Patrick Hanna - Posted - 12/07/2013:  19:09:56

Well, Dan, all I can say is: It's a fabulous concept. If you did it in paint, you can do it in inlay. When it comes to these concepts, you are a more ambitious man than I am. You da' man! I know you will post progress. I am looking forward to it. I'm sure all of your followers are, too.
Patrick

The Pope - Posted - 12/07/2013:  21:39:49

Dan, that neck is going to be very unique! Very interesting concept. 

Will1717 - Posted - 12/07/2013:  22:00:21

Dan:

I got it! Why note load up the shot gun and pour a bunch of pearl pieces, brass scrap etc.etc. down the barrel and give the fingerboard a blast at close range? Next you'd just need to grind the fingerboard flat again and your ready to go! This would be much faster than all that drilling and inlay hours. Like a full out cnc inlay machine plus 100 times faster!

Bill Rickard

Edited by - Will1717 on 12/07/2013 22:04:48

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/08/2013:  03:40:49

Kirk, You might be right about the espresso, Thanks!

Dave,

Sorry this one will be fretted. Still I've found on pieces like these that the binding and the frets act like a frame or a window to what lies beyond.

Chuck, Patrick & Erick,

Thanks so much for your encouraging words!

Bill,

What a great idea! Do you think the gage and powder load will have any effect on the out come?

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 12/08/2013:  03:44:15

If the gauge is just right, the powder might give you a nice patina...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/08/2013:  03:49:34

Lew,

I think you are absoloutly right! I bet the old black powder would double the effect!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/08/2013:  05:22:53

1 YEAR ALONG

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

LUTHIER'S LIFE

I can still hear David Emery in my mind, "Take yer camera and show them what you did today." What a beautifully simple and concise (corn-size) idea. It is the idea that gave birth to this post.

Birthdays, anniversaries and such have for me always been a time of anticipation for the future and time for reflection on the past. And so I find myself this morning thinking of the year ahead and dreaming...

Today lets take a little look see into the last year...

Here it is the very first photo from the very first post. I'm holding what I conceder (hands down) one of the finest clawhammer recordings ever made: John Balch's masterwork CARRY ON JOHN...

Fixin'

Teaching...

Celebrating!

Deliverin'...

Performing...

Traveling...

Losing, Tommy Ogle....

Gaining Caleb Knowles

Creating...

Being Quite Surprised!

A roller coaster ride for sure and thoroughly wonderful! Thank you for going on this ride with me!

Yer frin'

Dan

More Soon! I promise!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/08/2013 05:26:28

Nels - Posted - 12/08/2013:  06:46:55

Wonderful.."Highlight Reel"!!

Nels - Posted - 12/08/2013:  06:53:29

As for the current neck project..again "WOW"...my wife says' "Mind boggling."

kwl - Posted - 12/08/2013:  07:37:28

Well Happy Birthday to A Luthier's Life! May there be many more. I continue to learn from your posts. I enjoy reading these post and looking at the photographs. Best wishes. 

Ken

Pine Cone - Posted - 12/08/2013:  10:24:48

Dan -

I think the Banjo Hangout folks have it right...

The word is WOW! I love the concept. I have a few nit-picky suggestions, but WOW!

It is a leap beyond any inlay work I have seen, but if anyone can do it you are the man!

I got to see Jason Mogi (as seen on Craig Evans' Banjo Builders Volume 1) play last night about five miles from the cabin pictured on the fingerboard.  An intimate performance at a local community center.  After a busy summer he is gearing up to build a bunch of banjos this next year and had an interesting one with a white oak pot, brass tone ring, and Douglas-fir neck.  While his banjos a fairly simple looking he builds a very nice banjo. 

Happy birthday to this thread, and I am honored to be a part of it.  I am really looking forward to seeing how the banjo you are building for me turns out!

Scott

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 12/08/2013:  10:26:58

I watched your interview with Craig Evans last night on the DVD. I enjoyed the interview, and the music ! Thanks Dan for doing this post.

I look forward to seeing the latest post every day.

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 12/08/2013:  12:37:25

I don't know how many fans you have in Australia, but I am one. Congratulations Dan.

dbrooks - Posted - 12/08/2013:  15:13:48

Happy birthday to this wonderful message thread.  Dan, we so admire the creativity, quality and volume of the work you produce, and it is easy to forget that you are also documenting in a quality way that invites us to feel like we are somehow sharing in the process.  I would like to be able to take wonderful photographs like you do, but even that is beyond me.  I guess my role is to be a most appreciative audience member.

