Howery Violins

Will’s Blog Posts:

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Carbon Fiber Bushings: A ¾ violin came in with a crack in the “A” peg hole. I’ve repaired several of these with splines and spiraled bushings. Getting a spiral bushing squarely into the ¾ size peg box is delicate to say the least. I’ve read Jerry Pasewicz’s article on this carbon fiber bushing technique and decided that I’d buy the special hole saw with the proceeds from this job. Only to realize that I could not find a source for such a tiny hole saw. The mandrill has to be inserted through the opposite peg hole and screwed into the hole saw. Standard hole saws use set screws and drill bits. Even if they were small enough they would not work with the drill bit guide. The guide portion of the mandrill has to be smooth to preserve the original peg tapper, if at all possible. So, not being able to purchase the tool, I thought, I’ll make one! This little video highlights the steps. Once the hole saw was done the actual repair process was quite simple and very strong! Now I’m ready for the next cracked peg box, unless it’s a cello with peg holes greater than 9mm… Then I’ll make a bigger version 🙂 What a fun job this is, never a dull moment

Carbon Fiber Bushings: A ¾ violin came in with a crack in the “A” peg hole. I’ve repaired several of these with splines and spiraled bushings. Getting a spiral bushing squarely into the ¾ size peg box is delicate to say the least. I’ve read Jerry Pasewicz’s article on this carbon fiber bushing technique and…

February 2, 2018
Violin Onalee: Today I setup Onalee with the Balsam ground base coat. The ground coat is the material that goes into the wood. The varnish will sit on top of the ground and wood. I wanted to make a sound test between the raw wood and the Balsam ground. So today was the day. Also, I’m doing a bass bar test as well. I purposefully left Onalee’s bass bar heavier than on earlier instruments. Previously, I’ve follow the standard rules of thumb on how to trim the bass bar, but not really understanding how it affected the instruments tone. So, on Onalee I’ll make recordings with the Balsam ground (creating spectrograph charts of the frequency range energy of the instrument, modes). Then I’ll remove the top plate and trim just the upper plate portion of the bass bar. Reassemble and setup the instrument making the recording test again. Then I’ll remove the top and trim some wood on the lower portion of the bass bar. Reassemble and make the tests again. As an engineer I want to follow the scientific process, make a change in one variable with everything else the same (as much as possible) and then test, retest etc. Obviously this takes a some time to really determine what changes affect what tonal qualities. All in the pursuit of excellence 🙂 Oh and a special note: My Mother-n-law the namesake for violin Onalee entered hospice this week. I’m so honored to be playing the violin named after Onalee at the time of her transition; especially when violin Onalee is currently the best sounding instrument that I’ve made. Honor and salute to you Onalee Cheetwood a great woman. Thank you

Violin Onalee: Today I setup Onalee with the Balsam ground base coat. The ground coat is the material that goes into the wood. The varnish will sit on top of the ground and wood. I wanted to make a sound test between the raw wood and the Balsam ground. So today was the day. Also,…

January 21, 2018
Violin Nicolo: Varnish all done. I’m back in the studio today. Last week I had a visit from Mr Influenza, and his cousin Cough. We spent a lot of late nights doing brandy shots, watching some movies, listening to some great music. They were having so much fun, I wasn’t able to get much work done. We’ll they left yesterday and today its just me and the violins. So if you need any adjustments, bow rehairs, or just a new violin stop by and pay me a visit. Your much more welcome than my last two guest…. Oh and Violin Nicolo will be ready for a new home by weeks end

Violin Nicolo: Varnish all done. I’m back in the studio today. Last week I had a visit from Mr Influenza, and his cousin Cough. We spent a lot of late nights doing brandy shots, watching some movies, listening to some great music. They were having so much fun, I wasn’t able to get much work…

January 15, 2018
Violin Karl: He came in for a little tuneup. New set of custom made pegs, bridge and sound post adjustments. Now Sara is ready for her audition next week. I feel like the proud poppa (Karl being one of my babies

Violin Karl: He came in for a little tuneup. New set of custom made pegs, bridge and sound post adjustments. Now Sara is ready for her audition next week. I feel like the proud poppa (Karl being one of my babies…) #violinkarl #violin #violinist #unf #unfmusic #jumusic #jaxsymphony #ju #jacksonville #stmarys #staugustine #brunswickga #savannahgeorgia #tallahassee…

January 4, 2018
Viola Primrose : Roughing our the Maple back plate. No need to visit a gym

Viola Primrose : Roughing our the Maple back plate. No need to visit a gym #violaprimrose #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #orchestra #symphony #florida #Georgia #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violin #chambermusic #viola #williamprimrose

January 3, 2018
The funnest Christmas present I made this year was a commission for these Mickey Mouse pegs. Don Leister don_leister_violin.rva set them to the recipients violin. https://instagram.com/p/BdbZQAknmxh/

The funnest Christmas present I made this year was a commission for these Mickey Mouse pegs. Don Leister don_leister_violin.rva set them to the recipients violin. https://instagram.com/p/BdbZQAknmxh/. #violin #violinist #violinpegs #luthier #violinmaker #customwoodwork #woodturning

January 2, 2018
Viola Primrose : Trimming the corners on the viola ribs. The maple sides are steam bent around a form. (The only steam bending on a violin/viola, the plates are carved). The upper and lower bouts meet the C-bouts at a mitre, that when viewed from the end looks like a single rib with no seam. The knife cuts are made from the outside in from both directions. This avoids a tear-out if the knife were to cut outward over the thin maple end grain. Filed to a nice square finish

Viola Primrose : Trimming the corners on the viola ribs. The maple sides are steam bent around a form. (The only steam bending on a violin/viola, the plates are carved). The upper and lower bouts meet the C-bouts at a mitre, that when viewed from the end looks like a single rib with no seam.…

December 22, 2017
Violin Niccolo: varnishing another coat

Violin Niccolo: varnishing another coat… #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #orchestra #symphony #florida #Georgia #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violin #chambermusic #viola #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violin #chambermusic #violin #violinniccolo

December 14, 2017
Violin Onalee: tidying up the edges on Onalee

Violin Onalee: tidying up the edges on Onalee #violinonalee #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #orchestra #symphony #florida #Georgia #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violin #chambermusic #viola

December 6, 2017
Peg making day:-). Patagonia Rosewood. Janko hardness 3840

Peg making day:-). Patagonia Rosewood. Janko hardness 3840. #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #orchestra #symphony #florida #Georgia #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violinist #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker #whatsonmybench #violin #chambermusic #viola

December 1, 2017