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touch up varnish on bare wood

 
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Butchie47
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Joined: 19 Aug 2021
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 9:21 am    Post subject: touch up varnish on bare wood Reply with quote

My first post here and thanking all who read this and offer guidance .

I'm doing some minor repairs , plate cracks , seams etc. which I have some experience with . However this violin has been very poorly treated and has chipped corners and other damage that is now exposed wood.
I really have no experience with finish touch up and don't want to spend time on this. I would, however, like to at the very least give the bare wood some protection for now.
I was told this violin was made early 1900 or a bit earlier and I don't know what the original finish was. It has had quite a number of repairs by others of varying skill levels and some previous attempts at touch up finish. there was a thick layer of rosin which I have carefully removed as much as I dare.

What would be suggested to use to initially give some protection to the bare wood until I may want to attempt a more extensive treatment? Is there a product ( sealer)that can be tinted to at least subdue the bright white exposed wood that would not risk damage to whatever the original finish may be ?
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Michael Darnton
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Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Chicago

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rule for retouching is to build in the original order, from the bottom. Bare wood should be bare wood color. If you are matching a varnish color, use varnish that color. Some colors are the result of complex layering and you need to match that.

For bare aged wood I use Tombow ABT brush markers, colors in order: 946, 947, 899, 969. Start with the lightest and move up. The last two very rarely get used.

They are water soluble if they need to be removed later and colorfast. You can be messy and wipe them off varnish with a wet finger.. Wetting the wood first prevents uneven color or color coming too fast and dark. For cheap violins you can shade things towards the varnish color as appropriate, but not to do things like paint all the bare edges to replicate missing varnish! That's a job for varnish.

Think of the job as subduing damage so that it matches older damage, not trying to replicate new. For that the process is a lot more complex and usually not desirable anyway for reasons we don't need to get into.
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Butchie47
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Joined: 19 Aug 2021
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 8:22 pm    Post subject: touch up varnish on bare wood Reply with quote

Thank you Michael I'll try that. I don't suppose they will give much protection but I can see a use for them. It'll be a while before I get into varnish work.
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Mat Roop
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Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 911
Location: Wyoming Ontario

PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Michael... after applying the Tombow marker color, how do you seal it to make it more durable?
Thanks, Mat
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Michael Darnton
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I usually do not. If that is called for I use a more traditional method.
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Oleg Vostyakov
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Joined: 13 Sep 2021
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:47 am    Post subject: Re: touch up varnish on bare wood Reply with quote

Butchie47 wrote:
My first post here and thanking all who read this and offer guidance .

I'm doing some minor repairs , plate cracks , seams etc. which I have some experience with . However this violin has been very poorly treated and has chipped corners and other damage that is now exposed wood.
I really have no experience with finish touch up and don't want to spend time on this. I would, however, like to at the very least give the bare wood some protection for now.
I was told this violin was made early 1900 or a bit earlier and I don't know what the original finish was. It has had quite a number of repairs by others of varying skill levels and some previous attempts at touch up finish. there was a thick layer of rosin which I have carefully removed as much as I dare.

What would be suggested to use to initially give some protection to the bare wood until I may want to attempt a more extensive treatment? Is there a product ( sealer)that can be tinted to at least subdue the bright white exposed wood that would not risk damage to whatever the original finish may be ?


Main idea is to restore, not repair! If there is repair it means that you modernize it by using modern parts, but if it is restore it is just technically refreshing the instrument. And of course colour to colour!
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Oleg Vostyakov
Member


Joined: 13 Sep 2021
Posts: 25

PostPosted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:53 am    Post subject: Re: touch up varnish on bare wood Reply with quote

Butchie47 wrote:
My first post here and thanking all who read this and offer guidance .

I'm doing some minor repairs , plate cracks , seams etc. which I have some experience with . However this violin has been very poorly treated and has chipped corners and other damage that is now exposed wood.
I really have no experience with finish touch up and don't want to spend time on this. I would, however, like to at the very least give the bare wood some protection for now.
I was told this violin was made early 1900 or a bit earlier and I don't know what the original finish was. It has had quite a number of repairs by others of varying skill levels and some previous attempts at touch up finish. there was a thick layer of rosin which I have carefully removed as much as I dare.

What would be suggested to use to initially give some protection to the bare wood until I may want to attempt a more extensive treatment? Is there a product ( sealer)that can be tinted to at least subdue the bright white exposed wood that would not risk damage to whatever the original finish may be ?


Main idea is to restore, not repair! If there is repair it means that you modernize it by using modern parts, but if it is restore it is just technically refreshing the instrument. And of course colour to colour!
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My scores works: https://musescore.com/sheetmusic
The program of training me as a musician: https://musescore.com/courses/violin
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Mike Shuman
Junior Member


Joined: 17 Nov 2021
Posts: 16
Location: Denver

PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:53 am    Post subject: Re: touch up varnish on bare wood Reply with quote

Butchie47 wrote:
My first post here and thanking all who read this and offer guidance .

I'm doing some minor repairs , plate cracks , seams etc. which I have some experience with . However this violin has been very poorly treated and has chipped corners and other damage that is now exposed wood.
I really have no experience with finish touch up and don't want to spend time on this. I would, however, like to at the very least give the bare wood some protection for now.
I was told this violin was made early 1900 or a bit earlier and I don't know what the original finish was. It has had quite a number of repairs by others of varying skill levels and some previous attempts at touch up finish. there was a thick layer of rosin which I have carefully removed as much as I dare.

What would be suggested to use to initially give some protection to the bare wood until I may want to attempt a more extensive treatment? Is there a product ( sealer)that can be tinted to at least subdue the bright white exposed wood that would not risk damage to whatever the original finish may be ?


Are you working with every state or just locally in your city? I mean how to send you instrument if it's broken?
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