Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/16/2013:  10:47:47

Ron,

Sorry....I'll try and do better next time....

WillT - Posted - 12/16/2013:  11:12:06

Dan, check this out: Nebulae images

The Horse Head nebula is a well known one. May be some ideas there for some literal Space filling.

And here for Casiopea: bitacoradegalileo.files.wordpr...pg​

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/16/2013:  18:16:21

Will,

Thanks for the links! Those are amazing!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/16/2013:  18:37:38

STARGAZING

If you haven't looked at the nebula images that Will put up a link to, you should. But just in case you are feeling lazy I just have to post a few. I've shrunk then down a bit but if you follow his links you can see them in their full size. These things are absolutely beautiful!

Here is one (I believe) that is called the Pillars of Creation...

And the Horse Head Nebula...

Now for a couple of my more down to earth photos....

I spent a good while today doing the first layer of stars on Wills banjo neck. Although time consuming these are one of the simpler jobs in working up this design.

First I drilled a series of tiny holes between the stars on the fingerboard....

The holes are slightly larger than the brass wire I'm using to fill the holes. It goes like this: drill the holes, jab in some glue, stick the wire into the hole & clip it off.

MORE TOMORROW!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/16/2013 18:42:15

Paul R - Posted - 12/16/2013:  21:37:30

Thanks for the nebulae, Dan. But, horse head, my patootie. That looks like a 'gator head to me. And, slightly left of centre it looks like someone looking at us and holding his hand/fingers out, close to the camera. See it?

Another fascinating inlay job you're doing. Every one is different. You just keep on creating, finding new ways to amaze.

Paul

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/17/2013:  17:49:15

Paul,

Thank you so much.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/17/2013:  18:16:57

100,000 READS CONTEST

I've been watching the number of reads on this forum just keep climbing and I am amazed. We should pass 95,000  in just a short bit. Who'd a thunk it... Soon we will reach the magic number of 100,000, Our friend David Emery suggested that I do something special to celebrate this mile marker. So this is what I am gonna do.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE  US A CONTEST

 Not just any contest. A story writing contest.

A 100 word story contest.

Here's the deal:

I'm working on one of my small paintings (4x4 in.), I should complete it tomorrow evening and tomorrow or Thursday I'll post a picture of it. I'm going to give this as a prize  to the writer of the best story.

Here are the rules:

1. At some point in the story this sentence must be included. " There laying on the floor, by the banjo, was the broken glass."

2. The story needs a minimum of 90 words.

3. The story may have no more than 100 words.

4. It must be in my email inbox no later than the day we reach 100,000 reads on this forum.

I'll have several writer friends read and judge the stories and I'll post the winning entry here on the BHO.

That's it...

Sharpen yer pens!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/17/2013:  18:43:14

TEACHIN' ON TUESDAY

Yep, you guessed it, I taught today. What's more everybody showed up.  Next week they get away from me and my abuse! Christmas and all. Still I gave them enough to keep them busy over the Holliday... Ha that'll teach 'um!

This morning before anybody showed up I did get some other stuff accomplished.

Some tooling arrived yesterday which should allow me to make the 1,000 or so dots that I'll need for Pine Cone's  inlay. I kind of know how I think that I'll do this and so this is my first step. Gluing various pieces to these chunks of hard board. I'm using a water soluble glue.

Here they are glued up. Not enough for the project but enough to start soon.

I pulled out some of the highly figured silver maple for the banjo neck.

Here's a chunk. Check out the figure. This is from the same board as David Emery's St. Augustine.

And here's Will's banjo neck. More constellations are installed...

I just looked we've hit 95,014, you folks are amazing! Thank you!!!!!!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/18/2013:  18:04:55

CONTEST UPDATE

ALREADY THE STORIES ARE POURIN' IN!!! (Well if you count three as a pour) And nobody's seen the painting yet.

I figure to unveil it at the end of this update.

Last night after I finished the posts, I hooked the computer up to Tedtalks and let 'um talk. I painted. About 12:30 I said to myself, "Self, you are done." so I stopped.

