Any type of plywood works for making your mould template since it won’t be included in the final instrument. You can choose a template for a smaller violin, such as a 1/2 or 3/4, if you want to make one for a younger violinist. Violin templates may vary slightly in size and decoration, so pick a template that you like to work from.
If you aren’t able to remove all of the excess wood with your saw, use a sander or file to shape it to size. Be mindful of where the saw blade is at all times so you don’t accidentally cut yourself while you’re working. Try to avoid cutting sharp turns continuously when you’re using a scroll saw. Instead, cut one angle and then cut another angle separately. You might find that backing out of your current cut and approaching from a different angle is helpful when cutting fine turns or small details.
If you don’t have access to a drill press, then you can use a regular handheld drill with your largest drill bit to make a starting hole, and then use your scroll saw to cut along the holes’ outlines.
The size of your top C-block is 32 by 50 by 22 millimetres (1. 26 × 1. 97 × 0. 87 in). The bottom C-block will be 34 by 46 by 20 millimetres (1. 34 × 1. 81 × 0. 79 in). The upper side C-blocks are 33 by 25 by 28 millimetres (1. 30 × 0. 98 × 1. 10 in). The lower side C-blocks will be 33 by 25 by 28 millimetres (1. 30 × 0. 98 × 1. 10 in).
Only apply glue to one side of each mortise or else you won’t be able to easily remove it later.
Don’t chisel the outer side of the C-block yet since it will help hold the ribs in place.
If you want to know exactly how long your strips need to be, measure around the edge of your mould with a flexible tape measure so you know the circumference of the instrument. Maple is the standard wood that violins are made from, but you can use other hardwoods if you want.
Use a manual planer rather than an electric one since it will give you better control over the thickness.
Only soak 2 of the strips you cut at first so the other pieces don’t get too waterlogged.
You can buy a bending iron from your local hardware store or online. Wear gloves while working with a bending iron since it’s hot and will cause the wood to heat up as well. Be careful around the bending iron since it will cause severe burns if you touch it.
If your rib pieces are too long for the curves, cut them down carefully with a utility knife so they extend 1–2 millimetres (0. 039–0. 079 in) past the points of the corner.
Be careful not to remove too much material from the C-blocks or else you may ruin the shape of your violin.
You may need to use curved pieces of scrap wood to hold the ribs in position so they don’t dry crooked. You can either use 1 or 2 different rib pieces for both the top and bottom curves of the violin. It may be easier to shape 2 rib pieces than a single piece.
Don’t try to force the rib structure out of the mould since you could break the wood.
Make sure the grain of the wood goes in the same direction as the violin or else it won’t be as sturdy. If you didn’t use maple for your rib pieces, then use the same wood for the front of your violin so it looks cohesive.
Use caution while working with a bandsaw so you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
You can buy a wood gouge from your local hardware store. Don’t remove too much material or else you could break through the bottom of the front piece.
In total, you will need about 500 millimetres (20 in) of purfling for the front of your violin. Wear gloves while working with the bending iron so you don’t burn yourself. The bending iron is extremely hot and will cause severe burns if you touch it. You can buy purfling strips from a music shop or online.
You do not need to clamp the purfling in place since hot glue sets quickly. Don’t apply hot glue directly on the purfling since the glue could cause it to warp.
As you start working on more detailed sections of the violin, switch to smaller hand planes so you can be more accurate with how much wood you remove.
Be gentle while working with your violin since you could break the wood if you use too much force. Make sure you use new, sharp tools to make cutting the wood easier.
You can print out templates for f-holes so they’re already positioned correctly and so you don’t need to draw them freehand.
The bass bar helps the sound inside your violin resonate to make a more pleasant tone. Spruce is the traditional wood to use for a violin, but you can use other hardwoods if you want.
Don’t change the angle that you’re holding your pencil since it could affect the size and shape of your outline.
Make sure the button is symmetrical across the centerline or else the violin neck will be crooked when you place it.
If you can’t cut out the details around the corners with a bandsaw, then use a file or a scroll saw instead.
Work slowly so you don’t accidentally remove too material, or else the purfling won’t have a tight fit.
You will need about 500 millimetres (20 in) of purfling for the back of your violin. Use the same purfling you used on the front piece so your instrument looks cohesive.
Try to get the back of the violin as smooth as possible with your hand plane so it has a gentle curve.
Don’t use too much pressure or remove too much material since you could break the wood or affect the sound of the final instrument.
Wear safety glasses while working with a drill press so you don’t get any sawdust in your eyes. If you don’t have a drill press, use a handheld drill with a matching drill bit.
You may need to redraw either your top-down or profile outline as you cut off more wood.
The peg box is usually 72 millimetres (2. 8 in) long and 19 1⁄2 millimetres (0. 77 in) wide.
Ebony is the traditional material used for the neckboard, but you can use any type of hardwood if you need to.
Put cushions or something soft between the wood and your clamps if you don’t want to leave any marks or scratches on the fingerboard or neck.
You can find a diagram of where to place your spool clamps here: http://www. makingtheviolin. com/Fitting%20the%20back.
Pull the rib structure and back piece slightly apart with your hands if you can’t fit the knife easily between them.
Before you put the clamps back on, make sure the back piece is still lined up with the edges of the rib structure so you don’t accidentally warp the wood.
Work slowly while you’re cutting out the mortise since you could damage the rest of the violin.
Wipe off any excess glue so it doesn’t dry on the violin’s body and cause any damage.
Don’t apply varnish to the fingerboard since it could affect the overall sound of the instrument.
You can buy tuning pegs online or from music supply stores. Make sure the pegs for the correct strings are in the right place, or else your strings won’t sit correctly on the instrument.
You can buy soundposts and soundpost setting tools from music stores or online.
You can buy a tailpiece from a music store or online.
From left to right, the strings should be G, D, A, and E. You can buy new violin strings from music stores or online.
You can buy violin bridges from music stores or online. The tension of the strings will hold the bridge in place so you do not need to use any glue or adhesive.
