This is a piece of the Engleman spruce top plate wood used in Opus # 16. . I count 300 tree growth rings and knowing when the tree was cut down,and I have marked the years that the various parts of the tree grew.
So, part of the violin top plate is about 20 years old while the other side is over 300 years old!
This side is going to be the down side, so it needs to be sanded flat and smooth, at least around the perimeter, as this will be a finished surface on the completed violin.
..Remember to put the correct side up and down. Tap the center of the plate and compare that to the ends tap.
..The correct orientation is to have the high center tap side upward (toward the outside of the completed violin).
Here I am using my belt sander to flatten the bottom surface. The idea here is sand in various directions so that the surface becomes flat and true.
..Wearing thin leather gloves might be a good idea! Notice the block across the back to keep the plate from being carried away by the motion of the sanding belt...
Modified 9/ 2017
Page O16C_6
