DanKnowles - Posted - 01/16/2010:  20:05:15

I also engraved the wheel, here it is:

Un-engraved.



Engraving...



Finished! It's a shame I couldn't get the colors from this heart abalone and opal. They have lots of greens, blues and pinks.



Someone mentioned my photography, here is how I do it quick and easy.
First I mount my camera on a tripod. Get all of my setting made. That's mostly just aiming the thing. My camera is a Kodak Easy Share, 7.0 megapixel. The camera has a setting for extreme close-up (which I usually use) and a timer (10 and 2 seconds). I set the timer and go to work. I've done it often enough that I can sometimes reach out with my left hand and set the thing to shoot never breaking my working stride. I seldom check individual shots until I load them on my computer. All of my images are cropped and resized using Corel Photo Paint.

Here's my setup ( with another camera in the tripod).

spaz - Posted - 01/16/2010:  20:19:59

um, dan, how come you didnt put a reflection in the water?

...

just kidding.. this is incredible... really, really amazing. i dont remember whether someone asked already, but are you going to be afraid to play it?

Bob Robert - Posted - 01/16/2010:  20:44:18

quote:

---

Originally posted by DanKnowles
It all comes down to the drawing (that's for you Bob, you can pass that one to your students).

---

Bob Robert - Posted - 01/16/2010:  20:49:54

When you first started on this banjo, I thought you were just going to do a "plain" ebony banjo with some nice hardware and maybe some nice markers inlaid. That would have been impressive enough to me.
Well! That just shows what I know!
This is simply amazing. Thank you for taking the time to document the whole thing so we can follow your project and see how it's all done.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/16/2010:  21:15:27

Mike,
OH NO! I FORGOT SOMETHING! And I thought I was nearly done.... you may be joking but it's a great idea. It would certainly help place the Natchez. Thank you!

I don't think this will scare me to play at all. I'll have to post some good photos of the Pharoah banjo I've been playing for the last 10 or 12 years and you'll understand. Besides playing is what they are made for.

Bob,
Thank you and you are most welcome, it's fun.

dbrooks - Posted - 01/17/2010:  07:22:02

Your work on the Natchez here sums up this project very well for me. It's like an illusionist. I watch every step in the process and am still stunned by the brilliance of the finished work. I go back and look at each step along the way, and I'm wowed all over again.

Dan, you live in many more dimensions than I do. And I am grateful for that.

David

f#dead - Posted - 01/17/2010:  12:05:46

Excuse me for missing the boat... I don't know how this thread has evaded me till now. I just read/viewed from the beginning and now i'm subscribed. You threw me w/ the faux police blotter. Nice one.
Now for the superlatives. What everyone else has said to date X2. And from the thesaurus... I am an winnower of your capricious, extravagant contrivance!
Unbelievable!!!
Early on, you mentioned your youth and the American River. Did you mean in Sacramento?

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/17/2010:  19:52:41

David,
Thank you for your kind and insightful comments, still the thing about the other dimensions worries me... I thought everybody lived in the 5th. dimension.

Greg,
Thanks for your comments too.

Yes I lived from 4th. through 9th. grade in the Sacramento aria. When my family moved from Georgia we lived in West Sacramento, then we moved out Folsom Blvd. to Rosemont. Then for the last year before we moved to Modesto we lived downtown. I used to swim, fish and play a lot in the American River, mostly above the Wat Ave. bridge. One of my fond river memories is riding down the old river road (on the Sacramento River) and seeing the wheelhouse of the Delta King poking above the water where she had sunk. Once a few years ago I worked the Delta Queen and was dropped off in Clarksville ,TN. Four days later I was in Old Sacramento and was able to board the Delta King. It was a kick for me.

Couchie - Posted - 01/17/2010:  20:06:20

Mr. Knowles, I've never seen anything like this in my life. You sir, are in a class all your own. My hearty congratulations on this amazing endeavor.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/17/2010:  20:20:19

[font=Georgia]MAN IN BOAT[/font=Georgi

Today I engraved the little feller who is watching the race from his boat.
Here he is, as of yet he hasn't even had his back scratched. remember this little guy is less than 1/4" high.



Like in previous pieces I start with drawing in major shapes, then begin engraving.



After a couple of hours, here he is.



Here is the whole neck as it is now.



I have yet to engrave a hand on the lady on the peghead. Maybe I can do it tomorrow and then be finished with the inlay of the neck and peghead. I am thinking of inlaying the back of the peghead a little and possibly the heel cap. So folks we are still a long way from the finish line. Neck carving, binding, rim inlaying...............

TTreppa - Posted - 01/18/2010:  13:47:42

Dan,
Thanks for the pictures. You have a true family treasure in the making.
Terry Treppa

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/18/2010:  19:23:21

THE HAND

Today I finished the engraving on the neck and headstock, Actually just the peghed, still all in all I'm done with this phase.

