This student has glued up the back plates of the violin and is now planing them to see how good the joint is. There should be almost no glue line visible.

Checking the elevation of the fingerboard on this violin, which is nearly finished now. When it is correct, the neck can be glued in to the body.

Flattening the top of the rib structure using a flat sheet of glass and some abrasive paper. Once it is flat, the front can be glued on.

The front of this violin is ready to have the F holes cut out. It's quite a tense moment as a lot of hard work has gone in to achieve this stage. The first step is to drill a hole to insert the fret saw blade.

The F hole is sawed out with the fret saw, and Derek gives some advice about further shaping to be done with a knife.

Work on making a mould. An example of a mould together with a completed rib structure is on the left - in fact this is the one shown in our series in which Derek Roberts makes a violin.

Starting to carve the arch on one of the plates. Derek shows the areas to be worked on first.

Working on the edge thickness with a gouge.

Back to part one or part two of this article about violin making classes. The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page will answer some questions if you are interested in joining the course. For more on the different stages in violin making, follow Derek's progress as he makes a violin by hand.

Are you interested in learning to make a violin, developing your violin making skills or acquiring set up and repair skills? See our choice of short Violin Making Courses held in Derek Roberts' workshop in Leamington Spa.