BNJOMAKR - Posted - 04/04/2013:  02:34:12

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paul R

 

Dan! About that speeding ticket!

Check your state vehicle code. Here in Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act governs the operation of vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities that drivers have - except for one.

Because the wording of the Ontario HTA section on vehicle speed says "motor vehicle", cyclists do not have to obey speed limits! A police officer told me and I looked it up. Who knows? Maybe the same loophole exists in your laws. It won't cost you anything to look it up on-line, and maybe, just maybe, you might save some money.

When I'm doing my cycling instruction and I tell my students about the loophole, they chuckle until I tell them about the cyclists in High Park in Toronto who train in packs and regularly break the 20 km/h limit. They're often doing 40.

St. Anne's Reel! A great Canadian fiddle tune - one of my favourites! Great choice!

---

I think Dan's bicycle speeding ticket was an April Fool's joke!  

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

Paul,

Thanks for the advice. Perhaps there is something like that I can use in Tennessee law when I go before judge SNOOKER ...

Bill

180 mph! Oh my...

Marvin,

St. Ann's Reel is one of my favorite fiddle tunes too

jbalch - Posted - 04/04/2013:  04:33:16

St Augustine looks amazing. I can't wait to hear it in person.  I'm planning to drive over to Paris and see you and David when he is there to pick it up.

BTW:   The tailpiece is incredible - the perfect way to complete another very special instrument.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/04/2013:  04:38:01

John,

Good it will be great to see both of you! Thanks

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/04/2013:  04:40:01

THE VIDEO IS UP

SAINT AUGUSTINE WITH SAINT ANN'S REEL!

youtube.com/watch?v=iG0Kf0emaPc

ENJOY!

Dave1climber - Posted - 04/04/2013:  05:37:43

The video makes me want to drive to Paris TN so that I can just hang out and listen to the playing.  I will have to be happy with youtube.

Kaelri - Posted - 04/04/2013:  06:00:49

Oh yes! So nice to hear St Augustine finally sing! She sounds wonderful singing to the world that she is born! 

rubicon - Posted - 04/04/2013:  09:20:47

The banjo sounds strong is it a 11 or 12 I missed that some where Im sure 

Paul R - Posted - 04/04/2013:  09:24:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by BNJOMAKR

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paul R

 

Dan! About that speeding ticket!

Check your state vehicle code. Here in Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act governs the operation of vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities that drivers have - except for one.

Because the wording of the Ontario HTA section on vehicle speed says "motor vehicle", cyclists do not have to obey speed limits! A police officer told me and I looked it up. Who knows? Maybe the same loophole exists in your laws. It won't cost you anything to look it up on-line, and maybe, just maybe, you might save some money.

When I'm doing my cycling instruction and I tell my students about the loophole, they chuckle until I tell them about the cyclists in High Park in Toronto who train in packs and regularly break the 20 km/h limit. They're often doing 40.

St. Anne's Reel! A great Canadian fiddle tune - one of my favourites! Great choice!

---

I think Dan's bicycle speeding ticket was an April Fool's joke!  

---

Oops! Since I didn't check in until the 3rd, my A.F. radar was off. 

But I immediately figured out (on the 1st) pranks from the Kingston Bicycling Advisory Committee and from the Kingston Velo Club (announcing a unicycle tour across Wolfe Island to Clayton, New York). I knew right away that the item on CBC Radio's As It Happens was a joke. They said that Conrad Black, who renounced his Canadian citizenship to get a seat in Britain's House of Lords, and later was jailed in the U.S.A., was getting an appointment to Canada's Senate. (They even compounded the joke by interviewing Elizabeth May about it. She's an MP and leader of the Green Party.) It was great listening to the outraged comments of callers-in the next day.  

I still think that St. Anne's Reel was a great choice.  And, Dan, you can tell that to "Judge Snooker"!  

Paul

ronwalker49 - Posted - 04/04/2013:  09:50:24

Sounds really good Dan..

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 04/04/2013:  12:44:41

Sounds beautiful!  

cbcarlisle - Posted - 04/04/2013:  12:53:07

Thread Drift Alert!
[Bill's Ducati story reminded me of the old joke: young fellow went out one dark night to test his new home-made jetpack supercharger he had installed in his Corvette. With no one around he accelerated to 120 and was just about to throw the switch when he noticed a motorcycle cop right behind him hit his lights. Figuring he was already busted he decided to, at least, get one good shot out of his contraption so he went ahead, flipped the lever, and was yanked back in his seat by the blast. Two hundred thirty-seven miles per hour! He looked in his rear view mirror and couldn't see the cop; feeling satisfied with his experiment he pulled over to the shoulder and waited for the inevitable. After ten minutes he retraced his route only to see the officer dragging himself out of a ditch with the remnants of his bike behind him. "Wow, man, what happened?" The cop replied, weakly, "Well, I came up behind you at 95, then 115, but when I turned on my lights at 120, I thought my bike must have stopped so I got off to see what was the matter."]

