Books › An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925 › scan 104
Scan 104
An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925
16 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 80. See the scan on archive.org.
1that the surface is absolutely level. These procedures, as one may see, are not difficult.
3If the back is to be made in one piece, a line should be drawn across the whole breadth of the back, with the point, on the level side, taking care that the line in question is absolutely parallel with the point of support above the wood, something easy enough to do if the tracing is done with a folding rule or square. This line, starting from the level of the back, ends in the most conical part below.
5In the back made of two pieces, the jointure existing in the middle makes this traced line unnecessary.
7The model, Figure 1, Plate 30, is now taken and laid on the slab of the back, attention being paid that the center of the model is fixed exactly on the line which has just been drawn; and then the entire outline of the model is traced with the point, the greatest care being used. The back which has been traced is then placed in the vise, and is cut out with the turning saw, heed being always paid not to approach the latter too near the line, since after the saw has been used, knife and scraper are employed to make the model exact. By frequent use of the rule the assurance may be gained that the edges form a right angle with the flat side of the form.
9The outline completed, one should take the tracer and open it to the extent of 5 millimeters (1/5"). The back is then placed on the knees, and, resting the larger arm of the tracer against the wood, a line which serves to indicate the thickness which the edges should have is drawn completely around them.
11The back should then be placed flat on the workbench and held there by means of clamps, while one begins to line out the arching, using the largest of the gouges. Here the craftsman should be doubly attentive, and move slowly and surely in order to attain his ends, since a single splinter of wood carried away may spoil his work.
13One should begin removing, along the length of the back, all the wood necessary to obtain the arch shown in the model, Figure 2, Plate 30, frequently looking at the model while so doing, and not allowing the gouge to bite too deeply into the wood, lest too much of it be removed. When the lengthwise arch has been obtained one must, if necessary, place the back in a new position on the workbench, and get to such work as reproducing the arch shown in Figure 4, Plate 30, which is the central arch, crosswise. In order to find the exact joint, the model of the F-holes should be taken and placed upon the back, and the two interior curves of the F-holes marked. The model should then be removed, and a line drawn between these two curves; the center of this line will be the point on which the model, Figure 4, Plate 30, should be placed in order to carve this arch.
15The placing of the models for the upper and lower transverse archings of the violin does not call for explanation, since it is at the broadest point of
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