Books › An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925 › scan 113
Scan 113
An encyclopedia of the violin, 1925
18 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 89. See the scan on archive.org.
1the plane is used again, with more or less pressure as the case may require.
3Two-thirds of each of these shavings or purflings are tinted black; three of the purflings are then glued together, the white one placed in the middle, while care must be taken to use glue which is fluid, weakened with water, in order that when these purflings come to be glued in their grooves, they will be flexible enough to adapt themselves to the outlines of the grooves in question.
5When the purflings have been glued and dried, it is necessary to cut the groove which is to receive them. The operation, which is one requiring great care, is carried out as follows:
7Taking the purfling gauge or marker, the vise is used to open it to the desired extent necessary to set away more or less of the edge of the purfling, a matter which depends altogether on the taste of the individual, unless when he is copying another violin faithfully, he would rather imitate it in every detail.
9The violin is held on the knees, and, controlling it with the left hand, the cutter of the marker rests upon the back of the sound board, for it makes but little difference whether one begin with the one or the other. The marker being held as described, care must be taken to keep it in an upright position, while passing it all about the border of the instrument and raising it again at each of the four corners. This operation will result in a small line drawn upon the back of the sound board. Then, after having convinced one's self that the marker has drawn the line clearly wherever it has passed, it is used again wherever it may have failed to make a proper impression. This first operation accomplished, it is only necessary to cut the two lines destined to form the groove which is nearest the edge. The second groove line must now be drawn, bearing in mind the thickness of the three purflings taken together, and opening the purfling gauge or marker in conformity, and if necessary, forcing the purfling gauge a trifle with the hammer.
11A tool composed of two blades carefully sharpened and closely set together, the purfling compasses, which makes it possible to cut two grooves at once, is also used.
13The second groove of the purfling being similar to the first, a small space is left beneath the small half-circle at the heel of the neck where it joins the body.
15In order to do away with this break in the tracing of the groove, one should take a small piece of very narrow wood, like the wood of the models which have already been described, and use the knife to give it the curve required by the groove in this place; after which, that portion which the marker has been unable to reach is traced with the point.
17The entire purfling having thus been traced along the two sides of the violin, with the point of a knife, the lines which the marker has left are
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