Sound Post from scratch

[Stefan Harms]

Disclaimer: I can count all the new sound posts that I have fitted on my two thumbs.

Question: Does anybody here use this technique for sizing and cutting a new sound post? http://www.dalemfg.com/violin_035.htm

I am particularly intrigued by the 'swiveling feet' epoxy-to-metal technique.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

An incredibly complex method for doing something relatively simple (though difficult).

[Ken Smith]

One time, I brought my former owned 7/8 Shen to Arnold for a soundpost problem. The Bass was a few years old and breaking in so the original 'Post would no longer work a few years later as it was too loose now.

I picked a Square piece of Post wood from a Box of sticks Arnold had and I watched him plane it little by little rounding it on the top edge of his vise, rotating it every time he shaved it. This took only a few minutes to make a nice custom picked 'round' Sound Post from a stick of square Spruce. The fitting took a bit longer but this was by all means 'From Scratch'!

I was impressed to say the least.

[Stefan Harms]

Yes, Ken, you are lucky, being able to watch Arnold at work.

For the rest of us occasional soundpost fitters, the above, somewhat cumbersome technique might help to get as near a perfect fit before you lower that sucker in there for the first time.

How otherwise do you estimate the angles that you need to cut it - by the angle of the top/back?

[Martin Sheridan]

Why make one?

Bob Branstetter said on that other forum that he had made some. I buy mine and don't feel a need to cut my own.

A number of years ago I saw the guy on the Woodwright shop make dowels by drilling a hole in a piece of metal. He then took some wood a little over size but not round, shapened it at one end and drove it through the hole with a mallet. The iron neatly trimmed off the excess wood and made a perfect dowel. Seems like that would work with spruce.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Why make one?

Exactly. I used to feel bad tossing out narrow pieces of nice spruce, so I would saw them all up into 3/4" square strips, then eventually run a bunch over my router table, clean them up and give them a sanding. When I figured out the actual time spent doing this (not to mention the risk to my fingers from the router bit) I scratched my head, realizing I was losing money compared to just buying the stupid things. So what do I do with all those pieces of spruce now? Kindling. :D

[Eric Rene Roy]

Get a small lathe and turn them. Its fun and takes just a few minutes. To me it beats buying them...but maybe my situation is a bit different than most!

[Bob Branstetter]

I've been making my own soundpost blanks with a tool (http://www.fine-tools.com/G301830.htm) like this one for at least 30 years. I just set the fence on my bandsaw to about 1/16" larger than the finished diameter and saw square spruce stock about 3"-4" longer than the desired post length. When I have finished sawing the stock, I put the drive in my lathe or drill press chuck. While the drive is turning, it's just a matter of placing one end of the stock into the turning drive and push the hand held cutter into the turning wood stock. (It's easier to do than to describe!). I can turnout about post blank in less than a minute. All that is required to finish the post is to cut off the 3-4" end that was in the drive and a quick sanding. I can make enough posts for several years in less than an hour from start to finish.

The tool has replaceable cutter inserts in sizes from about 1/4" to over 1" in 1 mm increments. I usually use a 19 mm for basses, but I have larger and smaller and larger inserts if I need other sizes. This is a well made, heavy duty tool.

The bad news is that the tool is rather expensive and to the best of my knowledge, it is not available in the USA. However, if you need to make a lot of soundpost blanks, I doubt if there is an easier or faster way to do it.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Welcome back Bob!

Hey, how 'bout I send you a box of square spruce stock and you send me back a box of soundposts? :D

[Bob Branstetter]

Welcome back Bob!

Hey, how 'bout I send you a box of square spruce stock and you send me back a box of soundposts? :DI think I'll change my to signature 96% retired. :)