David

DEmery - Posted - 12/08/2013:  17:12:50

Heck Dan...I plugged in tonight and saw it was December 8th and knew it was the year mark for your thread. I thought it would be fun to post a comment to remind you; but boy am I late to the game.  It must be fun to look back and see what all you did for the past 365 days. Hope we can do this again in a year. This has been fun. David E.

jbalch - Posted - 12/08/2013:  17:20:18

Congratulations my friend.  I'm looking forward to MUCH more...

Here are four more photos for the collection. This was the famous slot-head for "Sherry Lynne" "swap."   It was epic....

the negotiation

the exchange

Dan's new banjer

Dave's new banjer

Woodturner - Posted - 12/08/2013:  17:21:33

Dan...that new neck project...wow...and holy cow.  I'm so anxious to see how this progresses.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/08/2013:  19:36:50

I'M TAKING OVER!

That's correct you may look and you may think that I'm just a dog (Just a dog, the gaul of you humans), but I can run this thing. That Knowles guy is off working on his bathroom. You'd think he'd just visit the bushes and trees like any smart being would do. There is no accounting for taste. I even got his wife Debra (who thinks she owns me, amazing these crazy humans) to make a photo of me working, because I knew that you wouldn't believe me when I tell you about my involvement.

Normally I just edit these posts. You wouldn't believe how bat that mans spelling and English is. He thinks he's so slick but the sucker can't even speak caninish, much less spell it. 'Nough of this complaining...

HERE I AM...I'M THE BOSS DAWG! AND I'M WRITING THIS THING!

Nels & Ken & Scott & Marvin & C Nyal & David & David & John & everybody else who reads this thing...

I realize that until now you didn't appreciate my involvement in this post, but I want you to know that I take all of your complements to heart. My tail is wagging even now.

Scott,

That feller is just about eat up with this project. All he did was dot, dot, dot for two days. The lazy sucker would reach over ever so often and pet me, but did he get down on his knees and play dog with me? I think not! Just paint and more paint. Anyway I know he's glad that you like (well maybe more than just like) his design and that crazy idea of his. Why he can't just cut the stuff out like any sane inlay artist would do is beyond me.  Still it seams to satisfy him to try and challenge himself  with stuff like this.  I'll talk to him about the white oak pot & doug fir neck, sometimes he will even listen to me!

Denton,

I'll try and remind him to carry the painting down to the shop to show you. I'm not sure why I'd  need to do that, he'll probably wear you out with the thing! You might even have to force him away to give you a lesson!

John & David,

You were the fellas that got the ole' man involved in the BanjoHangout and  he thanks ya, not only for this, but for being true friends. And you know as well as I do how much we all need true friends.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/08/2013 19:40:17

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 12/08/2013:  20:51:03

Give me your address Boss Dawg and I'll send you a nice kangaroo bone for Christmas.

Paul R - Posted - 12/08/2013:  21:57:09

Happy first anniversary, Dan & Dog! (Who's the master?)

It's been an amazing ride, entertaining, educational, and illuminating. That you are able and willing to take the time to respond to each and every poster, Dan, is a bonus and is above being considerate. Congratulations to you, sir!

Paul

Nels - Posted - 12/09/2013:  08:22:45

I just knew there was a "Big Dawg" in charge somewhere!!!  or maybe it's "Top Dawg"!!!!

Edited by - Nels on 12/09/2013 08:23:45

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 12/09/2013:  11:48:54

Dan: You certainly think outside the box, I like it a lot...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/09/2013:  21:18:27

C Nyal,

I'll do that!

Paul & Lyndon,

Thanks so much!

Nels,

DEmery - Posted - 12/10/2013:  03:36:05

Dan I suspected you had editorial and creative support for all the writing. Now we know. There is always a power dawging us toward excellence. Now we know the fuzzy truth. Good photo of the pup. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/10/2013:  18:34:15

David,

Sophie sez thanks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/10/2013:  20:05:08

TEACHIN' TUESDAY

Tuesday is always teaching day here at Knowles String Instruments and today was no exception. All but a couple of my students showed up except for a couple of my favorites (one out of town and another sick). Still it was good to watch the learners grab and go!

I always try and get some other work done on Tuesdays and today was no exception. One of the things I've wanted to do is re design my slot head peghead. I'm wanting something more archaic and yet different. I've been fooling with changing various dimensions, there are certain parameters and trying to fudge the lines around for more interest is rather difficult. I decided to take a close look at a couple examples that I have in the shop. This is a James Ashborn 1852 parlor guitar...

