Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/11/2013:  18:57:12

Feel odd only if you are a tenor banjo!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/11/2013:  19:48:05

Skype-epykS   3-11-2013

A few weeks ago Bob Tylar asked about me teaching via Skype. Not only do I teach using Skype but I thought folks might like to see my Skyping setup. So last night I asked my grandson Chandan to shoot some photos of me teaching. This then, is my Skype teaching setup.

I use two laptop computers. The one on the left has Tabledit opened on it with the current tune we are working on. The other computer is hooked up to Skype, my student and a pair of computer speakers (so I can hear my student clearly).

Saturday built and then today I finished making a foam cutter. This is a tool I've needed for building and upgrading instrument cases. It's very cool... ah... I mean hot or rather it cuts with a hot wire...

My friend Tyler Andel (this years Tennessee State Old-time banjo champion) came to Paris to bring back my banjo and to have a lesson on engraving. I prepped up a board with several pieces of pearl on it and explained  my three major approaches to engraving, The push method, the mallet driven in pointing method and my scribe method. Here I'm laying out a simple pattern and explaining the push method.

Tyler practicing the push method...

Me showing scribe technique...

Tyler scribing away...

This pattern must be funny!

More Tomorrow!

Paul R - Posted - 03/11/2013:  22:34:03

Dan,

More fascinating, captivating images and explanations of the many things you do. You live a full life!

Since the shellac slows down moisture absorption, then it would stand to reason (?) that it would slow down moisture loss, no? If that's the case, I wonder why some guitar luthiers don't make use of the technique, considering the climate in these parts, and the dry air in our homes in winter. Just wonderin' how much it would affect the sound. Maybe it would have added some high end to my old L'Arrivee's booming bass tones (?).

What's with that ball in the scribing photos?!

Paul

Kaelri - Posted - 03/11/2013:  23:19:22

I, too, have been wondering about what appears to be a black and orange bowling ball. I studied the pictures a bit to see if I could figure out what purpose it serves for the task at hand.......some sort of stability? ability to move it a bit?.......Well, as you can see, I have come up empty handed!

Ellen

Woodturner - Posted - 03/12/2013:  05:09:31

Ellen,
In another post a while back, Dan explain the bowling ball vise thusly...go to the post below and read the third post from the top from Dan.

banjohangout.org/archive/163855/10

Dan's shop is full of things that make you think "what the heck is that"...its like a freak show of cool jigs and stuff. :)

Kaelri - Posted - 03/12/2013:  06:27:15

Thanks Denton! I had no idea there was an explanation here already. That does answer my question. And..... It looks like there s a "new-to-me" thread in the archives that I will be reading too! 

Ellen

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/12/2013:  18:58:56

Paul,

You are correct in assuming that the finish inside retards moisture absorption and loss. I don't always do this. I guess it's dependent on the type of wood I'm using. Here with the laminations I really want to control this. 

Shellac would have affected the tone of your guitar. Now that it's together I would never try to finish the inside.

Paul & Ellen The orange ball... Ah yes the orange ball. Folks always wonder at that thing.It is a converted bowling ball that I use for an engravers vice. I'll try and remember to shoot a series of good photos of it. Along with how it was made.

Denton,

Thanks for that link. Wait till you see my new foam cutter!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/12/2013:  19:26:11

Tuesday the 12th. of March

Tonights post is a big one... so I think I'll make it in two posts.

Let me get this out of the way first. I went home early. I was running a fever. So todays teaching and working was cut short. Flu has been rampant around here and I guess it finally found me. And I thought I was above that one...

Anyway this morning I dug out a piece of ebony that I'd been saving for David Emery's dowel stick. Although most of the photos don't show it., it is a beautifully figured timber.

I took it to the belt sander to clean off the saw marks.... I don't notice that hole in the wall until I see a photo of it. I need to hang a piece of plywood in front of it. Otherwise someday I may have a stick shoot through into the front room!

Back on the vice I'm laying it out for the tenon. Also I'm going to lay out some details to be turned into the stick. Every thing is proportioned according to the Golden Mean.

On the lathe and beginning to turn...These are some of my more recent favorite photos... I like the colors.

Turning the tenon.

The details laid out...

First one turned...

Turning the second...

Off the lathe I'm laying out the tailpiece end...

