Violin Forum/Message Board

rs · Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:22 pm Post subject:

Thanks and you are welcome. The original Spanish Court viola has a lot of fine animal depictions on it. It's a beaut There are a few leopards, rabbits and some waterfowl in the ribs. When I started drawing out a pattern for mine, I had a hard time embracing the style that Stradivari went for as mine was not graceful as his was. Instead, mine made me think of a hunting lodge and so I canned that approach and went for what you see. I wanted it to be graceful without being something like a Disney film, in other words, I wanted to avoid "cute" like I want to avoid pink varnish.
_________________
Randall Shenefelt

Clifford Green · Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 3:30 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the pictures and explanation of your excellent work. Do you think it would be possible to cut and apply the filigree after the ribs are bent, glued and lined?

Clifford Green · Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:39 pm Post subject:

A couple of days ago Antonio submitted a picture of trimming linings. Occasionally, while doing the same task, especially when the ribs are still on the mold, I've scored the ribs with my knife point. To avoid this I altered a knife to have a rounded and polished tip.

[/img]

rs · Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:50 pm Post subject:

You're welcome, Clifford. I kicked that around and opted against it. If I had done it that way, I would have made a thick mold that goes all the way behind the ribs. What cured me of the idea, however, was cutting some filigree (I like your word selection for that one!) for a guitar in situ to cover up a blister a few months ago. It was time intensive. Even when I bent the Hellier model I was much too tentative and pulled the turn of the scrolls about 10 mm short of the corners. The result required some cosmetics afterwards as the ribs now were too naked going into the corners. I would not hesitate to lay them out 4 or 5 mm from the corners and aggressively fit them as such. I cut the Spanish Court style viola just after this one, both were idle for a while, and was much more aggressive with the layout of the viola from my results with this violin, that is, already fitting the layout for the corners, mortise, end pin and upper rib taper. I like your knife idea, also.
_________________
Randall Shenefelt

Cliff Green · Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:58 pm Post subject:

I guess I worry about cracking the upper C bout curve dry. I've been known to crack them even with a little water.
Did you cut each MOP lozenge? If so, that would be very time consuming going by the MOP I've cut. What if you painted the back of the MOP lozenges with white paint? That would probably kill the blue cast.

ollieken · Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 10:44 am Post subject: Hi Ct

Nice pic of the fox. You know what would make a nice pic. OLD CT feeding the little guys a nice steak you wont even have to cook it .
What do you think ??
Thanks For the info on bending I am going to drill holes in the molds that I have ,the metal strip is fixed on one end but you have to pull the other with a clamp . Now just have to wait for the steak feeding pic Ken

ctviolin · Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 2:21 pm Post subject:

Andres Sender · Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 5:29 pm Post subject:

I guess since it's shaping up a little slow today I'll throw these up:

I have been trying to organize the outlines of Del Gesu's violins into some sort of pattern. The first step was to see if I could reduce the number of instruments to consider by grouping some together as essentially the same. Even making allowances for garlands being off the mold it is remarkable to me how much variation there is in the 25 instruments in the Biddulph book.

This is an illustrative segment of one set I was able to consider as essentially 'the same': Plowden, D'Egville, King Joseph:

Also I have been rebooting my tools a bit, picked up some cast steel gouges in sizes and sweeps more in line with what Michael D. recommends:

_________________
You can only connect the dots that you have.

ctviolin · Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:59 pm Post subject:

Andres Sender · Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 11:32 pm Post subject:

Old machinist's surface gauges, the alternative to a ruler or dividers for finding and tracking center points in setup and neck setting, thanks again to Michael.

Your violins will of course come out better the older and cooler your tools are... :-}

Now what I REALLY need is one of these:

http://tinyurl.com/l56o2lp
_________________
You can only connect the dots that you have.

ctviolin · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 5:15 am Post subject:

ctviolin · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:11 am Post subject:

ctviolin · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:38 am Post subject:

It's a modern tool that I cannot think of a antique equal for, exactly.

Another tool could be used, but probably it's not really designed exactly for the job, while this tool was designed with one function in mind.
Either way - what a cool thing this tool is.

Is this a weird way to think, or do any other people out there have a similar affection for some of their possessions?
Inquiring (but twisted) minds want to know.
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.

ctviolin · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:42 am Post subject:

OK, sorry, I just wanted four posts in a row.
Bad habit, I know, but there you go.
_________________
Look,
Listen,
Learn.

Mikes · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am Post subject:

I made these this knife handles this week end for my new knives. I purchased Hock knives. One is for bridge work and the other a general utility knife. I been wanting these for a while!

[/img]