Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 09/28/2013:  16:08:27

Dan,

If yuou'd be so kind:

How do you cut the tension hoop pocket, and what size bandsaw blade do you use?

Thanks,

Lew

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/28/2013:  20:17:42

Lew,

First I mark the pocket placement then I saw by hand with a Japanese pull saw to remove most of the waste. Next I chisel out the remainder. It's that simple.

Hi Andrea! Welcome to the Banjo Hangout!

andreadhenderson13 - Posted - 09/29/2013:  10:20:55

Hi Dan! Thanks for having me here on your Banjo Hangout!

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 09/29/2013:  12:22:43

Thanks Dan.

I appreciate the info

Lew

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/29/2013:  14:09:43

PHARAOH 2.3

Tonight I'll be heading out for Dover, Tennessee to perform on the Queen. The last little bit before leaving home is always exciting an kind of nerve wracking. Check this, check that.. Do we have everything? Oh No Kaint ferget that! Anyhow I decided in the next couple of minutes I'd post an update on the progress for the Pharaoh 2 banjo neck.

I got the neck pretty well carved with just a bit to do today...

After the basic carving I begin to smooth the neck with a sanding block using coarse sandpaper.

And a bit of work with a half round file...

Carved...

Tomorrow I intend to fret, fully sand, stain and start to finish the neck. That may be a bit much but I like to shoot at the moon... shoot the moon... does the moon ever duck? Aw heck, I like the moon too much to shoot it anyhow!

More tomorrow!

taiger - Posted - 09/29/2013:  14:13:41

I keep loving this post. Thanks again Dan.
So much inspiration.
Had a question about Sherry Lynne. How thick is the pot. I know its 12" but whats the thickness and depth. After reading and pondering Lyndons "I have a dream" post I've started a new OB Wanted something dense but didn't have the ebony on hand. Opted for all pauduk. Home made white ladyish tone ring and a 25" scale.
Do u think there is potential? Your wisdom is always appriciated.
Thanks
Tai

Noah Cline - Posted - 09/29/2013:  18:10:09

Shoot ducks on the moon? What?! haha

The neck looks nice, btw. I like how the back-strap looks.

cbcarlisle - Posted - 09/29/2013:  21:09:12

Didn't Alan Shepard shoot a birdie on the moon?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/30/2013:  06:18:03

Tal,

Sherry Lynn's rim is around 5/8" x 2 1/4" T, add in the White Ladie tone ring and you have a total height of about 3".

I would think that Pauduk would have potential, it just depends on what you wish to hear when the banjo is complete. There are so many variables in banjo, set up being one of the largest.

Noah & Curt

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/30/2013:  07:00:13

DOVER, TENNESSEE

SUNDAY 9-29-2013

Yesterday after hanging out at home (working on the bathroom remodel) & fooling with the grandkids we traveled to Dover, Tennessee to perform with the band on the Queen.

Dover is a small hamlet whose fame was made during the American Civil War. It is on the Cumberland river which was a major waterway running from Nashville to the Ohio river. On a bend in the river (by Dover) the Confederates built Fort Donaldson to inhibit a northern navel invasion. The attack by and subsequent surrender of the fort was one of the first Federal major military successes of the war. When asked for terms of surrender Grant called for "Unconditional Surrender," which gave him the nickname of Unconditional Surrender (U. S.) Grant.

Today this aria is absolutely beautiful with rolling hills crowned with hardwood forests.

The three little one went with us so they could meet their dad in Clarksville, Tennessee. I told them that if the boat arrived early enough that I'd take them onboard. As we were waiting Braden (in red) and Keaton (in stripes) did their Egyptian dance. These two guys ain't camera shy!

The dance quickly devolved into screams and shouts of "I see it!" and "Here she comes!" So out on the boat dock they ran to meet her.

You know, as often as I've been on this boat I've never watched her make a landing from the shore. I must admit that it was exciting for me too!

I'm sure Captains Kenny and Paul could never have made it without Keaton's expert help!

In all her glory, The Queen of the Mississippi makes land.

The little fellas had a great tour of the Queen cumulating with a visit to the Wheelhouse with Capt. K. W. They even sounded the Whistle! Here they are by the Wheelhouse on the top deck. That's (L to R) Braden, Ryland & Keaton.

Just so you'll have a picture in you're minds eye of our wonderfully great (and now BHO member) Andrea, we posed this 'un. She's the good lookin' won in da middle!