DEmery - Posted - 04/04/2013:  13:06:39

Dan thanks for the phone call last night and first tune on St. Augustine. We have done this several times over the years and it is always fun. For a banjo that just got pulled together, tuned, and with a set up bridge in place; I think it sounded really fine. These banjos always sound so much better after they settle a bit and the strings, head, and other tweaks start to behave.

As for that tail piece; it is a beautiful piece of work and totally unexpected. The colors and texture are perfect; as is the walrus tusk for the nut. I do feel the ball end strings will make the connection cleaner on this style of tail piece. Glad you have the gauge strings in ball end that work for me.

Hey what can I say...but thanks. This has not only been fun but the end result is special. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/04/2013:  15:51:37

Dave, Ellen, Rubicon (12"), Ron & Marvin, Thank you so much. Those first tunes are special moments that only happen once.

Paul,

I'll let Judge Snooker in on it all!

C B,

There is no drift in this thread! Are you sure that wasn't you?

David,

Ya, that first tune is always special for me. I think that was the first time that I tried to video one though!

I think that your idea of ball end strings is a good one. That's what I'll load her up with. Are you sure that you won't let me keep that tailpiece?

DEmery - Posted - 04/04/2013:  15:56:50

Oh Dan...what would you do with a Mastodon tail piece? Knowing it would get tossed in your box of odds and ends; I will take it and see it is put to good use and of course pointing it out often to disinterested people that are forced to look at my banjos. David E.

Edited by - DEmery on 04/04/2013 16:08:51

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/04/2013:  16:30:32

4-4-2013

THURSDAY

MINI, MINI, MINI BANJO DAY!

We sanded, carved, drilled and branded banjo necks today. It was a work fast factory. My good friend Joe Snow came in bright and early and sanded like a mad dog. What a wonderful help that was. We got all of those little suckers sanded!

I was able to make sure the necks were ready for the sander as he worked...how nice!

Off to todays photos...

Here are Joe and me in the back room he's finish sanding and I'm roughing in on the belt sander.

All but one of the walnut necks needed carving. The belt sander was not a good choice for the walnut so I grabbed up my trusty 150 year old spoke shave (I got this in an antique store in Vineland, Ont. Canada) and went to carving. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy carving necks? That's good because I had about 6 to cave today.

Creating one of my frailing ease with a rasp...

Now refining a heel...

After all the necks were carved and sanded, they were branded. I made this brand stamp years ago and I have used it on banjos like these, minstrel banjos and gourd banjos. Here it is getting a bit of heat...

Now on to a peghead...

There tiz...

The whoe batch marked...

Banjohangout member Jon Eaton and his wife Anna dropped in the shop this afternoon. When she spotted one of the mini banjos she wanted one for their son. Again I had to say not yet... maybe in the next batch.

Off to drill, drill, drill... I got 'um all drilled though!

I like to ease the bottom side of the tuner holes and for this I use a Dremel cone cutter... and I got all of this done too!

I've got band practice in a few minutes so I guess there will be more tomorrow...See you then!

DEmery - Posted - 04/04/2013:  17:27:23

Dan be sure to put those little banjos away when I see you in Paris. I think one might fit in my over coat and make it back to Florida. Imagine how happy my little grand daughter Chloe would be to play one. You can see her getting a lesson on ole' Abe below. David E.

The Banjo Lesson

 

Kaelri - Posted - 04/04/2013:  20:40:21

DEmery said:

 I will take it and see it is put to good use and of course pointing it out often to disinterested people that are forced to look at my banjos. 

Ha, 

That sure struck me as funny!  

Chloe sure looks interested in helping Grandpa with his fretting! Maybe you have a future banjo player to someday help you keep all those banjos singing. 

Ellen

Bufo Bill - Posted - 04/05/2013:  07:51:55

quote:

---

Originally posted by DEmery

 

 I will take it and see it is put to good use and of course pointing it out often to disinterested people that are forced to look at my banjos. David E.

---

David, when I do this with people, I like to make my voice monotone, and letthewordsblendintoeachother, and when I see their eyes go dull as the last spark of hope leaves their bodies . . .  That's when I begin playing every verse I know of Cripple Creek.

