Bow Making Course

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Minimum required skills

All applicants will be required to meet minimum standards of skills and experience in working with fine woodworking tools, both hand and power. We will not have time in our classes to teach these skills. Work experience in violin shop, cabinet making or other fine handcrafting will be an asset. Those who do not possess these skills may be left behind in the work load. We strongly urge you not to register if you do not possess these skills.

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Full Course, July 7 - August 2, 2008.

Basic Bow Making in the French Tradition

Frog design and making, both in classical and baroque

This course is dedicated to stick making, design, functionality.
Both the baroque and modern bow will be completed during these three weeks.

Maximum enrolment 9.

135 hours of practical training.

Eligibility:

Basic knowledge of hand tool handling will be a great asset in this course. Minimum acceptable age is 18 years. Open to anyone who wishes to get a start in hand-crafting bows for all instruments of the violin family. Minimum skills required include experience with sharp hand tools including knives and chisels. Student must be prepared to submit a list of projects completed.

Course content will include:

	Shop safety standards.
	Shaft design and roughing out.
	Understanding the properties of pernambuco.
	Bending techniques.
	Frog making.
	Fitting face plate, pearl slide, pearl eyes, metal underslide.
	The secrets of a good playing bow.
	Bow and frog wood will be supplied.
	Tools will be provided for the duration of this course.
	Silver and goldsmith techniques.

This course is highly recommended for those who wish to finish a bow. This course is also recommended for the technicians in violin shops and music stores who deal with bowed instruments. It will provide a better understanding of the needs of quality bows and the needs of musicians who use them.

Full four-week course $3,700 Canadian funds includes material but not tools*.

*Tools will be supplied for the duration of the course only. Supplies include blanks of pernambuco and or exotic woods suitable to baroque bows, mastodon face plates and finishing polishes, etc. Students are not discouraged to bring their own tools when possible.

A non-refundable $85 deposit is required at time of application. Refunds will only be given if application is rejected.

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Full Course

Balance of Course (Registration already paid)

Select this option if registration fee is already paid.

If you select to pay by credit card we will apply a 2 per cent charge of the oustanding balance to cover part of the high cost of processing. This charge will not apply if you select "Pay By Check" during the checkout phase. Of course, a personal or corporate check (cheque), bank draft or money order must be sent to:
Michael Vann,
841 Canso Drive, Gabriola, BC, V0R1X0, Canada