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]

Originally Posted by Martin Sheridan

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.