Slow week

I didn't accomplish much this week. I sawed the sides of the fingerboard (10 minutes max, counting the planing), and started making a fixture to hold the board while planing the radius on. I used to try to hold it on the ends, but it is just too hard to do that way. A fixture is needed. It's a very simple thing.I have all the pieces cut out. I still need to cut 5mm deep grooves, 5mm wide (the width I made the thin strips), and glue them into the base. After planing the strips so they are 5mm proud of the base I'll saw it in half lengthwise and voilà, a fingerboard holding fixture. I'm making one for viola as well. It WILL be done this week, and I'll show the results. I spent more time drawing up plans for a Guadagnini viola and violin. I have the Strad poster for the viola, but even with that a working drawing is needed. The violin is from photos in the book Masterpieces of Italian Violin Making, by David Rattray. Cool stuff in there. I worked them out to scale on a standard sheet of paper, but drawing them full size exposes all the flaws! I think they are set now. The violin has fairly tall arching, almost as high as the viola. It is also on the small size, as violins go, much like most del Gesu instruments. I thought it might make a nice companion to a small del Gesu model. I picture myself making violins, violas and cellos that are just a bit different, but great instruments. Maybe a couple larger violins, A Maggini and a long pattern Strad. An Amati and something else in the middle, and the del Gesu and Guad on the short side. But Guadagnini is supposed to have made excellent cellos, so maybe just make Guads? Gagilanos look cool too. Any thoughts anyone? I put the two patterns on my lightbox and the Guadagnini is almost identical in form to the Ole Bull del Gesu. I needed to re-do my viola plan after finding some things out while doing the violin form. I'm happy with the way it came out. Now I can make up a mold for the viola. I have a back roughed in for it, you can see from the photo it is VERY rough. I had to cut a gum pocket off the upper bout and glue a wing on. I still need a neck block and some rib stock. I usually have buy a board big enough to saw out ribs and necks, but this one and another were just big enough for backs. Anyone have some figured cherry for ribs and a neck? I thought about 1/16" veneers, but haven't been able to find any figured cherry. Also a lot of the stuff is 4' x 8'! Maybe I'll need a trip to the Woodcraft store.