This violin came into the shop with a small piece of wood chipped away from the scroll. At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than a minor chip, but a closer inspection revealed remnants of a hard, clear glue along the curved area beside the damage. This suggested that there may have been a small crack repaired previously, with a piece of the original wood missing from the area. Rather than simply filling the cosmetic damage, I rebuilt the missing section and then installed a spiral bushing to reinforce the area around the A-peg hole. After the bushing was carefully trimmed and the peg refitted, the repaired area was shaped and the varnish touched up to blend the repair into the surrounding scroll.
Assess the Damage: Examine the chipped area and the remnants of old clear glue for evidence of a previous crack repair.
Protect the Varnish: Tape off the surrounding area to prevent the repair material from getting onto the original varnish.
Rebuild the Missing Wood: Mix the filler and carefully press it into the damaged area to replace the missing piece.
Shape the Repair: Allow the filler to cure overnight, then remove the excess and shape the repaired area to match the original scroll.
Reinforce the Peg Hole: Since the old glue suggested there may have been a small crack, fit a spiral bushing into the A-peg hole for additional reinforcement.
Trim the Spiral Bushing: Carefully remove the excess bushing material and finish it flush with the surrounding wood.
Fit the A Peg: Refit the A peg to the newly reinforced peg hole.
Touch Up the Varnish: Apply touch-up varnish to blend the rebuilt area and spiral bushing into the surrounding scroll.
