2013-05-29
Today was a fairly light day in the shop. I laid out a large roll of sandpaper on my side bench and clamped the ends. Then I ran each instrument carcass over it until the linings and ribs were flush. Using a scraper and sandpaper, I cleaned up the ribs to ensure that there was no stray glue on the surface.
The bass bar on the Sinister didn't take long to trim to shape. A light sanding finished it off.
I updated my instrument labels last night with my new location. Using thin hide glue, I applied one to each instrument. For the Sinister, I aligned it in reverse, to show up under the G-string side of the instrument, which of course is the right in this case.
I now have the final weights and mode measurements for both instruments.
| Instrument | Weight Belly (Top) | Weight Back | Mode 2 Belly | Mode 5 Belly | Mode 2 Back | Mode 5 Back |
| Ashley (7) | 84 g | 156 g | C3 (132 Hz) | G#3 (209 Hz) | B2 (121 Hz) | B3 (251 Hz) |
| Sinister (8) | 74 g | 116 g | D3 (147 Hz) | D#4 (314 Hz) | D#3 (156 Hz) | E4 (327 Hz) |
These figures (at least for the Sinister) indicate that the instrument will probably be ideal for a smaller room, with easy bowing. For Ashley's, I have no idea what the numbers signify. If they were for a viola, they would probably also indicate a friendly, intimate instrument. Neither is likely to be ideal for solos on a concert stage.