None of the photos of the planing of the above end turned out, so I'll just jump ahead to the marking of the dowel stick. I'll mark my name the date and the serial number.

Daw Gone, I spelted it wrong...

More soon...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/12/2013:  19:52:49

A few days ago Ron Walker  asked "would this (Mandora d'Amore body) work for  an octave mandolin .

And Bill Rickard asked if I'd ever done a 5-string version of this thing. And I answered with a resounding Yes Sort of...

So I figured because a picture is worth a thousand blurbs, then some photos were in order.

I've built a bunch of these. I call them Woojos. Although this one has a round body, its construction is very similar to the Mandra d'Amore's. It also has a barrel arched top and back. It features a spruce top, Honduran rosewood back & sides and a maple neck with a tunneled 5th.

This next instrument is a Mando-Cello. A bit bigger than an octave mandolin, but what can you say...

It has a spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back & sides, bubinga rosewood neck, Indian rosewood fingerboard and real pearl machine buttons.

Here showing the arching...

More soon...

ronwalker49 - Posted - 03/12/2013:  22:06:07

Wow Dan, those are nice..

rubicon - Posted - 03/12/2013:  22:36:28

Will you be showing the staining process on Dave Emery's banjo ? I find this thread to be part of my morning coffee ,it is quite an interesting life you lead to say the least .build this instrument ,fix that one , biking ,banjo lessons ,luthier classes ,performing and you still take the time everyday to show it all to us Nice !!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/13/2013:  06:36:10

Thank you Ron.

Rubicon,

I'm glad you find this post enjoyable. Gee I'm glad so many of you find this interesting. Yah I'm sure I will show the staining process. I'll load up. Go to Lowes. Buy some Minwax and slap it on!

(Just kidding David).

herbsandspices - Posted - 03/13/2013:  14:41:17

This is such an amazing thread to follow. Just wanted to say thanks!

hova1 - Posted - 03/13/2013:  15:23:52

I agree that this thread is awesome. As someone who knows absolutely nothing about how instruments are made, I find this thread very interesting and educational. Thanks for showing us all the process!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/13/2013:  18:05:06

Herbsandspices & Hova1

Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad you've joind us.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/13/2013:  19:11:51

3-13-2013

I've been home sick all day. So We won't have a real full post tonight.

Today a bit of Luthirie related things happened, most notably a beautiful skin head from John Balch arrived. Like all of the heads that John does the workmanship is perfect, I looked closely for flaws ( I had all day) and couldn't find any, it is perfect. Every bit a rival to the old Rogers heads.  But in this head John has taken his Kona Koffee staining technique to the top! This head will fit (visually) with everything on this instrument. If I had my camera home from the shop I'd shoot some photos and post them. Maybe tomorrow.

The second big Lutherie related thing that happened today was that David Emery called and now his banjo is named. Saint Augustine. If I'm back at work tomorrow this to will go on the dowel stick.

A couple of days ago some comments and questions were made about my big orange ball gravers vice. I said I'd shoot some good photos of the thing and explain it a bit. Here goes...

Several years ago I was down visiting my friend William Moore. William is a master engraver who had promised to show me some of his techniques. One of the major things I learned was the necessity of using a gravers vice. This tool allows one to place the work at almost any angle giving the engraver a lot of control.

When I got back to the shop I started researching the possibility of getting one of these things. But the price (hundereds of dollars) scared me off. Necessity being the mother of invention, I cogitated on the issue for a few days. I knew that I needed some mass and weight in a round base. That sounded like a bowling ball to me. So I went over to a local thrift store and bought the heaviest one that they had. It turned out to be the cool orange and black one.

Now this ball needed a base to hold it so I used an old scrap banjo rim with a bit of hardboard glued to the top with a round cut out.

Then an old drill press vice was bolted to a piece of plywood and this was screwed the top of the bowling ball and I was off and running.

This photo was shot some time before I added some leather (purchaced at the same thrift shop in the form of a used and cigarette burned jacket) to the base further stabilizing the ball. I think that on this early version I glued some rubber tubing to the edge of the hardboard. It worked ok but kept coming off. The leather is much smoother (moving) and has plenty of holding power.

More soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 03/13/2013:  19:32:59

Dan

Take good care of your self, lots of rest, liquids, etc.

