Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

Books › Violins and other stringed instruments : how to make them ; with numerous engravings and diagrams, 1906 › scan 68

Scan 68

Violins and other stringed instruments : how to make them ; with numerous engravings and diagrams, 1906

8 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 64. See the scan on archive.org.

1CHAPTER IV.
3VARNISHING AND FINISHING VIOLINS.
5Low class violins are French polished or cheaply spirit varnished; but high-grade instruments, and most of those made by the old masters, are of oil-varnish finish. The process of oil-varnishing is a tedious one (extending over several weeks), owing to the time that must elapse between the application of the several coats of varnish to allow of thorough drying, the last coat having to be sufficiently hard to admit it to stand grinding down and polishing with rottenstone, etc.
7A convenient process of varnishing violins and violoncellos is as follows:—The instrument is prepared by repeated glasspapering and damping until a dead smooth surface is obtained, quite free from scratches. It is not usual to stain violins, as a much finer effect is got by incorporating the colour with the varnish. Therefore, dilute 4 parts of copal varnish with 1 part (by measure) of turpentine, and heat it quite hot, being careful not to let it catch fire. Go over the entire violin with this with a stiff brush, and rub in as much as it will take at one coat; this will not be much if the wood was well finished. When the wood is quite filled, make a pad of cotton-wool, done up in a fine cotton or linen rag, moisten this with turpentine, and clean the surfaces of the violin as rapidly as possible; then put on a coat of spirit varnish made by dissolving 2 oz. of gum sandarach, two tablespoonfuls of Venice turpentine, and 2 oz. of bleached shellac in 1 pint of methylated spirit; the solution is coloured to the tone required by adding varying proportions of infusions of 2 oz. of red sanders wood and 2 oz. of turmeric respectively

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