Aradobanjo - Posted - 07/04/2014:  14:54:20

Hello,

Check the headers of this email. For Office 2013, open the email. Click on File. Select Properties. No, treasure ships do not come in this form. Pirate ships do come in this form. Look for sources that are from overseas, .cn, .cz, .ru or others  Send me an note with the headers.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/04/2014:  16:07:13

Heck Fire John,

I really thought that fate had smiled on me! So it wasn't silver after all, just Long John Silver! Who'd a thunk it! Fools Gold fer sure...Well here is Mr. Paul Smith and Ass 's email .... nearli... ...st.smith@wi.rr.com

I guess it's now time to head off to the fireworks. The young folks are ready and then some.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 07/04/2014 16:10:59

Nels - Posted - 07/04/2014:  16:40:42

a..Dan and on 'Independence Day' no less!!!!! Yer worries are over....unless you repond...then yer worries will just be beginning!!

Dan Drabek - Posted - 07/04/2014:  17:03:06

Sounds like one of your Nigerian relatives. Congratulations on your new found wealth. There's an heir born every minute. :->

DD

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/04/2014:  17:48:39

Hmmm it is nice to know that yer long lost relative is still trying to do the right thing bye you..I mean he contacted me some 13years ago and was working for the nigerian government an was trying to help me out with some money he inherited. I had just finished buying a new truck, so I was short on the funds he needed to help transfer some of his riches to my account....this is one gift horse I wouldn't want to saddle up on.

Happy 4th

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/05/2014:  05:03:18

Nels, Dan & Doug,

I jus' wisht heed kall mi. I ain't never takled to nobody frum Nigerier afore! Evin ift he is a pirate!

Well it's coffee, breakfast time now then off to the shop... see y'all soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/05/2014:  05:23:08

Dan

That coffee, breakfast, shop sounds just right. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/06/2014:  10:34:29

Dave,

 It sure would!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/06/2014:  14:20:23

SATURDAY on SUNDAY

Ok now this may be a bit corn fusin'  at least fer me, bein' as this is Sunday an' it leaves me wonderin how I can have a Saturday on Sunday 'er viser versa... Well here'z a bit'a what win'  on yestidai...

This looks like my hands, I must be layin' out the angle fer some trees...

Huh... still looks like me drillin' some holes so as I can plant some o those trees... maybe put some dots in to kinda look a bit like trees,,, (oops wrong button)...

Well lookie here, it must be Kevin cuttin' out the soundhole  in his new guitar top...

Cool jewels, a close up of it!

Back to me with my Nechville shirt... workin on a Eppiphone guitar set up...

Here I am again, fillin' in the holes with colored epoxy so in a moment I can stick some light green dots in...

Stickin' in a dot...

Oh yah, here I'm showin' Kevin how to fit the 'X' bracing joint...

I got into it... and wound up cuttin' it fer him...

Perhaps  Sunday on Sunday will be next!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/06/2014:  15:43:46

SUNDAY on SUNDAY

Ok, now on to today... but first I must complete yesterday... In the afternoon I built a stretcher set, stretched some canvas on it and got ready to start a new painting today. I'm not sure if I go about this process much different from other artists but here is how it works.

First I'm not fond of painting on the regular rectangular canvases found in most art supply houses. Also I've made up these painting surfaces since I was a child. So I buy my canvas at Wally World. Stretch it. Then prime it with Killz.  

So here I'm pouring the primer to it. In a moment I'll grab a 3 inch brush and spread it around. 

As the primer dried I textured the ceiling of our apartment that I'm re-modeling...

Usually when I paint I start with the technique pioneered by Jackson Pollock, I throw , squirt, drip paint on the canvas. After awhile I begin to see something and start following the painting in that direction...

On goes some yellow orange...

Here tiz so far...

Flogging on some transparent green...

I'm holding the painting up to allow the paint to run...

Using a large syringe I squirt some green... With this painting I have an idea that the Muses sent that I'll be following. 

SOON!

