Violin Forum/Message Board

fordraiders · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:53 am Post subject: Top plate with Bridge Problem

Where the brige normally sits the wood is worn, almost rough. I would like to repair the area so it doesn't get worse. Are there are any standard ways of fixing this. About 1-2mm has worn away ?

I believe the varnish was not put there due to sound enhancement.
But I'am afraid the bridge will be a bear to fit properly.
The arch needs to be mantained I assume.

Can't find any good reading on this either.

Wood filler..? etc...Pics ?

Thanks
David
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Mountan Music and tradtional string band music are my main interests. Keeping alive the old traditions. Getting into repair work on old violins. Love Tommy Jarrell;Roscoe Holcomb; Rayna Gellert; Heidi Clare, Owen "Snake" Chapman, Rhys Davies

MANFIO · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

It happens with old instruments. If I were you, I would not touch it. Good luthiers know how to fit bridge in this uneven surface.
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jessupe goldastini · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

the only thing i would do is to get a q-tip and dip it in either tung/ linseed / walnut oil and apply just a LITTLE dab on the effected areas and then quickly wipe and BUFF dry with a soft clean cloth.....

this will seal the wood in the worn area where finish is gone, and thus re-eqaulize the hydroscopic absorbtion rate of the top plate....ie. the top is sealed the underside not{in general}

depending on the size of the effected area this may discolor the wood where the oil absorbs in, however if this is a old funky fiddle it will just add to the "patina"...

Jack H. · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:14 pm Post subject:

this is a problematic ara, I have never heard of any repairds for this area like patches and the likes. Do not use filler, I would not seal it with oil if I wanted to put a bridge on it later. you can use some shelack a few light layers but you will have to let it dry well before fitting a bridge.
Slow and easy while fitting the bridge. try not to do more damage.
at some point ya might have to find a new top for her...

jessupe goldastini · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject:

jack, how does a drop of oil on raw wood effect fitting a bridge?

Jack H. · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:22 am Post subject:

jessupe goldastini · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:24 am Post subject:

been very cold, rain off and on...

funny, i had made some furnture and always fancied making fiddles...go figure....and even funnier, my girlfreind plays violin and always wants me to fix her house....i'm not sure what the corelation is, but ya know.....

John Cadd · Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject:

I remember reading that Stradivarius fixed a ceiling in his house with wood from an old box.You have to warm to the idea that a great maker could have left some room in his life for a quick bodge.

Andres Sender · Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject:

We don’t know who used the broken up chest with the name ‘Antonio’ on it to repair the house, since we don’t know when it was done.

John Cadd · Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:26 am Post subject:

Andres Why so serious? The hole in the belly sounds drastic.1 or 2 mms is a lot.Has the varnish been deliberately scraped away?(Bad Idea).Think about gluing shavings of wood onto the clean wood.Just build up enough to get above the surface level.Then work out a way to bring it level with the original top.
Picture a thicker shaving with a cutout the size of the repair patch.Lay the thicker shaving "around "the patch (three sides only) and that will protect the varnish as you carefully sand down the whole ensemble.The cutout will only work in one direction at a time.You will just have to do that one sanding stroke at a time and watch that there is still material left to protest the varnish.Turn the shaving "protector "around to do the same from the opposite direction.
Finally you may need to sacrifice a smidgeon of varnish.
If you can arrange a block of wood off the end of the instrument to act as a guide you could work out an accurate angle to do some minute sanding.You need to have your violin held stationary for that.Glue some abrasive (1 sq cm) to a sanding "bar" which will be guided by the block.Get all your angles right first.

Michael Darnton · Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:37 am Post subject:

This is a hard problem to deal with, and I don't know what I'd say without sealing. I don't think oil is a good idea because that would make gluing in a piece later difficult. Usually on good violins this type of stuff gets pressed out from the inside, puffed up with some water, in the course of another repair, but that's a lot of work. There are water-soluble wood filler putties--that might be a harmless temporary solution. If I were going to glue in wood, I'd fit a proper piece, but that's a very intrusive thing to do.

I'm inclined to say leave it alone.

John Cadd · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:39 am Post subject:

Most guitar makers would be unscrewing the Superglue by now. tut tut.