Category: Made Local

  • Re-sawing the apple wood

    I normally buy the wood that I need for the back, top, sides and neck of the violin from specialist violin suppliers in Europe. The wood comes in billets that are small enough to allow me to work them easily with hand tools. For that reason I’ve never acquired many of the machines that feature…

  • Wood for the fittings

    Wood for the fittings

    The violins “fittings” include the fingerboard, pegs, tailpiece, chinrest, endpin. All of the black parts you see in the photo. The fingerboard and pegs in particular get a lot of wear over the years and need to be made of a hard material. The most commonly used wood on a standard violin is ebony which…

  • Mike Center, Woodworker

    Mike Center, Woodworker

    Mike has always had woodwork in his life. Both his parents were woodworkers and throughout his career as a biologist he had some sort of wood shop going on. Since retiring he devotes more time to it and he now has a very nicely put together home shop in Santa Rosa. He specializes in guitars…

  • Wood for Purfling

    Wood for Purfling

    The purfling is an inlaid band of three strips of wood, colored black, white, black. Its function is decorative, highlighting the edge of the instrument, but also functional, helping to prevent the top from cracking near the edges. All kinds of woods have been used for the purfling, they usually have a smooth , non-porous…

  • Steve Wigfield. Custom Woodwork and Radius Millwork, Petaluma

    Steve Wigfield. Custom Woodwork and Radius Millwork, Petaluma

    Steve Wigfield earned an architecture degree from UC Berkeley and worked for architecture firms in California for many years before moving into high end residential woodwork in 1972. Initially he worked from his home workshop in Inverness. 1982-1985 I worked at Skywalker Ranch in the mill shop as a Lead Millman. The mill shop was…

  • Wood for the back, sides, neck and scroll

    Wood for the back, sides, neck and scroll

    Maple The  back, sides, neck and scroll of the violin are normally  made from maple. Characteristics: Maple is a medium density hardwood with lightly porous structure,  It carves relatively easily and leaves a clean cut from a gouge.  It’s color matches well with the spruce that is used for the top of the violin, both…