It brightens my day up, and it really puts off salesmen. I am glad to have found you David, for you are a soul brother.

All the best from Bill. :D

Steven M - Posted - 04/05/2013:  13:50:17

quote:

---

Originally posted by DEmery

 

Dan be sure to put those little banjos away when I see you in Paris. I think one might fit in my over coat and make it back to Florida. Imagine how happy my little grand daughter Chloe would be to play one. You can see her getting a lesson on ole' Abe below. David E.

---

What a great photo!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/05/2013:  17:55:28

David,

You certainly know how to make it difficult to hang onto all of these little banjos!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/05/2013:  18:48:24

4-5-2013

Friday,

One week from tomorrow I head out to Memphis to perform on the Queen of the Mississippi as she travels down to Vicksburg. I'll get to break in those many Mimi banjos. The guests will give them their first real big workout. It will be fun group teaching!

More importantly though, one week from today David Emery & John Balch will be up for a visit in Paris, that will be nice to be able to chat about and pick some banjos in the flesh! I'd even bet a few have skin heads on them and I'd even bet a few were made by Mr. Balch!

So you wonder just what happened in Ole Paris, Tennessee today. It was a work on the little banjos and clean up the shop day. Also at lunch I went out to Eagen Snows new farm place, just north of town for a first visit. They have really worked on their land. They've planted all sorts of heirloom apple trees, blueberry and other fruiting plants.

Although all of the necks were beautifully sanded by Joe Snow, there were a couple of necks that had some carving ridges that would make playing less than comfortable. So I carved, scraped and sanded them before they all got oil finished.

On with the oil...

You ever wonder why they call it "Tongue" oil?

Most of the bunch after oiling...

As the oil finish set up I went to cleaning. Over the past couple of weeks trying to work and play catch up I only swept occasionally and then not near enough. It is just amazing how big a mess I can make!

Now I didn't shoot any photos of the mess or me cleaning. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't bring myself to admit the truth of my slobishness!

After several hours of cleaning (and still not done) I decided to make up the nuts for the little banjos. I have a piece of corian (a counter top drop) so I sanded an angle in each long side and ripped out two long strips. These were then cut up into the nut blanks.

Here they are in a group. I like the little stars...

I glued these onto all of the mini banjo necks. Here I'm gluing one on...

Now laying out the string slots...

The case for Saint Augustine arrived yesterday from Mike at banjo.com.  What a nice, helpful fella to work with. He really went out of his way for me! This was a special order that is truly special! It is a Superior case, these usually only come in black but he was able to weedle this one (one of 4 in stock) from his supplier. THANKS MIKE!!!

I really like this green lining... Makes the banjo look good doesn't it?

More A Luthiers Life tomorrow!

DEmery - Posted - 04/05/2013:  19:08:37

Dan the case look perfect for our slot head banjo. I agree the green lining is nice and the brown tone case is appropriate for this banjo as it travels down the road time-wise. See you soon. David E.

jbalch - Posted - 04/05/2013:  19:12:08

Nice case. The bump is superfluous.

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 04/06/2013:  04:31:24

I think that the banjo makes the case look better!

rubicon - Posted - 04/06/2013:  10:29:10

That case makes a nice resting place for St Augustine. She will make a wonderful addition to a growing collection of banjos from the best of todays premier builders .

Woodturner - Posted - 04/06/2013:  16:00:30

I was impressed by a few things, the case, the banjo, and  Mr.Balch used the word superfluous.  I had to look it up. 

DEmery - Posted - 04/06/2013:  16:08:49

I chatted with John today and told him that word had been used around me a time or two; but I would need Mister Webster's help to spell it correctly. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/06/2013:  18:44:20

David, John, Marvin, Rubicon & Denton,

Fellers thanks fer yer im putz. John how d ya spellez it?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/06/2013:  19:17:14

PARIS IN THE SPRING

4-6-2013

How wonderful! The crab apples have bloomed. Spring is really on its way and am I ready! This has been a long winter and I will be glad to see it be past.

Today was a very busy and productive day both at Knowles String Instruments and at the old home place. With spring comes yard work and we did a bunch after I rode home from the shop.

I do suppose you'd rather know about the lutherie end of my world since that is what this forum is all about.

Well first thing this AM, Before students began to arrive I dove into working on the many Mini banjos.

As you should recall, yesterday I made and glued on all of the nuts for the banjos and marked the for string slotting. The next two steps was to mark slot depth and then cut the slots. The depth is gaged by using a sharp pencil that has been sanded in half (lengthwise) and is laid on the frets then marking the face of the nut...

Then the slot is cut...