Kaelri - Posted - 03/13/2013:  19:59:08

Yes, Dan, get some rest and take care of yourself first. We can wait patiently til you are back to yourself. 

Praying for healing and health and a good night's rest. 

Paul R - Posted - 03/13/2013:  21:22:10

Well, that certainly answers the questions! And that's a fantastic fretboard!

Take care. Take as much time as you need to get well. We can wait. On pins and needles, but we can wait! 

Paul

kwl - Posted - 03/14/2013:  12:08:38

Hi Dan,

Just giving you a heads-up.Tomorrow is the Ides of March. Beware or be aware. Hope you are beginning to feel better.

Ken

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/14/2013:  19:28:59

Dave, Ellen, Paul & Ken,

Thank you for your Kind words and thoughts. That means a lot to me.

I went and visited my Doctor today. I was told that I have pneumonia. Not fun at all. Because this is part of this luthiers life I figured I'd post a true photo of this ole' feelin' sorry for his self guy...

Also I've posted one of the tunes from the Robert E. Lee Academy for the Arts It's Saint Ann's Reel & Angelina the Baker. Josh opens on the solo mandolin, then Danny tops it off with fiddling that touches me every time I listen to it, Next they let me have a piece of it on the banjo. Then it's off to Angelina the Baker for a great old fashioned fiddle off between Danny and Josh.

banjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D30035">banjohangout.org%2Fmyhangout%" target="_blank">hangoutstorage.com/jukebox.asp...yhangout%banjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D30035">2Fmedia-banjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D30035">playerbanjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D30035">%2Faudio_player.asp%3Fisjukebox%3Dno%26musicID%3D30035

See y'all tomorrow!

Dave1climber - Posted - 03/14/2013:  20:08:50

Dan

Take as long as you need, pneumonia can be serious business.  We will miss your posts of your work, but we all want you healthy, so take it easy, read a good book, and rest.

Thanks for the music, I enjoyed it a whole bunch.    

Dave

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 03/15/2013:  04:35:13

Get well soon, Dan... Prayers sent.

Kaelri - Posted - 03/15/2013:  05:59:38

I KNEW IT! PNEUMONIA! I must tell you that  I worked in the medical field/ respiratory therapy as a critical care tech for almost 20 years up til the night my daughter was born, and I kept thinking as I read your posts where 

you weren't feeling well......I kept thinking, "He's gonna develop pneumonia if he doesn't slow down and rest! I even almost made a jesting comment on that in passing! But here you are now. So you 

better follow Dr's orders and get some rest. Pneumonia can bit you in the rear if you're not careful!  We will keep you in our prayers around here for a spell, that is for sure!

Thanks for that sound clip. I loved it! What a beautiful tune to listen to while enjoying some toast and green tea on a gloomy Friday morning. My daughter (13) enjoyed it too. She recognized it from our Saturday morning string gatherings  

where we meet with others and  play together. That one gets played most Saturdays. 

Ellen

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/15/2013:  06:47:26

Dave, Marvin & Ellen,

Thank you for your kind comments. The Doctor ordered some very strong medicine for me. I'm already looking forward to 11 AM when I get to take some more. I can already tell that I'm feeling better. Still the bed and sleep calls like an old time Greek Siren into the arms of Morpheus.

Later on I'll be posting more tunes from the concert.

Thank you again for your kindness and concern.

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 03/15/2013:  07:00:11

Dan,

What's the tuning on a 5 string Greek Siren?

Hope you feel better



Lew

Dave1climber - Posted - 03/15/2013:  08:39:18

Ah, blessed sleep, relieves boredom and tedium.   Next banjo "Greek Siren"?  

taiger - Posted - 03/15/2013:  10:29:21

Thanks for all the sharing Dan. Great info. One of the posts I look forward to everyday.
Was curious on your thickness sander. Looks like a shop made tool. Could you share some design and construction on that?
Thanks
Tai

Steven M - Posted - 03/15/2013:  14:24:12

Silly question but how on earth did you get pneumonia, I bet it was riding around on that bike in the freezing cold. I race bikes but am very careful when it comes to sub zero temps.

Take a good long time off and recover properly!!!! ( that's an order :) )

Hope you are better soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/15/2013:  20:04:37

Lew,

Doesn't everyone know the proper tuning for the 5 string Greek Siren is BR549?

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 03/15/2013 20:05:47

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/15/2013:  20:17:04

Dave, I like that idea!

