Tuesday September 1, 2009
After two weeks in England I entered the reception area of Indianapolis Violins very excited that work was about to begin on the top and back of the violin. Before departing Ben had completed all work on the ribs and linings.
I glanced at the audition room as I walked toward the shop area.
A few steps further and I entered the workshop.
Although Ben had told me he had not worked further on the violin after I left he had a surprise for me.
He had in fact drawn the outline of the Medici model on the top and back and rough cut both of them to the their fiddle shape using his band saw.
To begin the carving process on the Spruce top Ben first scribed the thickness with an additional millimeter to spare on the edge of the top.
Now ready to begin rough cutting he clamped the top to the workbench with the outside up.
He then began rough gouging the piece at a 45 degree angle to the grain and sometimes working with the grain.
Working this way leaves the wood looking the nicest. He works around the violin top clockwise.
After completing the rough gouging he begins using various size small planes and finger planes to smooth the surface and sculpt the arch.
He has to plane the thickness down a bit and leave a smooth flat surface on the top of the arch so that it easier to carve the inside of the top when is is turned over.
Ben checks the arch against the template.
The whole process from tracing, and rough gouging to finger planing takes about an hour.
Wednesday September 2, 2009
The Maple back is much harder wood the the Spruce top. Ben rough cuts it with an ArborTech wood grinder. This saves a great deal of physical effort and time.
This grinding gives overall shape and thickness to the outside of the back before finishing.
The back is now ready to be finger planed and is clamped to a flat surface.
Finger planing is done using similar technique on both the top and back.
Further work needs to be done to the C Bout outline and corners. A spindle grinder is used for this. This step includes cutting the shape carefully all of the way back to the pencil outline.
Here you can see the top and bottom both with basic shape and arches applied to the ribs. the violin is now really taking shape.
Thursday September 3, 2009
Today Ben continues finger planing, grinding, fine filing and sanding the outline of the body.
As well he carefully matches the shape of the C Bout corners to the full size photograph of the Strad Medici.
Today Ben continues finger planing, grinding, fine filing and sanding the outline of the body.
As well he carefully matches the shape of the C Bout corners to the full size photograph of the Strad Medici.
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