86 THE YOUNG 
capacity so that the air contained may 
be, as near as possible, the same, no 
matter what the outward shape may be. 
Witli these preparatory remarks, we will 
now proceed to explain the manner in 
which the back and belly are fashioned. 
We will suppose the parts have been 
properly glued together. A pattern of 
zinc or cardboard of the exact size and 
shape is laid on and the outlines marked 
with a sharp pencil. Then, with a good 
scroll saw, cut all the way around, fol- 
lowing the pencil mark as closely as 
possible. The amateur must have a bench 
on which to work out his model. Let him 
take a block of good hard wood about 
two inches thick, of the same shape as his 
violin plate, but somewhat larger. Let 
him cut a few strips of white holly about 
an eighth of an inch thick, so that they 
may roughly fit around the edges of his 
plate, cutting small slots in tbem, and 
screwing them down to his bench with 
round-head screws, so as to clamp the 
plate firmly ; the slots are for the purpose 
of sliding the clamps backwards or for- 
wards when the screws are slackened so 
as to release the plate. Let him then 
hollow out his bench in the centre to 
make it correspond roughly to the swell 
of his instrument, and fasten it to a 
cabinet-maker's or cari)enter's bench with 
a strong bolt having a nut beneath so that 
he may swivel his work-bench or make it 
fast at pleasure (see Figure 7). He is now 
ready to begin the modeling of the out- 
side of his plate. Having chosen a good 
violin as a pattern, he takes a few strips 
of wood about an inch and a half wide by 
an eighth thick. These he lays edgewise 
on the back of his pattern violin, and with 
a scribing tool, marks on theni the swell 
of the instrument. He then cuts out with 
a sharp knife, following the scribe. These 
will guide him in working the outside of 
his back (see Figure 14). The roughing 
off may be done with large gouges and 
chisels, but the finishing must be done ! 
with steel scrapers and sand-paper. In 
the final polishing the sand-paper should 
be very fine, and the plate should be wet 
from time to time so as to raise all the 
loose fibres of the wood, that they maybe 
cut off cleanly, leaving a smooth glossy 
SCIENTIST. 
surface. When the surface of the plate 
has been properly finished, the next oper- 
ation is to trim and round the edges neatly 
with a file and sand-paper. The plate is 
now ready for the purfling or fillets. 
This part of the work requires great care. 
The fillets are thin strips of wood glued 
together — usually a centre-piece of ebony 
and two outside pieces of white holly. A 
recess is cut with a tool made especially 
for the purpose around the edge of the 
plate, the fillets are inserted, glue being 
previously laid in the recess, neatly 
mitered at the corners and tapijed down 
firmly in their place. 
Before proceeding further, we deem it 
advisable to furnish cuts of the principal 
appliances used by violin-makers. Figure 
1 shows the manner in which the sections 
of wood are cut from the tree. Figure 2 
will serve to give an idea of how the 
sections are glued together. Figure 3 is 
an iron screw-clamp which will be found 
very useful. Figure 4 is the mold on which 
the sides are set up. Figure 5 is the frame 
in which the mold is screwed fast in order 
that the sides may be wedged tight to the 
mold and glued to the blocks and corners. 
Figure 6 shows the sides in position and 
glued in their places. Figure 7 is the 
work-bench. Figure 8 callipers for gaug- 
ing the thickness of the back and belly. 
Figure 9 shows the purfiing tool, and 10 
the cutter. The purfling tool should be 
made of brass, as in the engraving, with 
swiveling knobs at each end, and having 
a movable gauge at the back, and set- 
screw to regulate the distance of the 
groove from the edge of the plate. The 
cutter is a piece of round steel about one- 
sixteenth of an inch in diameter. One 
end is squared with a file, and into this 
end a recess is cut diagonally with a fine 
three-square file. The cutter is then 
placed in the instrument in a hole drilled 
to receive it and made fast with a set 
screw. Figure 11 is the neck, and 12 
! shows the recess in the end block for its 
reception. Figure 13 is a contrivance for 
bending the side-pieces, and 14 gives an 
idea of the guides used in modeling the 
tables of the violin. 
In our next we shall have something to 
say about the working of the inside of the 
