Applying a layer of Varnish

In some comment you told me that you get stuck on the varnish. In this video I apply a layer of the Hammerl Oil Varnish standard to show you how I work with this product.
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[@cristrigotti9933]

Nice and smooth work! Very nice indeed.

[@maestrokimon]

Thank you!

[@sergiupobereznic]

Loving your videos. I hope one day soon to begin making a violin (for myself) by following your "Making a Violin" videos, which are great, by the way. Nice steady pace. Thank you, maestro-Kimon.

[@maestrokimon]

Thank you for your kind words! Enjoy making your own instrument. It always sounds better when it's made by yourself!!!

[@bluehoo0]

Thank you for demonstrating this.

[@maestrokimon]

You are welcome!

[@tidewaterred]

Thank you for demonstrating how you use this colored varnish. It looks great. Someone else mentioned the work space environment was a reason for the varnish drying too quickly, and I also work in an air-conditioned space, so the temperature is warm and humidity very low which would result in faster drying. The other thing that is evident from your video is that you work much quicker than I do, so another opportunity for me to improved. Thank you again.

[@maestrokimon]

The solution doesn't have to be complicated!!!

[@debramcknight]

I had quite a bit of trouble with my first violin’s varnish not staying workable one enough. It turned out my air conditioned garage workshop was too dry. Once we let the fresh air in it solved the issue for me anyway.

[@maestrokimon]

Sometimes the solution is easier than you think!!!!

[@BadChizzle]

Beautiful Violin !

[@maestrokimon]

Thank you!

[@osmildmay]

Very Interesting Thank You

[@fernanmas1779]

I love that shape.

[@maestrokimon]

And it sounds very good for a small viola!

[@moonshade0227]

Even same oil varnish has the cracking problem you described. When applying multiple layers with slow drying oil, the inner layers oxidizes slower and the outer layers. If too many layers are applied too quickly, it may crack months later.

[@joelcurchod5168]

Maestro, Thank you very much for your videos. For me the best way to apply this varnish is to add turpentine oil. Greetings, Joël.

[@scratchcrafter]

Informative! Have you ever done a video on antiquing or the process of antiquing a violin? I find it very limited info

[@maestrokimon]

I haven't made one yet, I'm still experimenting with this. Definitely something for the future!

[@Gooische-Viool-Studio]

Thanks MK, following your lessons,step by step... built your drying chamber...thanks for sharing your knowledge, skill and passion for making beautiful instruments. Do you teach violin making?

[@maestrokimon]

Hallo Celeste! Stuur me een e-mail als u wilt, dan kunnen wij hier verder over praten! [e-mail]

[@itiyagerbi8098]

Thank you for the movie! Please make a video about the different saws/machines that you use for violin making. What brands, size, etc? That would be very helpful

[@maestrokimon]

Hello Itiya. Have a look to your previous comment where I replayed to your same question with some info and links! Have a nice day!

[@itiyagerbi8098]

@@maestrokimon thank you so much!

[@ainitisexainou8196]

Κάνεις φανταστική δουλειά, συγχαρητήρια.

[@maestrokimon]

Σε ευχαριστώ πολύ! Φτιάχνεις και εσύ όργανα ή παίζεις μουσική;

[@ainitisexainou8196]

@@maestrokimon κατασκευάζω ηλεκτρικές κιθάρες, μπάσα και μαγνήτες. Μέσα στις επόμενες ημέρες θα ανοίξω και εγώ το κανάλι μου για να παρουσιάσω την δουλειά μου. Το βιολί ήταν πάντα ο πόθος μου σαν μουσικός όμως δεν κατάφερα ποτέ να το δαμάσω λόγο έλλειψης χρόνου.

[@koganmb]

I'm about to finish my first violin. Built my drying chamber, have the Joha varnish kit. I read mixed ideas about sanding vs scraping initially. Right now I've only scraped the surfaces, other sources say to wet the wood to raise the grain, then scrape again before the first surface coat.

[@maestrokimon]

Both is possible. They say that when you finish the instrument with the scraper, the wood shines a bit more. Wetting the wood one last time helps to even the grain.

[@koganmb]

@@maestrokimon I only did scraping, yesterday did the gelatin, antiquing liquid and 2 coats of clear varnish. Think I will do 1 more clear before adding color. I'm videoing my whole process, so will put something together when I'm all done.

[@Petroschristidis]

You are the man :-)

[@yUm666]

Is that a prototype of a new kind of smaller viola? I can't find pics of similar looking instruments anywhere. Looks very nice!