Oh yes and in the middle of designing I talked to the insurance company about a certain accident...

I've had a several inquiries about my "Mini-banjos" and yes I do have a couple for sale... perfect for children for Christmas (sponsored add!)

In between all sorts of other stuff I rewired this B.C. Rich electric and set it up. Someone had attempted to re affix wires on one of the pots with chewing gum! I thought I'd seen it all!

more tomorrow!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 12/11/2013:  02:37:06

Dan, about thirty-five years ago, I had a black and white TV come into the shop that had no control of the Horizontal Hold  (remember Black and White TV's and Horizontal and Vertical Controls!?). When I took the back off the TV, I discovered that the owner had tried to repair the TV himself. This set had a tuning coil for the control. One of the coil wires had broken loose from it's mounting lug.

There was a Band-Aid stuck across the bad connection!

Nels - Posted - 12/11/2013:  03:50:43

Ahhhh I wondered who first said.."This is all "gummed up"!"  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/11/2013:  16:31:24

Marvin...

I love human creativity!

Nels,

That's exactly what my wife said!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/11/2013:  19:27:33

WEDNESDAY 12-11-2013

Goodness gracious I just looked at the date for today and it just sunk in... it's awfully close to Christmas and I'm not fully ready... What else is new? It seams like each year I just feel later and later. Maybe it's just more grandkids and other family and friends I wish to do stuff for and I see a whole lot that I need to do...

But today,

Beside working on some repairs I started down the back stretch on Wills banjo inlay project. Hopefully I'll be inlaying the planets and some stars this week.

First though, I glued the planets to various sized dowels, bolt head & etc. so I could mount them on the lathe and true them up. I enjoy turning stuff on the lathe so this was cool. Here I'm turning Neptune (I think... well I'm sure it ain't Pluto cause Pluto ain't no planet!)...

Some of the bigger pieces need to be cut for fret slots. This spreads the pieces out just a bit. This keeps them from looking so shrunken as they would if I waited until all of the pieces were glued in and then slot them.

The fingerboard is painted white with tempra,  then the pieces are glued on for marking. I use Titebond  for this. Its hold is just firm enough but the joint breaks with very little prying.

Everybody glued down and curing. tomorrow I'll mark mark their spots and perhaps begin the routing process.

Oh ya, one other thing that I did today. I made photos of and then placed OTHELLO (ebony banjo 2) for sale in the BHO classifieds. Here are some photos of OTHELLO the ebony wonder. If you get a chance check it out!

MORE TOMORROW!

Dave1climber - Posted - 12/11/2013:  20:20:49

Dan

I find it hard to believe that its possible for you to sell Othello at any price.  Its a bargain at the listed price, whoever purchases Othello will not be disappointed.

DEmery - Posted - 12/12/2013:  04:20:48

I got to play that ebony Othello and it is a fine player. It has a shorter scale {25" I think} than Dan's other ebony banjo.It feels great. David E.

jbalch - Posted - 12/12/2013:  06:10:59

Othello is indeed an amazing instrument - in every way.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/12/2013:  19:59:22

Dave,

Othello is indeed a special banjo to me. This is the instrument is the celebration of the first yeas that I spent performing on the Queens (Delta, American & Mississippi) and the River Explorer. It was built after the river tourism industry shut down in 2008. I thought it would never return and I was missing it like were I to loose a limb. This was the instrument that allowed me to work through this loss and move on. In this this banjo has blessed me. Now it is time for Othello to bring joy to another. I am hoping to find someone who will give it the home it deserves.

David,

How right you are.  Othello has a bit shorter scale 25 1/2 and as such I have used it as an "A" scale banjo and i standard tuning. It excels at both.

John,

Thank you!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/12/2013:  20:30:37

THURSDAY

I went and had coffee with the fellas at Jacks Java (on the courthouse square) this morning. Joe and his son Brice, Jim and Bob were there. I really enjoy the lively intelligent conversation. I don't get to go down for coffee as often as I'd like. I try for at least once a month and sometimes I even make it!

A special client of mine requested some photos of some various neck woods that we had been discussing. So I went back to one of the wood stacks and retrieved some neck blanks that were fairly representational of the species that we had been talking about. Here they are: Silver maple (not fancy at all), Mahogany & Walnut.

Without having seen these photos he told me what really attracted him, this little bit which you may have seen before. At least David Emery sure has!

Yesterday we got Wills inlay pieces glued down on the fingerboard. Well after marking their location today I prized the inlay pieces off...

Then went right into the routing...

