Repair Series #5 - Broken Cello
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- In this series I show different repairs that I do in my workshop.
The top of this Cello was broken several times. Will it play again?!?!
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I am amazed by you Luthiers. I could never be one..heck I am afraid I am going to drop my violin everytime I play it..lol..ya'll are so talented.
I know the feeling! I don't have it with instruments anymore but I totally understand what you mean!
This is exactly the problem I've got, albeit only one long split from the "F-Hole" to the bottom, I don't know if mine is an economic repair? I had hoped for a technique a good home handyman could employ? but I think my chances of getting a decent quality magic wand to do the job on eBay are better. I very greatly respect what you're doing, and have subscribed as an expression of respect. but I don't think it's for everyone?.... Brilliant work, I kowtow :)
Great introduction. I have just bought unseen a broken cello at an online auction with similar damage to soundboard. Will clearly need to make [or find cheap] lots of clamps. Fortunately I already have a dinner knife.
Thank you! Good luck repairing your cello.
That cello is nearly as big as your entire workbench. Nice work sir
Yes that`s almost true!!!!
I just went back to this older video because the damage I'm looking at is quite similar. I received a cello via a luthier pretty far away, as I live in an area without luthiers or good bowed string shops. Unfortunately it must have got whacked between the f-holes, as it arrived with one leg of the bridge (good quality bridge) broken off, some scratches in the varnish under the bridge and a cracked extending downward from one f-hole. Not an expensive cello (appropriate to my status as an amateur who's getting back to playing after 20 years) - new mass production, improved in a workshop, set up by a good luthier. But still, it was quite a shock! (It was packaged professionally - the vendor sends cellos all the time.) As my luthier is particularly known for his repair and restoration, he wants to repair it himself. I'm sure it'll still become a useful cello for someone else in the end. (I'll get a new one of the same type.)
Hello Chris. Sad to hear about your cello. Apparently they manage to break instrument even though they are well packed. Enjoy playing again!
The part where he starts taking the top off, I was just sitting there like: 🤯😱😨😲
Haha! I understand what you mean! I'm used to it!!!
Well, I was going to fix the crack in my double bass but I don't have the money for 500 clamps! Haha, all kidding aside, great video man.
I understand! Thank you!!!
This is the first video of yours that I have watched and your accent sounds Finnish.👍
Actually I'm Greek-Dutch! My English accent is more Greek!
Glueing flat cleats to a curved surface is normal practice and it works but it seems a little wrong to me. Thanks for a very interesting video as always.
I know! It also feels wrong to me but the curve over such a short distance is negligible and as te reinforcement pieces are thinner close to the edges they can bend a bit. Looks strange but it works!!!
Nice job.
wonderful job. clean and steady.
BUT, it would be great to see how you managed to align the table on the sides and in which order have you put the clamps. Moreover, I was waiting forward to see how you managed to applicate the exterior finish and level everything down until we don't recognize the cracks(sanding, finish, etc)
Again, it is amazing what you have done!
Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I will see what I can do.
A lovely job on the cello. Fantastic video work by the way.
Thank you for your kind words!
Great video and very inspiring for me 👍🏼
Thank you!
Love watching your videos. Almost motivating me to make a violin.
Thank you for your kind words!
He has a playlist on making a violin
Great video - I am fascinated by all this stuff. Is replacing the top ever an option?
It depends on the value of the instrument and kind of damage. I have done it once in 15 years!
Really great vedio! Curious how much does it cost to fix all these 5 cracks?
You are a genius!
Thank you so much!
Thanks. Totally been enjoying your videos. This one I would say, I would've like to see a little more detail; you cut away or fast forwarded in a couple of part where I was like "Oh, what's he doing there?!"
Good to hear that You enjoy the videos, Kenny. Let me know what you are missing!
@@maestrokimon I'm not 100% sure now! I've watched so many more of your videos...I think maybe when I watched this I wanted to see more how you shaped the support blocks, but I've seen that in other videos now so I'm all good.
I liked the part in which the editing told you “Obviously!”...
I am learning little from the master.
Thank you!
