Completed Varnish on Lion head Viola

Please share with your friends!

Varnish is complete on the Lion-head viola.

I will still have to complete the rubbing out of the varnish and the final setup of the instrument, but I expect to have it playing by Friday. Here are some current photos:

Front of lion head viola with final varnish

Side of lion head viola with final varnish

Back of lion head viola with final varnish

Scroll of lion-head viola with final varnish

Side of lion head scroll with final varnish

I am sure there will be minor retouches to do after everything is complete, but this is pretty much what it is going to look like. I like the way the big leaf maple is glowing under the varnish, and even the hard rock maple scroll seems to glow a little. I hope it plays well. 🙂

If you found this post helpful, please share with your friends!

September 13, 2013November 28, 2013

Lion-head viola with three coats varnish

Please share with your friends!

Lion-head viola looking good, with three coats of varnish, but far from finished.

Here are a few pictures of the viola with three coats varnish. I definitely intend to go darker, but it is looking sorta nice. I especially like the way the heavily flamed one-piece Oregon Maple back is beginning to show its inner glow. Back with three coats varnish

Side with three coats varnish

Scroll with three coats varnish

I may not get much done on it tomorrow. I need to clean the chimney and move firewood.

If you found this post helpful, please share with your friends!

September 10, 2013September 13, 2013

Lion-Head Viola Progress.

Please share with your friends!

Lion-Head Viola Progress:

OK, here are some photos of the way things ended up tonight: The color is due to a fresh coat of strong coffee…I had intended to take the pictures before I soaked the whole thing in coffee, but slipped a cog, there, somewhere, so this is what you get.

You can tell I got my peg holes a little off– I will have to move them, or my strings will definitely end up rubbing on the adjacent pegs.

I hope to be varnishing by this weekend. I will keep you posted.

If you found this post helpful, please share with your friends!