As many of you noticed, the lady on the peghead had no hand. the photo of my model did not go down to her hand. So I had my wife hold a head in hand. Yes, yes, head in hand you ask. Well I make custom walking sticks (when the mood is on me) They have ceramic heads that I sculpt for the handle. The shaft on many of them are ebony, rosewood or figured maple. Anyway I asked Debra to hold one of these ceramic heads in her hand when I took the picture.



This is what I used as a go by to draw the hand on my lady.



I engraved and filled the gaver marks.



Here's the peghead complete.



And the lady complete.




Well tomorrow I'll try to do the maple binding on the fingerboard.


By the way, I am thinking of doing a weekend inlay workshop sometime this spring here in Paris, Tennessee. If you are interested please contact me.

Gomer - Posted - 01/18/2010:  20:02:04

Again. . . Stunning! TCW

Will1717 - Posted - 01/18/2010:  20:49:32

One of my prized posessisions is a beautiful walking stick that Dan made, and gave to me during his last visit to Canada. I never did ask Dan, but is the charater head anyone you knew? If you ever give up banjo building you definately have another calling in building one off walking sticks! Thanks once more for the generous kift! I'm actually in the process of learning to walk again and as soon as I get more stable you can be sure your walking stick will be put to the real test.

Did the new ball shoes arrive yet and can you do anything with them?

Bill Rickard

jay_m - Posted - 01/18/2010:  20:53:59

i am nominating this thread for a macarthur fellowship

Bob Robert - Posted - 01/19/2010:  04:59:16

Greg,
I love the Yoda picture. I had the idea some time ago to make a linoleum block carving of Yoda picking a banjo because, obviously, he was the first three-finger picker. I even started drawing it out, but then one thing led to another, and that project got pushed to the side. I need to unearth it and finish it so that I can make some prints.

Bagpussfrog - Posted - 01/19/2010:  07:33:47

I feel like a broken record Dan, but that is just staggering.

The level of detail on the steamboats is so intricate and the overall effect is sublime.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/19/2010:  18:46:54

Tom, Bill, Shaun, Bob & Jay
I too sometimes seam to repeat myself, but I really appreciate you looking in and commenting.

Jay I'm wondering if I was to get one a them there MacArthur fellerships, would I get to travel to the Philippines?

Bill, Yes they arrived! And they are beautiful, Thank you. I'll try and call you tomorrow. The head on your walking stick is a near photographic reproduction of the head of a man I know... but to be able to use her image I had to promise them that under no circumstance would I revel their names...

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/19/2010:  19:29:52

BINDING
I LIKE THESE EXTRA LITTLE OLE' BUTTONS ON THIS SITE

Today I found a bit of time to bind the fingerboard. Although I didn't get it all smoothed out and leveled it looks pretty good.

First I trued up the rabbit at the 5th. fret. The router never gets in quite deep enough to make things even so I fixed it up with a kiss or two of my Dremel.



Then I cleaned the fret slots with my fret saw. I prefer pulling it like a Japanese saw rather than pushing, I feel like I have more control.



Then using a sharp pointed knife I cleaned the binding ledge and at the same time forming a little bead on the inside of the rabbit.



I got out some maple binding blanks that I had cut earlier (like about a year ago) and trued the bottom edge on the belt sander then ripped it on the band saw slightly proud of the fingerboard surface.



I heated a piece of brass rod with a propane torch and bent a piece of binding for the 5th. string bend.



Next I glued and taped the binding in place.



Richard Parker, one of my favorite students and BHO pal, dropped in, so I put him to work... taping binding.



Here I'm clipping a long bit of binding.



After the glue dried I scraped the binding just a bit.



Tomorrow I'll finish scraping and then start thinking about carving the neck.

BanjerMaker - Posted - 01/20/2010:  05:47:52

I'm so jealous! I have a hard enough time with simple shaped inlays!

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/20/2010:  17:47:18

Zane,
I remember when I started out doing pearl work. It was Hearts and Flowers, Flying Eagle and Wreath. You get good cutting a bunch as my old Dad used to say, it's "Time behind the plow." And that's all.

Edited by - DanKnowles on 01/20/2010 17:48:13

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/20/2010:  18:22:18

DOWEL STICK

Today I began work on the dowel stick. I have been thinking for a good while about Vega dowel sticks. They did something that no other banjo maker that I know of has done. Most makers build dowel sticks with straight tenons ( the chunk of wood that is glued into the neck heel). The folks at Vega used a angled tenon. I'm not sure that this is any real structural improvement but I like the idea anyway.

First I laid out the angles and figured my measurements on paper.



I made a small off center adapter for my lathe chuck. It turns out that it is 9/16" off center.

