Violin Forum/Message Board

[TheWeatherman]

I was wondering what you guys can tell me about using location pins for the back and front? How would you do it without location pins? How big are the pins suppose to be and what size drill bit should you use? Where can you get location pins or how do you make them?

I think this is one of the scariest things that I have read about. I'm not sure how to fill the holes either.

I think I would rather not use location pins but not sure if there is a better way?

Thanks for any suggestions and help.

[rs]

Pins (dowels) aren't necessary. When I use them, they are only cosmetic even though they go into the block just like the real thing; I put them in after the violin is already done in the white. I glue the pin with it sticking out a little bit, let it dry, then cut off with a gouge. If I want them darker, I cut them off with a dremel sanding disk until just above the plate. The pin will "burn" and get darker, simply "burning" them as dark or as little as I like. I finish with a gouge and scraper.

If you want to line up the plates without pins, clamp them to the garland, trace the ribs to the plate while spacing with a washer.

When you glue the plates to the ribs, start with the corners first, the "C" bouts next, then work out to the ends. Work fast, but everything should line up if the cut was laid out currectly. More can go wrong at the corners than the ends, and pins tend to confine me, whereas without pins I have a little more slack to adjust the endblocks to get where I want. (I also like no seam at the lower bout for the same reason, if I have long enough rib material, but that is an entirely different story).

To make pins, cut a piece of maple square, then bevel each edge or corner until it is now octagon shaped. Stick it in a drill and hold sandpaper on the wood until it is round. Simply shape it the size you want. I find smaller looks better than large. I avoid sticking them in the seam most of the time; I also never have liked pins in the button, but that is just me.
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Randall Shenefelt

[L P Reedy]

I drill 1/16" holes and use panel nails for assembly. The ones I have are a perfect fit. After the plate is glued I remove the nails, ream the holes to 5/64" and fill with round toothpicks, leaving the ends pointed so that plate removal isn't too hard, if ever needed.

I personally would not go back to doing it without pins, but that's just my experience. I glue the first plate while the ribs are still on the mold, so if I get the ends right everything else falls into place. Then the second plate also lines up naturally. And I don't have enough hands (one) to push everything into alignment as I go.

[Chris Knowlton]

TW

I felt the pins were very useful as long as the rib cage doesn’t change shape a lot when it’s removed from the mould. To help maintain it's shape I made sure my ribs matched the mould very closely before gluing them in place and I left the rib cage in the mound until I was ready to attach the front and back plate.

If you go to http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=321692&st=20
Post #39 shows a small block I made to align the pin holes, to keep the drill perpendicular, and to prevent it from wandering.

Chris
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I make sawdust mostly