Here it is this will be the prize.

it's called MOONPICK

TONIGHTS POST IN JUST A MINUTE....

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/18/2013:  18:34:46

WEDNESDAY

I've been wanting to see if my idea for making dots would work. This is how it went...

Since the glue is dry (from sitting overnight), I chopped the hardboard into manageable sizes.

Then I partially filled a plastic drawer with water and using a core drill I went to dot making. It was a near failure. Raw material crushed. The core drill packed with crushed particles. It was one big mess! Frustrated I quit and went to doing other stuff.

I thought, yah, yah, yah Mr. talk big and see what you get!

I couldn't quit thinking about those dots. I figured I'd need to order a few thousand from Chuck Erickson, Rescue pearl or DePaul Supply.

When I came home for lunch I went on the internet to check...things were not looking good. Nobody seamed to have just what I wanted.

Then I thought surly somebody has done this thing! I did the Google thing and found a very nice post from Watt Fawley on his dot set up rig. Very ingenious. But not what I thought I was looking for. Then on the Mandolin Cafe I found a cutter someone had made to cut side dots for mandolins. Still not what I wanted exactly, but very close. With all that in mind I went back to the shop. Thinking...

I dove off into several other projects, this neck rub out among them.

Some where as I worked along, I started seeing in my mind how to reshape my core drill to do what I wanted. I started around 4:45 milling on the drill bit until it was shaped like I thought I needed it to be. I jabbed it up into the drill press and went at it. Just before I left at 6:30 I made this photo. Only about 1,900 more to go!

MORE TOMORROW...

DEmery - Posted - 12/18/2013:  18:36:37

Dan in honor of your art work and contest...I will swipe Moon Pick as a temporary Avatar. I don't seem me in the word-smith running; but my tiny ownership in an Avatar is pretty close. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/19/2013:  10:22:44

David,

Feel free to use Moon Pick. You have always been good with words, I hope you'll try on this one. Maybe a story involving some of the folks you work with?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/19/2013:  17:28:37

THURSDAY UP ON THE ROOF

Up on the roof is an understatement. Last week we had a bunch of rain. The shop roof leaked. So this morning I went up on the roof to do a look- see, hopefully to find the problem. I have a rubber bladder roof on the building. I'm told that the black ones are good for about 10 years. This one has been on the building for about 12 years now. Quickly I found a problem. there was a tear in a upper corner. I went down, got in the van and drove to the lumber yard. I bought a 10'X12' piece of roofing, a gallon of glue & a couple of brushes. I started around 8:30 and figured I'd be down  in a hour or so. No dice! It was almost 4 PM when I finished. There were seams which had separated (although at first glance they looked good). There were small holes which had to be patched. I ended up using 2 gallons of the seam glue. But it's done and I'm glad. Rain is supposed to be coming in this evening. I figure I'll need to roof the place within the next year and I hope to do it with the white rubber. I'm told it will last about twice then the black will.

Here is the only photo for today... This is the roofs eye view.

CONTEST UPDATE

4,350 left to go until we hit 100,000. More stories have come in. Each is fascinating! And so different! I am excitedly hoping everybody will give this a try!

Nels - Posted - 12/20/2013:  05:07:10

Sleigh damage this time of year is the most prevalent kind of roof damage causing leaks.  You might consider a designated landing pad for the occasional sleigh!

Kaelri - Posted - 12/20/2013:  07:06:59

wow...95,804..........getting so close!

Steven M - Posted - 12/20/2013:  13:35:23

Flat roofs are nightmare everytime!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/20/2013:  18:47:12

Nels,

I just figured it was an old roof... sleigh.....

Ellen,

It sure is something, isn't it? It ought to reach 96,000 tonight. Thanks for the story.

