Violin Forum/Message Board

[ChameleonMan]

Hello everyone. I wanted to ask about tools, and what everyone uses. Now I'm a student and have a very, well... limited budget. And buying tools for violin making can be quite expensive, as I've learned. I was wondering how I could make some of these tools myself, and if anyone had any experience with any particular tools and they would like to share. My dad is a carpenter/electrician, so I have pretty much all the basic tools. I have constructed myself a soundpost setter:



I'm sure it will work decently well. Soundpost setters aren't expensive, but every little bit counts. So please, share with me how I can make some simple tools that can make this process easier. Thanks!

Oh, and also; would this gelatin powder work fine for a ground coat in a ratio of 30g gelatin to 1 liter water? Thanks!

[Michael Darnton]

I don't think your post setter will be stiff enough. I have gotten by in the past in emergencies by taking the thickest coat hanger I could find, breaking off about seven inches and beating one end flat to stab the post, then bending a little hook in the other end. Steel thicker than a coat hanger--something around 3mm--would be better.

[ChameleonMan]

Thank you. It seems sturdy enough, but I don't know. If not I might just invest in a setter...

[Roger Hill]

You can stiffen your sound post setter very considerably by doing the following: Lay the plane of the curve along the top of the jaws of a vise (or the anvil if your vise has one) and carefully flatten the cross section of the wire with a hammer. This will improve the stiffness by giving the wire a stiffer cross-section and by work hardening the copper.

[violinarius]

While it may be appealing to make ones own tools, and perhaps save a few melundos in the process, the cost of a soundpost setter will not bankrupt anyone, and the savings in future frustration, are huge. In other words I would not try cutting corners here.

If you want to save on tools, keep a diligent eye on the various E-Bay type websites, and local flea markets, and garage sales. That is where you will find your best deals, and then with the money you saved on regular tools, you can buy good specialized instrument making tools, such as a good reamer for the pegs and end-pin.

Some homemade tools perform quite well on instruments, such as lining clips made from cloths pegs, and closing clamps made with bolts and wing nuts, and since you need quite a few of these, it's even a bigger saving.

This site has some nice articles:

http://www.scavm.com/articles.html


http://www.scavm.com/Bridgejk.htm

http://www.scavm.com/Handle.htm

Learn how to fettle a plane, and you will save a lot of cash as well, since there are a lot of old planes out there that are not in working order, which with a little elbow grease, can perform quite well, for very little money.

http://woodtreks.com/how-to-tune-up-a-hand-plane/19/

If you can borrow someone's tools, then you will be ahead of the game, and if not, then try to find a local woodworking school, that will allow shop time. This way if you only make a few violins, you will not be stuck with unwanted tools, and if you decide to pursue violin making full-tilt, then you will probably want better tools, and you will know better what you want.
Saving a step or two in the ever increasing tool climb, will save money in the long run.

Here is a nice website that shows some tools made by a beginner:

http://z11.invisionfree.com/Stringed_Instruments/index.php?showtopic=16

http://z11.invisionfree.com/Stringed_Instruments/index.php?showtopic=20

http://s11.invisionfree.com/Stringed_Instruments/index.php?showtopic=25

[ChameleonMan]

I will keep an eye out for these bargains. I think that trying to make my own tools will only work for certain small ones; I'll invest in the rest. Thank you for all the help everyone!