Books › The violin, how to make it, 1880 › scan 89
Scan 89
The violin, how to make it, 1880
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 83. See the scan on archive.org.
1by paring off a small portion, if it is too high, in order to set it back a little. When the neck is properly fitted, heat it, and run the glue upon the dovetail in the block, as well as upon the neck, and cramp down.
3After the hand has been properly attached, the belly may be glued upon the instrument. Previous to this, the edges of the sides and blocks, as well as the interior of the instrument, must be quite clean and finished, and every trace of superfluous glue removed. The belly may now be cramped down upon the sides, and care be taken that a uniform distance is maintained between the sides, and the outer edge, all around the instrument. If the sides have been attached to the back, slanting, or off the perpendicular, those unseemly faults will now appear very glaringly, as the distance between the edge of the belly and the sides will vary with almost every curve. The belly being cramped down with a sufficient number of the wooden screws, one side may be loosened, and a covering of hot, thin glue traced all round the inner surfaces to be attached; this is now to be firmly cramped, until every part of the joint is close; the screws from the other half are then to be removed, after which it is to be attached in a similar manner. The last work having well dried, the next step is the indenting, or purfling of the instrument — although some makers do this part of the work immediately after they have formed the back and breast; but this is a matter of no great importance, unless bad work has been displayed in attaching the sides.
5The edges are to be rounded and finished previous to running the indenting along the surfaces. For the purfling many forms of tools are used, but the one represented in Fig. 23, although original, will be found to answer the purpose thoroughly. By this instrument, it will be perceived we can vary the distances from the edges, to imitate any model chosen. The two cutters are thin pieces of steel, sharpened at an angle, with a shoulder left of the necessary thickness, so that the groove cut may fit the indenting strips. The cutters are kept in position by the screw a. Fig. 24, a represents one of the cutters, seen edgeways; Fig. 24, b shows the form of blade and point. Fig. 23, b is a small screw for adjusting the shoulder-piece to any required distance the purfling may be intended
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