Beginning Work On My Ole Bull Copy

After spending a considerable amount of time with Gregg on the computer designing the mold and templates for the Ole Bull copy, construction of my second instrument has finally begun. Because my instrument is intended to be a copy of the original instrument, the top plate, back plate, and ribs will be made independently of one another based on separate templates, instead of the usual practice of basing the ribs and both plates off of a single mold. In addition, the purfling will be based on the original instrument, with varying widths and distances from the edge of the plates, instead of being installed at a uniform width and a uniform distance from the edge.

So, rather than starting by building the rib structure, I am starting by carving the top and back plates. The rib structure will be made independently.

I have selected wood for the top and back plates that is similar to the original instrument, split the wood, and joined the halves together:

Then, I cut out the outline of the plates using the templates that we prepared for the purfling outline of the top and back plates. The purfling outline templates were created by adding 5mm to the outside edge of the purfling of the original instrument. This way, the purfling marker can be set to scribe a line that replicates the purfling outline of the original instrument, regardless of where the actual edge of the finished plate falls. The actual edges of the plates are based on a separate template and will be cut after the purfling is installed.

Rough arching and installing the purfling are next, along with the completion of varnishing and assembling my first violin (and planning my trip to Scandinavia with the violin in April!).