Violin Forum/Message Board

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:34 am Post subject:

Thanks, I could not wait to get up and play the violin. Yikes !! I hate to take the violin apart to work on it further.

I just got in a Maroc Bartolini Conceto Violin and a Otto Klier Violin as well, to play and try out, and then to purchase one. Tons of fun on this Saturday Morning.

What stain [ name brand ] would you purchase to stain the Mahogony ??

I did purchase the peg dope.

Thanks

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:41 am Post subject:

Peg holes and reaming on a “ White Violin “

For the beginner, such as me … Be careful when reaming out the peg holes. Not necessarily are the holes cut in the peg box exactly perpendicular and parallel to their respective lines or angles on the White Violin. I started to work the reamer in the “A” peg hole. This was not “straight” to its respective angles. I was about a ¼ or the way through the process and noticed that the reamer was tilted to the “square” of the peg box, but then able to put a glove on one hand, and the gloved hand on the other end of the reamer [ cutting edge ] and the other hand on the handle and was then able to “straighten” the hole to be correct to the angles and lines. Had to do this on all the holes.

Please still answer the question about the name brand of the stain that you suggested, since I have already made some more postings and that question might get overlooked.

Thanks again.

rs · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject:

I cannot remember ever fitting mahogany pegs so I do not have a suggestion on the stain for mahogany. For boxwood stain I use the boxwood stain from International Luthier, but I prefer nitric acid. The stain is a compromise. The reason I like this stain is it is fairly viscous as compared to alcohol based stains leaving a more uniform shaft. Pegs are a 360 degree perspective of grain and penetrating type stains on boxwood make the pegs appear two-toned. Nitric acid burns the wood and it becomes immaterial the direction of the grain for that process. I would imagine that mahogony would be the same, that is, a thick stain would be better, but I don't know for sure.
_________________
Randall Shenefelt

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject:

I received a call from one fellow and he said to use some un-scented baby oil on the Mahogany. We had some around the house … used it and … wow, looks great, very pleased. Excellent suggestion. Just, do not put them back into the peg holes for a week or so until you can be sure there is no more oil on the surface and then use some talc powder a couple of times on the pegs and scrub them down well … and should be ready to use. You guys are great !

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:57 pm Post subject:

I played the White Violin some today, and the Marco Bartolini and the Otto Klier. Played the White Violin for Larry. He asked how much am I playing it, and “touching the wood” and such. Larry stated, “OK, that is enough”. You might get too much oils or such in the wood and then the wood might not varnish evenly. I understood exactly what he was stating. I have the same problem when painting my planes. A little body oil here and there and, yikes, you have a problem, and a little coffee here, and so on. Thus it was time to take the violin apart; thus onward to the fingerboard. Did some sanding on the fingerboard, outdoors, with 320, then 400, then quadruple zero steel wool. Used an old towel out doors and away from everything to clean up the fingerboard. I never use the steel wool in the shop area since micro flakes come off and get everywhere. Then to the dye…

I purchased some Fiebing’s Black Professional Oil Dye for Leather, and stained the ebony wood fingerboard to a deep deep black [ but not where it glues onto the neck ]. Excellent. This stain, after it dried for a ½ hour did not lift off. Let it set for another hour or so and then used a rag and rubbed on it. No black came off. Nice color. Then took an old white candle and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed all over the fingerboard so that the wax was deep-deep into the wood. [ but NOT where the fingerboard will glue onto the violin neck !!!! ] Then with my hand and thumb rubbed the wax in, and then rubbed it off with several paper towels. Double WOW! Looks great. Guys, really, thanks for all the tips.

Then I used the hide glue, to glue down the top plate. There was about a 5-inch section where the chin rest would sit that was purposefully un-glued, to be a starting point to take the top plate off if so wished [ by a professional violin maker ]. So now she sits gluing and setting up. Then this next week on to the shellac.

Dave Chandler · Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 3:55 pm Post subject: Your post

I've never heard of leaving the area under the chinrest unglued. Its easy enough for a professional to get a start somewhere to take the top off, but to keep the integrity of the entire structure, I'd glue the entire top down. It might prevent some distortion later.

But hey, that's just me. Maybe I've just never heard of it before.

Nor waxing the fingerboard, because its just something to get into the strings and I'm not sure what that will do for their sound or longevity. Some 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper from any auto parts outlet will buff the fingerboard out real nice. If your stain comes up with it, then it didn't soak in as it should anyway. I've used Minwax "Ebony" stain on pegs and fingerboards, wiping off all I can afterward, but then before stringing up I buff it out pretty good. I would only want wood and fingers touching the strings.