Taiger,

That sander is shop built, just not by me. One of my students Jerry Beirly built it. There are several plans on the internet that it was designed from. I'll look them up and post som links soon.

Steven,

You might be correct in the first genesis of this mess. I've been fighting somthing for 3 or 4 weeks now and it finnaly got serious with me.

Thanks to all of your for your kind words, thoughts & emails.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/15/2013:  20:17:26

Dave, I like that idea!

Taiger,

That sander is shop built, just not by me. One of my students Jerry Beirly built it. There are several plans on the internet that it was designed from. I'll look them up and post som links soon.

Steven,

You might be correct in the first genesis of this mess. I've been fighting somthing for 3 or 4 weeks now and it finnaly got serious with me.

Thanks to all of your for your kind words, thoughts & emails.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/15/2013:  20:25:04

Dave, I like that idea!

Taiger,

That sander is shop built, just not by me. One of my students Jerry Beirly built it. There are several plans on the internet that it was designed from. I'll look them up and post som links soon.

Steven,

You might be correct in the first genesis of this mess. I've been fighting somthing for 3 or 4 weeks now and it finnaly got serious with me.

Thanks to all of your for your kind words, thoughts & emails.

Paul R - Posted - 03/15/2013:  22:36:04

Take the advice, Dan! Rest, rest, and more rest. I had pneumonia (a week of yard duty at school during the coldest week of the year) and it does bite. I finally (sound familiar?) went to the doctor and she asked, "Have you ever had pneumonia before?" It's not the sort of thing you want to "fight" long-term. My father's father decided to walk off a cold (when Dad was thirteen) got the sweats, and passed away. (He played fiddle and banjo, too.) Fortunately, we have medications these days.

Rest lots and take the full course of your medication. Get well, but take your time.

Our motivation isn't entirely altruistic, though. We want you well and healthy so we can continue to view more of your terrific posts! 

jbalch - Posted - 03/16/2013:  06:20:09

Maybe I missed it Dan -  but I didn't see a link (on this thread) to the second mp3 you uploaded from the recent show.

I really enjoyed this one too:

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=

Get well soon friend!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  07:34:32

Thank you Paul,

It's been interesting the number of stories I've heard since I've been sick. I think I could create a CD project called Pneumonia Tales! It is an odd human quality that stories don't truly resonate until one's been there. I seem to remember the TB Blues from Woody Guthrie.

It is amazing how quickly I tire. I was going to try and write this next post last night and I just ran out.

Thank you John,

I'm glad you liked that one. I hope you noticed your influence on that tune there. The bowing always reminds me of your first CD, Carry On John. What a Masterwork!

Ho C Ying - Posted - 03/16/2013:  08:03:32

Dan, have a good rest and get well soon.

I had bronchitis last 2 weeks. Fever and cough made me feel terrible. Much better now.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  08:28:43

IDES OF MARCH....  

I looked up the Ides just a moment ago,  it was just the15th. day of each month in the Roman calendar. Nothing sinister at all. Apparently people in Shakespearean England would have recognized this idea readily, still calling the 15th. The Ides. It may have been Shakespeare himself who made the date ominous with his warning in Julius Caesar "Beware the Ides of March" that bequeathed us the negative connotation... interesting.

I wrote earlier that a hide head from John Balch had arrived for David Emery's banjo. I finally got the camera into action and shot a few photos of it. In earlier posts we've seen the head itself. What I'd really like you to see is the care that John has taken in shipping it. This is one of the marks of a true craftsman, doing everything in his power to protect his (or her) work in transit.

The head came in this HEAVY fitted cardboard shipper.

And then sealed (to inhibit moisture transfer) in this plastic sack.

I had my bowling ball vice and some carving tools brought home so I could work on David Emery's banjo's dowel stick. I've been planning on doing some carving on this since the start of this project. Honestly I was not exactly sure of the design, just a few vague ideas (of March!). So setting the bowling ball on a chair on my front porch, in some of the prettiest weather we've had, I went to work. A white pencil is an amazing tool for drawing on ebony.

One of my favorite carving tools are these cheepo linoleum block print tools from Speedball. They don't hold an edge long, but they are just the right size, weight and balance that I like for this type of carving. Please notice my helper Sophie, she barks every time I start to take the lazy way out!

