Ronnie - Posted - 05/26/2010:  06:29:26

Hope you can bring it to Murfreesboro. I would love to see it in person.

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/27/2010:  06:39:52

NICKEL PLATING #1

This post will follow some of the nickel plating. I'll tell you what, this is the first time that I have been fully involved in this process and it is much more work than I expected. It has also taken much more time. Still it is moving along.

This is how it went.

First a small amount of the plating solution is poured into a lid. Then the anode or applicator is thoroughly dampened with water. the piece is hooked to a ground lead. Then the pen is then dipped into the solution. Quickly and repeatedly the solution is applied to the work piece. If the anode is left too long in one place a dark mark appears. This is what I really like about this pen plating. Control. I can control the appearance of the metal, all the way from bright to almost black and aged.

Here is Alan, just starting to apply the nickel plating to the dowel stick ferule...










Now to a bracket shoe.

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/27/2010:  06:43:20

Ronnie,

I will try to bring it with me to Uncle Dave Days. Currently I have someone who is interested in purchasing Othello when she is complete, so it may not be mine to show by then.

dbrooks - Posted - 05/27/2010:  17:13:31

So, Dan, if Othello goes to a new home, do we get to see you create another marvel?

David

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/30/2010:  17:24:29

David,

So far I've really enjoyed doing this post and so you shouldn't be surprised if there isn't more that follows...

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/30/2010:  17:46:25

MORE NICKEL

Here we are back at it again, nickel plating. Next will be silver. This really pikes my interest. In fact I can hardly wait. Here I am working away (Roland and Alan let me try my hand at it). It is much more difficult than it looks.





Here is the setup with both Alan and Roland working away.







Close up of a bracket nut.



I'm plating the tension hoop.



Here is Alan tying to make my slop look better...
It didn't work real well so we decided to dip plate it.



Here is a good deal of the work nickel plated. Some of it is quite dark looking. This should not effect the silver plating... hopefully.



This weekend I was at LBL's Pickin' Party and someone told me about this video that was taken at the Holladay Banjo Fiddle Contest. I play Home Sweet Home. It is video #4 (of ten).


holladaybluegrass.com/vid10.html

Edited by - DanKnowles on 05/30/2010 19:59:19

jbalch - Posted - 05/30/2010:  20:08:23

Nice video Dan!

steveh_2o - Posted - 05/31/2010:  06:56:31

we caught you back in '09 also. (VIDEO 8) holladaybluegrass.com/vid09.html

moparcolt - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:55:19

I love that song, it is one I am learning. What banjo is that in the video? It was hard to make out.

Chris

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/31/2010:  08:52:43

John, Steve & Chris

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. That banjo is the Pharoah. I think I have some photos of it here on the Hangout.

Ronnie - Posted - 05/31/2010:  09:01:27

Thanks for posting Dan! That was great!! I keep promising myself I'll go to Holladay, but haven't made it yet. In scrolling through those videos, Ryan is a big boy now. Seems like only yesterday this little kid came strolling into our local jam with a Deering Golden Era bigger than he was and blew us all out of the saddle!

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/31/2010:  09:07:04

SILVER TIME!

Yep, it's silver time. Not hair but plating. Alan and Roland left the plating equipment at my shop so I got the privilage to silver plate all of this stuff. Here is the first go around.

Basically, the process is the same as with nickel. The solution is a bit thicker though. In fact I found myself thinning it so it would work better. You will notice that the anode is white as the silver solution is some what clear.

Here is a bracket shoe...




It is fascinating watching the color change.




The color is really changing now.







Now a bracket nut.

DanKnowles - Posted - 05/31/2010:  09:09:19

Ronnie,
That is so true. He has grown up.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 05/31/2010:  12:28:04

See, I told y'all the silver was gonna look great. Ol' Dan has a vision...

Speaking of vision, I suspect Mr. Knowles needs to work on his. He needs to see if he can think up some excuses to keep this banjo around at least until after Uncle Dave Macon days!!

BTW, that is an interesting plating process. I supervised a plating shop (we did stuff for NASA and the military) for a few years. First time I've seen "pen" plating. We had huge tanks (for huge parts)...anodizing, cadmium, chromic acid, nickle, etc. Seems like the pen is perfect for limited-run, small parts, etc.

Edited by - trapdoor2 on 05/31/2010 12:32:40

Steven M - Posted - 05/31/2010:  13:25:10

Hi, Dan I've been fascinated by this thread for some time now. Great job!

I also have never seen this plating technique. Were you happy with the coverage? How did you ensure a uniform deposition? I much prefer a silver plate over Cr but will you coat them to stop oxidisation?

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 05/31/2010:  14:30:39

I enjoyed the video, Dan, and thanks for sharing the plating process. I had heard of the pen plating process, but had never seen it done before... Neat!!!

Marvin

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/01/2010:  07:37:10

Marc,
We will see what happens...BTW pen plating works quite well for creating special effects. For just standard work I would dip it, this takes quite a bit of time and work.

Steve,

I am spending about the same amount of time in each aria. To gain different effects (aging) I would spend more time in one place or make more passes. I like the oxidization effect on silver. I won't do anything to stop it.

Marvin,
Glad you enjoyed it.

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/01/2010:  07:57:56

MORE SILVER

Here we are back at the silver..... I won't be adding much verbage here, I'll let the photos tell the story.

















Now here is a bunch of the stuff silvered...

Steven M - Posted - 06/01/2010:  13:37:10

That is looking real good now. Now I see the effect you were after.

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/04/2010:  07:56:49

Steve,
I'm glad you like it.

