November 23, 2010 – 9:33 am
To finish the neck, we must prepare and attach the fingerboard and nut. The fingerboard blanks as they come from the supplier are too thick and too long. They must be planed down, cut to size and the scoop on the underside must be enlarged. Once that is done, it is lightly glued to the fingerboard (it will be removed for varnishing) and the nut must be attached as well.
Fingerboard
Attached
Now we can cut away the excess wood on the neck and begin the shaping process.
Shaping the Neck
At his point the scroll is carefully blended into the shape of the neck at the chin. The heel must wait until we have glued the neck into the body.
Scroll and Neck
Finished Neck
The neck is now finished. The next step is to tune the plates.
November 7, 2010 – 11:36 am
Before we tune the plates, we will make the neck. The first step is to layout the neck outline on the neck block. We use a template that not only defines the outline but also locates the peg holes and the turns of the scroll.
neck layout
We now use the bandsaw to cut outline and the drill press to drill the peg holes.
neck cut out
The next step is to clean up the outline, form the neck root and cut down the cheeks of the peg box.
neck cheeks cut
We are now ready to carve the scroll. First we cut away the excess wood of the first turn and the clean up the first turn using chisels.
first turn is cut
first turn is cleaned up
With the first turn complete, we do the same thing for the second turn.
neck second turn
We now under cut the volute all the way around on both sides of the scroll.
neck volute
The next step is to hollow out the peg box and provisionally fit the pegs.
peg box layout
peg box hollowed out
peg box finished
Finally we flute the scroll all around.
scroll is fluted
The scroll is largely complete now. The next step is to prepare and attach the finger board and shape the neck.
October 14, 2010 – 12:20 pm
The piece of top wood selected for “The Rebecca” is a beautiful piece of split Italian spruce that has been dried for more than 10 years. Because it is split, we are sure that the grain is “on the quarter” and the tone will be optimal. This first step is to join the halves.
Split Top Joined
The next step is to layout the outline using the rib assembly as a template.
Top Layout
As for the back, we establish the purfling platform.
Purfling Platform
Then we cut the purfling channel and bend and cut the purfling pieces.
Purfling
Once the purfling is installed, like for the back we form the arching shape and cut the sgusciatura and finish the final outside arching.
Outside complete
Now we flip it over and gouge out the inside.
The inside is finished
We are now ready to tune the back and the top. But first, lets make the neck.
October 14, 2010 – 2:57 am
With the purfling in, we finish the outside shape of the back. Using gouges and templates, the rough outline is brought to shape. Then using a very sharp gouge, the sgusciatura (or channel) is cut all around the back.
sgusciatura
The using finger planes and scrapers, the final shape is formed.
Complete Back
With the outside complete, we flip it over and start gouging out the inside.
Hollowing the inside
Continuing with gouges, planes, and scrapers, the inside is finished.
Complete back inside
We will wait to tune this plate until after the top is made.
September 13, 2010 – 11:50 am
With the rib assembly done, we turn our attention to the back. The back is made from some very nice Bosnian maple that was cut approximately 15 years ago. The first step is to plane a perfect joint and join the two pieces.
The joined back.
Next we use the rib assembly to trace the outline for the back on the joined maple and then cut it out.
The back cut out.
Next, we establish a platform for the installation of the purfling. To do this, we make platform about 5 mm thick and 9 mm wide all around the instrument. At this point we finish the outline to perfectly match the rib assembly with about 2.5 mm overhang all around.
Purfling platform.
With the platform established, we cut a purfling channel all around the instrument. Pieces of purfling are bent and inlayed into the channel. The picture below shows half of the purfling installed.
Purfling half installed.
To finish this stage, we just need to install the other half of the purfling. Now we move on to completing the arching of the outside of the back.
August 25, 2010 – 7:03 am
The first step is to install the blocks and ribs. “The Rebecca” is based on a Strad (the Provigny) pattern. The blocks are willow and glued to the mold. The ribs are planed to a thickness of about 1.2 mm and then bent to shape. Below is a picture of the blocks and the c-ribs installed.
blocks and C's installed
Now the blocks must be trimmed to accept the other ribs. Likewise, those ribs are planed to about 1.2 mm and bent.
The Rebecca - ribs installed
The next step is to install the linings.
August 25, 2010 – 6:46 am
Today we start “The Rebecca”. Below is a picture of the wood I have selected for this violin. There is a nicely flamed piece of Bosnian maple for the back and sides and a very nice piece of split Italian spruce for the top. The linings and blocks will be made from willow. The neck block is also nicely flamed.
The rebecca
The first step is to install the block and ribs.
With the corpus finished, we are ready to make and install a neck. We start with the raw material, a neck block and finger board.
the neck block
We first use a template to trace the shape of the neck on the neck block. We cut out the shape and drill the peg holes.
cut out the shape
Next we pare away the excess wood around the pegbox cheeks.
pegbox cheeks
Then we carve the first turn of the scroll.
first turn
Then we carve the second turn.
second turn
Now we undercut the scroll, carve the volute and pegbox. Clean everything up and glue on the fingerboard.
fingerboard glued
There is a lot of excess wood that needs to be removed and the neck needs to be shaped. It is now ready to install on the corpus.
neck shaped
A mortice is cut in the corpus for the neck. This is the most exacting task in violin making. All dimensions are very critical to the function of the instrument.
neck is glued
We now do the final shaping of the button, heel and chin.
neck shaped
We are now ready to clean everything up and setup the violin for playing!
With all of the pieces done, it is time to put it all together. The first step is to remove the rib assembly from the form and trim the blocks and linings.
Rib assembly
Next we glue the back on.
back glued on ribs
At this point, I like to clean everything up and apply a very thin coat of propolis spirit varnish to the inside. When it is dry I rub it down and put the makers label in.
ready to close
We are now ready to close the body.
top is glued on
The body is done.
The body is done.
Lets make a neck.
The bass bar is a piece of spruce about 6 mm wide that runs the length of the top underneath the bass foot of the bridge. It provides rigidity for the top and enhances the lower frequencies. Its proper installation is critical to the tone of the instrument.
The first step is to cut a piece of spruce to the proper length, plane it to width and cut the proper shape with a knife.
the bassbar
We then glue some temporary cleats to the top to hold it in place and chalk fit the bassbar to the top. Its location is critical and must fit exactly the entire length.
bassbar fitting
Once it fits perfectly, we glue it in place.
bassbar glued
The bassbar is then shaped using small planes. Thicker in the bridge area and thinner in the lungs.
bassbar shaped
Like we did for graduating the top, we use resonate frequencies to fine tune the shape of the bassbar.
ring mode
bassbar x-mode
The top is now complete. We are ready to put the body together.