Violin Maker's Workshop

last years workshop was a roaring success !
 I've never been so tired in my life !!
Amid shouts and phone calls of lets do it again,,,,
Here we go,, to Tucson   !!!

This is a violin maker's workshop in Tucson, Arizona, that runs for four consecutive weeks from April 16 - May 11, 2012.  Originally hosted since 1988 by Ed and Mary Campbell of Chimney's Violin Shop in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, we are simply carrying on the tradition.

This workshop covers all steps of violin making,
from the acquisition of the wood and tools,,,,,
through every step of layout and design,,,,,
to the construction and varnishing of the completed instrument.

Basic woodworking skills will be throroughly covered as necessary according to participant's needs, including proper tool usage, sharpening techniques, and care.

Instrument and bow repair will also be covered, as in plaster casting of violin plates, neck grafts, crack repair, and pegbox restoration.

The environment will provide an interactive situation among all participants. There is a wealth of knowledge to be learned from each other.

This is not a seminar only for beginning violin makers. Many experienced and seasoned violin makers attend to share ideas and information with others on subjects such as whole body tuning, modal analysis, AO-BO frequency matching, and Eigenmode plate tuning experiences.

It is not the purpose of this workshop to imply that someone can show up with no previous woodworking skills and in one to four weeks leave with a completed violin.  We are here to give instruction and demonstrations, share experience, and direct someone in the acquisition of knowledge to competently build a violin.  However, numerous violins have been constructed here in a week from start to finish by experienced violin makers.  Other times someone will spend years making one.

We strive first for safety,, 
Then a thorough understanding of the working methods and techniques that have been proven to provide the control, for the results you need.
What results do I mean?

First, making a fine playing, evenly balenced well projecting powerful insturment,possesing
dynamic range and nuaunce capabilities.

Keeping the edge thickness the same,
  keeping the overhang consistent around the edges,
    the rib thickness consistent,
      the f holes clean cut and properly positioned, 
       a clean strong yet elegant scroll,
        and many other problems that every violin maker has encountered at one time or another.

Also ,,,,,instruction for 
♦ tool and jig manufacture and usage 
♦ tool sharpening 
♦ a class on creative excuses to your spouse ... on
          "your favorite kitchen item is in my shop because ..." (101)
        and "Stop!!!   That's not maple syrup in your pan!!!" (103)
 

So why fiddlehack?
Some of the greatest violin makers of antiquity obviously moved at top speed and literally just hacked 'em out and did a job enviable to anyone ever since.  They knew what they were doing, they knew where they were going, they didn't stop and think about it.  They just did it.  Impulsive, free, and probably needing some cash for the rent.  The fiddlehack.