More ver i soon!

taiger - Posted - 09/30/2013:  10:20:20

Thanks Dan
Your openness and everyones on the HO continues to amaze me. Ask and get a straight answer. No trade secrets. Thanks again for the thread, the info, and sharing your amazing craftsmanship.
Tai

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/30/2013:  16:51:57

Tai,

You are so welcome. Were it not for the kindness, help and advice of others I wouldn't know enough to pass anything along.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/30/2013:  17:35:30

GOURD ONE

A steampunk banjo... who'd a thunk it. Up until a short time ago I had not heard the word Steampunk... now I'm making one.

The peghead and heelcap on this one will be covered with brass and engraved instead of being inlaid. With that in mind I went down to the building supply and bought a solid brass kick plate and some brass nails.

Using a peghead template I lay out the peghead overlay.

As I didn't get into the shop (having performed last night) until late this morning I went home for lunch. One of the guests asked me about gourd banjo building. So I looked up some sites about DYI gourd banjo building to pass on to him. Then I remembered this long necked dipper gourd that I had down at the shop and ya I got distracted...

I cut the side off of it and went to work stretching a head. Then it was drilling and reaming the tuner holes and installing the tuners.

Trimming the head...

Sawing the nut slot...

All that done I needed to wait for the head to dry before continuing onward. So I went to working on the Pharaoh 2 banjo. Here I'm sanding the peghead.

Next it was time to clean out the fret slots. First I use a torch heated flat knife to melt any glue that has found its way into the slots.

Next using this little hook billed knife I scrape out the slots...

Oh ya... I went back an finished the banjo this afternoon... so here it is ...Introducing...

The Turtle!

MORE SOON!

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 09/30/2013:  17:41:35

How about some more pics of "The Turtle" please Dan? I love gourd banjo's and that looks like an interesting project.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/30/2013:  18:13:32

C Nyal,

I'll try to do that tomorrow...

Kaelri - Posted - 09/30/2013:  18:21:42

That is the fastest turtle gourd banjo I've ever seen anyone make!  (Couldn't resist!)

Ellen

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/02/2013:  18:42:34

Ellen,

He was chasin' the Hair !

tendogman - Posted - 10/02/2013:  19:12:06

That's a good one Dan... Chasing the Hair.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/02/2013:  19:37:12

A TALE OF TWO INSTRUMENTS

Tonight as our story opens up we find mild mannered luthier Dan attempting to fret the Pharaoh banjo neck. First on a fret radius bender he carefully curves the 18% nickel fretwire. Next he notches the end by removing a small bit of fret tang (the part of the fret that goes in and holds, hopefully to the fingerboard) so the fret crown can pass over the maple binding.

With each fret fitted and slightly captured in its fret slot, the neck is moved to the fret press where the frets are made fast. Desiring to have a soft edge for his clients thumb to strike he files a bevel to the bass or fifth string side of the fingerboard.

The interruption came... The type that this luthier so enjoys. Two friends came in with ancient instruments inherited from family members. They were not sure exactly what the were or what they might need. The first was a 1930 National Duolian in rough but soon to be playable shape. Then his eyes  were drawn to a banjo shaped hard shell case. Inside he found this 1936-1940 Gibson RB-1 in good but dusty condition. Quietly he removed the resonator and continued his inspection.

After discussing the needs of the two instruments he posed for this photograph with his friends, Barry Hart (L) and Johnny Halliburton (R). Dan says that it's always fun to give good news to friends!

Back on the Pharaoh neck he leveled the frets and using a fret crowning file, shaped the frets.

Next he wrapped the fret file with a piece of 2000 grit sand paper and polished them to a bright shine...

to be continued....

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 10/02/2013 19:38:47

jbalch - Posted - 10/02/2013:  19:52:28

Those are lucky friends ...on two counts:

VERY nice inheritances ....

and an honest luthier ;<)

Edited by - jbalch on 10/02/2013 19:53:29

DEmery - Posted - 10/03/2013:  03:52:56

Hey Dan. That option to ease the edge of the fingerboard is a nice and subtle feature of your necks these days. The slot head has it and while a casual inspection may miss it; small touches like that are nice.The photo of St. Aug captures the edge that was softened at the scoop.  By the way...the package should arrive today. David E.  

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/03/2013:  20:02:14

John & David,

THANKS!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/03/2013:  20:31:37

OH THE STAIN OF IT!