[@maestrokimon]

I do't know exacly to be honest. I have seen some instruments with a very wide under side. This viola is a 1/2 size (33,2cm) and sounds very good!!

[@shihabalhaydari93]

I'm so happy to watch your video can please tell me which varnish you use. I used so many different but good as yours thank u

[@maestrokimon]

Thank you for your kind words! In this video I used the Oil varnish by Joha.com

[@remonnazeer7185]

Perfect very well Can you tell us what the ingredients for the Insulating layer before the varnish ?

[@maestrokimon]

I use Mastic solved in alcohol.

[@Tostra1997]

Thanks for showing that, it helps a lot. I had problems varnishing my first violin, so I can't wait to do better on my next instruments. I have ordered Hammerl ia oil varnish for my cello build. You said you do small instruments in three sections. What about cellos? And then I have a question that has been bothering me these last few days... Sorry for the long comment: Can you please either make a video on or just explain in a comment how you would add pigment to varnish? I have used Hammerl's powdered ethanol dissolved pigments for spirit varnish, but I don't suppose that will work in oil varnish. I'm curious about natural pigments mostly. I have stumbled upon many different methods online, but they seem to mostly apply for spirit varnishes. Like leaving sandalwood or other pigments in ethanol to extract the pigment and then add the ethanol to varnish. But I suppose adding ethanol or the powdered pigments to oil varnish is a bad idea. I have ground sandalwood and catechu at the moment along with colour extracts and powders from Hammerl. I have used ground catechu directly in spirit varnish before to match an old varnish. Is that actually the way to use the pigments, or should I look into mulling, extraction and other fancy methods? To give you an idea of what I'm doing, I was planning on a sugar seal of caramelized cane sugar which I have been experimenting with, covered in 3-4 coats of ia varnish with a mix of sandalwood and their golden brown colour extract. On the neck I don't want to do a sugar seal as I'm worried it would get sticky as I wear through the varnish with my thumb, but a coat or two of clear or golden brown is the plan. I was hoping to have a nice golden/reddish instrument with some depth to it, but of course I will do some test pieces before applying it to my instrument. Best regards, Tobias

[@maestrokimon]

Hello Tobias, On cellos I work also in three parts but divided in 2 so eventually in 6. Upper left and right, mid left and right an lower left and right. Working a bit faster helps. To colour the varnish I use their colour extracts (see here: www.joha.eu/en/dyes/color-extract/) These seem to work good as soon as you don’t put to much. Adding ethanol to the oil varnish is not a good idea as you say. I have used powder pigments in the past but I don’t like theme to be honest. As you may know these powders don’t solve in the varnish but float. I always have the feeling that I can still see the small particles in the varnish layer. My main idea whene varnishing (and in other subjects too) is not to mix too many different thing and keep everything simple. I use mastic as a sealer, then a stain (one of these: www.joha.eu/en/dyes/stains-liquid/), then the transparent coating, several layers of coloured varnish with extra colour, another layer of transparent and that’s it! For the neck I use the same stain as for the body in dark brown like the 402 and the finish with steel wool and cooked linseed oil. I hope I could help you!

[@NJEsperantist]

Do you ever have to retouch/repair the finish on older instruments? I would be interested in such a video.

[@maestrokimon]

I have to but this is very hard to film as colors of transparent varnish tent to change depending on the light and camera angel. I tried to film this a couple of times but was not happy with the result!

[@klemenfurman9750]

Hi Kimon, I quite like the color of this instrument, could you tell the color of this Joha varnish?

[@maestrokimon]

For this instrument I used the 402 water stain and the 2224 varnish (brown). In the varnish I added some red-brouwn and brown colorant.

[@henrypagan6657]

Hi I both what you said and I love it. Can I put oil varnish over Spirit varnish

[@maestrokimon]

I wouldn't do it. There is a serious chance that the two won't bond correctly.

[@henrypagan6657]

@@maestrokimon thank you for your help

[@samuelwarshaw9480]

Hey maestro, if you ever made a violin top out of a wood that isn’t spruce, what wood would you choose?

[@maestrokimon]

This is hard to say. But why not spruce? it's widely available, easy to order and not very expensieve.

[@samuelwarshaw9480]

maestro-Kimon cool, thank yoi

[@henrypagan6657]

Hi thank you 🙏 I both the varnish you said do I use primer colorless first then golden brown then coating is the last one I use. What’s this dilution

[@maestrokimon]

Hello Henry. Read carefully the instructions that are in the box. The dilution is only to clean the brush.

