MikeC's bench

[MikeC]

 

Please excuse the middle finger salute,  I'm not being rude it's just the way I steady the knife. 

[MikeC]

I made an attempt at a homemade CT scan of my back plate.  Rather than cut it half crosswise.   

I'm not sure how accurate this is,  maybe If I was more careful it would actually be accurate.  

I used the profilometer or whatever it's called on the outer arch and inner arch at the same point and then overlayed them. 

I may have got mixed up on bass side vs. treble side... 

 

 

[MikeC]

Ribs removed from the form.   

 

[Sean Couch]

I was nervous taking my garland off the form, but it went better than I thought. I didn’t like the way my corner blocks split, so next time, I am going to set them with the grain at 45 degrees like you did. 

[MikeC]

As I recall the 45 degree angle is something I saw on Davide Sora's videos so I do it that way.    

I used way too much glue attaching the corner blocks to the form!   Lesson learned.   

[Sean Couch]

Yeah, I think I saw that on Davide’s video also, but after I had already completed my garland at that point. Before putting on the ribs, and after the blocks were glued and dried, I took my little Xacto saw and cut a ways into the corner blocks using the form as a guide to make a horizontal cut on each side of the form. Makes for less wood than needs to be split. I think I saw that on one of Peter Westerlund’s videos.

I didn’t use tons of hide glue, so it wasn’t horrible to knock the top and bottom blocks loose. If I remember correctly, I think Davide uses a drop or two of tight bond to attach the blocks. I am going to try that too.

[Davide Sora]

On 9/25/2024 at 5:43 PM, Sean Couch said:

I was nervous taking my garland off the form, but it went better than I thought. I didn’t like the way my corner blocks split, so next time, I am going to set them with the grain at 45 degrees like you did. 

 

On 9/25/2024 at 8:16 PM, MikeC said:

As I recall the 45 degree angle is something I saw on Davide Sora's videos so I do it that way.    

I used way too much glue attaching the corner blocks to the form!   Lesson learned.   

The grain orientation is not related to the direction of the split, which is determined by the direction of the wood fibers. To orient it correctly, simply split the block and plane the face to be glued to the form parallel to the split line. The 45° orientation of the grain is more for structural reasons, and it is more important to respect it if spruce or coniferous wood is used for the blocks. The grain direction is secondary with willow or other hardwoods, but correct splitting is still essential.

[Sean Couch]

Right on, thanks for the info. I am going to use willow for my blocks and liners on my next violin. I will split it to find the direction. Knowing the split direction and aligning the blocks correctly will help when removing the garland from the form.

[MikeC]

I haven't glued the back plate to the ribs yet,  I need to make a good set of spool clamps first.   But I did start on the top plate,  just getting the edges square. 

 

 

[ernym]

6 hours ago, MikeC said:

I haven't glued the back plate to the ribs yet,  I need to make a good set of spool clamps first.   But I did start on the top plate,  just getting the edges square. 

Like the hat...You volksmarch too?

If you wait until the top plate is finished before gluing the back to the ribs it will be easier to mark and trim the excess wood around the blocks and linings. 

 

[MikeC]

I don't volksmarch but I really want to hike the Applachian trail.  If I'm not too old when I retire in a few years.  

My concern with not gluing the back plate to the ribs is that the ribs are flexible and I'm not sure if I could mark accurately on the top plate.  The ribs are off the form already.   

[ernym]

1 hour ago, MikeC said:

I don't volksmarch but I really want to hike the Applachian trail.  If I'm not too old when I retire in a few years.  

My concern with not gluing the back plate to the ribs is that the ribs are flexible and I'm not sure if I could mark accurately on the top plate.  The ribs are off the form already.   

Hiking the entire AT was a serious dream of mine too. Had an army buddy from Iron Mountain, Tennessee  who lived very close to the trail. We planned to get together after our service ended but we both got married and that was that.  How far are you from Springer Mtn? I hope you can get to do it after retirement!

Didn't realize the form was released. No matter you can do it both ways. Looking good.

[MikeC]

I think the plan is to get the top plate center seam glued,  probably tomorrow.   Then glue the back plate to the ribs then trace the ribs on the top plate.   I would feel more comfortable doing it that way.   

I'm in central Georgia about a 3 hour drive to Amacalola falls,  the approach trial.  My cousin's son did the whole trail starting in Main a few years ago and that got me interested in it.  

[MikeC]

Freshly sharpened plane blade takes thin shavings.   

 

[MikeC]

I'm going to start on varnish making.   For the last build, someone sent me some samples of ground and colored varnish which I really liked,  but it was only enough for one violin build.   This time I'm going to try making my own varnish.   

I have tried to make varnish in the past and it kind of turned out ok but this time I'm trying to make something better.   I hope it turns out well. 

Yesterday I cooked some rosin.  As I recall this is some aleppo rosin that I got from E.   

I cooked it at 350F for about 2 hours, then had to turn it off since I was going out and didn't want to leave it cooking while I was away.  When I got back home I turned it back on and cooked for another hour or two.   

The cooking was in a stainless steel pot.  After cooking, I poured it out onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  

It looks nice but in a thin varnish layer probably won't show much color.   I'm trying to make this a ground layer varnish and will add lakes for the colored layer.  

 

[ernym]

I made this from the raw resin that I purchased from Greece. You bought the light colophony from me which hasn't been cooked too long. I've made some very good varnish from it and still have some colophony left. Have fun!

