Part 3 (1/2)

Another method has been known as the French, and when neatly done is one of the ran h requiringand adjustrafting, and it may be native; no join whatever is seen in a front view nor in the peg-box if this part is at all soiled or dusty, as is usually the case This is owing to the join--there les for-box This is counterbalanced however by the necessary cutting away of the central line or ridge at the back for a considerable distance If done accurately and artistically, all very well, but this is not likely to be always the case, although a coinal lines each side as a guide Thiswhen successful, as little or nothing is perceptible from the front and notthe different parts of an old violin in its original condition, we shall find the neck, taking froe of the upper shoulder of the instrument to a point where the nut is placed, to be not much more than four and a half inches, whereas our ive five inches and an eighth The old length taken at this part alone would give too short a fingerboard, causing the fingers to haister, where so es The neck thened In the earlier part of the present century there was awith the head and while keeping the greater part of the original neck (diagraerboard, probably worn into ruts; the middle of the thickest or lowest part of the neck attached to the body had then to be loosened and re to one, two and so in the way, this in consequence of the habit of the oldup the body of the violin Having accomplished this, the repairer chiselled off two square pieces, one on each side at the sa the same way These were afterwards cut down to the proper forerboard increased the length of the neck to the inal space or socket fro to or above the button was now too large, this part was therefore cut, filed and finished down to the required size and shape

Thisthe neck, however, went out of fashi+on as connoisseurs and perforure--the reason being probably that plain wood answered best for the cutting of the volutes--made the repairers remove the whole of the neck and substitute one of the best figure they could obtain

This forced fresh attention to the splicing as it is terraft, and theaway the whole of the neck and using handsoiven to the practice by the fact of the fingerboards put by the oldso little above the body of the instrue was s The increased rapidity of theto another over the her one absolutely imperative, as the heel of the boould too frequently chip pieces froood reasons at least for placing an entirely new neck on an old violin; firstly the plain wood of the original ard to the plane of the body

In order, therefore, that everything in with the roughly sawn block ready forup for its destined purpose The scroll, which is to be replaced on a neck according with modern ideas, ill suppose to be on an Italian violin that has come down to us from the early part of the last century The violin tuned up to the present concert pitch andmany of the modern style of difficulties, would prove utterly inadequate to the task of giving out its tones in ato work then, the work selected his block of curledof equal breadth He calculates as to the best position for showing off the curl on each side of the neck when finished Having decided which is to be the upper part or that covered by the fingerboard, this is planed to a good level and sood pointed pencil or pointed knife, and sharply defined, is then dran the whole length exactly in the centre At the end which is intended for the thickest to be inserted in the body of the instrument an equal width each side must be marked Near the other end, at a distance that shall correspond with the opening of the peg-box, an equal width each side of the line must be marked off as at the other end These two measurements will represent as nearly as possible the width of the neck along its course at the junction of the fingerboard Fro-box one of two lengths upwardsis to be effected in the th will be required than for that of the French style This latter is inal wood lost If for the for will be required of two inches, if for the latter or French a little over one inch and a half will be enough The central line has of course been continued for the whole length of the wood The waste wood at the end can now be sawn off down to the line

The nextthe French style is adopted--that of the extre a point at half the thickness of the peg-box wall at the part and si the width between the two This divided equally and raft each side of the central line will give the narroidth of the part to be inserted in the peg-box The outside may be then removed by the saw vertically There will now be necessary the raft that shall represent the thickness of the nut or the distance between the end of the fingerboard and the peg-box opening; the breadth across, or we th of the upper part of the nut, will be exactly that of and at the part where the opening will be raft

The wood to be cleared away outside the lines which erboard will be the next proceeding; it may be done neatly with a rather fine toothed saw and then carefully planed up closer to the lines, barely touching theht angles with the top surface, although they will not be kept so for long, but by thus working theto the lower or wider end a linecentral line, if not accurate the whole ill be thrown out of truth On the sides there rah for the cylindrical part that is to be finally rounded and finished off for handling Carecommences underneath, a little away fro-box This of courseto s are likely to be wanted in the future There will now be required theof the exact form of the part that is to be inserted in the body of the violin, or , into the upper block This is done easily froe proportions Soht of the ribs, the pattern cannot be applied so as to fit; in that case fresh lines must be drawn to erboard plane

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 28]

The line dividing the part exactly in the middle must be accurately done, the distance at the narrowest or lowest part that is to be glued on to the button carefullythe top part when placed in position to be a quarter of an inch above the border (diagrauided by the size of the button, which, although there is an average of a rough kind, is sometimes small, at others very wide The width must be taken of the button, carefully divided into two equal parts to be ram 30) All belohat is necessary to keepkept parallel with the fingerboard plane The parts outside the slanting linesevenly with the outer lines of the fingerboard width so far as it extends, which will not be more than about an inch

