Violin Making Process - Alabaster Handcrafted Instruments

This is the process I used to build my first violin.

Profitable visit to David Dyke

Just got back from another expensive but most profitable visit to David Dyke down near...

Violin week 1 – Design & Jigs

Design I had already decided to try my hand at making a violin after 2...

Violin week 2 – the ribs

Preparing the blocks I split some willow to make the blocks and set them at...

Violin week 3 – the back and belly

Joining the violin plates So to the task of joining the violin plates from the...

Violin week 4 – Plate tuning

Plate tuning Having managed to get to the initial graduations I am finally able to...

The following slides take you through the process of building my first violin pictorially.

Finished awaiting setup
Finished awaiting setup
Finished awaiting setup
Gluing the neck back on
Last clear coat finished
After final colour glaze
After another colour glaze and colour coat
After another colour glaze and colour coat
#1 violin - side view
#1 violin - scroll
#1 violin - peg box
Finished violin - front view
Finished violin - back view
Back after 1st colour coat
After 1st colour coat
Front after colour glaze
Back after colour glaze
Back after ground coat
Top after ground coat
Front after 1 week in UV cabinet
Back after 1 week in UV cabinet
Into the lightbox for a few weeks
Neck rough shaped
Neck joint dry fitted
Fingerboard ready to be tacked onto neck
Scroll nearly done
Scroll nearly done
Scroll roughly cut with chisels
Outline marked in pencil and first cuts done
Neck rough cut from blank on the bandsaw and pilot holed drilled for pegs
Closing the box
Back and sides with label fitted ready for the belly
gluing in the linings on the belly side
Belly ready to be glued to the rest of the box
Gluing the back to the ribs with the form still in
Back mode 5 @ 343Hz & 99g
Back mode 2 @ 166Hz
Top mode 2 @ 170Hz
Top mode 5 @343Hz and 73g
F-holes carved - not quite even yet
Back x-mode @ 201Hz with initial graduations
Top ring mode @ 404Hz with initial graduations
Belly inside roughed out
Back drilled to rough depth for hogging out
Back arching done
Belly arching done
Purfling fitted and channel roughly cut
Channel cut for the purfling
Purfling after slicing up on the bandsaw
Just finished setting the edge overhangs with some simple tool/jigs
Both plates getting pretty close - time to move onto scrapers
Rough shaping the belly and back
Router attachment clamped to the bench
Gluing the back with a rubbed joint
Linings in and cleaned up flush with ribs
More linings
ribs cleaned up ready for gluing in linings
Gluing in the linings on the C bouts
Gluing on the ribs
Blocks carved to shape
Blocks marked ready for carving
Blocks glued into form
The finished mold and perspex template
Drawing of top plate

Music is the gateway to the soul