And more routing... I hope to get the pieces all glued in place tomorrow.

One more photo of Othello!

More real soon!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/12/2013 20:32:30

DEmery - Posted - 12/13/2013:  04:24:56

Dan I don't know who the special friend is that wanted to see wood blanks; but I do in fact recognize part of your photo group on necks. I still think that maple Saint Augustine neck and finish is one for the books and yes you have done other great ones for me...........David E.

Goshen Headstock and engraved Bone Tuners

Ebony Banjo - Sherry Lynne

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/13/2013:  20:27:05

David,

Every time I see photos  of Goshen I am pleasantly reminded of that build. What fun that was for my Great granddad to build a presentation grade banjo in 1880 for your great granddad. It's amazing how our aunts sisters got together without the internet in Rome, Conn.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/13/2013:  20:44:40

FRIDAY THE 13TH.

I'm not sure it was a bad luck day for me, but for those of you who like to read this post and see the photos, it might not be so good. I'm not sure how I did it, but after importing all of the photos from the SD card I managed to gracefully delete them (from both the computer & card!). I so wanted to show some photos of the progress on Will's banjo neck inlay... Will got some good shots of it when he came by the shop tonight. Perhaps he'll post some...

Any how, all of the major pieces are now inlaid and leveled. It's neat to see all of the colors and the design just pop!

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be taking Sam, Rachael and their kids up to Nashville so they can go ride the big Southwest airplane out to California for Christmas. So tonight we had early Christmas here at the old Knowles manse. It is always fun to se the young folks open up their presents! We ought to have Christmas more often!

I most always have fun with my grandkids and here is proof! Debbie caught me giving Calib a piggy back ride just like I used to do his dad when he was that age.

More tomorrow!

Nels - Posted - 12/14/2013:  05:13:31

Now that's a happy horsey and cowboy!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/14/2013:  20:46:23

Nels,

You are so correct!

DEmery - Posted - 12/15/2013:  03:15:47

Oh Dan....I recall our aunts did in fact get together on the net and determined the name for your skin heads Royal Conn. David E.

Carved frailing scoop

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/15/2013:  05:19:16

David,

Ithat's what Sophie remembers 2!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/15/2013:  05:49:07

SATURDAY DECEMBER 15, 2013

Friday evening while Sam an Rachael & the grandkids were over having Christmas a neighbors shop burned. The Building was the former Louis and Williams Grocery, the Windfall Cafe (where I performed with Sam & Tylar a couple of years ago and most recently a Antique restoration shop. The folks that own it were planning to put in an apartment upstairs (for them selves). No one was hurt thank goodness. The fire seamed fairly extensive, basement 1 & 2ed floor but didn't make it through the roof. I'm hoping the building can still be saved.

Saturday morning in the shop found Eric & Kevin (Steve) sanding away on their finishes. Eric got most of his complete and the first buffing. But poor Kevin had a couple of rub through spots on his neck. So Monday I'll squirt some finish on those places.  

One o'clock arrived and Sam, Rachael & their kids climbed into the van for a trip the the big city of Nashville. Debbie and I are members of the Adventure Science Center. When you have as many grandkids a we do it is a great Boon! The young folks all love this place and many fun hours are passed here. There is a whole aria of Solar System stuff including a star room, where you enter this place where the stars are on all sides of you... above below and all around. It scares Anna who doesn't like the uncanny feeling of floating the room imparts. Here Anna doesn't mind the planets.

They have a Moonwalk exhibition where you get to experience the moons gravity. This was the first time Anna was big enough to try it out. She couldn't walk but had a large time bouncing.

Here we are at the... oh ya North pole. They are (L to R) Abby, Amber, Anna, Me & Calib.

MORE SOON!

Big O - Posted - 12/15/2013:  11:33:04

Dan look like you and those kids had the times of their live :)

cbcarlisle - Posted - 12/15/2013:  13:18:30

That's a mammoth project...pix, too!

Pine Cone - Posted - 12/15/2013:  14:28:02

It's just more proof about how large our solar system really is...

 

Edited by - Pine Cone on 12/15/2013 14:28:27

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/16/2013:  03:45:47

Will,

Thanks for posting those photos, they are so much better than mine!

WillT - Posted - 12/16/2013:  06:50:25

Going to break the previous linked pics and make them smaller now that I'm at a computer. Make them a little more manageable.

Edited by - WillT on 12/16/2013 07:00:16

WillT - Posted - 12/16/2013:  07:04:43

Let's see if these are a little more size appropriate. 

Galileo1

Galileo2

Galileo3