There's Always Room for Cello!!!

My Very First Cello (December 5th, 2020 - July 30th, 2021)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

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  1. THE IDEA AND PREPARING SOME TOOLS AND JIGS (December 5th - December 26th) :The Idea, Researching Types of Molds, Beginning the Template

  2. Researching and Purchasing Tools and Materials, Cutting Out the Templates, Starting to Draw the Body Shape on the Mold, Cutting Out the Mold Shape, Starting to Smooth and Square-Up the Mold Edges

  3. A Hodge-Podge of Tasks before Continuing, Finishing Squaring-Up the Mold Edges, Cutting Pine Battens, Screwing It All Together, Unscrewing It To Trim the Battens and Cut Out the Mold Center, Screwing It Back Together, Putting a Finish on It, Strobel's Cello-Making DVD, A Totally-Unexpected Gift, Spool Clamps, Sharpening Time

  4. Making a Carving Cradle, An Unboxing!!!, Making More Spool Clamps

    THE NECK (December 27th - December 29th) : Squaring-Up the Neck Blank, Making the Neck Template

  5. The Template is Finished, Gluing Scrap Spruce to Neck Wedge, Sharpening Plane Blades, Cute Little Plane Shavings!!!, The Neck Wedge is Ready for Drawing the Outline Now, New Old Bandsaw Table

    THE FINGERBOARD (December 30th - January 3rd) : Preparing the Fingerboard

  6. Still Preparing the Fingerboard, The Fingerboard is Complete!!!

    THE SCROLL (January 4th -January 23rd) : Drilling Out the Tuner Holes, Sawing Out the Neck Profile, Truing-Up the Heel Face -- It All Checks Out!!!, Planning Next Tasks and Making a Scroll Template

  7. Smoothing the Neck Scroll Surfaces, Marking the Neck Blank, Trimming the Fingerboard Edge and Pegbox Sides, Beginning to Carve the Scroll, The Beginnings of the Volute!!!, Rough-Carving the Chin, Bevel to the Line, Shaping the First Volute

  8. Apology & Smoothing Pegbox Sides and First Ramp, The Second Volute and Ramp, Making Some New Jaws for my Parrot Vise, Working on the Other Side of the Scroll

  9. A Travesty....SANDING the Scroll!!!, The Pegbox

  10. Finishing the Pegbox, The Fluting

  11. Finishing Up the Fluting, A Little Detour -- Installing a Vise, Bench Dogs!!!,

    THE GARLAND (BLOCKS, RIBS, LININGS) (January 24th - February 20th) :

    Starting on the Blocks, Gluing the Blocks,

  12. Sanding the Blocks, Shaping the Blocks, C-Bout Clamping Cauls, THE WOOD HAS ARRIVED!!!, Making Rib Clamps

  13. Making a New Tail Block, Bending Practice, Sharpening Fingerplane Blades, Christmas in February (An Unboxing), Beautiful Flame and Grain, Thickness-Sanding the Ribs

  14. Short Ribs. A Little Visualization, Ribs Cut to Size, More Practice Bending, Bending the C-Bouts For Real, Gluing the C-Bouts

  15. More Gluing of the C-Bouts, Preparing Linings, Shaping the Corner Blocks for the Upper and Lower Bout Ribs, An Unfortunate Encounter with a Gouge, Finishing Shaping and Sanding the Corner Blocks, Bending the Upper and Lower Ribs, Ready for An Exciting Day!!!

  16. Gluing the Upper and Lower Bout Ribs (of one side), No Clamps!, Trimming the Corner Block Points, Oops, Bending and Gluing the Other Upper and Lower Bout Ribs, Trimming the Other Corner Block Points, Sanding the Top and Back, Beginning the Linings

  17. The Linings Are Completely Glued, Some Tools I Love, Planing and Sanding the Linings Level with the Blocks, Shaping the Linings and Smoothing the Ribs, Pulling Out the Top and Back Plates, A Little Visualization,

    THE TOP AND BACK PLATES (February 21st - May 8th) :

    Jointing the Maple Back, Fish Glue, The Plates are Glued!!!

  18. A Little Setback, Pop-Up Bench Dogs, Redoing the Spruce Top Joint, Flattening and Trimming the Back Plate

  19. Bandsawing the Back Plate, Filing the Edges, Drilling for Locating Pins, Do I Have a Clamping Solution, A Modified Pipe Clamp Rack, Planing the Spruce Top, It's Flat!!!, Tracing the Outline Onto the Plate, Cutting Off Excess Wood, Sanding the Peak into a Flat, Cutting It Out on the Bandsaw, YIKES -- A Knotty Problem, Locating Pins/Edge Marking/Tool Wall/Idea for Carving Cradle

  20. The Cello Carving Cradle Clamps, A Light Change, The Rough Gouging of the Top

  21. Preliminary Smoothing with Fingerplanes, Routing the Edge Platform for the Purfling, Blending Purfling Platform Edge into Arching, Drilling Arching Holes into Maple Back Plate. Starting the Rough Arching of the Maple Back, Doin' Some Sharpening

  22. Practicing Routing for Purfling, Bee Stings!!, Routing the Purfling Channels, Fitting and Gluing In the Purfling, New Idea for Carving Cradle, Swiveling Cradle, A Sharpening Station, Sharpening Adventures

  23. A Cello Graduation Punch!!!, I Am I Love (with a toothed blade), The Graduation Punch is Shellacked, Doing the Arching of the Top

  24. The Rough Arching is Done --- Checking for Symmetry. A Contour Marking Caliper, Feeling for Highs and Lows to Refine the Arch, Scraping and Sanding is Complete, Drilling Depth Holes in the Spruce Top

