Christophe Mineau

La Belle Note

Partageons nos idées, partageons nos savoir-faire.

Purfling cutter

Purfling cutter

Christophe Mineau

2-Minute Read

Purfling cutter

The purfling cutter or scriber is a tool that allows scoring or cutting the thin groove that will fit the purfling on a top or back of a violin, as well as on the edge of top, back and sides of string instruments like the guitar or the mandolin. The tool allows scribing this groove parallel to the edge of the top or back.

Bandsaw blade tension

Bandsaw blade tension

Christophe Mineau

2-Minute Read

Bandsaw blade tension

Most of the serious bandsaw models feature a blade tension indicator that allows to setup visually the tension of the blade, depending on its width :

Convert inches into millimeters

Convert inches into millimeters

Christophe Mineau

1-Minute Read

Convert inches into millimeters

A very simple trick, but also very usefull : a pocket calculator, intended to convert currencies, can be easilly tranformed to convert inches into millimeters and vice versa.

Thickness sander

Thickness sander

Christophe Mineau

1-Minute Read

Thickness sander

The thickness sander is one of the most usefull machine to the luthier. It is a drum sander, relatively powerfull, that allows to sand some thin pieces on the thickness, but on a large width.

Radius sanding block

Radius sanding block

Christophe Mineau

2-Minute Read

Radius sanding block

The radius sanding block is an essential tool when you want to make an arched fingerboard on a string instrument.

Soft vise jaws for the luthier

Soft vise jaws for the luthier

Christophe Mineau

1-Minute Read

Soft vise jaws for the luthier

We are often tempted by using our mechanic vise for working a piece of wood. It is besides the most common vise one can find in any shop.

My branding mark

My branding mark

Christophe Mineau

2-Minute Read

My branding mark

When you make a nice ornamental piece, and that your are proud of, you are naturally tempted to sign your master piece.
I made myself my own branding stamp, that allows me to sign exactly the same way all my pieces, in a discreet place.

My Metric String action gauge

My Metric String action gauge

Christophe Mineau

2-Minute Read

My Metric String action gauge

It is easy to find a well known commercial version of this kind of gauge which aim at measuring the heigth between strings and frets.
One measures at the first fret, the twelvth, etc … and the wished heigth is under the musician’s preference and the specs of the instrument.

Enhanced Clamps

Enhanced Clamps

Christophe Mineau

1-Minute Read

Enhanced Clamps

If you have like me series of cheap clamps, even they have been usefull for even heavy duty works, they are not very suitable for delicate work like instrument making.

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Site de partage et d'échange de Christophe Mineau.