G'day from Sydney

[Purfler]

G'day all,

I joined the forum mainly because I have developed an interest in old tools - a subject of some mirth and amusement amongst some of my family and colleagues at work. I have always liked making things, but I'm a classic case of someone whose grasp exceeds his reach. This has never sopped me. My interest in old tools comes via violin making - something I owe to Harry Vatiliotis (if you don't know who Harry is google him). Harry put back together an old violin (1783 old) played for a while by my oldest daughter. Both my daughters play violin to a more than reasonable standard. My youngest's current violin is the example of Harry's work in Alan Coggin's recent book Violin and Bow Makers of Australia (again, buy a copy if you are interested in instrument making - it is a bargain in violin books). Anyway, having got the bug from Harry I needed tools. Planes are briefly important in violin making. I started looking around and found old ones at markets (not the tiny violin making type - they are new), my father-in-law was trained as a carpenter and joiner in the dockyards in Malta and knows about such things. I bought a few, it spread to chisels and gouges - having discovered cast steel (and more recently Damasus steel Japanese knives - but that's another story). I decided to concentrate on Australian tools - despite buying things when travelling. I have lost count of how many planes I now have (50+?).

So, to stop rambling, old tools and old violins fascinate me but the real challenge is to make a good new fiddle.

Regards,

Tim

[Claw Hama]

Hi Tim and welcome to the forum. When you get these itches you just have to scratch them and who is anybody to say what your passion should be!! Collect and enjoy, if you can make something with them better still. And old is almost always better. 50+ maybe some photos are in order, bit of show and tell. We will appreciate them!! At least a photo of your all time favourite for what ever the reason.

[artme]

G'day Tim and welcome to the shed.

Interesting story there. I have a hankering to make a violin. Don't ask me why, don''t play one. In fact I'm flat out playing a CD.

Tool collecting, eh? Well there's no tool like and old tool.

[Purfler]

Thanks for the welcome. I will post some pix of some tools. I have nothing of great interest - I seem to be into quantity not quality

On the weekend I did buy a really nice Sorby mortice guage - brass and rosewood. It was pretty sad but a good clean and oil fixed that. Not bad for $3.

Violin making is very addictive (and time consuming. It takes me about 200 hours an instrument at teh moment. I'm up to number 5. Some photos of the first four are at: Picasa Web Albums - timrobinson22 - Violins for web

I have also developed a bit of a collection of violins - not a lot but enough to annoy SWMBO.

If you are really interested in making a violin read the Art of Violin Making until your eyes bleed, join and read the Maestronet Pegbox forum and don't assume you actually know what you are doing. A very experienced maker said to me years ago that it will take six or seven instruments before I begin to understand what I'm doing. He was right. I have seen some old posts on this forum about violin makers being arrogant. I guess some are - but I haven't met them yet - here or around the world (I look out for makers anywhere I go). Makers do get very tired of those who have no, or little, experience in violin making thinking they have the secret or know a better way. Violin making has been around for about 500 years and the standards were set a long time ago. They have not been surpassed.

Regards,

Tim

[munruben]

Welcome Tim, it's a great hobby you have there. I am sure it keeps you out of mischief.

[Christos]

Welcome Purfler you have an interesting way of coming to wood working. Alas I think it is not confined to just you.

[mjmjm]

Hi Tim, welcome to the forum. Will you be making any fiddles?

[mjmjm]

Sorry, I must have read over your post.

[Purfler]

No worries. I'm about 2/3rds of the way through number 5, which is based on a Carlo Bergonzi (often known as the maker's maker and he was possibly a pupil of Strad and/or associate of Guarneri del Gesu). I manage to make new mistakes each time I make violin...

Tim