When the students came in Eric had some wedding invitations for Kevin and me. He will be getting married in two weeks.

Every body went to work. Chandan is binding his guitar body...

And Kevin completed his arm rest on his guitar. This is the first one of these that he has attempted. Hes pleased and I'm proud for him!

Back to the little banjers, all the nut slots are now cut and they are piled up like cord wood...

Drum drilling time. The screw will hold the neck and body in place...

Eric is getting his neck ready to carve. Here he's cutting the profile out using the band saw...

In goes a mini banjo neck...

A hole is needed in the heel for the screw...

In goes the screw... (remember we are down to 18 times)...

More real soon!

Kirk Jacobs - Posted - 04/06/2013:  20:38:33

Sorry,  maybe you already covered this and I forgot.  Are some of the minis have tunneled 5th strings?  The nut was cut for 4 strings but some of the heads are drilled for 5 tuners. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/07/2013:  05:00:01

Kirk,

I'm glad you asked. It just proves that Banjohangout members are most observant!

No I haven't covered the fifth string design feature yet.. None of these mini banjos will have a tunneled fifth. Instead there will be a little brad to catch the 5th. string making the string run next to the neck. I guess it might be called a poor mans tunnel! I will make some photos of this as I put them together. It has only been done on the two proto-type banjos.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/07/2013:  05:34:07

SUNDAY MORNING

7-4-2013

MINI BANJO GO TOGETHER

CONTINUING FROM THE LAST BIG POST...

Here is the whole batch of the banjos, rims and necks put together...

I had a nice piece of maple (it was a drop from a neck) with proper grain orientation for bridges. I slicked up one edge on the belt sander...

Next the piece is taken to the band saw and ripped down to bridge blank size.

I made a pattern bridge. Here I'm marking the top for the string slots. This one bridge will be used to mark all of the others.

Now cutting the slots...

The pattern is now used to lay out the other bridge pieces...

Here are the bridge blanks cut out and sanded to a wedged bridge shape...

Next I marked and cut all of the remaining bridge's string slots...

 Using my little bridge branding bridge to brand the bridges...

Although I don't show photos here of it, the strings were put one the one banjo that had its tuners already installed. A quick setup was done and here it is ready to go!

More quite soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 04/07/2013:  06:28:43

Dan

Looks good, how does it sound?

Did I miss the part about the tail piece?  

Kaelri - Posted - 04/07/2013:  06:44:10

Dan, you look like the "Proud Papa" of a brand new "bouncing baby" banjo! 

These little banjos sure look like fun! Do we get a sound bit of these too? (Like you don't have enough to do but cater to thread requests!)

Ellen

Paul R - Posted - 04/07/2013:  15:49:30

Wow! The "Model Ds" (as I'm calling them for now), with the fifth string bypass (instead of a tunnel) are off the production line!

Hearing them will be worth the wait. Seeing everyone having fun with them on that cruise - priceless!

Glad you're enjoying spring. We still have small piles of snow on the ground, and the grass is washed-out looking and beaten down.

Just adding a bit of off-topic superfuity here: That painting has such vibrant colours, reminiscent of Canadian landscape painter, the late P.C. Sheppard (you have some other vibrantly-coloured paintings, too). But the signature doesn't look like yours (well, that could be jumping to conclusions, again). What's the story?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/07/2013:  18:30:55

Dave,

& Ellen & Paul  too I will try to post a recording of one of these little sweeties so you can hear for yourselves!

The strings are tied to the perch pole end of the dowel stick.

Paul the painting in the background is by one of the greatest of Southern Artists John Monroe. He is a good friend of mine and has influenced my painting work greatly.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/09/2013:  05:03:36

4-8-2013

ON THE ROAD...mostly...

Most of yesterday was spent away from town doing business. We got in quite late and tired so this post waited until this AM.

Before I left I was able to do a small amount of banjo putting together and I got just a few shots. This should answer Kirk's earlier question about the 5th. string passageway...

Here is a little walnut neck getting ready for its 5th. string treatment...

I drilled a small pilot hole using a cut off brad, then inserted a brad to direct the 5th. string...

Using this tack hammer (I wish that I had a good photo here because it looks like something out of Star Wars) I drive the little nail on in...

Here it is ready to accpt the string once the tuners are installed...

More veri soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 04/09/2013:  07:03:00

Dan

Veri cliver!

DEmery - Posted - 04/09/2013:  10:58:49

never seen anything like that dan. maybe you can perform on one in paris soon. david e.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/09/2013:  18:48:46

Dave,

Tink ouh bire muchie!

David,

You should have been in Paris today... I played for 150,000 Parisians!