Sophie our dog is sitting next to me as I'm writing this post begging a corn chip from Patrick. I love to watch her bark. She's a schitzue (sp) dog and does some of the funniest things I've ever seen. She doesn't bark real loud and she doesn't bark repeatedly, only quick short single barks. She kicks her little lower jaw out, purses her lips and fires out her small bark.  I love it! It tickles me to no end!

Well this is from todays doin's.

I've sanded the Pharaoh 2's neck down to 800 grit, so before I stain it, I rub a couple of coats of oil on the binding aria to act as a stain resist.

After a couple of hours of drying on goes the stain. I use leather dye on this neck.

Stain on and the UPS driver shows up with this package from David Emery... is it Christmas? My birthday?

Nope even better! It is the banjo Saint Augustine's neck. David sent it to me to install some brass side dots. He said that the black ones weren't bright enough for me to see from here. Maybe I'll surprise him and install some LEDs! Maybe I could inlay some little eyes to see the dots with!

I've got this Ibanez bass which I'm changing out the tuners. Turns out that the holes are too large for the tuners to fit properly. I guess I'll turn some plugs to fit these odd size holes.

After making a blank to turn I eased the shoulders so it would go to round quicker. I turned the plugs, cut and glued them in, but neglected to keep shooting pictures so I guess tonights post ends here....

See y'all tomorrow!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/04/2013:  19:32:26

FRIDAY IN THE SHOP

Once upon a time... I heard today that all stories great or small start that way, even when those words are not used. So...

Once upon a time a luthier was changing tuners on an Ibanez bass guitar. The new tuning machines were smaller than the old. So he made plugs to fill the old voids. Next the luthier  drilled holes into the plugs and then reamed them so the new tuners will fit.

There were exposed holes where the old tuners had a secondary screw. These were slightly enlarged and small gold pearl dots inserted to dress up the back of the peghead. Often times it is more attractive to highlight a screw hole than make an attempt to make it go away. Here it is with the tuners installed. (note how the story teller begins to subtly change the person)

(ah here he slips an changes person totally) I had been thinking of using 1/8" brass rod for the side dot material on Saint Augustine. When the neck arrived it just felt too large. So to prove this to myself I cut a small piece and laid it on the side of the neck. Shucks... I was.

I have some tiny round headed brass pins that will do the trick. So I drill out for the shafts. The tape keeps me from drilling too deep.

Here tiz....

More soon...

DEmery - Posted - 10/05/2013:  03:09:15

Dan I agree the brass rod was a little on the large side and am pleased you went with the small domed pins. The original ebony markers simply got hidden in the ebonized curl on the binding unless the light was just right. This should do the trick. I agree that in time the new brass will patina by handling. If you have a little Dan Knowles magic to rub on it to take the "brightness" off the brass before it is shipped it would be just right since nothing shines or is new looking on St. Augustine. By the way...I used some of that patina solution on a brass hook you sent me. That stuff is magic. Thanks for putting in the markers. It will be very helpful. David E. 

Edited by - DEmery on 10/05/2013 03:10:09

dbrooks - Posted - 10/05/2013:  07:43:15

The brass domed pins look great on that neck.

David

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/05/2013:  17:44:33

David,

I Majiked it just a bit today!

David,

Thanks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/05/2013:  18:04:15

SAT RAH DAI

Saturday already, where did this week go? I suppose I could look back at this weeks posts and figure it out... Let's see Tuesday... ah yes I performed on the Queen in Paducah... Oh yah and yesterday I worked on Saint Augustine and went to Clarksville to pick up the little guys and the day before that I...

Well I guess that's where the week went.

I'm wondering, these fungi were found growing in a planter at my house a couple of days ago (after a rain), does anybody know what they are?

This morning was spent teaching instrument building. I really appreciate my students they keep learning and relearning my fundamentals.

A couple of days ago I started this little painting (4 x 5 inches) of my friend and BHO member Tommy Ogle who passed away last winter. I finished it today. When I started it was just a generic doodle, then it jus grew this way. It feels like Tommy's in it.

Here are some long promised photos of the Turtle...

SOON SO VERI SOON....

jbalch - Posted - 10/05/2013:  18:19:17

Dan - that painting is beautiful.  You should post more photos of of your artwork.  I'm a fan!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/05/2013:  18:22:22

John,

I might just do that. Thanks for liking the work.

