Another fascinating talk from someone who seemed to be on the periphery of carving.     David was inspired by a book in his school library.      He changed careers in 1980s from engineering to violin making.     The design is all perfectly logical.    You need a sound box.     The sound box has to be as big as you can get it but narrow enough for the player to get the bow to all the stings, hence the hour glass figure.    Even those little    f    shaped holes have a purpose.    They let the air out of the sound box and help provide flexibility to the top of the violin.    Even the little tick across the     f    is used to indicate where the bridge should be.     I suppose all this is known to a player, but for someone who is tone deaf, it was a revelation.     

The process of making has not really changed in 400 years.   The same hand tools and animal glues have not been improved upon for a quality instrument, although there have been attempts at massproduction.      David had some wood that had been bought in 1982 and now was just about right to be worked up into an instrument.     Apparently, the drying of the wood is critical.   It has to be air dried down to a very low water content.    It was greatn to meet a real enthusiast.