Violin Forum/Message Board

antonio · Member Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 27 Location: Croatia

Hi, I'm interested in your opinions, what is the best thickness of top and bottom plates for violin. Everywhere I find different patterns, for example, I have Bruce Ossman's Violin Making book (Guide for the amateurs) which is very much different than the one I found on the website by David Langsather of Salem, Oregon, USA
http://www.dalemfg.com/violin_011.htm
Which one is better, and, please if someone has patterns ready to print, I would be gratefull if you sent it to me, both top and bottom plate. I have stradivarius templates, I think.
Are these David Langsather's plans better than these Ossman's? I think they are less thick. Is it wise to try to draw them approximately by hand just by watching the picture on the web?
And one more question... I have Titebond hide glue? would you suggest it or not?

Michael Darnton · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:42 pm Post subject:

This is one of those ten-foot pole questions.

I would make the top about 3.0mm thick, except where it has to get thicker gently as it approaches the edges, and make the back 4.5mm at the narrowest spot, down evenly and gradually to half that in the upper and lower bouts. It won't hurt to leave a little extra down the center of the bak--just a couple of tenths--where it starts to get below 3.0mm--to help the back seam stay glued.

Hot hide glue, not the bottled type. Always hot hide glue. NEVER anything else!
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ctviolin

antonio · Member Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 27 Location: Croatia

ok. Thanks! How many grams of hide glue I need for whole violin?
And, can I heat the glue more than once, and use it after each melting? Or I need to make just the amount I need?

ctviolin · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: hide glue

polkat · Member Joined: 16 Aug 2012 Posts: 32

And in case you are wondering, liquid hide glue (bottled) creeps! It's due primarily to additives and other junk they put in it to keep it liquid. When I started making violins, I used it, not being aware of any troubles with it. One HOT summer day shortly after I made my first, I was on the couch watching TV (something I excel at). The violin was hanging on a wall next to an open window. As I watched I heard a ticking sound and looked over at the violin.
For the next half hour, I watched that violin fall off the wall in pieces. An extreme story for sure, but it happened.

Don't save that bottle for anything else. Just chuck it!

John Cadd · Posted: Tue May 30, 2023 7:08 am Post subject: Plate graduation

I think the most important tip for graduations is to avoid going too thin.Generally it will make a Loud violin which is hard to play Quietly . Make a violin that has no bad habits like a motorcycle with a huge power band that wants to throw you off .Let the musician be in control . One note about Amati violins was the plates were generally even all over .That came from the Hill family experts . Does that give us a clue ? I don`t really know . In a Strad poster you will see a few dips with very thin wood (was there a reason ?) but you will seldom or never see any bumps .Bumps are easy to plane flat. Not so easy to fill in a dip.Even if the dip was an accident. So dips are not worth copying. I don`t think so .

John Cadd · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 7:12 am Post subject: Plate graduation

For newcomers to Hot Hide glue the fear of warming anything up seems to be a common theme. The best glue temperature is the same as a fresh cup of tea when you can drink it comfortably. If I mention coffee you will automatically think of a superheated cup which will put you in hospital when you spill it in your lap . Ready to drink right now is best . Check it with a thermometer . Don`t drink the glue .