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 29]

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 30]

The next process will be that of excavating the part that is to receive the root or end of the neck If the instru down precisely in the centre, the line already uide foreach side of the join the width of the portion to be cut away

The depth inward of the cutting should be an average of a quarter of an inch In case the already excavated part in an old and hly torn about and made unequal in its measurements, attention must be fairly directed to this part separately; that is, if too much wood has been cut away on one side it ularities in order that a good fit may be accomplished The fresh wood must be neatly inserted or placed in position and lue by supports or wedges placed across from side to side When quite fit by reason of its dryness, the distance from the centre must be marked and the fresh wood cut away to the required depth and width with a keen edged chisel and s against the grain to be done besides working in a confined position

Great regardthis part that the corners or angles are quite cleared out, or the neck when inserted as a trial or rehearsal will not give a truthful report of the accuracy of the incisions owing to so the neck to look awry So far webeen accurately done to the central line down the middle of the instrument; but now comes a further process in connection with the adjustment of the neck, and that is, the rise and inclination of the level of the fingerboard in relation to the bridge which is to be fitted eventually

The average--it e is one three-eighth inches There are occasions when this h hth, or even e This must not be taken as necessary for the proper ehly built instrue inthat of allowing better play or roo the border at the waist It is an alteration which acco of the neck and stop in the early part of the last century

To obtain a proper setting or inclination of the neck, several ways are adopted by repairers They vary according to the kind of guide or pattern used This is usually cut from a piece of hard wood, sycauide in the adjustment of both the inclination and the elevation of the under part of the fingerboard above the body of the instrument at the junction of the neck This ill call No 1 The other, No 2, is sie only as a fixture, the rise of the end of the neck above the border being higher and lower at discretion Another way, No 3, is solued on before the setting This should only be done by a fitter of some experience, as a little error in calculation is likely to lead to disaster With each the application of the guide, or pattern, is the sa of the exact coincidence of the inclination of the top surface of the bed under the fingerboard (diagraetting the right inclination, in both instances it will be found necessary to ease the fitting of the neck into its socket, as the difference of the angle at which the neck is inserted causes an increase in the tightness of the contact of the parts The lower part of the facing that is to be inserted in the socket, will have to be le conformable to that of the inclination or set of the neck This will require executing with precision, and great care will have to be exercised that the squareness or rectangular disposition of the upper part already fitted and adjusted to the middle line down the instrument is not interfered with It will be well to test this as the work proceeds So into contact with the button, will have to come away in order that all parts id part of the structure

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 31]

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 32]

To ensure co operations, every tool in use uide lines accurately drawn

Part of the neck left rough and projecting beyond the button may be left for future lue--if done by a workht With regard to this, the parts likely to give the a of the flat opposing surfaces of the root or squared end of the neck or graft with the socket It will be necessary to get a perfectly flat surface In the first place, glass papering must be avoided, not from unsuitableness of material, for in that respect it is a te the pressure of the hand; with the exercise of the utlass paper, even when it is backed by a piece of hard wood, there will be found, when the test comes, a rotundity of surface that was dee of the surfaces ood a hing into shape and then flat chiselling has been done to as great a nicety as possible, all the irregularities--there are sure to be soht square file, used very steadily and crossways repeatedly This done sufficiently and tested with some hard and truly cut substance,upon the final or finished surface

The next thing used will be a carefully sharpened and keen edged steel scraper To put this tool into proper order for the purpose, it les, as the first iest The hone, or stone, must be quite flat and unworn

If done carefully, a nice level edge will be perceptible along its course, but it is not yet at its best Placing it on a bed of hard wood, or evenly shapedover and held fir fro the awl perfectly flat on the horizontal surface The scraper may now be turned over and process repeated, but not in the sale, for the aill be held vertically with the handle doards and firles with the horizontal plane, this will cause a burr right along which will have a razor-like sharpness and cutting power This scraper can now be applied (not too heavily) over the filed down surface, and thus work down finally all irregularities left by the file The adaptation of this tool will at once be perceptible in the fine whitish soft shavings that will co its application A little repetition across and across should give an almost perfect level Different sized scrapers may be used for the other surfaces where it is desirable to obtain theIf all the processes have been properly carried out, the parts when tried by inserting the neck or graft for trial, should fit together without the slightest looseness or wriggling They will now be ready for perether

It will be seen after perusing the above that the fitting of the neck or graft to an old violin, well or badly preserved, is a task not to be overcome easily and satisfactorily without much care and no little practical experience