Steven,

Even in England too!?!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/20/2013:  19:23:27

FRIDAY

Just a few days until Christmas. It's interesting how when you reach you dotage (like me) watching the little folks at Christmas time is such a joy.  Debra and I went to Clarksville today to pick up three of our grandkids. First thing after we got to our house Keaton and Braden ran to the tree and started checking out the presents. There's nothing like it.

Today our panel of judges for the 100 word story contest was finally completed. We will have four very competent jurists.  Tonight I'll tell you a bit about them and tomorrow night I'll try to post some photos. 

They are:

Susan Jones, former publisher and editor of Paris Magazine and sister to Tony award winning actress Cherry Jones.

Aiden James, Best selling Paranormal Author of Cades Cove, Pyramid of the Gods, The Forgotten Eden and other novels.

Bob Johnson, Author and retired professor of German Literature at Washington University in Seattle, Washington.

Joe Snow, Published cartoonist extraordinary and local genius, passably one of the most creative people I have ever known.

Along with these great folks more stories have come in. Each are so different and unique. I always knew BHO folks were amazing! Keep them coming I'd love to be able to hand them a bunch of work!

I worked on making more dots today. I can only stand at the drill press so long when my back starts complaining. Today for instance I was drilling out dots, thinking thoughts a thousand miles away and my back spoke up and said, "I'm bored."

"You are what?" I asked.

"Bored."

"How can you be bored? You don't even have a mind!"

It was then it pinched me and so tonight as I'm typing I'm sitting with the Shiatzu massager giving me a work over. It feels pretty good. I'll have to talk to my back more often.

Here I am drilling out dots with my drillin' out dots rig...

Todays dots...

A Gibson SG. Broken headstock. I'm working on the hiding of the repair...

Ready for tomorrows shooting...

MORE TOMORROW!

northwoodspicker - Posted - 12/20/2013:  21:51:49

How did you locate those panelists and enlist them to review the stories?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/21/2013:  03:36:14

Joseph,

Each are old & dear friends of mine. I asked and they said "Yes!"

Steven M - Posted - 12/21/2013:  13:46:25

We tend to have pitched roofs, especially older buildings. However where you find a flat one, they will tend to fail much sooner that a good old Georgian peg tile roof.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/21/2013:  19:34:12

Steven,

Thanks! I love to see some photos of those old buildings sometime.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/22/2013:  07:05:00

SATURDAY HIDING OUT IN WAL(IE) WORLD

"CODE BLACK, CODE BLACK. ALL CUSTOMERS PROCEED TO THE BACK OF THE STORE! CODE BLACK, A TORNADO IS APPROACHING! PROCEED TO THE BACK OF THE STORE!"  Came the shaky voice over the P. A. "Shucks" I thought "We were just about to check out, oh well I guess we better go."

That was how Debra, Chandan & I wound up in the back of the local Paris Wallie World (known to some as Wal-Mart), packed like canned smoked oysters by the service desk with all sorts of friends and neighbors. Nervousness was on everybodys face. Who wants to be picked up and sent to OZ from a Wal-Mart store? Is Dorothy here? Toto? Where are the maps of Munchkin Land?

Out popped the I-phones, yes we were under a Tornado Warning... but were there any tornados?

Then came that same P.A. voice, "All associates to the break room!"

"Oh no," someone said, "It must be coming, Their having a prayer meeting."

"No worries," came another voice "We're not in trouble unless they are bent over and kissing their butts goodby."

I-phones again, no tornado anywhere...

45 minutes later we were checking out, ready to vacate the store.

Home sweet home. I sat down to do the post, power goes out. So we lit candles & kerosene lamps. I grabbed up Sherry Lynn (the 1st. ebony banjo) and started playing. So this is what our house must have been like when it was new 114 years ago.

******************************************************************************************

Isn't it funny how a row of stars look just like a row of people holding hands?

PHOTOS OF OUR JUDGES

FOR THE 100 WORD STORY CONTEST

SUSAN JONES,

former publisher & editor of Paris Magazine...

JOE SNOW,

Artist, writer and Cartoonist.

BOB JOHNSON

There he is... the rider all the way on the left!