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/04/2010:  08:14:08

ANOTHER SILVER

Today I won't talk a lot, just a bunch of photos that bring us towards the completion of plating.

First the tone ring sleeve...









Now the tension hoop...












Now all of the parts silvered...

aj_fuller - Posted - 06/04/2010:  10:18:17

Looking FANTASTIC Dan!

With the plating complete, what remains before final assembly? On the edge of my seat waiting to see the final product all come together!

Regards,
A.J.

DEmery - Posted - 06/07/2010:  08:22:27

DAN THE PROCESS HAS BEEN FUN TO WATCH. MUST BE TIME TO PUT ER' BACK TOGETHER. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OTHELLO BACK TOGETHER AND READY TO PLAY. IT IS TIME FOR THE NEXT PROJECT TO GO ON LINE. DAVID E.

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/13/2010:  19:44:43

A.J., David and all of you wonderful folks who have been with me thus far on this Ebony Banjo Odyssey, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH ME.
I expect to be putting Orpheus back together by the end of this week or the start of next week. I'll post the final photos then along with (hopefully) some MP3's of her completed voice.

Today I will be starting a new post here on the Hangout, of an ancient (at least in banjo time frame) banjo. I will be restoring an authentic instrument from the 1850's. Here is a photo of the sweetie...



See you on RESTORING 1850

Dan Knowles

Stringbean45 - Posted - 06/14/2010:  05:41:16

It's been a great ride Dan, thanks so much for sharing your talent, and look forward to the new project.
Don

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/15/2010:  20:58:29

MAKING SHELL TUNING MACHINE BUTTONS

Well as you know (if you have been following this post)I changed the tuners to Gotoh and silver plated them. And as this banjo is river themed. I felt it might be appropriate to try and make some tuning machine buttons out of river pearl. Now mind you I have never tried this trick. I'm not totally sure that it will work. I've made buttons and violin tuners out of various wood over the years but never pearl. But never having done something before hasn't stopped me before so here I go!

During the hot summer months each year I always mill a bunch of Tennessee River pearl shells. I'll usually mill several pounds for friends and some for my own usage. I love the whites, purple, pinks and peach colors that I can only get from these shells. My milling is not near as accurate in terms of thickness as commercial millers, but it works well for me. Now I have never tried milling for buttons but I know I'll need some thick material to work with. So here goes. Basically I show how I mill pearl for inlay and hopefully I'll get some for tuner buttons.

Here is a bag of raw shells. There are about 75 lbs. of shell in this bag. I collect shell from shell divers and buy some from the Tennessee Shell Co. down in Camden TN. I use several species of mussel shells. Their common names are: Washboards, Elephant ears, three ridge and heel splitters.

I'm going to try and get my buttons from some thick washboards and elephant ears. The washboards are very white although it is different than Mother of Pearl, brighter and not as gray. Also it doesn't flash as much. The elephant ears are a muted peachy, purple.

Anyway here is the bag.



I've pulled out a few shells. These are elephant ears.





The bark side of the shell.



A whole bunch of shells.

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 06/16/2010:  06:46:24

These should be some neat looking buttons... suitable fo a one-of-a-kind banjo!

jbalch - Posted - 06/16/2010:  12:41:22

Dan:

I can't wait to see those buttons...WOW.


Everybody: Check out this thread about a vintage Ebony Banjo....

banjohangout.org/topic/180714/#2287908

DanKnowles - Posted - 06/17/2010:  15:35:05

Well I hope they turn out... This is my first crack at this. I hope to try to turn some in the next couple of days.

frihauf - Posted - 07/06/2010:  11:19:02

Hi Dan,

I know you have the 1850 project going and I love it. Any progress on Othello?

Ben

DanKnowles - Posted - 08/04/2010:  19:07:54

Othello patiently waits for me to leave other things (and jobs) and return to complete her.

frihauf - Posted - 08/05/2010:  11:01:34

Understood..thanks for the update.

Ben

K-Lane - Posted - 08/14/2010:  17:51:56

Hi Dan,
I've been following this topic for a while, just want to say VERY Awesome, beautiful work. I also have a question, do you have classes or teach banjo building?
KB

DEmery - Posted - 09/03/2010:  12:47:30

Dan...I checked in on the end of ole' Otello and there is viewer demand to see er' together and photos. Where are we on this one?
David E.

Banjolution - Posted - 09/26/2010:  23:12:46

Me too... Has Othello been assembled/finished? Man this has been going on for months. Pleas dont leave us hangin Dan!!

DanKnowles - Posted - 12/05/2010:  09:10:57

MOSTLY COMPLETE

Othello was bolted together on Friday and strung on Saturday. My good buddy John Sellers, known here on the Hangout as JAYCEE, happened to walk in at the right time and so was the first one to play her. Here he is.



As John was leaving my friend from Camden, TN, Doc (Jack) Holliday just happened in and grabbed it too!



The proud papa.



Othello will be kept together for around a month. During that time I will continue adjusting and refining the instrument. Following that I will tear it back down and complete the spirit varnish work. Then back together again. I'm not sure this is a banjo that I can keep in pieces for long. I LOVE the voice.

jbalch - Posted - 12/05/2010:  11:51:12

"I LOVE the voice" ... It is a nice looking banjer too!

Edited by - jbalch on 12/05/2010 11:54:52

dbrooks - Posted - 12/05/2010:  12:20:13

Congratulations on "finishing' Othello, Dan. This has been an enjoyable journey for all of us, and it's exciting that the journey will continue.

John, your rendering of Dan's photo is way cool.

David

doc.COM - Posted - 12/05/2010:  14:39:24

Just discovered this thread. What an awesome journey, and banjo.
Carole (doc.com)