Callier-Scollard Violins
Craig Scollard

50 E. Green St. Suite 142
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 795-2870

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Various Methods for Clamping Broken Scrolls | Violin Repair Tips

Here are some various methods of clamping broken scrolls. Basically if you can align everything up using your hands you can figure out some way to apply pressure in this or that direction. If it doesn't line up, then you might need to glue parts of the scroll for several days in a row. I had one scroll where I needed to glue it in three different sections. I usually use a combination of clamps and or rubber bands or string. Each scroll is different so you need to find the best solution.


 

Here is a violin scroll where the break went through 2 peg holes. Then the various steps of installing a spiral bushing and an inner sleve are listed below.

  1. First practice dry clamping the scroll. Once you get a method to clamp the scroll where it's as perfect as possible, then proceed to the gluing step.
  2. Glue the crack. Usually I use the existing peg or pegs to help align the crack and to keep it from shifting under clamping pressure. Remember to wrap the peg in plastic wrap so it doesn't get glued to the scroll.
  3. For this violin scroll I wanted to make an interior sleeve.
  4. The first step of the sleve, is to use a similar size material and line the inside of the peg box. Then put plastic wrap inside and cast the piece and let it dry for a day.
  5. Fit your spiral bushings.
  6. The next day trim them off. Usually on the outside of the peg box, I protect the scroll with some masking tape or painters tape. Then I use a gough to trim off the excess to the thickness of the tape. Remove the tape and then carefully thin the remaining spiral bushing.
  7. The cast piece now needs to be cut in half using a band saw.
  8. Make a template for the fiber.
  9. Bend the fiber by using wedges and clamps.
  10. After it's dried for a day you can trim it up a little and it's ready to glue into the peg box.
  11. Use the same technique to glue the formed fiber piece into the peg box. Wedges and clamps.
  12. Cut the hole out.
  13. Normally at this stage I fit the original peg to the new hole diameter, but in this case I needed to fit the hole to the peg since they were mechinacal.
  14. Do a little bit of varnigh touch up to hide the parts where the varnish chipped off when it broke.

IMG 20220717 160909 792 IMG 20220717 160909 792
IMG 20220717 164224 594 IMG 20220717 164224 594
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Here is a scroll that was repaired by another shop. They glued it together and then put several wooden pins around the peg holes. When he brought it to me, it wasn't completely apart, just the cracks had opened up. This was somewhat difficult to fix because of the previous repair. Oops, I can't find the other photos of this scroll, but I was able to glue it together and then did a spiral bushing on just the "A" peg hole.

IMG 20220816 100126 066 IMG 20220816 100126 066
IMG 20220816 121749 157 IMG 20220816 121749 157
 
   

 

Violin Scroll.

IMG 20220215 112118 414 IMG 20220215 112118 414
IMG 20220217 145431 847 IMG 20220217 145431 847
IMG 20220218 135114 231 IMG 20220218 135114 231
IMG 20220221 112402 801 IMG 20220221 112402 801
IMG 20220228 105446 101 IMG 20220228 105446 101
IMG 20220314 124511 699 IMG 20220314 124511 699
IMG 20220314 124529 518 IMG 20220314 124529 518
IMG 20220314 124538 259 IMG 20220314 124538 259
IMG 20220315 094417 270 IMG 20220315 094417 270

 

Another broken scroll.

IMG 20210708 145922 063 IMG 20210708 145922 063
IMG 20210708 145933 923 IMG 20210708 145933 923
IMG 20210825 093814 778 IMG 20210825 093814 778
IMG 20210920 114616 534 IMG 20210920 114616 534
  

 

Saving a cheap violin scroll.

IMG 20210911 103057 486 IMG 20210911 103057 486
IMG 20210912 125547 203 IMG 20210912 125547 203
IMG 20210912 125556 983 IMG 20210912 125556 983
IMG 20210913 084418 213 IMG 20210913 084418 213
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IMG 20210916 093841 612 IMG 20210916 093841 612

 

Here is another broken scroll. The trick to getting a scroll break to kine up is by using the correct clampling angle.

Before shot from text

goes here.

IMG 20200623 111424 0 IMG 20200623 111424 0
IMG 20200627 154005 5 IMG 20200627 154005 5
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IMG 20200627 165447 3 IMG 20200627 165447 3
IMG 20200701 111514 9 IMG 20200701 111514 9
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IMG 20200704 162758 5 IMG 20200704 162758 5

 

Although this is a really cheap student violin, they wanted it repaired and even so I still try to do my best work. This is an example of using braces and rubber bands to glue it together.

IMG 20221003 125701 034 IMG 20221003 125701 034
IMG 20221019 093709 957 IMG 20221019 093709 957
IMG 20221019 095450 784 IMG 20221019 095450 784
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IMG 20221021 142001 242 IMG 20221021 142001 242
IMG 20221025 112632 356 IMG 20221025 112632 356
IMG 20221025 112645 033 IMG 20221025 112645 033
IMG 20221025 112658 620 IMG 20221025 112658 620

 

This is a shot of a scroll that was broken once before and repaired by another shop. Then it broke again in a slightly different spot and was basically totally sheered off. These are the bofore photos, but I can't seem to locate the after photo, but it's nearly invisiable.

