Rounded of corners

[dutchpp]

A normal procedure in boatbuilding but not always desired in violin building..

I applied to much pressure on the point of the block when planing the ribs and block's flat, two of them are a bit rounded off.
If you would glue the front plate now the hairline gap between the point of the ribs and the front plate would be highly visible.
So I had to glue on a tiny point of maple veneer and very very carefully plane it to the required thickness.
A lesson in patience.
IMG_1572.jpg
The glued on piece of maple veneer, just before planing it off almost completely, only the last few mm's at the point should remain.

[Paul Pless]

Re: Rounded of corners

what are the parallel lines that look like the wood has been scored?

[dutchpp]

Re: Rounded of corners

It's what you would call fiddleback maple, highly curly maple. The almost vertical parallel lines are growth rings., the almost horizontal brown colored stripes is the curly fiddleback pattern.
The maple is sawn perfectly vertical grain.
We often use the German name for the wood in Europe; Riegel Ahorn or sometimes the Dutch name "gewaterd Esdoorn" (watered maple)

[lupussonic]

Re: Rounded of corners

Improvise and overcome.

Lovely work! I'd like to see more..

Martin.

[dutchpp]

Re: Rounded of corners

^At the end of the week I will start with the assembly of the violin, I will take pictures and post them here.

[David G]

Re: Rounded of corners

Nice work. I admire the skills of luthiery, but have done very little in that direction. Maybe when I retire.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Re: Rounded of corners

It's what you would call fiddleback maple, highly curly maple. The almost vertical parallel lines are growth rings., the almost horizontal brown colored stripes is the curly fiddleback pattern.
The maple is sawn perfectly vertical grain.
We often use the German name for the wood in Europe; Riegel Ahorn or sometimes the Dutch name "gewaterd Esdoorn" (watered maple)

My favourite uncle was a luthier specialising in violins and 'cellos. - his choice of timber for the maple parts in new builds was what in the UK is known as sycamore - Acer Pseudoplatanus, this comes in fiddleback, plain, and with a variety of other grain features.

There are quite a few different maples (Acers) relatively well naturalised in northern europe - which one(s) are you using

[dutchpp]

Re: Rounded of corners

I bought the maple billets for the back, sides and neck from the Violin building school. The school buys the wood in Germany, it's European maple and most likely Acer Platanoides, it's a little bit softer than American Maple, but a warning I'm not a wood expert

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Re: Rounded of corners

Thanks, that's the tree I know as Norway Maple

I had a quick Google and it seems that the timbers are almost indistinguishable but the trees are easy enough

https://bplant.org/compare/68-217

[dutchpp]

Re: Rounded of corners

Yes even here in the Netherlands it's quite a common tree, lots of them have been planted in parks etc. and some of them managed to disseminate (?) to forests etc.
It has the same name over here "Noorse Esdoorn"
I checked with the school, a lot of German wood sellers buy their maple from forests in Slovenia.

[robm]

Re: Rounded of corners

Norway maples are weed trees where I live. They rarely get big enough to be useful as lumber, but they sure grow fast, and talk about invasive!

[sp_clark]

Re: Rounded of corners

Norway maples are weed trees where I live. They rarely get big enough to be useful as lumber, but they sure grow fast, and talk about invasive!

The one on my front lawn's big enough for lumber:

NorwayMaple.jpg

Wonderful for shade, miserable for getting pretty much anything but dust to grow underneath it.

Main trunk's got a 3/4" split on one side from two 'limbs' facing SE that have grown so much they're too heavy, causing the split. I have a couple of tree surgeons I've contacted for topping it off before the split gets worse, likey later this fall & winter in a storm.

As much of a nuisance as the seedlings it drops are it's useful for the shade it provides this time of year. Hate to lose it.

[robm]

Re: Rounded of corners

They must grow differently in Europe, to get lumber suitable for violins. Like yours, ours grow too fast, even if they don't get very big. I have tried to salvage useful wood from quite large pieces of Norway maple firewood, but it is moves, warps, isn't very hard or stable. And that was from the straight pieces!

[sp_clark]

Re: Rounded of corners

They must grow differently in Europe....

I think everything grows differently in Europe.

[dutchpp]

Re: Rounded of corners

I think everything grows differently in Europe.

Maybe or maybe not
IMG_1573.jpg

Lots of seedlings.