SCOTUS opened Pandora’s box.

And sending another violin to Arizona next week for the Violin Makers Association International competition in October. #41 Completed this summer.

Received a third place for tone! I’ll take it! Certificate bottom left.

Ok. Now I get it. Gold equals ROYALTY.

Violin #40 finished.

Leaving it under UV lights to continue maturing the varnish while waiting to go to Atlanta in March for Southern Violin Association makers competition.

Here’s what I’m using. You’re looking at about $500 worth of varnish.

Enough for a dozen or more instruments if I’m careful not to waste any.

Added a sealer coat of thinned amber shellac befor starting oil varnish.

AND, if you don’t keep your bridge straight, over time, from repeated tightening, the strings will pull the top of the bridge forward toward the tuners, while the base of the bridge resists, creating a warped bridge.

Otherwise you get this.

Here’s how it’s done at Martin guitars.

Why does the back side need to be square but not the front? Good question. When playing, the pressure of the bow and downward pressure of the strings is countered by the rearward “leaning” bridge. Otherwise the rear of the bridge comes up and the front digs into the top. Not good!

Here’s another view. I clamp a rectangular piece with a slot through which the bridge holder passes as I move the bridge back and forth longitudinal to the plate about an inch in over the position where the bridge will eventually rest.

Today I’m fitting the bridge feet for OP40 while the top is off and unvarnished. It’s important the back side is square. This will be a long thread with more coming. The bridge is wedged in a device I made to keep it flat and square as I sand off the feet to fit the contours of the top.

Here’s another view. I clamp a bracket with a channel to the long arm to assure the bridge stays flat and level as I move the bridge only about an inch over the proposed bridge location where it wants to live. You can see some 220 grit paper. I’ll switch to 400 for final few swipes.

Oliver is celebrating his 6th Christmas. He’s got everything unwrapped.

Although I have some 5 or 6 violins still at home that I have made, and not yet adopted, my favorite, my every day violin is this beautiful old Romanian violin made of birdseye maple. I bought it at auction, in pieces. It’s sweet, clear, and great projection. It loves me.

Current project #40. “Messiah” Strad.

One piece Romanian Maple back, one piece Red Spruce from Mt Mitchell in North Carolina.

Recent 15 1/2” viola based loosely on a Storiani viola 1780. Completed summer 2024