I mocked up the measurements from my research to see if things were accurate. Some stuff was off and I got the idea to have the front be a facade like they used to do to shacks in the wild west. The outside was just a flat, cheap wood wall painted to look like a palace and the inside was unfinished lath wood. So, I'll use 13 or 14 straight 1/2" x 4" pine lath pieces for the sides roughly following the instrument's contour but in straight lines of course. They'll be connected with 3 1/2" piano hinges or some such. I'll use 1/4" hardboard/Masonite for the top and back although I imagine the sound would be better if I used hardboard for the sides also. I'll use a double bit hickory replacement ax handle for the neck using "through body" construction. The finger board will use 5 1/2 inch diameter plastic pvc or abs conduit cut at an angle lengthwise so the arch's width is thinner near the nut and wider toward the bridge. I'll cut and shave down the end of the axle handle to create the correct string angle over the nut and use wooden viola tuning pegs from the music store.