Building a Violin - The Belly (Top)

This page shows the steps in making the belly (top).

What I don't show is joining the top plate.  You can get an idea of that looking at my guitar page for the top.

Before the belly shaping begin, one traces the outline of the ribs onto the belly plate so it will match the ribs.

Then you cut the "ledge" around the outside of the outer surface of the belly.  This is slightly thicker than the final roll edge.

Rough arching the arch forms	The top, rough carved	The top, arched.  The edges are left until after the purfling has been added
Like the back, the top is drilled to define the rough internal shape	The top, hollowed with gouge and plane	Hollowed with scrapers
Purfling grooves cut	Purfling glued in	Final edge carving (the "groove")
F-holes marked	First f-hole cut	The f-holes
Rough fit of the tone-bar	Gluing the tone bar	Final shape of the tone-bar