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Qubus
Junior Member


Joined: 25 Jul 2015
Posts: 2
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:04 am    Post subject: new member Reply with quote

Hi,
I am a rather unusual new member of this site, being from the UK.

I made my first violin about 40 (sic) years ago and it is only within the last year that a friend finally varnished and strung it up for me. It didn't actually take 40 years to build the fiddle, I just went abroad for a year after having built it, but never got any further than leaving it in "the white " for 39 years. I am now planning to build a second fiddle, hopefully finishing it before 2055!

I have more or less decided to build it using the book "How to Build a Stradivarius" by J V Reid. This book has the advantage of providing what appears to be a good set of plans, but the explanations are a bit sparse. I have also looked at the book by Juliet Barker, which has lots of nice pictures, but no plans.

1) Has anybody any experience of building using the Reid book?
2) Is there a better book with plans included?
3) I have quite a lot of tools to get hold of, especially a caliper gauge. They seem to run at about £100. However, the Chinese ones are about half that price. Has anyone any experience of them?

Thanks in advance for any help.
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Dave Chandler
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Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Posts: 691
Location: Mt Mitchell in North Carolina

PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum. regarding the calipers, since they are a fairly simple mechanical device, the cheaper made you may be able to do a reasonable job with them, but materials they are made with you have to keep an eye on rust etc, and also keeping an eye on the zero adjustments.

You might want to take a look at Michael Darnton's draft violin making book at http://www.darntonviolins.com/viola.php and as far as patterns go I'd start with a poster from Strad magazine. These would make good supplement to almost any book you decide to go with.

I started with Stroebel's book, but haven't looked at it in some time, but his book on "usefull measurements" is open on my bench almost all the time. Check out his site at http://www.henrystrobel.com/
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L P Reedy
Super Member


Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 276
Location: Brevard, NC

PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haven't seen the Reid book, but one of my favorites is "Fiddlemaker's Worksheets" by William K. Robertson. It was given to me by a friend who bought it in England. The sticker says "Argus Books Ltd, £7.95 net, UK only." Published 1983. He studied under Juliet Barker and the book, while not perfect (none of them are) is easy to understand and follow.

He includes a half template for a sort of generic Strad pattern, along with a contour diagram for arching and neck/scroll templates. Everything else is rough drawings. Some dimensions are subject to slight variation and opinion, but in many ways it is the best book I have, including "The Art of Violin Making" by Johnson and Courtnall.

I doubt that it is still in print, but even if it isn't you might be able to find a copy. If not, you might find it in a library. Good luck.

Lyle
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kjb
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Joined: 06 Feb 2013
Posts: 385

PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

welcoms and have fun
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SooT
Member


Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 74
Location: Devon, UK

PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which part of England are you in? We moved to Devon from USA, have quite a number of books, if you are within spitting distance you are welcome to come and browse through our books to see what might be suitable for you.

Sue
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Michael Darnton
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Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Chicago

PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The best violin making book currently in print is Johnson and Courtnall's Art of Violin Making. It's well worth hunting down a copy, and following it precisely!
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Qubus
Junior Member


Joined: 25 Jul 2015
Posts: 2
Location: UK

PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 6:47 am    Post subject: reponse Reply with quote

Thanks to everyone for responding to my query. I have replied individually to you.
best wishes
qubusl
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ctviolin
Super Member


Joined: 07 May 2009
Posts: 961
Location: Roswell

PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:22 am    Post subject: Re: new member Reply with quote

Qubus wrote:
Hi,
I am a rather unusual new member of this site, being from the UK.

I made my first violin about 40 (sic) years ago and it is only within the last year that a friend finally varnished and strung it up for me. It didn't actually take 40 years to build the fiddle, I just went abroad for a year after having built it, but never got any further than leaving it in "the white " for 39 years. I am now planning to build a second fiddle, hopefully finishing it before 2055!



Then you'd better start your number 2 now...
40 years is a while, but I know some makers that have started, and NEVER finished, so, consider yourself amongst the makers that have at least MADE themselves something and you have both started and finished.

Perhaps the internet will provide you with all the information that you will need as a "new" maker... Then again, perhaps the internet will provide you with so much information - that you will start to read, and never get to the end of what's available.
Books are fine any and all books are great but I'm thinking that the internet might simply be your answer as to obtaining any "how to" information that you might need - its all available fort the reading.

However, you might want to obtain a set of "plans" or a set of rather perfect blueprints for building from the magazine, The Strad...

Another thing that you can simply look up on line.

So, Qubus, if you've got yourself a computer, as I assume that you do have, then, simply get bust looking up all of this stuff on-line.

And, I'd advise getting a set of plans from The Strad, and working directly from them, whatever technique that you decide to use building it.
If you continue on with this project - keep posting your progress here, and the makers here will continue to chime in, and give whatever advice they (we ) have got to give.

I hope to see you here again, with some wood and tools...

Craig T
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Franciscus
Member


Joined: 11 Jan 2014
Posts: 43
Location: Tuzla, Bosnia

PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello, Qubus, and welcome. You asked for caliper. Here is the one, not so expensive, I'd say: http://www.ebay.com/itm/141356913205?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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