The Making of a 5-String Violin-Gallery 1

Below are photos (in no particular order) of the making process of this violin. This 5-string is not just a violin with an extra peg stuffed into the peg box. Structural changes and alterations were made to accommodate the C-string and allow for the vibrating of the top and back plates. I will continue to post galleries of this process as I move along. This instrument will take 100 to 120 hours to complete.

A stack of wood and patterns being used to create this 5-string violin.
This is a shot of the cuts I made to cut out the scroll and neck block.
Band sawing the neck.

More of the same.
After the neck block has been squared up, the scroll cutting begins.
After the scroll has been cut out, it is sanded to smooth out the lines.

Drilling for the 5 peg holes. Best done when the block is still squared up.
Carefully bandsawing the mold.
A band saw is used to cut to the final shape

Cutting out the mold for block placement.
Cutting out the inside of the mold to allow for clamping.
Clamping block placement prior to fitting and glueing on the ribs.

Drumb sanding the corner blocks down to the pencil lines.
The corner and end blocks are glued in place and the pattern has been traced unto them.
The corner and end blocks have been glued and roughly cut to shape.

Another view of the "C"-bout clamping arrangement.
Upper and lower bouts are glued after the "C"-bouts have been dried and trimmed.
Here the corner blocks have been glued to the mold.

Once the blocks have been made, the bent ribs are glued to the corner blocks. I begin with gluing the "C"-bouts first
Both "C"-bouts glued in place.
After the ribs are completely dried and corners trimmed, the ribs can be used to transfer the pattern to the top and back plates.

All of the linings are glued in place. Only one side of the ribs are glued, otherwise I would not be able to remove the mold.
Another shot of the jointing process used for the top and back.
A shooting board is used to plane the top center joint prior to glueing.

This is my jointing gig. Wedges are used to exert pressure to the joint.

(Click to view Gallery 2)

 

scott-viewing-violin

Hershey Violins

11 West Main Street
Mechanicsburg, Pa 17055
717.697.6341

Shop Hours:

Tue. thru Fri: 11am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 3pm
Other hours by appointment
call: 717. 697. 6341