REMOVAL OF OLD SUPERFLUOUS GLUE BY DAMPING--REPLACING OLD END BLOCKS
BY NEW ONES--TEMPORARY BEAMS AND JOISTS INSIDE FOR KEEPING RIBS, ETC.,
IN POSITION WHILE FRESHLY GLUED.
To the workroom we will again return. The back has had ample time to
dry while the assistant James has been doing other work of an ordinary
or trifling character. The loops or collars are gently released, put
aside for future use, and the now much less warped back is brought for
the chief's inspection. "That will do, James, nicely, I think, now you
will be able to go ahead with the other parts, and perhaps we shall
be successful enough when the whole is finished to make those people,
when they see it, rather regretful at their hasty disposal of the paper
full of scraps of old Brescia. While we are in the bending mood, however,
we will get that Lorenzo Guadagnini into a little better trim, you left
it on that shelf over there last week." James fetches it, a rather
woe-begone affair to an ordinary observer; it had been cut open, the
head sawn off, placed inside, the upper table laid on and a string
passed round the waist and tied with a loose knot. "Look at it, James,
and tell me what is wrong and the remedy." The string is untied, and
the parts laid on the bench and examined one by one. "In excellent
preservation, sir, in most respects, although it has been opened many
times and a heap of glue left about it." An inch rule is taken up and
passed over the separated parts for comparison; some slight expression
of amazement passes over James's features, re-measurement ensues, and
turning to his chief he remarks, "I didn't see that at first, sir, it's
worse than that old Brescian; just look here, sir, the ribs are not
upright, but bending inwardly; across the upper part they are so much
out of the perpendicular that when the upper table is laid carefully
on, instead of there being the eighth of an inch of overlapping border
it is nearly a quarter of an inch each side; and what is more curious,
the ribs do not seem to have been unglued since they were first put
there, excepting a small part at the upper and lower ends, and see,
sir, when I put the upper table on it is like an arch, and to press
that part down on to the ribs will send a crack along from the sound
hole on either side, which will simply be breaking up the whole affair
by degrees." "Well, what method would you propose for correcting all
this and making a good restoration of it, James? Give it a look over
carefully and tell me." The assistant well knows the attendant
circumstances connected with a good restoration or a bad one; if left
as it is, it may be sold "in the trade" for so much, if badly restored
it will fetch less, if well done it will be worth to the outside world
a considerable sum, and if it should go well as regards the emission
of its doubtless fine tone, the value as a whole would be greatly
enhanced. Much thinking and careful calculation is therefore
concentrated on the subject, and after awhile James says, "Well, sir,
this lot of glue all round may as well come off first as last, there's
no doing anything with it as it is." With this his chief agrees; so
he sets to work, not with a chisel or any cutting instrument, he is
so far advanced in his methodical working to know from experience that
it is next to impossible to avoid injuring the sharply defined and level
edge of the rib as left by the maker originally if such rough treatment
as filing, chipping or cutting is resorted to; he therefore adopts a
milder course of treatment. Taking a few pieces of cotton cloth or white
sheeting--old calico is equally efficient--he folds them into several
layers, and when so about four inches long by about three-quarters of
an inch in width. Nearly a dozen of these are got ready. After being
soaked in water, they are taken out and slightly squeezed so that they
no longer drip. One by one they are placed all round on the edge of
the ribs close to each other so that no vacant space is perceptible
between each, and after a gentle patting down with the fingers along
the course they are left to do their work quietly, more effectively,
too, by far, than any steel tool with the brute force necessary for
ploughing through that most obstinate of materials, hard, dry glue.
These folds of cotton material James calls his poultices for drawing
the impurities away from the system; they, in the present instance,
afford him time to think over the sort of engineering that will task
his energies to some extent.
Leaving the poultices to their work, the old Brescian is again taken
in hand under the direction of the chief. "Now, James, let us look over
the parts again. The next step must be getting the end blocks attached
to the back. We have got that into a tolerably straight line again,
so that we can work on the affair almost like a new fiddle. Those old
blocks, well I should like to retain them if possible, but on looking
over them very little discernment is sufficient to conclude that fresh
ones will be not only better but necessary. In the first place, they
are very small, were roughly cut in the first instance, and since have
been meddled with by would-be restorers; good new ones properly fitted
will be far better than old ones added to, necessarily for strength.