In my engraving and carving kit I keep a small granite block with 2000 grit sandpaper glued to it and this small leather strop, loaded with white rouge. These carving tools do require a lot of  attention. Even more so in ebony.

Basic carving completed, the detail work soon begins...

More soon...

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 03/16/2013 08:30:20

Kirk Jacobs - Posted - 03/16/2013:  08:46:28

Dan you seem to get more accomplished sick than I do healthy......maybe if I didn't spend all my time on here reading this thread....hmmm.  No that's not it.

DEmery - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:16:08

Dan I am glad to see you are up and able to do a few things around the house with Sophie. Yep ole' John does good work doesn't he? I have his hide heads on almost everything hanging on my walls. Like most things banjos; you put your touch on them all. That dowel is sure tasteful and as always you do more for me on a banjo project than is expected. For those watching this ain't the first dowel you have carved for me. Attached is the stick on Sherry Lynne. Thanks and I will keep watching. See you in April at the shop. David E. 

Dowel Stick Carving

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:16:16

C Ying,

I'm glad you are better. bronchitis is no fun either.

Kirk,

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:24:53

David,

Thanks for posting that photo of Sherry Lynn. You've just given me a few new ideas (of March).

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:29:51

NAME CARVING 101

I think I'll just post these photos and then go take a break. By now I'm sure that you can tell what is happening here! Saint Augustine is getting HER name!

I'll be back soon.

Kaelri - Posted - 03/16/2013:  10:13:57

Dave, thanks for sharing that pic of the dowel carving on Sherry Lynn. My daughter and I both said "Wow!" when the picture opened. It looks so intricate.

And also thanks for sharing the picture of hide head John made. That is very beautiful too. A banjo with a head like that is on my "someday" list. 

DEmery - Posted - 03/16/2013:  13:07:10

Dan if posting photos of the ebony banjo gave you a few more ideas for April; I better post a few more just to see what happens. Makes me wonder what you will pull off in 27 days. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  15:32:46

Ellen,

At least one of these beautiful heads could be yours. Fixed up the way John does these heads they are a quick and easy change. You can find both 11" and 12"  heads  in his classifieds.

banjohangout.org/classifieds/s...mp;v=1896

David,

Perhaps this next post will answer a bit of your question....

Dan Knowles - Posted - 03/16/2013:  15:44:32

TODAYS CARVING

More front porch carving...

MORE SOON...

DEmery - Posted - 03/16/2013:  16:19:43

Dan...mighty fine. I see how the delicate leaf design fits below er' name. I really like the lettering flow. That piece of maccasar does have character...doesn't it? Glad the dowel stick gave you something to tinker with between recovery naps. I haven't had one that is turned like this and along with the other features on this banjo; it will give it that extra touch. It won't be long until you will get to slather on the ebonized finish. That will be special and I look forward to seeing the blackened curls in that maple.  

Ellen...thanks for the comments on the ebony dowel Dan did for me some years ago. That is a pretty special banjo and below are some additional photos of Dan's work on that piece since you found the dowel interesting. Too, go ahead and grab one of John Balch's hide heads. You would enjoy it. David E.

Edited by - DEmery on 03/16/2013 16:21:38

Ebony banjo Sherry Lynne built by Dan Knowles

Ebony banjo Sherry Lynne built by Dan Knowles

Ebony banjo Sherry Lynne built by Dan Knowles

Ebony Banjo - Sherry Lynne

Ebony Banjo

Pot of Ebony Banjo

Kaelri - Posted - 03/16/2013:  16:45:42

Thanks for the added photos on that beautiful banjo, Sherry Lynn. To see more than the dowel rod is a treat! I feel like I am at a virtual art show!!  

Anyway, the attention to detail is really nice. I like the inlay on the headstock and then to see it repeated, like it is "peaking out" from under the fingerboard on the frailing scoop? Now. that is cool. I must say, that the back of the neck is intriguing to say the least. It leads me to a question......How does a person get that kind "layering" of the light and dark woods in the back of the Sherry Lynn? Now, I understand how the center piece of a banjo neck/back can be layered with a different kind of wood, but to get those other light shades I see that meet up, in a curvey sort of way, with the bindings (?)  on the headstock is very interesting.  

Thanks for the link & heads up on those John Balch hide heads fellas, you're giving me something to think about!

Ellen