# 145 - Violin varnish! What's it all about??

I try to give an overview of hand finishing a violin. This video is more about the concepts and approaches rather than a how to step by step check list.
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[@killersugar6816]

Hey, that’s a better answer than I might have hoped for! Thanks Mr. Vincent.

[@andrewparish437]

Not waffling at all Graham that was an excellent video and very informative 😄

[@philxcskier]

I don’t know if this is helpful or not but Windsor and Newton do have a line of water soluble oil paints.. might be worth trying out in the shellac alcohol mix. I’ve also looked at how shellac is produced and I believe the colour is based on how long the flakes are cooked- while you can buy slightly more amber flakes, I’m curious to try and bake some in the oven and see if it’s possible to cook them up to different darker colours. As always- thanks for making the video and sharing!

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Really interesting thoughts, thanks! I'll probably try some of this out.

[@davidmasury1435]

Thank you for the video, it is nice to know that there is no one way to finish a fiddle...

[@HL-ci5lr]

Thank you

[@michelnagumaqmorton]

Excelent ! Thank you for the great video well explained and inspiring !

[@Jeff034]

VIOLIN PRIMER imo
Potassium silicate mix 2/3 potassium silicate with water and heat. Don’t boil and apply while warm as a sealer.
Following the sealer, use linseed, oil and pumice, followed by colour varnish.
Pumice powder has the same refractive index as varnish. Is invisible. So more than abrasive.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

This looks like a nice varnishing system.

[@jackbombeeck4958]

Hi Graham, if I understand correctly, a wood sealer prevent colour from penetrating deeply, but does not seal the pores. Isn't that contradictory? If the pores are open, then colour will be sucked into them, no? Also, how do you prevent 'orange peel' if the pores are not closed?

[@grahamvincentviolins]

I'll tackle this in the next Q&A video.

[@jondubois1]

Hi Graham, I realy enjoyed your speak and l'm asking miself up to which point the wood may be dampted when staining with tea? May the join of the plates be damaged ? Have you already try to seal first and then stain? Could it prevent from the wood to be too much dampted? Forgive m'y english, l'm from the south of france.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

I'll tackle this in the next Q&A video.

[@MrZOMBIE170]

do you apply the French polish to a violin using a mop or a brush and do you follow it up with a rubber after the say way furniture is French polish

[@ulrichgunther9905]

What did you use as siccative?

[@Gonzalo_Chalo_Luthier]

have you tried applying dilluted hide glue or albumin + powdered pigments + cleaning the excess with a rag for tops? I was thinking to use this as a ground for the top of a viola i'm making, only on the spruce as i don't like it on flamed woods, it dulls it (there i'm using turpentin+myrrh, or maybe some alcohol+benzoin which seem to make the flame look good) I seem to get a good result matching it all later when applying colours with spirit varnishes on test strips. ¿do you know any cons i should be aware about protein+pigment on spruce tops?

[@grahamvincentviolins]

I'll tackle this in the next Q&A video.