AIDEN JAMES,

author of more paranormal novels than I should list here...

96,557

more soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/23/2013:  18:45:19

MONDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE - EVE

In the shop today with two of my favorite students, Kevin Bailey and Eric Cendejas. Both are working furiously to finish their guitars before the first of the year. They are already itchin' to start new ones. Both of their guitars are coming out really very nice. Furthermore each has promised me a story for our 100 word story contest. Which by the way, stories keep coming in and are ever so interesting. I feel as though I'm getting to know each of the you better.

Anyhow, here's Eric checking for holiday's in  his guitars finish...

And Kevin is sanding to 2000 grit! The boy has True Grit!

Meanwhile I did what I hope are the last French polish passes in this crack repair...

And worked on this 'un... I'm sure nobody's interested in this.. a 1936 Gibson RB-1.  This instrument is much like the later RB-100 with just a 1/4"  hoop for a tone ring. Still all in all an nice banjo. I took it all apart to clean, polish, put an new head on, string and set up. Here I'm taking it apart with one of my favorite banjo working tools, a Black & Decker cordless screwdriver . The chuck perfectly fits these Gibson nuts... 

In the ultrasonic cleaner for a little bath...

As the metal work is cleaned, both the rim and the resonator get cleaned and buffed to a nice shine. The finish on this banjo is in amazing shape. 

After a good cleaning and fret polishing the fingerboard is oiled...

Here it is, with strings and all...

Here I'm pickin' & singin' John Hartford's Steam Powered Areo-Plain... on the old RB-1.

96,928--- 3,072 to go! 

More on Christmas Eve (I hope)!

northwoodspicker - Posted - 12/24/2013:  00:21:39

How does the RB1 sound?

Nels - Posted - 12/24/2013:  13:34:21

Merry Christmas, Dan!! and to all on the "Luthiers Life"

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/24/2013:  15:35:34

Joseph,

The RB-1 is a good sounding instrument. It has a mid to bright tone with a quick decay of notes. I personally like more sustain. It sounded especially nice low tuned (to E) and would make a killer banjo with heavy strings.

Nels,

Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you too! 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/24/2013:  19:29:56

NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

It is the night before Christmas and all through our house

All five us our are stirring, and we hope not a mouse.

The stockings were packed in our chifirobe with pearl

I'm running out of rymes so I guess I'll be still...

I have a young grandson who waits for a gift

So a banjo I string, His heart soon to lift

But steel sting are hard for small fingers to press

So nylon strings are the choice that is best!

So string them I did, and play them also

here it is with the new stings before I go

On to the next job that I must complete

Before I go home my dinner to eat. 

An ancient old steel body National soon I must fix

Today I prepare its problems to nix.

With my cutters the stings snap and they part

When the last one is cut it gladdens my heart.

The coverplate and its screws I soon did remove

All of the fuzz would have given me the blues,

Till a hose and a vacuum I quickly employed

Until all of that nasty stuff soon was deployed.

Off came the dots,

out with the screws,

Until the neck could be quickly removed.

Now how to complete this long rhyming verse

Some of it bad,  much of it worse.

Still there are words I hope to get right,

Merry Christmas to all,

And to all Good Night!

97,361

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/24/2013 19:30:53

Big O - Posted - 12/24/2013:  19:34:54

Merry Christmas and may God bless everyone.

Kaelri - Posted - 12/24/2013:  20:19:36

You always give us more than what we expect! So, we not only got a Christmas Eve post.........but also a rhyme!

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones Dan, from our family. Also, Merry Christmas to all who drop in here to see what Mr Knowles is up to each day! I hope you get to take tomorrow off and spend it with your family.

Ellen

Wrags - Posted - 12/24/2013:  21:41:12

Thanks for the poem Dan!

Merry Christmas 

northwoodspicker - Posted - 12/24/2013:  23:19:03

Merry Christmas to you too from Washington state!

