How To Make a Fiddle


It takes about 260 hours to complete a fiddle, start to finish, or about six weeks of full time work (Sullivan).

Types of wood Violet uses in her fiddles:

  Neck, Back , Ribs                   Hardwood of some type, Maple preferred

 Tailpiece, Pegs                                                     Persimmon or Dogwood

  Front                                   Softwood, Spruce, Pine, buckeye, Sassafrass

Fingerboard                                                                                    Walnut

Bridge                                                                                             Maple

Bass Bar                                                                                             Pine

End Pin                                                                                      Hardwood

Double Liner                                                                          Bass Wood 

Sound Post                                                                                 Soft Pine

Mold                                                                                                 Oak

The steps in making a fiddle are:

1.  Make a mold: The mold is used to form the ribs, so it must be the size and shape of the finished fiddle.  The mold consists of four pieces, tow outside halves and two inside halves.

2.  The Ribs:  Are 6 in number, about one-sixteenth inches thick and after soaking in water to make flexible, are placed in the mold, and after drying are glued together.

3.  Corner and End Blocks:  Are re-enforcing blocks placed at the joints of the ribs to five additional strength at critical points.

4.  Double Liner is a second thickness of wood glued on the inside edge of both top and bottom of the ribs to give more strength and body, to better cement the top and bottom to the ribs.

5.  The neck:  The neck is started while the ribs are drying in the form and while the glue is drying.  The neck is shaped to the proper contour and is then cemented to the small end of the fiddle using a dovetail joint.

6.  Back and Front:  Are each made with two pieces of wood glued together, then using the ribs outline for a pattern, the front and back are rough-cut to shape.

7.  Shaping the Front and Back:  The inside of both front and back are concave, while the outside is convex.  Shaping accomplished by carving with a curved knife and with scrapers both (glass and metal).

8.  Sound Holes:  Are cut in at the appropriate location using a drill and a small saw.

9.  Bass Bar:  Is a pine bar carved to fit the underside of the front and is placed at an angle, 1/4'' form centerline at small end to 1/2'' from centerline at large end, then glued in place.

10.  Assembling the front and back to the ribs.  This is done by applying glue to the top and bottom edges of the ribs, then holding in place.  Place "C" clamps to hold firmly while drying.

11.  The Sound Post:  Is a pine rod 1/4'' in diameter, and just long enough to be wedged between front and back.  It is placed under the first string toward the big end of the fiddle.  It take a little trial and error to get it in the right spot.

12.  The Fingerboard:  Is most generally made of walnut, shaped into proper position, on the neck, but is free floating over the front.

13.  The Tailpiece:  Is usually made of dogwood, cut to shape, then fastened to the end pin with copper wire or gut.

14.  The End Pin:  Is a tapered wooden pin, carved to fit in a hole on the end of the fiddle and anchor the tailpiece.

15.  Finishing:  All removable pieces should be removed for final sanding.

 

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