Violin Forum/Message Board

johngia · Member Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Posts: 84

MANFIO,

Kind of late joining this conversation, but just wanted to thank you for posting your pictures. I have admired your work for years.

I remember reading somewhere where you had posted a description of your finishing process. Tried to find it again but couldn't. Would like to try it sometime.

Sorry to hear that you were the latest target of someone's insecure frustations. I missed that one, as I rarely go to that other place. Just heard about it here.

Thanks again,

John

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject:

Hi Actonern, I always made the sounholes edge 1 mm thick because I thought Sacconi mentioned it on his book. Well, just give a look in my Italian edition and it is thicker indeed, but only 0.3 milimeters (he gives 2.4 for the top and 2.7 for the region near the f holes). Anyway, I always made it 1 mm thicker around the ff hole region, it is thicker just near the edge, I don't think it stiffens the top.
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:43 pm Post subject:

I use oil varnish, I make the wood darker with tea, then I use the Marciana Varnish (2 parts oil one part rosin one part mastic) in a paste with pumice that I burnish into the wood followed by one coat of marciana varnish. I may add some terra di Siena naturale pigment to this. This is the ground, and if possible I want it much more inside the wood than over it. Then I follow with 2 or 3 coats of - the now extinct, no longer produced - Doratura Varnish, from Magister Products to wich I add pigments.

My work is far from being neat so this varnish goes well with it. If I had a clean and neat work I would probably use something different as a varnish.
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

kubasa · Member Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 212

Luis - this might seem like an odd question but do you color (paint?) the inside of the pegbox and f-holes before you apply varnish or do you do it after a few coats of varnish? When I do this I don't seem to follow any sort of pattern and sometimes I don't do it until the very end which probably isn't good. The reason I ask is that I see some varnish on the pegbox that slightly runs over the paint so it looks like you painted it before the final coat of varnish. I like the way it looks.

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:56 pm Post subject:

I paint the inside of the pegbox, soundholes and the exposed end of the neck under the fingerboard when everything is varnished. I use burnt Terra di Siena to do that.
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

Jack Rushing · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

Beautiful work as usual Luis.!!!! I especially like the edges. Looking forward
to hearing a sound sample.

polkat · Member Joined: 16 Aug 2012 Posts: 32

MANFIO, you said that you darken the wood with tea. Can you elaborate a bit on this? I've tried this before without much effect, and fear I may have been doing it wrong. Thanks!

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:35 am Post subject: tea?

I'm sure Luis will answer, but one thing to remember is that you have to let it dry between coats of tea (Or, coffee, as I have sometimes used. Tea is probably better...). Otherwise the color doesn't change much.
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

MANFIO · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:03 am Post subject:

Make an very strong, undrinkable tea, put 4 or 5 more tea than you usually use, let it boil. Apply it to the wood and let it dry. Many coats may be necessary. It may stain a bit - or a lot - the endgrain, that's why I mentioned that if I had a clean, neat work I would use a different method.
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

DonLeister · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:53 am Post subject:

I have been using tea often and like the color. Since endgrain areas can take the stain more you can wipe those areas with a damp cloth right before you apply the stain and that will help even it out.

The tea can develop a bit of mold on the top if it sits for a long time in a jar so just skim it off and the tea is still useable. It seems to get even more transparent when it sits for a long time, I think there is some settling of particles or something.
Like Manfio says, strong is good!

kubasa · Member Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 212

I have been using strong tea also but with a slightly different twist. I use tea instead of the water in the vernice bianca recipe that I have. However, I had some issues using teas with lots of tannins so I switched to using roobios tea because the tannin level is lower and it took care of the weird issues. Who knows - I might regret doing this down the road but for now, I'm really happy with the results. I've done this on three instruments and it gives a nice rich tea stain appearance combined with vernice bianca as the sealer. I know some aren't fans of VB but it works for me.

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:07 pm Post subject:

I find varnishing rather unpredictable, I will change something everytime I varnish an instrument...
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

ctviolin · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:20 pm Post subject:

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:18 pm Post subject:

Ha!
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

polkat · Member Joined: 16 Aug 2012 Posts: 32

Just trying to grasp this better...so would you say to boil 6 dark tea bags in a cup of water, until the water starts to cook off, and then apply it with...a rag?

I also read somewhere that a jar of nails or steel wool soaked in vinegar for a while, then that liquid applied to the wood before the tea, will help the tea work better.

Anyone else heard this?