Paul R - Posted - 12/24/2013:  23:33:04

Just back from midnight mass and saw this - fantastic! Thank you for keeping us entertained and educated throughout the Luthier's Life thread. It's so much better than television!

Merry Christmas, Dan, and to your entire family, also to the BHO family!

kwl - Posted - 12/25/2013:  06:21:29

Merry Christmas Dan and to all who participate in A Luthier's Life.

Ken

bradtheraddad - Posted - 12/25/2013:  16:15:27

Yes, Merry Christmas, all! Dan, I'm hoping to see you on my annual trip to Mississippi. I have to run up to Owensboro to see a family member adn Paris, TN is on the way. Problem is, my wife is 8 months pregnant so we may not travel, all depends on how she's feeling. One way or another, I'll make it up either now or later in the year. Hope everyone is enjoying their time with family and friends!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/26/2013:  10:31:41

CHUCK, ELLEN, CHARLIE, JOSEPH, PAUL, KEN, BRAD & ALL MY BANJER HANGOUT FRIENDS,

Thank you for all of your kind words both in your postings and emails. This has been so wonderful for my family and me 2!

Yesterday we spent with my wife's folks and with some of our grandkids and now we'll be leaving in just a few minutes to travel to Louisville to visit with our kids & grandkids up there. 

Oh boy, even as I'm writing this a package just arrived from my buddy Bill Rickard! I guess I'll sign off now, open it, see what goodies are inside and then hit the road.

Next Post

Louisville, Kentucky!

Dave1climber - Posted - 12/26/2013:  12:00:45

Dan

When I get a package from Bill Rickard every thing stops until I can take care of the contents.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/27/2013:  17:15:46

Dave,

Isn't that ever the truth! We were packing up to leave and I just had to stop and open the package!

dbrooks - Posted - 12/27/2013:  19:11:27

Welcome to Louisville, Dan.  I wouldn't want to take time away from your family, but I do want you to know that my Bay State banjo that you worked on is developed a fine voice.  The Aquila Reds seem to bring out the best in this banjo.  Have a great holiday and a prosperous 2014.

David

Tom Berghan - Posted - 12/27/2013:  22:34:24

Hello Dan!  Hope you and the Knowles family had a wonderful and relaxing first Christmas in the "new" old home! And, I wish you the very best for 2014!

---

For all the Dan Knowles fans, of which I am certainly one - - Here is a little video of a pretty special banjo that Dan built for me about two years ago!  What a beauty.

youtube.com/watch?v=8-YGjpNn_e...-eu2mgdvQ

Kirk Jacobs - Posted - 12/28/2013:  05:44:44

First let me say fantastic playing and tone, Tom.  Second, do you mean to tell me Dan was doing all this luthier stuff before 12/8/2012? 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/28/2013:  19:07:02

David,

I do wish time would have allowed for a visit this time. I would have been nice to see both you and your Bay State and pick a tune or two. Still it's great to know that your banjo is still  performing well. Best wishes in the new year to you and yours.

Tom,

Oh is it ever nice to see & hear Orpheus again. I have very fine memories f the hours I spent watching her come to life. Your playing does her more than justice. I do wonder though, have you ever worked any of your lute pieces up for the Banjo d'Amore? My wishes for you and Susan are the same!

Kirk,

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, don't tell anybody!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/28/2013:  19:20:38

BACK HOME IN PARIS

We arrived back home a few hours ago from Louisville, Kentucky. We popped in brought all our stuff in the house and then I headed to the shop to set it up for a recording session with Eddie Coffey (Bass, Slide Guitar & DADGAD Guitar), Mark Holladay (Guitar), Danny Conger (Fiddle) and me doin' my thing. Here is what we have as a tentetive song list, Sunflower Dance, Spanish Fandango, Midnight Watch, Two Old Men and John Hardy. It is really not too much to expect out of these boys. I'll let you know what we accomplish when I report in tomorrow evening.

