Books › Violins and other stringed instruments : how to make them ; with numerous engravings and diagrams, 1906 › scan 71
Scan 71
Violins and other stringed instruments : how to make them ; with numerous engravings and diagrams, 1906
4 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 67. See the scan on archive.org.
1by using the spirit varnish given on p. 64, or an oil varnish.
3Real amber oil varnish produces a most superior finish. It does not, of course, create tone, but it mellows and softens it remarkably. The objection to it from the worker's point of view is that it is generally slow-drying. It is important that each coat of varnish should be dry before the next is applied, and with a slow-drying preparation the worker's impatience is apt to get the better of him, and this, coupled with an anxiety to use the instrument again, accounts for many failures, which would not be so likely to occur when using a quick-drying preparation like spirit varnish. Amber oil varnish, as purchased, may be safely used if the directions given with the bottle are carefully followed. The Cremona amber oil varnish made by the late James Whitelaw, 496, St. George's Road, Glasgow, was the best known preparation of its kind. It was made in nine different shades of colour, from pale amber yellow to dark ruby, through intermediate shades of brown, orange, and red. One bottle, sufficient for one violin, cost about four shillings. Should the worker care to go to the great trouble of preparing amber oil varnish he should procure some broken amber from a pipe maker. Fill a test tube about 8 in. long one-fourth full of amber chips, and heat over a spirit flame till the amber froths up and finally liquefies into a brownish oily fluid. To this add about twice as much boiled linseed oil which has been separately heated. Simmer gently till a little taken out on the end of a wire can be drawn out into a fine thread on being touched with the finger. Allow it to cool a little, and add 1 part of pure turpentine. After cooling, it is ready for use; three coats are sufficient to give a good deep colour. Before putting on this oil varnish, the violin should be sized with an alcoholic solution of gamboge. The oil varnish should be made in the open air, as there is considerable danger from fire during the process. Amber pipe-stems may be used for making the varnish if they are first thoroughly cleaned
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