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Apprentice? ever..?
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Dave Chandler
Super Member


Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Posts: 691
Location: Mt Mitchell in North Carolina

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:17 pm    Post subject: Schools etc Reply with quote

Matt:

I certainly didn't want to squash your enthusiasm, but if I were younger, I'd do the school, somehow, even if in small increments. I'm still toying with that idea, afterall I could have 30 years left in me! (I thinking of changing my handle from "Dave in NC" to "Gray hair novice")

I used Stroebels book, and was hooked with my first violin, and enthusiastically did the next three in rapid succession, using other plans though. Each one has its own eccentricities, but each was better made, and made better music.

Tedious - but not boring. I'm happiest when I'm down in my "dungeon" scraping away. As someone said in one of these posts, "its better'n TV" -- and you can't get any more satisfying that to create a work of art, put your name on it, and know that it will last a couple hundred years.

By the way, my only two power tools that I use, is a scroll saw to cut out plates and neck ($150), and a cheap drill press for drilling pilot holes for the pegs (under $100). You probably already have these. Lots of specialized tools you can make if you have time to get plans and ideas (great thing this board, everyone out there will help you with this). For instance, I graduated my first plate with a hand-made curved bottom plane about 2" long and 3/4" wide, using an old 1/2" chisel that I cut down, and a small piece of hard maple. Made scrapers out of saw blades.

Get some wood, some books (you can get them through inter-library loan for next to nothing), and have at it and see if you like it. You won't believe how rewarding it is.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo
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John Cadd
Super Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 819
Location: Hoylake

PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2023 6:07 am    Post subject: Apprentice Reply with quote

Here is a late reply to the topic . I bought a CD which contains 170 old books abour Violins , Making ,Playing etc . Some famous books are included . The Optical drive plugged into the USB socket has not yet begun to operate .I need to sort that out . Most modern computers do not have cd players these days .
If you want to avoid machinery just get a Coping saw .The outline of a violin plate can be left wider and rougher at the first cut. Just avoid making it narrower . Before handsawing the plates drill a few holes where the corners need the sharpest turns. Or use a spiral blade that will cut in any direction . For beginners observe the grain direction and ----avoid cutting into the grain ----which will cause the wood to split . That`s mainly on the thin outer curves .
When using a gouge get one wide enough so the edges of the blade never go below the surface. (That will cause splits in the fibres which you may never see ). A wider blade will allow you so twist the blade as you cut . I see videos where only the straight pushing action is used. Get in the habit of learning to rotate the blade as you cut . The cut (sliced) wood should look shiny and polished . Think about the word Sliced to get the feel of violin making . Then learn about scrapers and how to sharpen them .Avoid using sandpaper if you can .That`s a good general tip as sandpaper grit will mess up a good scraper .
If you want to sharpen an out cannel gouge (bevel on the outside ) get a piece of cowhide and glue a half inch edge to a piece of wood.The cowhide flap which is not glued can be bent to any shape of gouge. Clamp the wooden end in a vice and coat the leather with chromium polish. Pull the gouge against the leather while supporting the underside with your hand . Black marks will show that metal is being removed if you have not noticed the shiny bevel already .
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