If you believe that I have some ocean view lots here too!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/09/2013:  20:05:28

TUESDAY NINTH DAY OF APRIL

COUNTING DOWN

One of these days I am going to leave ALL of my typo in a post, I won't even let the spell checker correct things. I wonder how may of you folks could, would or even attempt to read through some of the unintelligible gibberish that I might write. When I was younger (in the days before computers and smell checker) band members would howl with gut wrenching laughter at my set lists. "How'd you ever make it through school?" they'd ask upon seeing my latest blooper. I admit it's true. I spell the way I speak. I have to tri not to. I'm so careful all the time. I feel like I talk some some form of the kangs Anglish. It's jus' tha wai it cums out. I kain't hep it.

I waz in Canader a fue years a-go. A-bout ta cross bak over to Ni-ag-gr, Nu York. Dare waz dis Tim Horetonz coffy res-ter-ront (I love dare doie-nits) An da girril ast me jus what it was dat eye wanted. Well I tolt her.

An she turnt ta me an sait "My God but you have an accent!"

I sait "No mam I han't no ax-sent. You on the other hav one ant itz a veri marked one!"

Well ta tell da truf we had a grate talking to rite dare, laffin' an a carrin' on.

See what I mean? Now aren't you thankful for Mr. Webster and Spell checker? Now off to the day...

Today being Tuesday was as usual my teaching day. I am so thankful for good students. All of  you teachers know just what I mean. And right now I do have a good batch. That said I was able to get some small amount of Lutheri work accomplished. Most of it was in getting the many Mini banjos together. I think that I'm down to maybe three that need to be strung and such.

By the way I really like this tack hammer. Mostly I like the way it looks but it really drives these brads in well (Remember those warriors in Star Wars ?).

Here Is the none tailpiece end of  a mini banjo being strung...

Banjo Hangout member (and prize student) Jon Eaton stayed after lesson to learn my way of stretching skin heads. Here I describe the intricacies of removing the tag from a head...

As Jon went to the rest room to wet (boy this could be taken wrong) the banjo head, I worked on another of the little ones. Here I pre-drill for the brad...

And drive it in...

Jon, back from the b-room, has applied glue and is laying the head over a form...

Pulling the excess material up...

Hes got it!

See you here again Soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 04/09/2013:  21:19:46

Dan

You I and i went to the same school of misspelling.  

Looks as if Jon is a quick learner, of course it helps to have a good teacher.

eddie83 - Posted - 04/10/2013:  08:44:34

That last post just helped me some much. It solved a problem I have been thinking over for a while now. MAN! Thanks.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/10/2013:  17:34:16

Dave,

Mus hab...Jon is a smart fella and that helps a lot.

Eddie,

You are so welcome. I'm just wondering what sort of problem did I helped you with?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/10/2013:  20:33:02

4-10-2013

IN THE BOX!

I made it! Although I honestly began to wonder if I would, here they are, 20 mini banjos. Built, completed...

What a day! This morning I was visited by 3 young men from New York City who just happen to be biking across America. Two of these fellas are good old time string musicians. We had a nice string pullin'. It may not get the work done but it sure is good for the soul!

Here they are with Eagen Snow (who they stayed with last night) That's from left to right Eagen, Charlie, Sam & Nicky.

Here is Charlie playing " Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad...

And Nicky playing his cigar box fiddle...

Saint Augustine made it to the bench for her final setup...

Tightening the bracket nuts...

Taping the fretboard for fret leveling and crowning...

Marking the fret tops...I love this tape!

Leveling the frets...

Marking the frets before crowning...

Brushing off the filing dust...

Crowning the frets...

Polishing the frets with 15000, 2000 paper then 12000 Micro mesh...

More tomorrow!

Kaelri - Posted - 04/10/2013:  21:04:37

Wow! Wow! Every time I see the St Augustine, she is even more beautiful! I need a good photo of her for my computer's screen saver! 

And thanks for posting that pic of the Cigar box fiddle. I have never seen such a thing. I've seen plenty of cigar box guitars, banjos...etc....but not a fiddle. I've been enlightened. ha. Just never know what I'm gonna see here! :-)

Ellen

rubicon - Posted - 04/11/2013:  17:28:18

Dan is it possible for you to upload some good pictures front and back of St.Augustine ? I would appreciate it ,I have quite enjoyed this thread which has come to be part of my daily routine . 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 04/11/2013:  18:49:41

Ellen & Rubicon,

I'll be shooting some (hopefully) quality photos of Saint Augustine tomorrow. Maybe even before David & John get here, although I doubt it!