Click on images for larger versions.
|
The building process |
|
 |
The scroll is sawn out, and gets shaped with chisel, rasp and files. Both the scroll, ribs and back are made of European flamed maple. |
 |
The pilot holes for the pegs are predrilled, and I can begin to shape the scroll with gouges and finger planes. |
 |
The shape of the scroll is nearly finished, and I am ready to carve the flutings. |
 |
The scroll is finished. |
 |
The mould is ready with the blocks glued in place. The blocks will remain inside the finished instrument, but are hard to detect. The ribs are bent with moisture and heat, following the shape of the mould. The ribs are glued to the blocks. The mould will be taken out of the finished rib structure. This is the same construction method as Stradivari himself used. |
 |
The ribs are glued in place. |
 |
The linings are inserted into the blocks, and glued unto the ribs, thus giving extra strength to the rib structure, and creating a larger gluing surface for the top and the back. |
 |
The ribs are finished, and are used to trace the outline on the top and the back. |
 |
I am shaping the archings with gouges and planes. |
 |
The purfling is ca. 1,2-1,4 mm wide, and is glued into this channel. The main function of the purfling is aestethic, but it also helps to prevent cracks. |
 |
The purfling is glued in using a small hammer to get rid of the excess glue. |
 |
To create a nice transition between the fluting and the arching, I am using a wide and shallow gouge. |
 |
Arching is finished with a scraper; a thin piece of steel with a sharp edge. It works almost like an ultrafine plane. |
 |
I am tracing the f-hole with a template. The sound is not coming out of the f-holes, as many people believe, but they let the instrument "breathe". |
 |
The f-hole is sawn out and finished with knife and files. |
 |
Detail of the end of the finished bassbar. |
 |
The mould has been taken out of the rib structure. |
 |
This is how much is left from the original size of the block. |
 |
The back is ready to be glued onto the ribs. |
 |
The top and back are glued to the ribs. |
 |
The edgework and the archings receive their final touch. |
 |
The cello is almost finished in white, only the neck setting remains. |
 |
The neck foot is planed. |
 |
The setting of the neck requires a lot of patience. Once glued, it is left overnight to dry. |
 |
The cello is finshed in white and already has a couple of coats with the ground. |
 |
Finally! After a long process, the cello is varnished and set-up. After I have played the cello for the first time, it is ready for the new owner. |