 

[MikeC]

34 minutes ago, ernym said:

I made this from the raw resin that I purchased from Greece. You bought the light colophony from me which hasn't been cooked too long. I've made some very good varnish from it and still have some colophony left. Have fun!

 

The rosin I got from you, is it aleppo?  I think I remember that but not sure.  Was it already cooked some?   I was thinking it wasn't cooked so I cooked it.      

Will you be making varnish for the sultana?   How's that build going?   

Do you add mastic to the varnish cook?   I am kind of following the recipe shown in this website. 

https://www.ruschil.com/blog/making-violin-varnish

 

[ernym]

The colophony is cooked down from raw Aleppo. The second photo is the actual 1kg bag shipped to me from Petros. I cooked the dark colophony 100 hours and I don't remember how many hours I cooked the lighter batch. 

I would like to make another batch of varnish next summer. I do add mastic to the cook during the cooling down phase. I'll be using commercial varnishes on the Sultana, Joe's Balsam Ground, copal and amber varnishes.

Hit a few bumps in the road with the Sultana build. Lost the first garland and then had to find another spruce top but it's coming along ok. Top is roughed in, just waiting for new end mills for my pufling jig.

[MikeC]

1 hour ago, ernym said:

The colophony is cooked down from raw Aleppo. The second photo is the actual 1kg bag shipped to me from Petros. I cooked the dark colophony 100 hours and I don't remember how many hours I cooked the lighter batch. 

I would like to make another batch of varnish next summer. I do add mastic to the cook during the cooling down phase. I'll be using commercial varnishes on the Sultana, Joe's Balsam Ground, copal and amber varnishes.

Hit a few bumps in the road with the Sultana build. Lost the first garland and then had to find another spruce top but it coming along ok. Top is roughed in, just waiting for new mill ends for my pufling jig.

Sultana is looking good.  I saw where you lost the first garland but you made a good comeback from the setback!  

[ernym]

Losing it worked out well.

Do you have oil? I have a whole gallon of varnish makers linseed oil from Woodfinishing Enterprises  just sitting in my cabinet if you're looking. 

https://woodfinishingenterprises.com/shop/oils/varnish-makers-linseed-oil/ 

[MikeC]

1 minute ago, ernym said:

Losing it worked out well the new form is made from the original tracing from Conor.

Do you have oil? I have a whole gallon of varnish makers linseed oil from Woodfinishing Enterprises if you're looking. 

https://woodfinishingenterprises.com/shop/oils/varnish-makers-linseed-oil/ 

I have enough oil for now.  It's about a quart I think.  Some I got from you.  I'm washing it now with water.  Waiting for it to settle.    I'm using plain tap water, not sure if that's the best thing.  Maybe I should use salt water?  

[ernym]

12 hours ago, MikeC said:

I have enough oil for now.  It's about a quart I think.  Some I got from you.  I'm washing it now with water.  Waiting for it to settle.    I'm using plain tap water, not sure if that's the best thing.  Maybe I should use salt water?  

Many ways to wash oil, I wash with salt and sand but others just wash a couple times with plain water. What are you using for pigments?

Looks like a good recipe to follow. Cooking the colophony down for a week? Let me know if you need more I have some left and don't need it. When I make varnish again I have a colophony that I bought from a small shop in Portugal that I'm itching to use. It's real nice, smells incredible and maybe from the maritime pine?

Look forward to seeing your varnish.

[MikeC]

For pigments, I have several vials of lakes,  some madder, some cochineal, I think.  I don't remember, they are out in the shed and it's been a while since I looked to see what I have.  

I want to try making lake pigments.  I have some lac dye powder and some fustic dye powder.  I was wondering how to go about making a lake from those.    I've never made lake pigments but there's lots of info on old discussions here on MN.

speaking of the smell of rosin,  After I cooked this rosin, it had a slight smell of sulfur.   I'm not sure if that's normal?   Is it normal for a cooked rosin to smell like a fart?  LOL 

[ernym]

9 hours ago, MikeC said:

For pigments, I have several vials of lakes,  some madder, some cochineal, I think.  I don't remember, they are out in the shed and it's been a while since I looked to see what I have.  

I want to try making lake pigments.  I have some lac dye powder and some fustic dye powder.  I was wondering how to go about making a lake from those.    I've never made lake pigments but there's lots of info on old discussions here on MN.

speaking of the smell of rosin,  After I cooked this rosin, it had a slight smell of sulfur.   I'm not sure if that's normal?   Is it normal for a cooked rosin to smell like a fart?  LOL 

The only lake I've made was Neil Ertz espresso madder lake. I use Kremer made lakes.

I just smelled my Aleppo colophony and there is no detectable smell at all. That's strange, was your dog under the bench? : )

[MikeC]

8 hours ago, ernym said:

The only lake I've made was Neil Ertz espresso madder lake. I use Kremer made lakes.

I just smelled my Aleppo colophony and there is no detectable smell at all. That's strange, was your dog under the bench?

I have an old espresso machine that I haven't used in years.   Do you have a link to Neil's method?  I was searching but can't seem to find it.   

The dog was there but it wasn't him making the smell.     Wasn't me either!     

The odor has diminished but when I just now opened the container where I have the rosin and there is still a hint of sulfur smell.