  25. The Depth Holes Are Drilled!!!!, Hollowing Out the Plate

  26. Still Hollowing Out the Plate, Making a Soundhole Template

  27. Drawing the Soundhole Patterns, Drilling Out the Soundhole Eyes, Cutting Out the Sound Holes, Cutting and Gluing the Bass Bar

  28. Shaping the Bass Bar, Fluting the Lower Sound Hole Wings, A Nice Surprise!!!, Quite a Transformation, A Little Visualization, Starting to Carve Maple Back Arching

  29. More Carving of the Maple Back, Routing the Purfling Platform, Routing the Purfling Slot, Cutting the Corners and Back Button Section by Hand, Starting to Fit the Purfling

  30. The Purfling is Fitted and Glued!!!, A New Discovery!!!, More Arching Gouging. Follow the Yellow Woodchip Road!!!, Marking for the Sguscia, Sguscia Stage One Complete, Never-ending Arching, Scraping

  31. The Back Arching is Completed (FINALLY), Preparing to Drill Graduation Holes, YIKES!!! Can't Use Drill Press!!!, Nope, I CAN Use the Drill Press Now!!! (Graduation Holes Are Drilled), What I Did When My Drill Press Wouldn't Turn Off!!!, Hollowing Out the Back Plate

  32. Still Hollowing Out the Back Plate, The First Tap Tone and Weigh-In!!!, More Hollowing

  33. Finishing Up the Hollowing, Tone-Generating!!!, The Back Plate is Done!!!,

    ASSEMBLY: (May 9th - May 30th):

    Working on the Edges, Removing the Mold from the Garland, Some Visualization, End Pin Hole Decisions, Checking My Shaping of the Corner and End Blocks. Drilling the End Pin Hole, Glue-Sizing the Blocks, The Top is Glued!!!, The Label

  34. Removing the Clamps!!!, Preparations for Cutting and Fitting the Neck, Trimming the Neck, Spot-gluing the Fingerboard to the Neck, Drawing the Back Button Shape, Drilling the End Pin Hole, Carving the Neck, Stupid Mistake!!!, Heel Repair

  35. Continuing to Shape the Neck and Heel, Starting to Cut the Neck Mortise, Clamping Solution!!!, Chiseling Out the Mortise. The Mortise is Cut!!!, Progress, Let the Neck-Fitting Begin!!!

  36. Fixing the Neck Alignment, A Heel Clamping Caul, The Neck is Centered!!!, Lowering the Overstand, The Neck-Fitting is Completed!!!, Preparing to Glue the Neck In, The Neck is Glued!!!, Planing and Sanding the Heel End Flush with the Block

  37. Scatterbrained, Reaming the End Pin Hole, Preparations for Gluing On the Back, The Back is Glued!!!, Saddle & Tapered Stick & Remodel, Removing the Back Clamps!!!, Removing the Fingerboard, Make Neck Protector Board, Cut Saddle Slot and Glue Saddle In

  38. Attaching Neck Protector Board, Blending Saddle into the Top Plate, Carving the Back Button, Thump!

    VARNISHING: (May 31st - June 24th):

    Preparations for Varnishing, Experiments First, Gelatin Seal Coat, Antiquing Water Stain, Basking in the Sun, Colors!!!, No More Sun-Tanning!!!

  39. Ground Color Change, First Coat of Clear Sealer Varnish, Second Coat of Sealer (VIDEO), First Color Coat to Back and Ribs, First Color Coat to Top (Done Twice!), Second Color Coat on Back and Ribs

  40. Second Color Coat on Top, Removing Build-Up of Varnish in Inside Corners, Third Color Coat on Back and Ribs, Color Transformations (So Far), Third Color Coat on Top, Fourth Color Coat (Darker) on Back and Ribs

  41. Fourth Color Coat on Top, Fifth Color Coat on Back and Ribs. Fifth Color Coat on Top, Color Transformations in 18 Days, First Clear Coat on Back, Ribs, and Scroll, Almost Done with the Clear Coats!!!, Final Clear Coat on Top

    WAITING FOR THE VARNISH TO CURE...AND PREPARING FOR FINAL SET-UP: (June 25th - July 30th):

  42. I Found A Cello Case!!!, Super Nikco and Soundpost Setting Practice, Fingerboard-Gluing Clamp, Two Weeks of Waiting (So Far) & What Still Needs to Be Done, A Hodge-Podge of Tasks, Gettin' Better at Soundpost-Setting!, THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!!!! (I can work on the cello again.), Rubbing Out and Polishing the Finish

  43. Painting f-hole Edges and Pegbox, Gluing on the Fingerboard, Checking the Fingerboard Scoop & Soundpost Calculations, Finishing the Neck Shaft and Fingerboard, The Nut, Reaming the Tuner Peg Holes, Fitting and Installing the Wittner Fine Tuner Pegs, Fitting and Installing the Soundpost!!!, Mirror Mirror

  44. Cello in the Morning Light. Starting Work on the Bridge, Thinning the Bridge Feet and Legs, Fitting the Feet to the Top, Continuing Work on the Bridge, Cut Nut Slots, File Tailpiece Slots, String It Up!!!, Working on the Nut

  45. A Cello Box Stand!, Cello vs. Teeny-Tiny Violin, New Bridge Height, Shaping the Top of the Bridge, Carving the Bridge, How Does It Sound Now?, String Protectors,

    LEARNING TO PLAY THE THING (July 31st and onward!!!):

    The Search for a Cello Instruction Book!!!, Practice Day 3, Bach's Prelude to Suite #1 (Barely Begun)

  46. Prelude Measures 3-4, Fingerboard Tape!!!, Moving the Soundpost, How Does It Sound Now?, Why Cello Is Such A Challenge!!!, Pachelbel's Canon!!!, Canon in Two Parts!!!, Confession Time

  47. Concert Debut, The Big Bad Wolf!!!