Violin Forum/Message Board Forum Index Violin Forum/Message Board
Provided by Violin Vision
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Intro

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Violin Forum/Message Board Forum Index -> Bow Making Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
whatwasithinking
Member


Joined: 26 Jan 2013
Posts: 230
Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 12:34 pm    Post subject: Intro Reply with quote

Hi all,

Wanted to introduce myself. The noise bandwidth seems kinda low here, so I'll add a little!

Having started to do some bow repairs and rehairs, a maker encouraged me to learn bow making. Now have most of the tools I need, and some wood. Am also signed up for George Rubino's class in button and frog making this summer.

Has anyone here tried ipe? I bought some boards, although the maker I've been conversing with suggested I stay with pernambuco. Just seems too expensive to learn on pernambuco, though. The ipe blanks seem very stiff, and a bit heavy, and I'm quite curious to see how they turn out. At least I won't cry if I ruin a few!

BTW, I wanted to thank Craig for helping me learn more about good rehairing practices.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ctviolin
Super Member


Joined: 07 May 2009
Posts: 961
Location: Roswell

PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Intro Reply with quote

whatwasithinking wrote:
Hi all,

Wanted to introduce myself. The noise bandwidth seems kinda low here, so I'll add a little!


BTW, I wanted to thank Craig for helping me learn more about good rehairing practices.




WWIT,

Hi, I'm happy that I could help.
Do you have the notes folder and rehair DVD also?
If not, let me know and I'll send a copy of them off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5CLnvVKn_VQ

ct
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
whatwasithinking
Member


Joined: 26 Jan 2013
Posts: 230
Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Craig,

Yes, received everything. Thanks so much! Many helpful pointers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ed Shillitoe
Member


Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 110
Location: Syracuse NY

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome WWIT! Yes, this place is kind of a ghost town so its nice to see someone new!

Ipe is a very good wood to use - you want it to be heavy and stiff, and it is a lot cheaper than pernambuco. The tools and methods are the same if you ever change over.

You'll enjoy the class by George Rubino in the summer. Even though it's billed as frogs and buttons you could take any sticks that you'r working on and get advice I'm sure.

Are you going to post some pictures of your results?

Ed
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ctviolin
Super Member


Joined: 07 May 2009
Posts: 961
Location: Roswell

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Shillitoe wrote:


Are you going to post some pictures of your results?

Ed


Yes, please, if you do start making, put up something - I'd love to see a couple of new handmade bows.

I'm sort of venturing there myself...

ct
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
ctviolin
Super Member


Joined: 07 May 2009
Posts: 961
Location: Roswell

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bow making, that is.
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
whatwasithinking
Member


Joined: 26 Jan 2013
Posts: 230
Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the encouragement!

Sure, I can post photos when I get there. I expect a couple of failures, at least. Wish I had a coach, but George did tell me I was welcome to bring some sticks with me and work on them after class. The maker who got me started would look at my work, too, but I don't see him every day.

Question for Ed:

Should the ipe blanks be from air-dried wood only? I also have a little kiln-dried ipe, but I think it behaves differently. I've also read that the wood needs to rest for a couple of years after cutting. Is that good practice after each cut, even from an already smallish board? Most of my blanks came from 1.5" by 1.5" by 3' wood. Each board made four cello blanks.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ed Shillitoe
Member


Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 110
Location: Syracuse NY

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have not used Ipe myself, but George's teaching assistant - Kevin Curry - has made some very nice Ipe bows. He can give you a better idea of how long the sticks should be left to season.

However bow woods in general do need to be aged after each step - you buy the boards as aged as you can get them, then leave them in your shop for as long as you can. Then cut them into sticks and leave them a bit longer. Then plane them roughly to size and leave them again. In other words it takes about 15 years to make a bow! I think this is partly due to drying of the wood, and partly to the release of tensions from the twisted grain. Sometimes you can run a stick through the band saw and it comes out with a severe bend that it didn't have . Then it bends a bit more over the following weeks.

All you can really do is age the sticks for as long as possible at each stage. If you find a wood that you like, then buy as much as you can so it will be well seasoned by the time you come to use it. I have enough bloodwood - which I like a lot - to last until I am about 100 years old, so I don't worry about such things any more!

Ed
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
whatwasithinking
Member


Joined: 26 Jan 2013
Posts: 230
Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Ed. Very helpful. The supplier told me that these boards had been in storage for several years, under cover. That seemed like a good thing. Then he let me pick through his entire stock, testing each one for weight, grain, and checks or other defects.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Violin Forum/Message Board Forum Index -> Bow Making Forum All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group