Some of that old pine, or as good, that French willow will suit our
purpose. We will choose the latter. See that the grain runs
perpendicularly or at right angles with the cut surface that is to be
glued down. Chop or split it, don't saw it into shape, and then you
can finish it off when glued into position, when you will not find you
have to cut against the grain." This, as a matter of course, is
conformed to, the blocks split off the bulk or plank, sawn to a little
over the proper length or height to allow of finishing, and then the
surface to be glued is made even and squared with the part against which
the ribs will be hereafter glued. The lower end one will of course
require a trifle of curving to allow of the ribs following the course
of the curve of the border; this the assistant duly sees to by trying
it in position until it appears to be satisfactory. The parts of the
blocks to be left facing the interior of the violin he leaves roughly
done to shape and size of those in modern violins, that being found
the best from experience since the demise of the old masters of Italy.
The upper one is left more protuberant, or nearly semi-circular; the
reason for this is that the strain upon both upper and lower table at
this end is greater than at any other part, therefore if the block is
too narrow there is not enough grip or extent of glued surface, a
frequent result of which is the lowering of the fingerboard, and a
buckling of the surface underneath of the upper table, a condition much
to the detriment of the proper emission of the tone. Great attention
should always be paid this particular part. Many repairers seem fearful
that the air-space of the interior of the violin will be lessened by
a projecting block. A little consideration will enable them to see that
for effectiveness of purpose the form of the interior of almost any
violin will not--from its curved surface--allow of an over large block
with a flat glueing surface above and below.
These conditions having been seen to, the assistant with some freshly
made glue paints over the surfaces of the ends that will be fastened
to the lower table. As this is to be for a permanency, the glueing must
be of the best. When dry, the surface is scraped even and the usual
glueing and cramping done.
To Lorenzo Guadagnini again; sufficient time being allowed for the
moisture in the folds of cotton to affect and be absorbed by the glue,
the assistant fetches it from its enforced retirement, brings it to
the light carefully, lifts up one of the poultices, touches the glue
with the tip of a small knife and is satisfied. The glue has been
softened and is now little more than a jelly attached to the prominent
parts of the ribs. The first thing will be to get some rag or paper,
place it handy and remove one of the wet pads or poultices, then with
the small knife, kept for such purposes, being blunt and worn smooth,
the glue or jelly is carefully scraped away. The advantage of using
the blunt knife will be evident, as it does not cut the surface as it
passes over it. The point is occasionally used for any corner that may
require it. After this a small sponge or rag dipped in warm water is
passed over the edges and removes what is left untouched by the knife.
This is repeated with each separate pad in succession all round and
when completed the work is put aside and allowed to dry. A previous
examination of the inside surface of the upper table had shown the
necessity of similar treatment, but not to such an extent.
Not much time expires before the assistant brings the parts before his
chief. "As clean almost as when new," is the exclamation of the latter;
"it really wants little more than a new or proper bar and then glueing
together." "Yes, but about that difference of measurement, sir, across
the upper and lower parts." Here the assistant takes the upper table
and places it like a lid on a box; turning it back downwards for better
inspection, he says, "it's nearly a quarter of an inch out, the border
overlaps frightfully, you would not glue it up like that, would you,
sir?" "Certainly not," says the other, without the least sign of
annoyance on his features. Turning to his man he says, "Now, James,
here is a nice little instance where you can study with much interest
and profit the subject of cause and effect. You drew my attention to
the excellent preservation, and you have removed what appeared to you
at first sight the only impediment to perfect restoration, that of the
coarse glueing. You have rightly observed that the back has never been
removed, and yet the ribs bend inwardly when tested and seem to require
a smaller upper table. The reason is plain after you have given the
matter some right consideration. The maker, as you know, was an
excellent artificer and was a pupil of the great Stradivari. Now here
is the cause; the violin has been, as you know, opened several times
by persons more or less unfitted for the proper performance of such
an operation, fiddle tinkers I call them, and with a pot of thick dirty
brown and repulsive looking glue, have with a coarse brush dabbed it
all round and then screwed the lid down. The successors in this ghastly
process have not had the decency to treat the instrument as worthy of
much care, and so with dirty cloths and glue have again repeated the
work, if it may be dignified by such a term, spoliation is perhaps a
better one. Now we know that the violin has been separated and left
so, being merely tied up, and been in that dirty little den of ravening
wolves or tinker dealers for nobody knows how long, with the rays of
the sun falling on it for many days; the result is as we see, the back
has contracted and drawn the ribs in to some extent, it is glue-bound,
we will set it free, the wood itself will help us, as if glad to resume
its former occupation; give me that soft brush with clean water." This
being handed to him, the chief with repeated and careful strokes and
dippings of the brush passes over the surface, going round but leaving
untouched the label, which seems to have remained undisturbed: the
joint down the centre is avoided in a similar way. After some time,
as the moisture has penetrated the wood, he turns to the assistant,
saying, "now, James, try the front on"; this is done, and the latter,
thinking he will just catch his master, says, "fits exactly now, sir!