Great job !
Τhank you!
Amazing
Hi. I am about to repair a cello for a friend. I have no experience with these things, but it is not worth a professional repair, so I am doing it.
The cello has 3 cracks on the top. None of them extends to either F hole. the longest would be about 150mm. The shortest about 80mm. None is above the sound post.
My question is this: How would you decide whether or not a crack needs to be reinforced from underneath? I see from other YT videos, that sometimes a crack can be repaired by only gluing from above, though those instances were violins. Perhaps a cello, being larger, perhaps reinforcement is always advisable?
I realise that is a difficult question as it involves expert judgement, but any thoughts would be appreciated.
Many thanks.
Mainly the decision to remove a top for repair depends on the value of the instrument. For the budget instruments I do the repair without removing the top. For cellos it is easier to reinforce without removing the top as the ef-holes are bigger and the clamps fit better. I also depends a bit where the crack is and how easy it is to reach it.
In your case, as the instrument is of no value, you could go for either way (removing the top or not) depending on how much effort and time you want to spend on it!
@@maestrokimon Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate the words of a true expert. I had not considered reinforcing in situ, with appropriate clamping, and will give that some thought. Luckily the instrument is essentially a complete loss to the owner, and I love having a go at fixing things, so there is no down-side. :) Cheers.
Enjoy working on it!!!
Very interesting video! Thanks for your work :)
Thank you for your kind words!
I was wondering what kind of wood you use for your reinforcement pieces?
Mainly spruce.
@@maestrokimon Thank you
I came here to see what the luthier is going to do with my cello...it fell and the cracks appeared in three areas, on the top and on the bottom. Now I understand why the repair is going to be expensive.
Hello, thank you for your videos. I was wondering how much time you have with the hide glue before it is not useable? With the cello being so big, is there some techniques you use to make sure the top gets fully glued in place before the hide glue dries? Thanks.
Hello Daniel. It depends more on the temperature of you workshop. In warm summer days you can glue it in one time but in winter you can do it in 3 parts (neck and top, CC, lower part). If you work a bit slower go for the second way.
Great video! What's that white stuff on the inside of the top around the F holes?
This is some kind of polishing liquid that they used in the past that went in the instrument.
What is the average cost to repair 1 f hole crack like the one shown in this video?
Hard to say as I do't know the labor costs in your region.
I've been researching and couldn't find the answer: why do the reinforcements are set 90° with the grain of the top, maestro? Does it have to do with deformation of the wood?
We normally did 45°. If it's parallel, then there is basically no strength, and the cleats will break very easily. 90° is very strong, but it cannot flex with the wood at all, and can stiffen the top too much
Did the repaired crack on the instrument can affect the sound?
My cello have some on it's ribs
Hard to say as I didn't play on the instrument before the accident. The cracks on the sides won't affect the sound so much. Repair it as soon as possible.
Thank you for your reply. Actually, when I got the cello, it has been fixed. I have no problems with the sounds, actually. But I little worried with the clamps which glued between the cracks. I just questioning wether if it give more weight to the cello, and then make it not vibrating optimally...
did you do varnish retouch? if so you could have shown your process too.
I didn't have to. The cracks were perfectly level so I didn't do anything.
@@maestrokimon Regarding the finish. I notice that you applied the hot glue directly to the top...didn't that mar the finish? How did you get the glue off the top?
Excellent !
Félicitations !
Thank you!
Maestro when u removed the top did u use any water or heat on your knife to help?
No I didn't have to. Fotunately the top went off without much effort.
What kind of glue do u use?
Looks like clear hot glue
It will be a hide glue which is standard to these kind of things
Have you ever just made a new top for an instrument with a lot of cracks?
Once there was a very bad soundpost crack (the soundpost passed through the top, making a hole) and a new top had to be made.
Is there a rule of thumb for how many reinforcement clamps you need?
Do you mean how many clamps I have in my workshop? About 9. Or do you mean how many reinforcement pieces I put on a crack? about one every 3cm for a cello or 2cm for a violin.
What's the name of that lovely piece of music?