I chose a nice 1"x1" chunk of ebony for the dowel stick blank. Here I am laying out the center. I lay these out on each end and using a center punch I poke a starting hole.



Here it's loaded on the lathe. Off center on the motor end and and a live center on the other.



Here is the first cut, marking the shoulder of the tenon.



Checking the size with a dial caliper. I'm shooting for 5/8".



Here is the angled tenon.

Edited by - DanKnowles on 01/20/2010 18:24:37

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/20/2010:  18:45:54

DOWEL STICK CARVING part 1

I got a very nice brass dowel stick ferule from my good friend Bill Rickard (banjo maker extraordinary). By the way Bill, I started this soon after I talked to you today.
It's a real pretty thing, long, shapely and sensuous. this is one of the nicest I've ever seen. I laid out its shape and carved the stick so it would fit on snugly.



I decided that I wanted to do a rope carving on the stick to maintain the nautical theme. Here it is being laid out.



So I started carving, here using one of my favorite round bottomed Japanese chisel.



After I got the basic rope shapes carved in I cleaned up and deepened my boundry line. For this I used a checkering file. Here it is in action.




In case you've never seen one here it is.



Well this is where I ran out of time today. Tomorrow I intend to refine the shapes and perhaps get into the detail work.

country frank - Posted - 01/21/2010:  04:11:43

Stunning!, simply stunning.

Dan i am blown away by your exceptional inlay work. Many thanks for sharing.

DEmery - Posted - 01/21/2010:  14:06:44

Dan, the rope carving is a super idea as it ties to the theme. Look forward to seeing it completed. As for the "round bottomed chisel", I had never seen one before but that isn't odd for a fellow in my occupation. I come from a family raised on corn bread and butter milk rich in history as round bottoms...but feel comforted to know there are tools designed in the spirit of my kin. David

Edited by - DEmery on 01/21/2010 14:07:44

dbrooks - Posted - 01/21/2010:  17:43:30

Jay_m, I hope you're serious about the Macarthur Award nomination. That is a great idea. How can we help?

David

jbalch - Posted - 01/21/2010:  20:09:36

Dan wrote: "... Vega dowel sticks. They did something that no other banjo maker that I know of has done. Most makers build dowel sticks with straight tenons ... The folks at Vega used a angled tenon. I'm not sure that this is any real structural improvement but I like the idea anyway."

I just figured they always made dowel sticks first thing on monday morning (after a long drunk weekend) ... you meant to tell me they did it that way on purpose?

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/21/2010:  21:57:04

Frank,
Thank you, I'm glad that you are liking it. Keep watching because there is yet more inlay for this ebony one.

David E.
I never thought of the round bottomed chisel in that way...most interesting. I was lucky a few years ago to buy several Japanese chisels that are 80-100 years old, They are magnificent tools.

David Brooks ,
Thanks!

John,
How jid ya no that (hic) I mate dat dowell stuck on montdai...

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/21/2010:  21:57:10

Frank,
Thank you, I'm glad that you are liking it. Keep watching because there is yet more inlay for this ebony one.

David E.
I never thought of the round bottomed chisel in that way...most interesting. I was lucky a few years ago to buy several Japanese chisels that are 80-100 years old, They are magnificent tools.

David Brooks ,
Thanks!

John,
How jid ya no that (hic) I mate dat dowell stuck on montdai...

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/22/2010:  19:06:44

BONES

My good friend from down in Lorado, Texas Richard Brown (better known to the folks here on the BHO as BordertownBrown)sent me these Texas ebony bones that he made. They sound and play wonderfully. They are nicely bent and rounded, just like real rib bones and are beautifully polished. They are available on Richards web site. If you play Minstrel music you need some of these. Nice Stuff!

Plinkerton - Posted - 01/22/2010:  19:51:18

Cool bones. :)

I've got a 2 pairs of Danforth minstrel bones.

Walnut and maple.

Though I haven't had much practice time, as they drive everyone in my house crazy...

brokenstrings - Posted - 01/22/2010:  23:44:01

So go outside in the woods to practice!

Gomer - Posted - 01/23/2010:  08:41:31

Ms. Jessica,
You may wish to excercise circumspection in sending people to the woods. I am told that this Mr. Grich lurks within. And now. . . back to ebony

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/23/2010:  16:08:24

BACK TO THE EBONY

I was loonking at George Gruhns book on freted American instruments and I ran across a photo fo John Hartford's Farland Artist Grand. I remembered the great Fleur De Lies on the back of that peghead. Then looking at the beautiful black of the back of the New Ebony's peghead I knew what I wanted to place there. So I went digging in my files and found that patteren, fooled with it a bit. I changed the bottom part of the Fleur to this little bit from Vega and glued it all to some Tennessee River shell (washboard), red Abalone and gold lipped pearl.