Scroll-sheered 20140508 181224 Scroll-sheered 20140508 181224
scroll-sheered 20140508 181309 scroll-sheered 20140508 181309
 

 

Here is another scroll that was broken, this type of break is more typical. If it goes through one of two peg holes they need to be bushed with a spiral bushing. The bushing keeps the peg from expanding the peg hole and opening the crack.

broken-scroll 20140528 120403 broken-scroll 20140528 120403
broken-scroll 20140606 154046 broken-scroll 20140606 154046

 

A cello scroll that was broken through the "D" peg hole.

cello-scroll-IMG 20150310 143221 cello-scroll-IMG 20150310 143221
cello-scroll-IMG 20150314 144458 cello-scroll-IMG 20150314 144458

 

Another broken violin scroll.

IMG 20170513 161542 IMG 20170513 161542
IMG 20170513 161634 IMG 20170513 161634
IMG 20170513 161734 IMG 20170513 161734
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IMG 20170513 163650 IMG 20170513 163650
IMG 20170513 172851 IMG 20170513 172851
IMG 20170513 172919 IMG 20170513 172919
  

 

This is a crack in the scroll that did not go all the way through, but it needed a lot of clamping pressure to get it completely closed.

IMG 20170606 104351 IMG 20170606 104351
  

 

Another scroll broken through the A and D peg.

IMG 20170830 114244 IMG 20170830 114244
IMG 20171006 153313 IMG 20171006 153313
IMG 20171006 153327 IMG 20171006 153327
IMG 20171006 153340 IMG 20171006 153340
  

 

A violin scroll that's broken just where the neck starts, it's a very short break so I needed to put in two stainless steel pins under the nut.

IMG 20171012 144350 IMG 20171012 144350
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IMG 20171012 144434 IMG 20171012 144434
IMG 20171012 144448 IMG 20171012 144448

 

Here is a violin that has a bad crack running through most of the scroll. It had custom made brass plates that were screwed onto the sides. The crack was completely open and only the plates were holding it together.

IMG 20171101 095631 IMG 20171101 095631
IMG 20171102 151021 IMG 20171102 151021
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IMG 20180329 162013 IMG 20180329 162013
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IMG 20180519 165517 IMG 20180519 165517
IMG 20180519 165531 IMG 20180519 165531

 

 Here is another scroll where it was only broken through one side of  the "A" peg hole. I also neded to bush the peg holes because the pegs were going every which way.

IMG 20230725 154946 786 IMG 20230725 154946 786
IMG 20230725 155002 476 IMG 20230725 155002 476
IMG 20230725 162655 508 IMG 20230725 162655 508
IMG 20230725 162727 166 IMG 20230725 162727 166
IMG 20230911 105507 420 IMG 20230911 105507 420
IMG 20230911 112018 526 IMG 20230911 112018 526
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IMG 20230916 141943 217 IMG 20230916 141943 217
IMG 20230916 142003 872 IMG 20230916 142003 872
IMG 20230916 142015 169 IMG 20230916 142015 169
  

Comments (5)
Violin scroll
# 5
Tuesday, 10/27/2020
Sophie
I have been testing out new violins recently, and one of the ones that i really like has a scroll that my mom hates. She said that if we get that violin the scroll would have to be replaced. How much would it be to completely replace a scroll?
Scroll Replacement
Tuesday, 10/27/2020
Craig Scollard
Generally it's not a good idea to replace a scroll unless it's a complete disaster. Personally I would shy away from purchasing an instrument that you immediately want to change.

You could send me a couple of photos and I'll take a look and see if it's worth making the repairs.
Viola scroll
# 4
Wednesday, 10/30/2019
Sura K.
Hi my viola scroll broke in half, the strings and scroll are still attached but barely. How much would i cost to fix this.
Broken Viola Scroll
Tuesday, 11/05/2019
Craig Scollard
Sura,

I have fixed a lot of broken scrolls and there are several ways to fix them depending on how they are broken. If you can send me a couple of photos I should be able to tell how bad the break is and what's required to fix the scroll.

Thanks,
Craig
Cello scroll broke
# 3
Wednesday, 11/08/2017
Abby
My cello scroll broke off from the d-string peg hole. How much would it cost to repair and how long?? Also how do you repair it?
Cello Scroll Repair
Monday, 11/13/2017
Craig Scollard
Abby,

Most likely it can be fixed. If it's a somewhat normal break and an average cello, my guess would be around $80 for the break and about $35 to bush the D peg hold, but I would really need to see it to give you a price and determine how it would be repaired. Currently I'm swamped with work so it would take about 3 weeks.

Craig
A Viola Crack
# 2
Monday, 05/22/2017
Heidi Hilinski
One if my students fell on a viola and cracked the scroll in half is this repairable if so how much will it cost? i am not a orchastra teacher but i am a math teacher and this happend to a students personal instrument.
Broken Viola Scroll
Tuesday, 05/23/2017
Craig Scollard
Heidi,

I would need to see how the scroll was broken, but most likely it can be repaired.

Craig
Viola crack
Wednesday, 05/24/2017
Heidi
Thank you so much for the information but my student has taken it to get fixed already.
Crack in scroll peg box
# 1
Sunday, 08/14/2016
Chris B.
Hello,
I have a violin that had a hairline crack running to the peg holes. The peg slips and opens up the crack line as I try to tighten the string but the peg won't stay put under the pull of the string.
Can simple gluing together suffice or you will need bushings.
I don't see a fee listed for bushings. What is the repair cost .
Thanks
Chris
Crack through peg hole
Sunday, 08/14/2016
Craig Scollard
Chris,

If the crack runs through the peg hole then it needs to be bushed. Since the peg is tapered when it's pushed into the peg hole, it will always be creating a force that's trying to expand the peg hole. If you use a spiral bushing that makes two revolutions inside the peg hole, the bushing will withstand the force and the crack will not open up again.

I would really need to see the instrument to give you a price.

Thanks,
Craig

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