About

Turn a bundle of wood into a violin that makes gorgeous sound in a class that's designed to let you work at your own pace with a minimum of stress. You'll go through all the steps, from shaping the parts to assembling them, applying finish, and setting up your instrument so it's ready to play.

Building a violin is a challenging project, and not one that can be completed in a few class sessions. This class is structured so the class fee covers three hours a week of instructor time for four weeks, with additional four-week classes scheduled soon thereafter. (Classes are not offered every week of the year; a few breaks of about a month are worked into the schedule.) You can sign up for additional four-week classes as far out as you want. The number of sessions you need to complete your violin depends on your skill and whether you work independently between class sessions.

Details

• Skill level: Open to beginning woodworkers and students who don't play the violin or fiddle. (The instruments are the same; it's the playing that differs.) But experience with either or both crafts would be an asset.
• This class is open only to BARN members because it overlaps with Open Studio and you'll probably want to use the tools during additional Open Studio hours. Guest drop-in fees for Open Studio would total far more than the membership fee. (Because of the overlap with Open Studio, you'll be sharing the shop with others.)
• New students can start at any four-week class by registering at the level that includes materials.
• Returning students should register at the level that does not include materials.

Prerequisites

Before the class begins, you must have completed:

• Orientation to the Woodshop
• Woodshop Tool Safety  Checkout 1
•  Woodshop Tool Safety Checkout 2

Class Policies

• Ages 14 and up are welcome.
• Wear closed-toe shoes.
• If you need to use power tools to shape any parts, you will also need to wear safety glasses, tie back long hair and avoid loose-fitting clothing and jewelry. We recommend bringing your own safety glasses.