Author Archives: David Finck

2016 American Viola Society Festival — Oberlin, OH

Posted on September 27, 2017 by David Finck

A view of the vendor hall — I’m somewhere off to the right and behind with a new 16-3/8″ viola. Here’s violist Elias Goldstein giving it a try in Warner Hall at the Oberlin Conservatory.

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Guitar 27

Posted on April 20, 2017 by David Finck

Classical Guitar in Ziricote and Engelmann Spruce After five years of exclusively making violins and violas it took a request from a fine young guitarist to coax me out of guitar building retirement, and I am glad he did … Continue reading →

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“Making and Mastering Wood Planes” — reader comments and gallery

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David Finck

I receive some nice emails from people who have read my book, “Making and Mastering Wood Planes”, viewed the DVD video version, or did both. I really enjoy hearing from people who have found the information useful in their own … Continue reading →

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David Finck Violin~maker

Posted on April 21, 2014 by David Finck

It is Spring and it is Easter. A good time to write about beginnings. This blog has been silent for many months. Since making my first violin a little over a year ago, the majority of my woodworking time has gone … Continue reading →

Posted in Violins General | 9 Comments

Workbench Upgrade

Posted on May 28, 2013 by David Finck

Quite a few years ago I retrofitted my work bench with casters. It is great to be able to move the beast around relatively easily as needed. Trouble was, my wall-mounted tool racks sometimes became inconvenient to reach with the … Continue reading →

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Sharpening Curved Scrapers

Posted on February 27, 2013 by David Finck

If you follow this blog at all then you know that I recently built a violin. Violin making is a scraper intensive task — mostly using curved scrapers. The scrapers have to be sharpened quite well to function effectively on … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellany | 5 Comments

First Violin: 3rd Installment

Posted on February 12, 2013 by David Finck

Gluing the top and back went smoothly. I approached this with some trepidation given my inexperience using hot hide glue, but it went smoothly. The next challenge was carving the scroll and making the neck Producing the neck proved challenging, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Violin | 12 Comments

Greenwood Rocker — 4th Installment

Posted on January 2, 2013 by David Finck

Time to finish up this rocker! I locate the mortices in the back posts with the aid of a dummy armrest to indicate where the armrest should be joined. The template for the arm rest gives me locations for … Continue reading →

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Greenwood Rocker — 3rd Installment

Posted on December 29, 2012 by David Finck

I’m working on the back assembly now. Here’s the the two back posts and crest rail. The crest rail has been tenoned and the mating mortices of the back posts formed as well. The crest rail curvature and length determines … Continue reading →

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Greenwood Rocker – 2nd Installment

Posted on December 25, 2012 by David Finck

I’m getting started on the front posts now. Since the rungs joining the posts are at right angles I went ahead and drilled the mortices and roughed in the tenons at the post ends on the bandsaw while the stock … Continue reading →