Violin outline and arching models

[Les the Luthier]

Does anyone out there have outline and/or arching models for 4/4 violin. My desire is to find Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu design information. I'm currently using Rhino 3.0. and a Techno Isel 067 router. I would like to correspond with anyone who is doing violin construction using CNC. Thanks for your reply.

[dickw]

It is my intention to build a series of Violins.

1. The Grizzly kit.
2. A scratchbuilt.
3. Other scratchbuilt using CNC for some of the parts.

I am going to begin this project in July.

(The Grizzly kit is on sale.)

Right now I just do metal CNC. I'm working on a new woodworking machine.

Dick

[plumbseed]

Don't know if you ever found what you were looking for. I ran across a book that showed how to draw a violin outline based on arcs and lines. I'll have to find it in my stack of old material.

I'd like to hear from you what else you are working on.

[Les the Luthier]

Hi Plumbseed,
Right now I'm working on outlines. I'm curious about the article you mentioned. I'd buy the Francois Denis book but its rather spendy.
As for archings, I'm working with curtate cycloids (Don't worry, its not contageous) to develop an arching model. On other fronts, I'm working with back and belly graduations. I've had some promising results.

Best Regards,

Les

[plumbseed]

This is the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Violin-Making-.../dp/0706310454

I've loaned my copy to someone so I need to get it back. I can scan the pages with the calculations and send you if you like. (assuming I can locate my book)

It was pretty good. It was based off a single line divided into increments and arcs drawn from the increments.

Have you done anything with a probe to scan an existing violin? I've seen some impressive software around that.

[Les the Luthier]

Hi plumbseed,

I've got the Herron-Allen book! What pages are the diagrams on? I've been looking into buying a probe arm. At $4K the Microscribe arm looks like it would be good. I've already got Rhino 4 which will allow me to record a point cloud using such an arm. When I have a bit more money I'm going to buy one! Until then, I'm going to keep on drafting until I'm happy with a model.

Best Regards,

Les

[plumbseed]

I still have to get my book returned. I did find a couple interesting articles you may want ot look at.

http://www.hash.com/users/jsherwood/...Violin/V1.html

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/coll...se/?irn=362151

[plumbseed]

I found one more article that may help with the outline.

http://web.telia.com/~u42802424/

I think I will try to duplicate the process in a CAD drawing.

[Fiddlemaker5224]

Originally Posted by Les the Luthier Does anyone out there have outline and/or arching models for 4/4 violin. My desire is to find Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu design information. I'm currently using Rhino 3.0. and a Techno Isel 067 router. I would like to correspond with anyone who is doing violin construction using CNC. Thanks for your reply.

Yes

I have modified these drawings a little. I get better tone from them, they are in a bitmap format. The arching is what I changed.

[johnmasters]

I have been a violinmaker since I was 16, and am soon to be 67. I have had a shop since 1971. I worked out calculating spreadsheets when I did some FEA a few years ago. At present, I am building a CNC router to make shapes with the archings I have calculted.

I use a longitudinal arch and the width at points along the length to find the elevations of an FEA mesh which will lie on a curtate cycloid. I would enjoy being part of this conversation. Perhaps I could exchange information on what I know for help I may need when I complete my machine and start using it with a computer and software.

[armstrong360]

Well I am a (rank) amateur at violin building by hand. I have two violins to my name, the second has is still white. I have been using several books as reference:
The Art of Violin Making by Harold Opplet

A couple of books by H A Strobel " Useful Measurements for Violin Makers" Cello Making step by step

And some articles by Harry Sebastian Wake

My violins have been hand carved, I really would like to use CNC to rough out the plates and scroll...

[johnmasters]

I think any of the basic books that give proper measurements and sensible methods are fine. I would advise anyone to make a full-thickness mould. It simplifies a lot of things.

I too want to use a CNC, not to save work, but to map out actual shapes that I have worked out in calculations. In the past, I have used my own wooden patterns in a pantegraph arrangment.