DEmery - Posted - 10/05/2013:  19:06:29

Dan thanks for your "Majiked" work on the position marks. I look forward to seeing it back in Florida. David E. 

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 10/05/2013:  19:35:58

Thanks for the Turtle pics Dan. How did you stretch that head please?

dbrooks - Posted - 10/06/2013:  09:15:44

Dan, I am in total agreement with John about your artwork.  Of course, everything you do has the artist's touch, and I'd like to see more of your painting as well.

David

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/06/2013:  09:29:41

David,

It should be there along about Wed.

C Nyal,

You are welcome. As to the stretching... I wet the head until it was somewhat soft, the stapled and glued it all the while pulling it as tight as I could in a criss cross pattern. Finally I trimmed  it and the covered the staples with the red trim. I didn't' shoot any photos of the stretching or I'd post them. Sorry.

David,

I'll try and shoot some photos of those paintings soon and post them.

Patrick Hanna - Posted - 10/06/2013:  10:08:29

Hey, Dan,
I haven't checked in here in a while. Just wanted to say I like your painting, too. I haven't seen a pointilist technique in a contemporary painting in a while, but it works for me. Nice tribute to your friend--sincerely.
I'm a professional commercial artist, fairly active as a gallery artist, too, and only an occasional instrument builder. However, I do have a couple of instruments in the works and just came up from the shop for a break.
Among today's tasks: Apply another coat of Tru Oil to the banjo project. When I'm taking a break like this from my banjo, your continuing thread is always one of the first things I check. Keep it rolling!
Patrick

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/06/2013:  14:41:18

Dan

Thanks for the continuing up date, always interesting.

Dave

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/06/2013:  18:55:44

Patrick & Dave,

Thanks & keep yer eyez pieled!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/06/2013:  19:08:12

A SUNDAY PAINTING

Have you ever spent a day rebuilding a web site? Well that was most of my day...there must be a better way! I'm not complaining, just reporting.

I'm running out of photo storage space here on the Ole' BHO, does anyone have any suggestions as to where I should stick these things?

Sence y'all have asked to see some of my paintings I'm posting one tonight. This is another pointillist study of a statue of Nefertiti. This one is about 16" x 20" and took about 3 months to complete.

seeize ya toemorri!

Kaelri - Posted - 10/07/2013:  06:38:04

Nice paintings, thanks for sharing those. Especially like the one of Tommy Ogle. 

As for photo storage sites......I am part of a Appalachian clogging group and we upload pics of our performances for fans & the other cloggers after each show. I use Flickr and have not had any issues. I barely have made a dent in the amount of storage they give you. (1 Terabyte of storage.) I also think you can set it up so that your pics are "safe" if you want. 

Ellen

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 10/07/2013:  13:30:08

Dan. You can use Amazon S3. You can store enormous amounts of data for a few cents a month. It's not the only solution, there are others for photos etc. but I run an ebook business and store thousands of books on Amazon S3.

That's a great painting too, I really like it...

Edited by - Lyndon Smith on 10/07/2013 13:33:04

fungusgeek - Posted - 10/07/2013:  14:29:09

Those mushrooms are certainly genus Lepiota, probably Lepiota rachodes
Might be Lepiota americana in which case it would stain red slowly when you bruise the gills or stem

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/07/2013:  19:09:15

Ellen & Lyndon,

Thank you for your information, I will check both out tonight. I've been dumping some of the photos from my hangout photos page, but gee they're like old newspapers that I just hate to throw away. I'm glad y'all like the paintings too, I'll keep posting them.

Jon,

Thanks, seeing your post reminds me of going into the woods with my biologist friend Barry Hart, he too seamed to know all of the family names of every tree and plant around. He would show me the invasive species and tell how they got here. I remember he had a special issue with the Southern Yellow Pine which grows around here in great amounts but apparently doesn't belong and is wrecking havoc on our woods. I'm wondering is the Lepiota rachodes safe to consume?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/07/2013:  19:40:19

UPDATE ON CALIFORNIA TRIP

Debbie and I will be flying out to Sacramento, California on the 19th. of this month. Thanks to the kindness of my Friends Meg & Ken VandeKieft I'll be doing a house concert at ttheir home in Modesto. Ken is perhaps my oldest... maybe longest friend... maybe I should say longest lasting friend! He is also the other original ALMOST BROTHER and will be rescuing me on several tunes. I'm planning on bringing a couple of banjos and one of my musical saws. If you'd like to come and be with us and even talk banjers below is the information that you will need.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 10/07/2013 19:42:20

fungusgeek - Posted - 10/08/2013:  11:52:25

Lepiota rachodes is edible. However I would never recommend that anyone eat any mushroom without in-person guidance from an experienced mushroomer. There are lots of look-pretty-much-like 'shrooms. There are only a very very few that are truly deadly, but there are a fair number that will have you bending knee before the porcelain thrown. Old saying:
"There are old mushroomers, and there are bold mushroomers, but there are no old bold mushroomers."