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/07/2014:  05:39:16

Dan

You and Jackson must have the same muse.  

Patrick Hanna - Posted - 07/07/2014:  10:46:26

Dan,
After seeing your much smaller pointillist paintings and watching you add innumerable dot inlays to your banjo fret board, I just flat freaked out when I saw the size of this canvas. My thoughts were something like: "Neither Dan nor I can possibly live long enough for either of us to see the completion of this painting! YIKES!" But I see that you are launching into it with a speedier method. Okay...steady on there. We'll all want to see it when it's finished!

Patrick

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/07/2014:  16:47:19

Dave,

I hadn't thought of that. Next time I see her I'll ask!

Patrick,

Please don't worry I can get these large ones done. As proof I offer this photo of one of my earlier works.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/07/2014:  17:07:52

MONDAY, MONDAY

(HOME STRETCH IN SIGHT)

Monday, Monday so good to me... There was a lyric I think that started that way. Now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and realizing that it is not a train...

What a great Monday it has been!

Our granddaughter Abby's 12th. birthday today!

&

Pine Cone's inlay for Shine is just about complete.

What could be better?

I spent the whole day dotting and I think that I am just about there.

Here I'm drilling for some white dots... 

Here I'm grabbing up a white pearl dot. Today I installed white, black & gold mother of pearl, Paua abalone, copper, brass and gold filled wire.

No, I really don't want to know how many dots are here...

Knockin' um level...

Gluing them home...

I wish my camera could take better photos of this.

It never seams to capture the movement, flash and color.  Maybe it's just me and my technique.

These next photos are of the work around 6 tonight just before I left for home...

MORE SOON!!!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 07/07/2014 17:09:24

Paul Meredith - Posted - 07/07/2014:  17:16:18

Fantastic Dan!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/07/2014:  17:27:23

Monday Monday, so good to me..the Mommas and Papas

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/07/2014:  17:28:17

Dan..by the way the FB is awesome...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/07/2014:  18:00:04

Paul & Doug,

Thanks so much!

Patrick Hanna - Posted - 07/07/2014:  18:18:04

Dan,

I wasn't really worried. I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to have a little fun with you! Press on, man. I'll be watching!

Patrick

DEmery - Posted - 07/07/2014:  18:47:13

Happy birthday to Abby. Today is also my daughter's birthday. She is a mother of two living in Albany, New York. This is the way she looked when she was newer. David E,

 

Bufo Bill - Posted - 07/08/2014:  03:43:13

Happy birthday to both the birthday girls from the UK!
All the best from Bill. :D

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/08/2014:  05:36:35

Patrick,

No worries! You just gave me a chance to post a picture of that picture!

David,

Happy Birthday to your Daughter! It is amazing how quickly the time goes by.

Bill,

Thank you from all of us here in the States!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/08/2014:  12:43:23

David..Happy Birthday to your daughter..I have two that are grown and they are the apple of my eye..so I know how proud you must be!

jbalch - Posted - 07/08/2014:  13:18:52

quote:

---

Originally posted by DEmery

Happy birthday to Abby. Today is also my daughter's birthday. She is a mother of two living in Albany, New York. This is the way she looked when she was newer. David E,

 

---

David:   I'm a day late ... but I remember pickin "Red haired GIRL" live on WGNS radio the day Carrie was born - in her honor.

DEmery - Posted - 07/08/2014:  17:11:39

John I recall that morning after Carrie was born. I don't recall how we ended up somewhere in front of a mic with a banjo; but it seems there was a grand opening for a new restaurant. That was a big day. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/08/2014:  18:47:14

TUESDAY

I just came inside. The mosquitos cracked the mighnty whip of their bites an in I ran... I was out behind the old Knowles homestead placing dots ever so indelicately on my big painting, having a great time. Then those little blood sucking rascals came to join the fun and so in I went.

I've been paintig large (maybe 1/2" size) brown, blue & read dots today. It is interesting to me how much the surface changes with just a few points of color. When doing these large works I  begin with larger dots and work down to the smaller ones. I was once told that I like to paint large just so I can sneak lots of tiny details in. I suppose that it is true...