We have reached a very interesting number of reads this evening 98,555. I bet that we make the 100,000 figure by the first of the year!

trapdoor2 - Posted - 12/28/2013:  19:40:58

Y'know, it does my heart good to see that you're still playing "Sunflower Dance". I need to come up to the shop to visit again and plant some more 1890's classic banjo seeds.

I think I will make that a New Year's resolution: road trip to Paris, TN. Maybe sometime in the summer.

BTW, are you planning on getting over to Lebanon, TN for "Breaking Up Winter" this coming March 6-9?

===Marc

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/28/2013:  20:14:49

Marc,

I don't know if I've ever formaly thanked you for introducing me to the Sunflower Dance. Thank You! It has become a tune that I am privilaged to play in many of my shows. It always gets audience. Again THANK YOU! I don't know if breaking up Winter will be in my plans yet, so much depends on how the bookings go. It has been way too long since I've seen you!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/29/2013:  19:47:45

SUNDAY STUDIO

As I promised today was Sunday in the studio, the studio being the front room of my shop.Danny, Eddie, Mark and I had a great time and got a good deal done. Not as much as we had hoped to, but still quite a bit. Because we are recording everything with very, very minimal overdubbing (recording it basically live, if ya mess up we do it again) practice, setup and micing becomes critical. With these fellas though it is all possible. Even with complicated arraignments  these guys shine. Maybe I should say that they just revel in difficulty! We were able to complete Eddie Coffey's wonderful GIRL IN THE WALL, a beautiful DADGAD waltz (it swirls with a Calliope feel almost like a carousel), two songs from the 1890's the SUNFLOWER DANCE & SPANISH FANDANGO and we finished up with the great Celtic tune SOUTHWIND.

After we got finished recording, but before we departed, as photos for the BHO were needed, we gathered together and made this series...

(from left to right) Eddie got kind of lost so we shot the next one where I tried to knock down one of the sound barriers. Here we were all laughing at the pure silliness of it!

Before I sign off I drop another reminder for those of you who havent sent your 100 word stories in yet... we are almost to the last 1,000 reads (currently @ 98,853).

More tomorrow!

Kaelri - Posted - 12/30/2013:  05:46:12

Dan, If it is ok with the other "contest story submitters", I think it would be interesting if you could "sprinkle" some of our non-winning stories into your thread from time to time. I would love to hear what others have submitted to 

see the realm of what goes through the minds of us BHO=ers!  

By the way, thanks for the info on the songs for your upcoming CD. Now I REALLY can't wait to hear it!

Ellen

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/30/2013:  18:46:57

Ellen,

Have you learned to read my mind?  I'd like to post some of the stories. They have been so good that  I'm sure other BHO folks will find them interesting too.

We are shooting for a release date (for the new CD) around the 2ed. week in Febuary.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 12/30/2013:  19:19:05

CAMERA, WHAT CAMERA? 

(or SD card either)

My father used to say, Excuses are the nails in the coffin of success!" In fact he'd make us repeat it if we ever made an excuse.

I'd say,"But Dad, this ain't an excuse... it's a reason!"

It wouldn't work it didn't matter if there lying on the floor, by the banjo, was the broken glass.

Where did that come from? Boy am I slipping. I was just going to explain why I don't have my homework assignment and that popped up! 

I forgot the SD card that I use for photos this morning.

I forgot the SD card when I came home for lunch.

At 3:30 this afternoon when I remembered that I had forgotton the SD card I could have come home for that little blue thing. But did I? Nope.

There I said it... I didn't even make an excuse even though I had a great one worked up. Some of it might even have been true!

So folks I'm sorry. I'll do better next time.

But there'll be no new photos tonight. I do have some interesting old ones though. So here goes:

This is the tailpiece for David Emery's Goshen banjo.

My grandson Keaton (age 5) cutting pearl...

Cavalquinha La Chicka Rocha...

Cuttin' a very old piece of Spanish cedar into banjo necks...

My friend, Bill Rickard...

Old friends, John Balch & David Emery...

MORE TOMORROW!

99,176

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 12/30/2013 19:26:26