~ Ben Conover Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lars, thanks. I put the lower and upper bouts purfling in first, then the C bouts, so I can line up both sets of mitres exactly. By 'line up marks' I mean a few short biro lines I mark on the plate and purfling before gluing, helps to get the mitres right. Melvin, nice looking varnish. (edited from 'tastey to nice' after reading about luthiers nose oil) Where dya get the amonia casein from, please ? Link to post Share on other sites
Melvin Goldsmith Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Where dya get the amonia casein from, please ? Hi Ben. Casein blends with various alkaline solutions really easily to different effects and will dissolve in weak ammonia to make a size , the consistency of which can be controlled by the ratio of the mix(es)..I get my Casein from Kremer and Ammonia from local Lab supplies or even household ammonia from a home dept store will do for a size.....I'd not recommend a casein sealer necessarily...this was just what I used on these samples Link to post Share on other sites
Lars Erik Fiol Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lars, thanks. I put the lower and upper bouts purfling in first, then the C bouts, so I can line up both sets of mitres exactly. By 'line up marks' I mean a few short biro lines I mark on the plate and purfling before gluing, helps to get the mitres right. Thanks a lot for the explanation Ben! Really hope to see some more of that instrument /Lars Link to post Share on other sites
Conor Russell Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lars, thanks. I put the lower and upper bouts purfling in first, then the C bouts, so I can line up both sets of mitres exactly. By 'line up marks' I mean a few short biro lines I mark on the plate and purfling before gluing, helps to get the mitres right. Melvin, nice looking varnish. (edited from 'tastey to nice' after reading about luthiers nose oil) Where dya get the amonia casein from, please ? Biro!!! on a violin! Link to post Share on other sites
arglebargle Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 A crazy nut I just found. I'm amazed I got it out at all. You never know what you'll find. Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Interesting nut ! Link to post Share on other sites
David Beard Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I don't seem to be able to upload photos?? Link to post Share on other sites
fiddlesurgeon Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Nice corner work Ben. Link to post Share on other sites
David Beard Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Some pics of my first two violins: Looking out into the yard. My workbench. Feeling proud of my first two! A third is nearly ready for varnish. I'm starting two more. Link to post Share on other sites
fiddlewallop Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Nice work Dave! Link to post Share on other sites
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 dave the chin rest on the one looks very high, is there any problem with leverage with the height/base ratio? nice looking work. congrats. Link to post Share on other sites
Don Noon Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 dave the chin rest on the one looks very high, is there any problem with leverage with the height/base ratio? nice looking work. congrats. The overstand also appears to be exceptionally high on that one. Link to post Share on other sites
David Beard Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Thanks for the encouraging words! Good eye on the one violin. That is the first, and very much a non-standard experiment. The violin is also rather asymmetrical. That chin rest is something custom I made years ago. I don't like using shoulder pads, and back when I was younger and thinner I had quite a crane neck on me. This chin rest served me well. Now however, I can get along with a standard chin rest when need be. In that first violin, I let the build proceed very flexibly. I planned to keep the first instrument for myself, and saw it as an opportunity to get a better feel for limits and functionality in the build. The end result is asymmetrical and very free. Surprisingly, it feels relatively normal in the hand when played. The FB is very thin also, and has a bit of a maple wedge under it. Later I will restring it in gut for period playing. I didn't indulge in the same liberties with the second instrument, or the others in process now. Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 On the bench last night : Link to post Share on other sites
christian bayon Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Ben, the weather is that bad? your are working like a Mirecourt factory! Link to post Share on other sites
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 ben how many do you average a year? Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Cheers ! Those are the ones I'm working on, plus a Cello, and a few new forms / moulds I'm making, got 4 finished here and 13 for sale in England. Weather in Ireland is awful, much worse in Italy though. Link to post Share on other sites
cbouts Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Ben you get bored over there with the weather I can always throw down another bench downstairs HAHAHA... Just kidding. I might have just lost my mind today giving quote for a client in ontario for an upright bass. They want to trade in a viola I made for a downpayment on a bass... Wow talk about introducing them to the dark side... what did I do to them?! Now i'm debating flat back or arched or Parnomo or Thomas Kennedy model or what type of lovely juicy nasty boss hog I want to throw down. This aint no chin cello folks! HAHAHA. I'll be honest I hope the details shake out on this one and the quote goes through... would love to see this one go through to completion. (Connor Russel I hear you have an upright bass on your bench right now?) Cellos are one thing but MAN... why cant we skip the upright and just jump to the Octobass Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Well, you have the buyers over there, Andrew. Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 a glass of wine,, a tablefull of luscious fiddles,,, a beautiful picture,,, Ireland looks alright from here,,, Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I hate to disagree, but the grass is always in greener in Ireland. Link to post Share on other sites
Evan Smith Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 specially when we're covered in snow at 20 below Link to post Share on other sites
Melvin Goldsmith Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 On my bench today is a copy I made for the owner of a Goffriller viola who is a fine musician....In the final set up of my copy I 'corrected' some of the set up on the original to conform to conventional standards......Now I have just carefully re corrected the set up to be like the original as my customer prefers it....I have no problem with this especially as the client is very fine musician and conscientious client Link to post Share on other sites
David Beard Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 On my bench today ... Wow! Beautiful organic work. Link to post Share on other sites
~ Ben Conover Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 That looks like a Goffriller viola !! Great work Melvin, especially the varnish, really convincing. What's the stop and arching heights etc ? Link to post Share on other sites
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