).

[Chris Knowlton]

David, That is a beautiul instrument (your violin not the cloths dryer).

Matt, I agree with mcarufe's statement on your craftsmanship. I enjoy seeing all of the past posts of your jig/fixtures etc. Each one is a piece of artwork in itself.

[Darren Molnar]

Here's another clothes line attachment method. I put a brass tube,

covered with electrical tape, through the c-peg hole and run

a string through that. It just swings randomly, and I chase

the sun throughout the day by running the clothes line out towards

the garage, where it is attached.

[COB3]

I could be wrong, Darren, but that FB looks a tad short. Or is that one a special variant for first-position-only fiddlers?

:-)

Chet

[Darren Molnar]

It's for those violists who bellyache about long string lengths,

and getting around the upper bout.

The  bridge is positioned in the middle of the upper bout, and

the tailpiece has a seven inch tailcord !  

[Michael_Molnar]

Chet,

My "cousin" is indeed clever and original. (grins) Kudos to Darren!

Mike

[Option1]

I like the beginner tapes on the fb of Darren's instrument. Even my lightning fingers (they never strike the same place twice) would be able to hit those .... ..... ..... sometimes

..... ..... ..... ..... maybe.

Neil

[Darren Molnar]

Oh yeah, I forgot about those!

The extra big tapes are for Canadian violists who play outdoor

wedding gigs in the winter. Then they can play with gloves on and

still hit the notes!

Maybe I should have put this picture in the innovation thread

instead ?  

[ispirati]

I saw this solartube a few years back.

http://www.solabrite.com/anim.asp

I was tempted to buy a set of this thing and convert the tubing into a "light box" and hang the violin inside the tube. This design will capture natrual sun light from all directions though out the day.

Unfornately, the top glass is an UV-filtering glass so you won't get sun burn inside your house. I told the sales person that I wish they had a special non-UV filtering glass instead of their current UV filtering design. She thought that I intend to install the solar tube so I can grow drugs in the house. I guess I could still use this design to capture natural sun light but without the glass top.

My neighbor actually installed one of this solar tube. It really lights up the interiors.

[arglebargle]

I've got one word for you, M_A_T_T.

Disco ball motor.

Or you could learn to control the sun with your mind.