Cremonese edgework starts from edge thickness. Almost invariably, the thickness of the unworn edge on a Cremonese violin (in the upper and lower bouts, not the corners and c-bouts, which run by different rules) is equal to or slightly less than the distance from the edge to the purfling. This leads to the easy conclusion […]
Purfling Machine: Eight Views
This is the tool I designed and built over 20 years ago for cutting purfling grooves.… Read more »
Workshop, the Wi-i-ide view!
Things have been busy in the shop. I’ve got some help now, someone who does really fine bow work, whom I worked with 25 years ago—James Min—is doing our bow rehairs and repairs two days a week. When you follow this link, you’ll see why I don’t show the photo at its full size in […]
Violin Business Photos
I probably should have mentioned when I mentioned my photos of the Upper Peninsula in the 1970s a few posts ago that I have a whole set devoted to portraits of people in the violin business, such as the shot above of Will Whedbee working in his shop, and also some other violin photos, in my […]
The Book
I have been writing a violin making book for a few years. Progress is slow, but I’m in no hurry. At this point I have a few easy chapters, not yet illustrated (the pictures will be half of the project, I’m sure). You can see what’s already completed to that point on the book’s own […]
And now, something completely different…
(Me, 1979 ) Before I was involved with violins, I was a photographer. My last full-time photo job was in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on a very small newspaper in an isolated and underpopulated area. It was a great job where I got to wander around in a four-county region asking people I saw doing interesting things to […]
Jeweler’s Saw Blades
In my quest for the perfect jeweler’s saw blade for sawing out f-holes, I once landed the world’s last supply of these antique blades, defunct blades from a closed hardware store, bought at a now-closed tool store in downtown Chicago. The brand is Gilbert, and I tracked them down to around 1890 or so. They’re […]
How Not to Sharpen Files
Before “sharpening” on the left, after on the right. I guess this wasn’t such a hot idea! There is a simple shop method for sharpening files that’s mentioned in more or less detail all over the web. It’s done by dipping the files in acid for an hour or more, which supposedly etches away metal, […]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 7
- Next Page »