Old French Bass full Restoration

[DarwinStrings]

Fun, I agree and it is also very interesting to see how that "big stick" (to quote Kim) seems to affect the nodes.

I also take it Matthew, from your reply that tea is used because it may affect Gypsy women in a way that brings them into your workshop which in turn has a positive effect on your work and that you also think Quasimodo had some hidden talent as a Luthier.

Jim

[matthew]

Soon, I think i may be taking out the big stick, especially If I'm going to thin the plate a little, but no decisions yet.

[Nick]

For me, luthiery isn't a science; it is a series of educated hunches, and the better your hunches the better you are as a luthier.

Ah Matthew, you are a man after my own heart!

[DarwinStrings]

It would be nice to see another tea leaf reading while the stick is off and then when when it is replaced if you have the time.

Jim

[matthew]

It would be nice to see another tea leaf reading while the stick is off and then when when it is replaced if you have the time.

That's the whole point!

[Kim]

Oh yeah

[kiwigeo]

[image missing: 19_Gypsy_reading_tea_leaves_1.jpg]
[image missing: 19_symbolchart1_1.jpg]

[matthew]

On the weekend I bit the bullet and decided, after a chat with the owner, to remove the bass bar. I had some assistance from my nephew Luke who has helped me on some of my other builds.





After removal the top weighs 1665g.`

[matthew]

While this was going on I started on making some purfling for the corner repairs.



I discovered that the original purfling is made of a pinkish wood, not white. I'm guessing this is some kind of fruit wood like pear or cherry, but not sure what. It's quite hard. I wonder if ID-ing this might help narrow down the bass's origin?

I had to hunt through my pile to find something that might match.



The strips are planed down with my large smoother



then taken down to the final thickness with my new HNT Gordon smoother with the blade setup as a scraper.





I have made a special jig for bending the purfling to roughly the right shape. sort of a mini fox-bender. I use a heat-gun for heat.



I've tried both PVA and hide glue; in the end, for this pre-bent stuff, the hide glue worked better.





After the glue is dry I cut the bent laminate into strips



neat, huh?

[P Bill]

Yeah boss it looks good. I see have the original labor saving device... an apprentice .

[matthew]

yip.

Must be said though, my purfling bender is a mere pimple compared to the laminator press you use for your upper-bouts ...

BTW the HNT Gordon is a really yummy plane but I'm still working on getting the blade sharpened right. previous owner put too much of a back bevel on the HSS edge and I'm still grinding and honing away trying to get rid of it. Holy cow its a lot of work. Nearly there, then I'll really be able to cut myself badly.

[Peter T]

After the glue is dry I cut the bent laminate into strips

Matthew, I was wondering how you go about cutting the laminate into strips after it is bent. Is it a matter of just curling the strips through the bandsaw and hoping they don't break? Delicate stuff.

P.S- You really are the bass guru, it's about time you gave up that day job of yours and did this full time.

[matthew]

Dozuki. The strips are, unsurprisingly, quite stiff. Running through the bandsaw is OK but you need a very sharp blade and mine is currently blunt as.

(Folks, turns out Peter T is the top chippie on a project I'm running in Melbourne! We discovered we were both anzlfers at a project meeting last week ...

[Nick]

(Folks, turns out Peter T is the top chippie on a project I'm running in Melbourne! We discovered we were both anzlfers at a project meeting last week ...

We're everywhere Matthew

[matthew]

not much to report this weekend, except this:


youtu.be/
Link









The top is now 1663 after removal of the bass bar.

[Allen]

I'm seeing Yosemite Sam in all of those "Ink Blots" Matthew.

[Kim]

Those beautiful symmetrical patterns lead me to think that it is very likely the carve of the plates are perfectly balanced and are the work of a highly skilled luthier who was passionate about his work and really liked Yosemite Sam. Good one Allen, I see it also. Cool

Cheers

Kim

[Insomnomaniac]

Happy bass is happy...

[matthew]

... but at least it'll stop me restoring & registering my motorbike!

Too right. Sold mine and bought my first double bass eight years ago.

[Pete Howlett]

My question is do you want the plate to be perfectly balanced? If so, what then influences the position of the bass bar which will surely alter the 'symmetry' ?

[matthew]

very good question, Pete.

[sebastiaan56]

I'm seeing Yosemite Sam in all of those "Ink Blots" Matthew.

ng swim suit outlines, particularly the third one....

[matthew]

yeah I see a summer frock in that one ...but if I'm REALLY clever I can achieve wonders with a hybrid of mode 1 and mode 2 ...



COR!!!!

[Nick]

yeah I see a summer frock in that one ...but if I'm REALLY clever I can achieve wonders with a hybrid of mode 1 and mode 2 ...

Rolf Harris eat your heart out! Laughing Aren't we supposed to see breasts or something? Shocked Oh no sorry that's inkblots
I was impressed with the video Matthew, the plate really moves once it gets oscillating but of course that would all change once it's nailed onto the sides.

[matthew]

i just see big thighs