Aradobanjo - Posted - 10/08/2013:  13:55:22

Hello,

If it has green spores, it is a deadly look alike. Leave it alone if unsure. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/08/2013:  17:55:24

Jon & John,

Thanks for the fungus advice. I'm not a bold mushroomer, the only times I've gone has been with a biologist friend of mine hunting morel mushrooms. Man were they good cooked in butter.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/08/2013:  18:20:42

TUESDAY

Teach... I don't know how many of you other teachers have had this experience. Recently I've been teaching Denton (woodturner) meditation banjo.

What is meditation banjo you ask? It is attempting to empty your mind, concentrate on your breathing (slowing it down) and just play with no objective other than play. There is no concentration on melody, scales, chords or technique, just play.

10 minutes  or so of this is extremely relaxing, in fact today I became so relaxed that I started to doze off!  ( sorry Denton) It was near the middle of Regina's lesson that I finally got myself back together... Oh boy...

Well lets play catch up on this mornings work on the Pharaoh 2 project...

Here the neck is in the vice being prepared for engraving.

The "Knowles" penciled in I make the basic marks for the graver to follow...

Engraving the letters with the graver...

After all of the engraving is complete I grab up my Grit Laskin engraving crayon to bring out the marks. I've used both this and a black oil pastel with equal success.

Next the crayon is wiped off leaving black in the scratches. Next a couple of pads of shellac seals the crayon in...

After the shellac has dried for an hour or so into the spray booth the neck goes. I'm spraying a two part finish on this one so tomorrow I'll sand it to make sure everything is filled and properly covered. If not I'll spray a bit more and if it is I'll rub it out.

SEE YA!

Kaelri - Posted - 10/08/2013:  20:45:55

The inlay work on that banjo's headstock looks masterfully done, beautiful. 

I had a question, if I may interject, about your spray booth. My husband used to paint cars in our early years together. Of course a car spray booth is quite large and is big enough for a car. But, with that in mind, I wondered,....... how large is the spray booth you need to do the work in your shop? Is it large enough that you walk into it? Or, is it something you reach into, and simply spray the parts? Do you  have to make sure it is ventilated well? Is there concern of over-spray reaching other projects? Just some strange questions that are running thru my mind after reading your last post! I got kinda curious! 

Thanks for keeping this thread running along, I am learning lots and enjoying the journey. 

Ellen

Edited by - Kaelri on 10/08/2013 20:46:47

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/09/2013:  04:52:13

Ellen,

Thanks for the questions about my spray booth. Like most things in my life there's a story that surrounds this one too.

Back about 10 years ago when I was buying my shop building, the building inspector and the fire chief informed me that I needed a spray booth.  I was told that it would have 2 layers of fire rated sheetrock on the walls each layer taped & beded. It would also have a unit capable of turning so many CFMs (I don't remember how much) , explosion proof lights and a door rated at a minim of 1 & 1/2 hour burn. Naturally I whined to my self and went to the banker and borrowed about $8,000 to build the thing.

It finished out at 10 x 12 feet (7 foot ceiling) large enough to spray small furniture projects. The walls are bright white to reflect light. I  am set up to spray with HVLP, conventional and airbrush (I don't remember the last time that I sprayed conventional). The compressors are outside of the booth, air is piped in. I put in extra lights and a door rated at 3 hours.

I can finish several projects simultaneously. I can go into the booth and spray some of the most noxious things and never smell a thing. Finishes are cleaner than ever before. And I can really see what I'm finishing. It's not much to look at, very utilitarian. 10 x 12 feet of pure heaven. By far the most expensive real estate in my shop but worth every penny!

Often times you can find me complaining about rules and regulations with the best of them, but here I am very thankful that I was forced to spend the money and do it right! I still thank both of the people who pushed me in this direction.