# 153 - Violin Making Q&A - No.21

[@andrewparish437]

Love the mew format. We get the best of both worlds. Questions and actions :-)

[@mjf1036]

love the new voiceover format for this one.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Thanks. I had to go to a friend's funeral today, so this was all a bit of a rush. Knowing that people were out there waiting does make the effort worthwhile. Thank you!

[@montylatham739]

Yes I did! Enjoyed it aplenty..

[@dgrspencer]

I enjoyed watching you work whilst doing the Q&A 😊

[@itsverygreen532]

Ooh, that reminds me I have a couple of planks of really nice well seasoned Cherry I put to bed some 30 years ago .. I should get it out and see how that looks!

[@GaWajn]

I like this format for the Q & A

[@mjf1036]

also, I did receive the plans! Working on a T style guitar right now but want to start the violin next. Will share progress. Cheers.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Fantastic! A yellow T style is 2nd on my dream guitar collection list after a 60's SG Junior!! I really look forward to seeing the violin come together - Keep in touch!

[@andrewparish437]

Hi Buddy Reclaimed wood is the answer where else can we get wood thats over 100 years old and that well seasoned. Thanks again for the mention. Starting to believe I did a reasonable job on my first one lol. Question :- Im just using white pine from B+Q for my corner posts. someone on the violin making group commented that the grain direction was interesting. Dose this really matter ?

[@Jeff034]

Can’t use offcuts for ribs? I’d be a bit more frugal. Victorian ash (eucalyptus species) works really well on backs and ribs and also used on Maton guitars. Like you doing stuff while Q&A

[@diydarkmatter]

HI Graham buddy . i have asked alot of questions and really i dont know what more to ask . how ever i do have one for you this week . QUESTION ! out of all the things you have made what is the one that you remember the best be it cause it was awesome or just a pain in the button lol ? thanks Graham ill think hard for next time on a good question .

[@masonmp1889]

over here where i live i think a lot of species are called basswood so its pretty confusing anyways the pieces i have fits all those requirments so i think i will use them thanks for your help

[@masonmp1889]

i have now figured out that the piece of wood is some sort of aspen

[@Jeff034]

Your template is the final plate dimensions? You have another template for the mold? Just personally I do final plate dimensions from the rib garland on the mold with a stand off washer…. Maybe you are cutting a rough shape here?

[@ChrisTynanPortraits-nh3qv]

Hi Graham, I have just repaired a £20 3/4 size stentor student violin that had six cracks and the sound post hole in the top, all this for a prop to paint with my granddaughter, after removing the top and repairing the violin I chewed up the sound post trying to get the size and position right, while waiting for some new sound posts to arrive I decided to practice on a 4B pencil having got the slopes correct and height making a gadget to insert it without stabbing it, I must admit it sounds better than the one that came with the violin 5.5mm diameter new one 6mm diameter. Maybe it could be the carbon. Also completely stripped the plastic varnish and painted it looking like an old violin. I was wondering what method you prefer to insert the sound post.

[@digdoon]

It's interesting seeing you use these boards. whats the minimum thickness you can use to make a violin or viola?

[@MrZOMBIE170]

two questions for you Graham ,question one is there any special marks violin makers use when marking out that are different to marks that a bench joiner or furniture maker would use like a cursive F mark for a face mark and V mark for edge mark and C with a line through for a center mark and a a triangle or number of lines marked between two or more pieces of timber to mark where you want the pieces of wood to line up when gluing up , do you use any makers are special to violin making ? . and my second question is there a unique British way or tradition of making violins and string instruments that is different from the way the Italians or Germans or Spanish would make there instruments ? , or is every one making them in a similar way ?

[@M.O.K.E]

Hi, question on construction, do the rib linings affect the sound quality or are they there to add surface area and strength to assembly? Also would adding/subtracting material to the bass bar or sound bar effect the sound quality much and allow fine tuning if trying unconventional materials? Thanks Steve