but won't it come back again beautifully as it dries." "Well, that is
just what we are going to prevent, James; while this is wet, cut some
soft sticks of wood and place them across from one side to the other,
don't wedge them in tightly, as many as will keep up an even pressure
all along." This does not take long, the sticks are inserted like so
many little joists across, and the curious looking structure is once
more placed aside to dry.
While James was cutting and then placing the sticks of various lengths
across, his chief was close by suggesting now and then some trifling
variation in the adjustment. "Don't put them all with the same strain,
give a look now and then as you proceed, in order to ensure against
an over amount of pressure--there, that will be enough! if too much
against the large curves, it will bulge out too far, and the shape will
go." While proceeding he was now and then cautioned as to this kind
of insertion of pieces or joists. Very frequently old Italian
instruments of free design are most unequal in their curves, one side
having a different curving to the other; they are, indeed, seldom
exactly the same on both sides, as modern makers try to make them. It
will be evident, then, that care must be taken that a flat or large
curve should be treated with more or less pressure than other parts.
(Diag. 36.) When this inequality is very apparent, a double system of
joists must be adopted thuswise, get two pieces of strong wood, say
plain light mahogany, some three-quarters or an inch in thickness, and
square along its course. The ends are to be cut so that they will rest
within the body of the instrument easily, barely touching each end
between the upper and lower linings, if at all. The two ends will touch
or rest against the upper and lower end blocks and the pressure, when
the sticks are placed across, will be against these, the pushing
outward of parts of the ribs or linings being regulated to a nicety.
Should one or more of the sticks or joists be accidentally cut too short,
a small wedge of soft wood inserted at either end as may be deemed best
will correct matters. As the violin at present under consideration is
suffering from simple contraction and the linings are fairly stout,
the joists will be arranged so as to keep up a gentle pressure on the
upper ones. A very considerable amount of effective restoration can
be done by means of this system of joists carried out with judgment.
The two large supports,--sometimes one only may be necessary,--will
be found of great use for a variety of purposes other than the one being
referred to; they can be used not only for pressing against, but for
the opposite, as when a rib or portion of it has from some
cause--perhaps fracture or thinness--bulged outwardly. It will be
perceptible at once that for direct pressure against a part of the ribs,
situated near the upper block, that the little joist will slip unless
a nick is made for its reception in the large support or beam. This
is so evident that a reminder seems scarcely necessary.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM 36.]
When it so happens that contraction must be resorted to on a rib or
part, it has to be brought back; then one, two or more holes may be
bored in the mahogany beam and recourse made to some bent iron wire,
which, perhaps, has the preference in use over other material, as it
can be shaped or pressed to a curve, one end being inserted in a hole,
the other placed outside the offending part and with a soft pad or wood
wedge against the old material to be brought back.
The special advantage of iron wire is that it can be gently hammered
into such form as will enable just enough pressure to be exerted at
any particular place as may be thought proper. This is, of course,
assuming that some iron substance is at hand that will answer the
purpose of an anvil. The thickness of the iron wire must depend upon
the requirements and size of the work in repair, a viola of course
taking stouter wire than a violin, a 'cello still more so. A useful
average for violin work would be an eighth of an inch diameter. Strong
wire however is not always to hand, time also is occasionally short;
when so, wood must be resorted to, cutting it with a sharp knife to
a form that will clasp or allow of the requisite purchase at any point;
more room, however, is taken up with this method, and possibly not so
much at a time will be accomplished.
A stock of soft wood in the plank should always be at hand on a
repairer's premises, soft American pine of about a quarter of an inch
thick being very useful for all sorts of purposes in connection with
the "making," as it is termed in the business.
Supposing now that a reasonable time has elapsed for the thorough
drying out of all damp, the assistant is now requested to bring both
the old Italian violins for inspection by his chief. The latter gives
a look over both in turn, and says, "I think you may take those sticks
out of the Guadagnini, it must be dry enough by this time." This being
done, the upper tables of both are fetched and tried on, "there," says
the chief, "they fit as near as we want them to, and we might almost
say they cured themselves." As the Guadagnini had nothing further to
be done to it, James is told to proceed with the glueing and closing
up.