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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:13 am Post subject: Blocks and linings |
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I am currently building a violin based on a Strad pattern and am using Euro spruce for the top and Euro maple for the back, ribs and neck. I am just making the blocks out of 30+ year old Sitka that my father was using to build his airplane many years ago. I have a couple of questions for those more knowledgable than me.
Considering that Strad used willow and Guarneri, spruce, for the blocks and linings, can using different materials for these parts, such as the Sitka I am using, significantly change the sonic properties of the finished instrument?
Bottom line is whether I should be using this Sitka (very good wood, quarter cut with no run out) for the blocks and linings and perhaps the bass bar, in conjunction with the Euro, or not. The Sitka wood is fairly tough when carving vs the Euro I am using for the top.
Michael, I noticed in your draft violin book that you have used some alternative wood for these parts so maybe there's no real issue with this approach.
Thanks
Joe
Last edited by Joseph Leahy on Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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actonern
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:38 am Post subject: |
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"...my father was using to build his airplane..."
I find myself distracted by that tidbit... can you tell us more???
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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:06 am Post subject: |
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| actonern wrote: | "...my father was using to build his airplane..."
I find myself distracted by that tidbit... can you tell us more???
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My Father's dream since he was a little boy was to fly. He eventually got his single engine license in his 50's and then his instrument rating and did some aerobatics. In his 60's he started building a Falco (Italian single engine, retractible gear, aerobatics/racing ready) airplane. His dream was to have this built and spend some time with my mother flying around the country.
Unfortunately, my mother took ill and passed away before he was done. He lost some of his motivation and eventually sold the plane prior to completion and passed away not that long after.
Not meant to be a sad story. That's just life with its ups and downs. He built the spar, entire body, and tooled all the metal components (struts etc.) from scratch so it was quite an accomplishment. He had only to install the engine and instruments and skin the plane to complete it. He sold it to someone in Boston who was going to finish it. I would love to know who has it now but I don't have any record of who it was sold to.
It was quite an accomplishment and at an estimated build time of 12,000 hours, a tad bigger task than my building a violin. We worked together a bit on the plane and my first (and only) guitar build.
I have some of the wood left so am going to use it up on some of my instruments. I just want to make sure that where I use it won't compromise anything.
Thanks for asking.
Joe
| actonern wrote: | "...my father was using to build his airplane..."
I find myself distracted by that tidbit... can you tell us more???
E |
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actonern
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:09 am Post subject: |
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Great story!
Do you remember whether he used full scale plans or was he relying on some other means of dimensioning parts?
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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:18 am Post subject: |
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| actonern wrote: | Great story!
Do you remember whether he used full scale plans or was he relying on some other means of dimensioning parts?
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He used a set of plans that he purchased. The larger parts were all provided at a reduced scale. I remember him drawing his own full scale plans for some of the parabolic curves using a straight ruler and multiple points for the curves. He then fabricated the structural components by making, bending (over forms) and glueing together mutiple layers of thin sitka and then covering some of these structures with one layer of 1.5mm birch plywood to provide additional regidity.
Last edited by Joseph Leahy on Wed Jun 26, 2013 3:28 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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ctviolin
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Posts: 961
Location: Roswell
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Blocks and linings |
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| Joseph Leahy wrote: |
Considering that Strad used willow and Guarneri, spruce, for the blocks and liniings, can using different materials for these parts, such as the Sitka I am using, significantly change the sonic properties of the finished instrument?
Thanks
Joe |
Sitka is a spruce, right?
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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 10:13 am Post subject: Re: Blocks and linings |
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Right, I see your point, but it is a bit heavier and tougher than the Euro so I was just looking for views of who uses what and whether using different woods for the blocks and linings would make any noticeable change in the sound of the finished instrument.
Joe
| ctviolin wrote: | [quote="Joseph Leahy"
Sitka is a spruce, right? |
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Michael Darnton
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:26 am Post subject: |
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I've used four or five different woods for blocks and linings, and never seen any difference. There are so many bigger problems to deal with, maybe some day I'll get them all under control and things like this start making a difference, but for now. . .
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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:38 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Michael, I had hoped you would add your comments. I'll continue with using the Sitka. Appreciated.
Joe
| Michael Darnton wrote: | | I've used four or five different woods for blocks and linings, and never seen any difference. There are so many bigger problems to deal with, maybe some day I'll get them all under control and things like this start making a difference, but for now. . . |
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fjodor
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Joined: 28 Jan 2013
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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I started a new violin yesterday and took the wood I had available. The corner blocks are spruce and the end blocks are willow  |
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ctviolin
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Location: Roswell
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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And, I will add that I've used Sitka and willow, and didn't think there was a noticeable difference either.
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Joseph Leahy
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks to all. I appreciate your quick comments so I can continue tonight.
Joe |
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kubasa
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Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Posts: 212
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Anyone use cedar for the blocks? I've seen it done and I'm tempted to use it as I have a chunk with nice, straight even grain in it. My only fear is that it split easier but maybe that fear is nonsense on my part. |
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actonern
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Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 444
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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It's a nice light wood and I'm guessing just fine for the corner blocks... it might be a bit soft for the neck mortise and end pin?
I've found playing around with it that it's important to size the glue surface first, as it soaks glue up like a sponge...
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MANFIO
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Location: Sao Paulo
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