Nor would I use steel wool as it embeds tiny particles of steel into the wood and they pick up unintended colors from varnish and other stains etc. I would get a nice small and very sharp scraper and just scrape the entire violin all over, just a wee bit, not to take off any additional wood, but just to pick up steel wool and pull sawdust out of the pores of the wood.

Plenty of posts here about different preparations of the wood before varnishing. Take your time.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

Dave Chandler · Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject: More on scraper

Just thought I'd add -- I made the scraper in the photo from a piece of 3" wide sheet metal saw blade (not made of sheet metal, but for cutting sheet metal). I think I found it at a garage sale, looked like it fit an overgrown hacksaw. Still have some steel left from it.

Gave it various shapes on a bench grinder (got to keep it cool), and it has served me well. It has flat sides, and several curves.

I have several others I've made, one from the saw blade made for an exacto knife, about 1.5" wide, another from a cheap putty knife.

[img]

STEP 1 by David Chandler, on Flickr[/img]

If you need more on preparing a scraper give us a holler.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 12:30 pm Post subject:

Hello to all. So today is May 14th, 2011. My first post was less than a month ago. I have gone from having a white violin. [ supposed to be one of the best that you can purchase in the white, but who really knows ] I purchased the white violin from International Violins. Less than 1 month ago I started the “finishing” of the white violin, and in just 3 weeks, I have finished the violin. It looks as nice as any violin I have seen in the $2K to $5K range. I sanded, sealed, clear coated, clear varnish x 2 coats, and sanded with 600 and 1500, then about 6 coats of varnish, and some clear coats. In the clear Texas sun the violin sat out all day. I as well made a light box, and at night the violin was in the light box. I purchased Thomastic Dominant strings, and a rose wood set for the violin. The violin looks great and sounds great.

Thus in summary. If you have some excellent building and understanding skills, i.e. I have been building radio controlled airplanes and such, and painting them and finishing them and flying them etc… for 30 years. Then you can handle finishing an excellent violin on your own. Everything that I looked at was $3k to $5K, and thought, that if I can find a high quality “violin in the white”, than I could take the project on, and have a great instrument for less than 1/5th the cost. Well in the end I do. With exception to be said … !!!!!!!!! I have MORE money into the tools, books, and videos, than into the violin itself. Yikes !!! I think that I have about $800 into the violin. This would include the cost of the strings, chinrest/peg/tail piece set, bridge, and vanish. But this is great. Now I hope to play the violin and practice more. And then I have ordered some violins in the white to help my little girl along. So she has a 1/8 th, a 1/4 , and a 1/2 scale violins coming for me to finish in the fall. [ in the Texas heat the garage gets up to about 110 degrees and varnishing just cannot be done ]. This has been lots of fun, and have met some nice folks along the way and have spent many hours on the phone, having the best of conversations. Thanks for those who stepped forward and private messaged me with your emails and phone numbers, you have been of great help and value to me. Thanks again !!

Thus I would suggest if you have the interest in the whit violin jump in and finish one.

One friend, whom, I emailed the pictures to, might post the pictures on this site. I do not have privileges to post pictures on the site.

Dave Chandler · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject: In the white

Can't wait to see it!! I hope that someone will post a photo. Glad you had the patience to do a good job while having fun with it and that you're pleased with it.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

mr_violin · Member Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 52 Location: Chicago

Edit:
I see bill got the pictures up himself now , so I took these links down.

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 10:43 pm Post subject: Pictures

OK, lets see if this works. Here are the pictures.

[img]

Chambers Varnished and Polished and FINISHED and PLAYED 017 by cbgin6mos, on Flickr[/img]

[img]

Chambers Varnished and Polished and FINISHED and PLAYED 016 by cbgin6mos, on Flickr[/img]

[img]

Chambers Varnished and Polished and FINISHED and PLAYED 014 by cbgin6mos, on Flickr[/img]

[img]

White Violin 005 by cbgin6mos, on Flickr[/img]

Bill Chambers · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 10:54 pm Post subject: Very Pleased

Here she sits. I am very pleased the violin turned out better than expected. I like the sound / music that is produced; now to practice and play, and to have fun with my little girl.

Yes, for those that “come across this site”, Yes you can order a violin in the “white” and finish it yourself. You will probably come out with a better product than you could by for the same price by a factor of 3 to 5 or so. [ my understanding is that this set up sells for about $5K to $8K retail ] I have about $800 into it. But, with all the tools and videos it is about $1600. Still a great deal. This is my first but I plan on finishing more. Now to further read all the books and watch the videos again so it all sinks in. And again this was done in about 3 to 4 weeks, for a first timer.

Thanks to all that helped.