TuneWeaver - Posted - 09/15/2022:  07:32:38

Do you think that in days gone by, expedient repairs were made to instruments with  melted tree sap, rosin,  instead of hide glue? Is it even possible?

Edited by - TuneWeaver on 09/15/2022 07:33:11

pete_fiddle - Posted - 09/15/2022:  08:06:14

Don't know but i had a similar thought about Propolis

TuneWeaver - Posted - 09/15/2022:  08:20:37

quote:

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Originally posted by pete_fiddle

Don't know but i had a similar thought about Propolis

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Ain't that a fact... A bee can really glue supers together!!

DougD - Posted - 09/15/2022:  08:59:34

Don't know about repairs, but the reeds in accordions traditionally are held in with a mixture of rosin and beeswax. Its heated and drizzled around the edges of the reed plates. Takes some practice to do a neat job.

The Violin Beautiful - Posted - 09/15/2022:  10:27:46

Hide glue dates back at least to ancient Egypt, so there aren’t really any “old days” before its use in making.

Pine resins are sticky and can make some things adhere to one another, but the bond isn’t strong enough for the purposes of violin making. Rosin is rather friable, which is why it needs to be incorporated into an oil to make a good varnish; put too much rosin into the mix and the varnish will be too brittle and chippy.

Traditionally, rosin has been used at the ends of knots in hair for bow rehairs. The knot is dipped into powdered rosin, then lit for a few seconds. This expands the ends of the hair and assists the knot in keeping the hairs from pulling out. Handle the knot too much, though, and the rosin crumbles.

pete_fiddle - Posted - 09/15/2022:  12:06:14

i have heard propolis described as "Bee Glue" many times. And yes it does stick boxes together pretty well. i'm pretty sure if i got my hive tool out, i could take a fiddle apart just as easy as i could a beehive.

TuneWeaver - Posted - 09/15/2022:  13:17:40

quote:

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Originally posted by pete_fiddle

i have heard propolis described as "Bee Glue" many times. And yes it does stick boxes together pretty well. i'm pretty sure if i got my hive tool out, i could take a fiddle apart just as easy as i could a beehive.

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I just use a flat pry to open my fiddles.. tells a lot about the quality of my instruments.. but I do use a SHARP pry bar..

pete_fiddle - Posted - 09/15/2022:  13:36:25

LoL, just imagining if you took your fiddle to a luthier and they said "I can sort that out for ya" and pulled out a hive tool ...Or a pry bar... ( Jemmy ? )

TuneWeaver - Posted - 09/15/2022:  15:17:22

quote:

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Originally posted by pete_fiddle

LoL, just imagining if you took your fiddle to a luthier and they said "I can sort that out for ya" and pulled out a hive tool ...Or a pry bar... ( Jemmy ? )

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I took my first fiddle to  a local luthier about 50 years ago.. He said he didn't want to work on it because it wasn't worth much.. I said it was worth a lot to me.. so he fixed it and still  to this day, it is my best fiddle..! I even offered to loan him my pry bar if he needed one..

bsed55 - Posted - 09/17/2022:  10:58:53

quote:

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

quote:

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Originally posted by pete_fiddle

i have heard propolis described as "Bee Glue" many times. And yes it does stick boxes together pretty well. i'm pretty sure if i got my hive tool out, i could take a fiddle apart just as easy as i could a beehive.

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I just use a flat pry to open my fiddles.. tells a lot about the quality of my instruments.. but I do use a SHARP pry bar..

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Don't you run a good risk of splitting or cracking?

ChickenMan - Posted - 09/17/2022:  12:36:12

I think you have to heat the knife and run it along the seam...