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What do big companys use to rough out plates?

 
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jethro
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:43 am    Post subject: What do big companys use to rough out plates? Reply with quote

I have been trying to figure out how to build a machine to rough out
the outer surfaces of the plates. Has anyone ever seen how the BIG
mass production places accomplish this ?
I am not going to try to build a cnc type just because of complication.
I am thinking of a type of machine which would follow a model and
duplicate the model. It doesn't seem time efficient to spend days
hacking out wood just to get down to the start of the outside curves
starting to roughly match the templates. I'd rather put the hours where
they will make a bigger difference in the finnished product like the prufling
or thickness graduation or other parts than can only be done by hand.

Anyone seen a machine to do this job ?????

PS there are a couple of "duplicators" out there but they look very
weak mechanicaly speaking. AND they are 5 -6000 $ TOO !
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Chet Bishop
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Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 678
Location: Forest Grove, Oregon

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look for a book called "Router Magic"-- maybe even through inter-library loan. Therein is described a duplicator (with instructions, diagrams, etc. on how to build it) that will do precisely what you describe, on a one-at-a-time basis, and costs very little to build.

Chet Bishop
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luthier9010
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Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I built a DupliCarver V. Even though it is built out of plywood it works very well. It can be set up to be very precise, but there are changes that do need to be made to use it for violin making. Just building the thing is the easy part. You will need a system for holding the plate to be carved. Vaccum clamping is the only good option. What you need is something that can be used to hold the plated exactaly the same everytime. You'll need a jig to lay out locating pins in exactly the same place in each plate. I found the holding system much more difficult than building the carver.

Now I'll tell you why I think it's a big waste of time and money. They take up a lot of workshop space. Unless you take it apart and reset it up each time you use it it is always in the way. They use a router so they are a loud really loud. They are dirty, filling the shop with dust and chips. Systems like these things is difficult to get a dust extractions system that really works well.

Invest the money in some nice goudges, learn how to sharpen them, and you will be amazed how fast you can rough out a plate. Unless you are going to make fifty violins a year I don't think it's worth it. I have one and if set up correctly they will carve a plate to within one mm of the finish demintions. After I built it and carved a few plates it has been taken apart and stored away.

If you are still interested you can buy the plans on the net. Just Google DupliCarver V plans. They're by Mike Olson.
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jethro
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Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:10 am    Post subject: duplicators- Reply with quote

Thanks Chet and Luthier....
Good to hear that something out of plywiid could give 1 mm precision.
Most of the systems use a stylus to follow a model - this usualy involves
having hinged arms in all 3 dimentions linking the stylus with the cutter.
This looks pretty weak from the standpoint of getting flexing where one
side could move and the other (which is under a load) not move. I am
working on an idea to make it without any of the arms and hence no slop.
I would like to be able to get to the point I can make 2 violins per month.
But for right now I can't go that fast..... but to get to that point I have
to find ways to NOT gouge when I don't have to. Also it appears that
the more Flamed and figured the maple back is- the more time it takes
to gouge it out without getting a catastrophic break-out from trying to
go a little too fast ! So I'm thinking a machine which could move VERY
slowly - like 1mm/10 sec - ( if it's doing it I don't care if it takes half a day!)
wouldn't care how hard or in homogenious the wood is !

I still have to use shafting or rails for the router to move on.

I will look into the book and the duplicarver.
I think I remember seeing the duplicarver as a set of plans but I can't
remember what it looked like ! Will check that out too !

Thanks , Tim
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ed s
Junior Member


Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Location: belle river , ontario

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi jethro, here is another option, "Topographical Generation of Plate Arches" developed by Antonio Rizzo, you can find the info on his website at www.arviolins.com
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ed s
Junior Member


Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Location: belle river , ontario

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry jethro, I should have given you this one , http://www.scavm.com/Rizzo.htm
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jethro
Member


Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:05 am    Post subject: Eds : Reply with quote

Thanks Ed, I just read your link.
That's a pretty OK solution but that answering a little differnt question than the one I was trying to ask (which I may not have done clearly - as usual ! )
I am trying to develop something I can put the glued together blank back
or front into , put in the model I want to make a rough copy of - turn on
the machine-- come back in 2 hours (or whatever) and it is done and the
machine has turned its self off. Kind of "fire and forget" ! I can be working or eating to taking a nap while it works ! I have something
designed on paper I think will work but I wondered how the "big guys"
did it in case there is some blindingly simple principle of operation at
work that I havn't thought of ...............

I hope that give a clearer picture of where I am trying to get to !

I'll be happy to share the design if it works well ! Smile

Tim B.
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