[@henrypagan6657]

@@maestrokimon ok thank you 🙏

[@henrypagan6657]

Love the varnish easy to use going to buy more and my first violin come out beautiful thank you. Again.

[@stratocactus]

Be careful if you switch between Micromesh and « standard » sandpaper, because the grits grades are not equivalent. 2400 Micromesh is coarser than 2400 sandpaper. Thanks for the video by the way :)

[@maestrokimon]

I know! although Micromesh isn't so aggressive as regular sandpaper.

[@stratocactus]

@@maestrokimon True ! And it doesn't clog as fast either, even when used dry to sand varnishes. It's unsettling when you're used to regular sandpaper :)

[@maciejkozowski6063]

I have some experience woth shellac and french polish. But never used any varnish. Whats difference between shelac and varnish in case of how its looks sounds?

[@maestrokimon]

Shellac is a pretty hard rosin. I expect the sound to be very brilliant and hard. It's better to make a mix with some softer rosins as wel.

[@maciejkozowski6063]

@@maestrokimon thanks. I was thinking mixing shellac with colophony and benzoate rosin. I have been using mix of shellac and benzoate but only on furnitures

[@maciejkozowski6063]

Mostly benzoate because od that beautiful vanilia scent

[@aminghadery78]

hello maestro,can any type of brush be used?what brand is suitable?

[@maestrokimon]

Sable brushes are the best. Very soft and durable.

[@aminghadery78]

@@maestrokimon thank you

[@bricemadden397]

does the neck get any finish?

[@maestrokimon]

I use linseed oil.

[@majidmoghaddasi]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@maestrokimon]

Good to see that you like my work!

[@majidmoghaddasi]

@@maestrokimon I have been looking for color for violin for a long time.Thanks for the tutorial.I want to varnish my old violin. Is the varnish with a lower price and good quality that you can offer me?

[@maestrokimon]

Please don't remove the original varnish of your instrument. It will reduce its value.

[@emilianorodriguez4233]

para un video de restauración de violin con carcoma

[@maestrokimon]

As soon as I have a violin with that kind of damage I will make a video about it.

[@josefgajda2062]

Which one varnish do you use please?

[@maestrokimon]

I use the Oil Varnish Standard 1 by Joha. You can find it here: www.joha.eu

[@ghlscitel6714]

A question concerning the varnish of a very dirty old violin: Did you ever remove the old varnish from the surface down to the bare with wood e.g. with a stripper and then revarnish it? It might be apropriate with instruments having been forgotten in the attic for decades and look ugly and dirty and the varnish came off on some places.

[@maestrokimon]

This is something that many people do but is really bad for the instrument. It is bad for the sound and the value of the violin. You can clean it as good as possible and leave it like that.

[@ghlscitel6714]

@@maestrokimon Many thanks for your quick and profound answer. What I am learning from your comment is that once a violin is finished and varnished this establishes the sound quality of it in a final manner. Any later change rather leads to a deterioriation of it's sound profile. So do changes only as little as possible and preserve the sound, not it's look.

[@maestrokimon]

That is correct. Also the varnish is part of the originality of the instrument. It is not like the paint of any other object. Feel free to change the bridge, pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece, end-button and sound post, but not the varnish!

[@ghlscitel6714]

@@maestrokimon So to understand your video right: This viola is a new one out of your workshop and you describe how to add a layer of Varnish to the previous layers. I was a bit puzzled because this instrument looks like an old one which you are repairing or maybe "pimping up". I totally misunderstood.

[@maestrokimon]

I see! No, this was a brand new viola (not made by me), never varnished in the past.

[@cyruzrodrigo4075]

Do you sand after the final layer of varnish?

[@maestrokimon]

No I don't. I like the slit brush line that remain visible.

[@cyruzrodrigo4075]

@@maestrokimon so should you sand it if you want a smooth glossy finish with no brush lines?

[@maestrokimon]

Yes you can sand it but wait until the varnish is perfectly dry. I would suggest to leave the instrument on a wel ventilated spot for 15 days.

[@cyruzrodrigo4075]

@@maestrokimon thank you

[@mkdijkstra4855]

aren't you polishing with something like chalk, wiener chalk or something?, by the way , i use joha varnish, golden yellow, and it tends to get sticky after i correct drops, i correct the drops a second after, and then it becomes sticky, what could be the reason Kimon?