Workshop Diary: Bridges, fittings and a new plane
This month off started with a few exciting deliveries, among them were the new workshop door sign, a new plane, a bridge stamp and the fittings for my most recently finished new violin.
The past couple of weeks have been the first where customers are allowed into our new workshop premises since we moved here in December. As much as I loved the thrill of a clandestine-looking violin handoff in the carpark, I’m thoroughly enjoying having people visit us inside.
Fittings
These fittings aren’t a set I’ve used before. I was attracted to the 7-piece set for its nice uniformity, being all in the same style, and in particular the little horn collars on the pegs. So I spent a morning getting everything set up on it, and used the excuse of my Tuesday evening orchestra class to get an idea of its sound. It’s particularly sweet on the upper registers, and feels very comfortable to play.
A New Plane
A little while ago I replaced my old barely-still-holding-together block plane with a little Veritas apron plane. It’s a great size for many jobs, but I still found myself wanting a slightly smaller one when working on bridges or small instrument fingerboards. So I bought the Lie Nielson Violin Maker’s Plane. Was I totally sucked in by the fact it’s got ‘violin makers’ in the name? Yes I was. But even after only a few days of use in the workshop, it’s already made my life easier. I have tiny hands and so many tools are just too big to be comfortable (seemingly designed for big burly lumberjacks) or allow for adequate control when working on really fine jobs. I’m starting to think more about making sure my tools are right for me, not just about what other people are using.
Door Sign & Bridge Stamp
I’ve been putting my past life as a graphic designer to good use and working more on my branding. The workshop now has a nice new sign on the door and my bridge stamp handmade by Chris Shaw in Sheffield has also arrived.
