Category: Journal

  • We Made the Cover of Strings Magazine!

    We Made the Cover of Strings Magazine!

    Strings Magazine is an internationally distributed violin trade journal, covering anything to do with the violin family of instruments. This is so gratifying! Thanks to every one who has been involved, this has been far from a solo effort. You can get a digital version of the Strings story.

  • Project update 6 – A salamander, a label, twisted tailgut and local press coverage

    Project update 6 – A salamander, a label, twisted tailgut and local press coverage

    I’m having trouble knowing exactly what to report on. The videos covering the details of the various processes involved in making the violin are lagging so far behind what is currently going on in the workshop that I worry that there are many points in each video that need context and further explaining. I cant…

  • The bass bar, scroll carving and tailgut making

    The bass bar, scroll carving and tailgut making

    Violinmaking The bass bar is a little supporting strut running the length of the violin, under the bass foot of the bridge. The bass bar’s mass, its shape, position and the way that it is fitted, all have tonal implications for the finished violin. To finish the ribs, I removed the mold that they were…

  • Refining the Plates. Finishing the glue. Marquetry?

    Refining the Plates. Finishing the glue. Marquetry?

    This week I continued work on the plates, the back and top of the violin. The Redwood top The redwood is very light. I measured the specific gravity (density compared to that of water) at 0.27 which, compared to the 0.37 – 0.40 of the spruce that I normally work, with is very light. From…

  • RV Project Launch, Roughing the plates, making glue

    RV Project Launch, Roughing the plates, making glue

    On Monday we put out the first Redwood Violin Project Newsletter and reached out on social media. This represented the official launch of the project. As an experienced violinmaker, making a good violin out out of local materials has alway seemed doable to me, but that is only half of the idea of the project.…

  • The Redwood Violin Project

    The Redwood Violin Project

    A bit late in the process, but here’s a video introduction to the project.

  • Presentation to The Sonoma County Woodworkers Association

    Presentation to The Sonoma County Woodworkers Association

    With the help of local knowledge The Sonoma County Woodworkers Association is a 30 year old, non-profit association of over 100 professional and amateur woodworkers. Their Artistry in Wood exhibition displaying members’ work is held in the Fall at the Sonoma County Museum and is that institution’s most attended annual event. I’ve been a member…

  • The Redwood Violin Project – Origins

    The Redwood Violin Project – Origins

    I first had the idea of building a violin out of local materials back in 2015.  Starting from a personal interest in learning more about certain basic wood working processes, like making my own hide glue, the idea grew into a scheme involving first a blog, then the local press and eventually the Santa Rosa…