Hershey Violins

Odin Rathnam Commissions a Hershey Violin

Odin Rathnam, Concert Master of the Harrisburg Symphony and internationally recognized violin soloist, recently commissioned me to make him a copy of his 18 century concert violin. Below are progress shots of this project. I hope you enjoy viewing these photos and come back often to see my progress. Projected completion date is July 2009. More about Odin Rathnam can be found by clicking here. Enjoy, and thank you for visiting.

Scott Hershey, Master Violin Maker. (click images below to view larger)

Gallery 1

: Odin and Scott begin discussions.

: Odin requested this new instrument feel like his 18th century one.

: Picking out the proper woods for this commission.

A well aged, european medium grained spruce will be used for this top. Due to the high archings of this instrument, viola woods must be used.

Nicely flamed, well aged european maple will be used on this instrument.

This jig is used to tightly hold the "book matched" joined wood. Hide glue is used here.

Another view of the same jig.

Once the two pieces are dry, the pattern is traced on the backs and the outline is cut out on a band saw. Ample margins are left around this tracing to allow for future adjustments.

Here is the top cut out and ready for carving. Notice how thick the center has to be for this extreme arching.

Mold blocks are dry-fitted and positioned on the mold. Blocks are willow.

More block fitting.

Lower bout blocks cut and fit.

This is the rib garland after all glueing is completed.

These are the steam bent ribs placed around the mold and marked. Special care is taken to match the ribs to each other so when viewing from the side, the slant of the ribs match each other.

Here the upper and lower bouts are glued in after the C-bouts are dry and cut to fit.

Another view of the upper and lower bouts being glued in.

Here only the center bouts have ben glued in. When dry, they need trimmed.

After the corner blocks have been glued in place and dry, the end blocks are glued.

The lining process begins by dry fitting all linings. Every lining needs to be mortised into every block.

Clamps are used to maintain the ribs shape and hold the linings in place.

After all linings are dry, the clamps are removed and trimed and sanded down.

Here's a closer look at the mortised in linings.

End block with linings trimed and mortised.

The scroll pattern is traced unto the neck block and band sawed out.

The location of the peg holes are marked at this point.

The inside and outside dimensions of the scroll are traced using pre-cut patterns.

The scroll head pattern was marked with dots when the peg holes are marked.

Multiple back saw cuts are made arond the earlier markings. You cut down to the pattern drawn on the block. Care must be taken to avoid cutting too deep.

The little blocks of wood are removed as you go. At this point, the upper scroll must be carefully drawn and sawed down to this marking.

Cut down to your line carefully.

This represents the final cutting with the back saw. The rest of this scroll is finished up with scroll gouges and later scrapped down.

The eye is very important while cutting a scroll. Constant checking of all angles of the scroll are necessary so the scroll has good symmetry.

Work both sides of the scroll as you go. Do not just do one side at a time.

Valuting the scroll begins. A very acurate centerline is necessary here.

Just another view of my progress.

The scroll above is a casting of the original Calvarola. I check with this casting often as I carve this scroll.

Another view of this scroll.

Here, the peg box is just about done.

Peg box cheeks are marked and holes are drilled into the peg box for easy removal of wood. Caution here!! It's very easy to drill these holes too deep and even go right through the scroll. Ouch!! You wil have to begin over if this happens so, be careful here.

Chipping out the inside of the pegbox.