Fiddle ready for final assembly

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 8, 2011 at 8:26pm

Nice!! I like that fingerboard.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on May 9, 2011 at 7:47am

All done with a Nicholson rasp.  Tedious...

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on May 9, 2011 at 2:14pm

It may be the photo Mark but to my eyes the radius of the fingerboard seems shallow, like it needs more radius. Have you held a violin bridge up to the end of the fingerboard to compare it? The radius is important so as to able to play a string without bowing the next string, unless done intentionally. The most common radius for a full size violin is 41.5mm to 42mm or 16 3/8 to 1/2". As I said it could just be the photo that is throwing me off.

Don

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on May 9, 2011 at 8:17pm

Likely the photo... I measured a 42mm radius very carefully.     Just put 'er together and strung it up, and it's quite promising.

I'm using a very-improvised bow, but I'm getting some decent tones out of the thing.   I do need to adjust the low string; my initial cut in the bridge and nut are too shallow.... But that was just for positioning.  

And I definitely need a proper bow....    

 

I'll try to put up some more pics tomorrow.

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on May 9, 2011 at 8:31pm

Whew! Thanks Mark :-)

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on May 9, 2011 at 11:33pm

Looks like it's coming together quite nicely, Mark. Maybe after the 3 instruments I'm working on are done, I'll try my hand at a CB Fiddle. I think I should buy one of those cheapy 500 RMB student violins so I have something with which to model my instrument. I've never tried a bowed instrument before. Probably something I can drive our cats up the wall with ;-) Keep up the good work!

-Rand.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on May 10, 2011 at 9:29am

Is the heel surface at 7 degrees from the fingerboard, or like that?  And if so, how did you drill the holes into the heel and box for the bolts?  I am not a skilled woodworker, and getting that kind of precision on those holes is what is keeping my fiddle disassembled at this point (that plus the neck is carved but not finished yet.)

 

I had used threaded inserts in the end grain of my last fiddle neck, and they failed over time.  So I am looking at the bolt on as the most flexible and adjustable over time.  But how to get those holes in there?  Can you rig it up on a drill press?  How?

 

I have the added advantage of both the top and the bottom of the box are off at this point.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on May 10, 2011 at 9:40am

Hehe....By guess and by golly.   I really wanted to be able to use my drill press, but I just could not figure a way to do it.     I guestimated the neck angle, but in fact I must have been lucky as it's pretty close to 7 degrees.

Here's what I did....  Clamped the neck in a vise and used a small level to make sure it was absolutely vertical at the surface to be drilled.

Then, I used my portable drill which is equipped with levels both on top for level and on the back for center...

And let fly.....

Those screws did not go in perfectly, but they did slide into the drilled holes without needing to be enlarged.    I feel lucky.....

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on May 10, 2011 at 11:33am

Here is a discussion elsewhere on this same problem.  Randy came up with a pretty good solution.  I've used threaded inserts, like i said, but maybe these longer ones will bite better. . Plus they are easier to seat into the endgrain - those inserts were a PIA!

 

http://handmademusic.ning.com/forum/topics/drilling-holes-in-the-he...

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