Violin Forum/Message Board

[cryptision]

When attacking the endpin for the tail-piece, do I glue it in or does the string tension keep it in place?

[bata]

Hi,
The endpin is fitted into the body of the violin using a tapered reamer. Same reamer as used for the pegs, 1:30 taper. The endpin is not glued in to the body. The taper and string tension keeps it in place.
Tony

[cryptision]

Sweet, thanks. So the only things that need glue is the nut and fingerboard?

[bata]

That would depend on the design of your violin. On a conventional violin, the saddle, top and bottom pltaes and neck would all have to be glued.
All luthiers use hot hide glue for most of their glue work. See the thread at the top of this forum for info on hide glue and other posts.

[cryptision]

So, since my project is going to be a basic electric violin, I will need to glue the nut,fingerboard and saddle. Would you recommend Franklin Titebond Glue as sold by Stewmac.com? Also, I have seen videos on youtube of violins being handmade and noticed that the nut was pre-glued to the fingerboard before being fitted to the violin. Is that normal? Thanks for your replies. You have been a big help already.

[FiddleDoug]

Hide glue is the accepted standard for violin work. Don't glue the nut to the fingerboard, because you need to profile the fingerboard after it's glued to the neck. Can't do that with the nut on.
_________________
Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

[bata]

Im not quite sure what you mean by a basic electric violin. A regular acoustic violin can be turned into an electric violin. Are you making one with a solid body like an electric bass guitar?
Titebond is a very strong glue and would serve you well, but again this is not normally used in regular violin construction.
If you are working on a non conventional experimental instrument....anything goes! You can glue together what ever you want, how you want. This is not what we do on regular violins and you should not confuse the two.
Have fun!

[bata]

Are you trying to build something like this? https://picasaweb.google.com/loclub001/Cello?authkey=Gv1sRgCLXjmZeAo-mBkwE#5691009929419389682
(First time Ive tried insert pic, hope it workd)

[cryptision]

[cryptision]

Another thing about my project. While I will not be making a scroll on this build. I would like to learn how to carve a scroll for any possible future builds. That how ever must be relegated to a new post entirely Once everything is said and done with. I will be removing the traditional tuners and installing machine head style tuners. I might have to use ukulele tuners as they are smaller than guitar tuners. I can already hear the masses of real Luthiers firing up there torches and sharpening their pitch forks However if Mark Wood can survive so can I

[cryptision]

[bata]

From above...."Of course that depends on if I need to raise or lower the bridge to keep string height even across the fingerboard. "The strings are not kept even across the finger board. At the nut, the clearance from underside of string to top of finger board should be about 0.5mm to 0.7mm. At the end of fingerboard (270mm from nut) the clearance from underside of string to top of finger board should be about 3.5mm to 5.0mm for steel strings.

[cryptision]

Thanks for the numbers, Bata. Helps out alot. Just wondering. The endpin that I got from Stewmac is 8mm to 9mm, would I just have to worry about reaming out a endpin hole on the violin and nut have to worry about shaping this endpin? I am under the impression that Stewmac sold a finished endpin. If not, do they make endpin shapers like they do for the tuning pegs? Also, I just posted the first video in my violin build series on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En8kZPhkDc8

If any mods are reading this could you let me know two things?
1.What am I doing wrong with posting a link to my violin build video
2. Are noobs such as my self allowed to post links? if not, I do appologies and pledge to read the rules and stickies 1000 times until the dawn of the new year. (side-note, I'll get started reading)

Last edit, I just figured out where to enable html links in post. Now I will have to read the rules 1000 more times by the dawn of the new year for being brain dead. lol

[bata]

Hi Cryptision,
Happy New Year!!!! Thats a neat video.
As far as the endpin is concerned, 8-9mm is usual size. Normally that would be shaved down to a smaller diameter, primarily to avoid enlarging the hole in the violin body. For your project I would think you could use it as is. As mentioned below, same reamer as used for the pegs, 1:30 taper. Ream the hole to suit the pin.

[cryptision]

Hello 2012, and happy new year to all those on this forum. Bata, I was doing a little thinking this morning (yea dangerous, I know) I can see why the hole for the endpin needs to conform exactly to the endpin and why it is not glued on a traditional acoustic violin. The traditional violin is more delicate than a solid body electric. So, what's to stop me from drilling an 8mm hole and chiselling it out to 9mm and gluing the endpin in my solid body. The structural integrity of the system should hold. I'm also thinking of ditching the traditional tuning pegs and going with ukulele tuners. I'm doing this simply because I don't have much funds for this project and am unable to find a suitable alternative to the 1:30 reamer that seems a bit over priced at Stewmac. Since this project is an experiment where I have know violin experience anyway, why not. Life is an adventure and I tend to learn things the hard way. Thankfully this forum is here to soften the fall.