Here you can find the music!
audiojungle.net/item/classical-background/17804654?_ga=2.116612623.845314040.1526304947-487946680.1513019857
Are the small pieces of wood also spruce?
yep
For the top we use spruce and for the back maple.
Is that a butter knife you're using to remove the top? I'm trying to repair a cracked cello now (not mine luckily 😂)
Just a butter knife! Works perfectly!
how much can cost this repair in your country? thanks for share best regards
About €400,-
Amazing😍
Thank you for your kind words!
Bir tek izlediğiniz için teşekkürler dediğini anlayanlar adamsınız yalnız değilsiniz 🎻😊😎🐌🌹
Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
I have a crack on the face of my cello similar to the one you are repairing.... only not up to the f-hole. It simply made a loud pop and there it was! Not sitting in a window, who knows how this can happen? Cello is over 14 years old, likely from China. And the face even has a few fibers spanning the crack.
It had a good sound!..But it was cheap. What would happen if I just filled it with a little Elmer's Wood Filler????????Besides the fact that it might reduce its value if it were some fancy German cello??????
Hello Barbara. I think that your instrument suffers a retraction crack. This happens (especially on cheap instruments) when that wood isn't dried correctly before use. Wood filler has no bonding power so this won't resolve your problem on the long term.
I broke my cello and holy shit you have no idea how broke I was after fixing it
I can imagine! But now you see how much work it is...
what is the song title at 1:07?
this one: audiojungle.net/item/classical-background/17804654?sso=1&_ga=2.66161067.482720704.1559850027-890332199.1559850027
lLooks to me like it fell on the back. The tension in the instrument then cracks the front. That happened to my cello and the cracks while not as big were in the same places.
I do't remember the story but as one part went into the instrument I think that i was hit on the top. I any case, it`s beter not to hit both of them! Hope your instrument is repaired again!
I was unpacking my cello i had a concert tofay and my knee hit the cello while
Unpacking and a crack appeared on it
A cello looks so weird without the parts OwO
It does, doesn't it! But I don't see it anymore! Used to it!
I come from the guitar building/repairing world and I recently started working on bowed instruments. I don't understand why people use hot glue for cracks. Why not synthetic glue? Also, why everyone uses those reinforcements? A glue joint is supposed to be stringer than the original wood, so why use those reinforcements? I would just use synthetic glue without any reinforcements. However, if I were to use those reinforcements I would contour them to the area, by placing a piece of sandpaper over the spot, then placing the reinforcement on top of the sandpaper, then drawing the sandpaper while pushing the reinforcement down on the sandpaper. That way the reinforcement would have the same shape as the spot it's glued on.
(\_/)
{ ^_^}
Hide glue is fairly easy to reverse, and because the instrument will have to be taken apart at some time in the future, a reversable glue is handy. Bowed instruments move a whole lot due to humidity and temperature changes, and can break by being held together too tightly in ways less prefered. I'd rather a seam open than a big crack in the ribs or top form.
@@Crazybassable Yes, that is all correct. And that's why we would use hide glue to glue the top on the violin. But I am wondering why violin luthiers use hide glue to fix the cracks on the spruce top. There is no reason to make those glue joints reversable because they are not really glue joints - they are fixed fractured. Wouldn't it be better to use permanent glue for those crack repairs?
@@FunnyBunnyShowNYC well, for the tiny cracks CA can be used to stabilize it, especially if it's to small to get hide glue in there, otherwise it normally is too much of a pain to deal with, since getting it off normally involves messing up varnish. Hide glue is kind of the perfect amount of strength. I've seen cracks that have busted through cleats, and I know that if something stronger had been used, then i'd have a second crack to deal with. I do occasionally use epoxy if it's a school instrument or so, and the crack is in really bad shape and needs some gap filling.
I've used synthetics before, but Hide is easy, works, and is the most forgiving, I found. The crack can always be redone when it's hide, and luthiers down the line tend to curse you less. Also, a lot of cracks are fixed with the top on, and hide glue drippings and squeeze out aren't a nightmares for the next guy later.
OUCH
Ouch indeed!!!
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Bien!