Here I'm chopping it out with my axe. After the last time I caught my finger with a jewlers saw blade, I thought of these nifty finger guards. The also help me grip the pearl better.



This is a center line for pearl placement...sometimes it even works.





Here I'm scribing around the pearl.



Scribbing marks filled with chalk.



I routed it out and glued it home.



I sanded eveything flush and now it's ready for engraving.

jbalch - Posted - 01/23/2010:  20:57:50

Very nice touch Dan. I like inlay in the back of the headstock.

JB

DEmery - Posted - 01/24/2010:  13:09:15

Dan, I do like the pattern on the back of your headstock. How did you settle on that choice relative to the "steam boat theme" on the face plate and fingerboard? David

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/24/2010:  18:23:24

John & David,
I'm glad you like the pattern. The R. E. Lee used Fleur De Leis as part of it decoration, which gave me a chance to use one of my favorites.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/24/2010:  19:32:21

DOWEL STICK AGAIN

Well today I'm back at the dowel stick carving. I'll be honest, this stick does not please me. There is something about the design that does not feel right for this instrument. Tomorrow I may pitch this one back in the box (to hope for another life on another banjo) and start on another one. I am picturing a stick which will be simpler yet more linear. It feels odd making this post knowing I'm planning on canning this thing. Still this is what I did.

Here I am working and refining details with a 1/8" Japanese chisel.



Scraping.



Further scraping.



Refining details with a knife.

DEmery - Posted - 01/25/2010:  08:49:10

Rope works for me Dan. Is it the rope that doesn't fit the theme in your mind or do you simply not like this particualr rope design as it is coming together? David

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/25/2010:  18:50:48

David,
I'm not sure that I can explain why, but even after several sessions of carving it just began to bother me. Partly I realized that I wanted to bind the stick and inlay a name block. I wished it to be more elegant and to give reverence to those golden age banjos of the 1890's. I wasn't so far or so committed that I couldn't do it again. It seams I remember doing the same thing on your Ebony banjo although for the life of me I can't remember why.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/25/2010:  19:29:57

Ball Shoes

I recieved some very wonderful, strong but delicate ball shoes from my friend Bill Rickard. He makes several sizes and these are his new design. Pictured Left to right are: His first and standard shoe, next his large based shoe and lastly the shoe that I plan to use.

You will note that these small shoes have a wider (5/8") base which smoothly intersects with the ball. This foot is what I intend to engrave. At some later date I plan to mount these on my Lathe and make a mounting hole (in the very tip) for an opal in each. I think the mixture of silver and the opal will be stunning.



The design I am thinking of will hearken to the 5th. fret inlay of the wheel. So to create even spokes I made this layout jig.

First using a compass I draw a circle.



Then I bisect it thee times...ya, ya, ya I know, basic trigonometry



Now if you look back at the first photo you will see how it will sit so I can pull my marks to the shoe.

ENGRAVING THE BACK

I did do some other work on the banjo today...I engraved the back of the peghead.
Many of you will recognize that the bottom part of my design was drawn from a old Vega design. Mine from an old (1910) White Lady 5 string plectrum neck that was given to me after it had been butchered to be mounted on a bed pan. It was enough to make one cry, the ultimate banjo insult. Anyway much of the original was destroyed so I have kept it as go by for when I an hired to do reproduction work. Here is my 1st. fret original.



Fist though I began by engraving the top of the inlay. The Farland had no engraving as I recall so I made up my own Victorian approach to this.



I did a basic first pass to establish my lines.



The went over widening and shaping and adding lines.



Here it is complete. Funny, but looking at it this large, I see a couple of things I need to work on tomorrow.

frihauf - Posted - 01/26/2010:  13:08:58

Amazing stuff!! Thanks for the consistant updates Dan. I really appreciate not only your mastery, but also your diligence. This project would make a great documentary.

Ben

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/26/2010:  18:48:35

Ben,

You are so welcome, when I first got involved here I didn't realize I'd enjoy as much as I do. I look forward to posting each day. I'm just glad folks like you find this interesting.

DanKnowles - Posted - 01/26/2010:  19:06:13

SHOE WORK

Today I started engraving the shoes. First I made 8 straight cuts around the base of the shoe. These follow the marks I made on the mounting board.



Then I continued refining these cuts.



Next using a small hammer and a tiny punch I started the texture in the areas between the cuts. Here are the tools I use (along with the bolt head).



Here the work is taking place. This is called Pave'.



The next two photo show the shoe and bolt head complete.

Gomer - Posted - 01/26/2010:  20:16:18

Does anybody have a script to a Porno? They outght to just paste it on this thread
"oh yeah BABy!" Give me some more" " oh that looks so good" you get the picture.
This continues as one of the premiere thread on this board. Thanks