Today was a teaching day but I still managed to accomplish a few other projects. Among them was clearing the fret slots. They are mostly filled with epoxy now. So this is the next step in the evolution of  the Shine...

This is how I did it;

This is a knife for cake decorating that I have shortened and reshaped. It is heated with a propane torch. It got so hot (after a few fret slots) that my fingers were not a bit happy so I glued and taped on this piece of leather. It made a great difference in the comfort factor. Amazing that in all the years I used this knife, I hadn't done this before.

(Please note my nail. It's about to come off. This was just before Sandy fixed me up with a new set today.) 

The blade is heated near red hot then worked into the slot... these fumes are not fun.

Next a fret saw opens and cleans the fret slot. In the instances where pearl crosses the slot, as here,  the saw is used to cut the pearl. Pearl is rough on this old saw. Before I can use it in this capasity again it will have to be resharpened.

Next the surface is fully trued. Up to this point arias have been leveled as I went along to be able to continue inlay work. Now the surface is to be made perfectly flat.

The plane is made from 3/4" plywood, maple for handles and a piece of 1/4' plate glass epoxied to the bottom. PSA sandpapper is fixed to the bottom. This thing is dead on true.

Although I didn't get any photos of the process, the neck was loaded into the heal cutting jig on the band saw and the first cut was made. Tomorrow I'll cut the tension hoop relief and do the final shaping of the heel joint.

MORE SOON!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/08/2014:  19:42:13

TUESDAY

I just came inside. The mosquitos cracked the mighty whip of their bites and in I ran... I was out behind the old Knowles homestead placing dots ever so indelicately on my big painting, having a great time. Then those little blood sucking rascals came to join the fun and so in I went. After I complete this post I'll head back out and bring the painting in. Mayby there is an avanue out there where they might miss me.

I've been paintig large (maybe 1/2" size) brown, blue & read dots today. It is interesting to me how much the surface changes with just a few points of color. When doing these large works I  begin with larger dots and work down to the smaller ones. I was once told that I like to paint large just so I can sneak lots of tiny details in. I suppose that it is true...

Today was a teaching day but I still managed to accomplish a few other projects. Among them was clearing the fret slots. They are mostly filled with epoxy now. So this is the next step in the evolution of  the Shine...

This is how I did it;

This is a knife for cake decorating that I have shortened and reshaped. It is heated with a propane torch. It got so hot (after a few fret slots) that my fingers were not a bit happy so I glued and taped on this piece of leather. It made a great difference in the comfort factor. Amazing that in all the years I used this knife, I hadn't done this before.

(Please note my nail. It's about to come off. This was just before Sandy fixed me up with a new set today.) 

The blade is heated near red hot then worked into the slot... these fumes are not fun.

Next a fret saw opens and cleans the fret slot. In the instances where pearl crosses the slot, as here,  the saw is used to cut the pearl. Pearl is rough on this old saw. Before I can use it in this capasity again it will have to be resharpened.

Next the surface is fully trued. Up to this point arias have been leveled as I went along to be able to continue inlay work. Now the surface is to be made perfectly flat.

The plane is made from 3/4" plywood, maple for handles and a piece of 1/4' plate glass epoxied to the bottom. PSA sandpapper is fixed to the bottom. This thing is dead on true.

Although I didn't get any photos of the process, the neck was loaded into the heal cutting jig on the band saw and the first cut was made. Tomorrow I'll cut the tension hoop relief and do the final shaping of the heel joint.

MORE SOON!!!

Kaelri - Posted - 07/08/2014:  20:55:02

I think I'm experiencing daja vu!  

Wow..this banjo is really coming along. That fretboard is looking great!

(And almost 154K reads already!)

DEmery - Posted - 07/09/2014:  03:29:14

Dan 154K views and one dot in a fingerboard for each dot. Makes my fingerboard look sort of bland. Maybe it should come back to you for some dottery. I do look forward to seeing this piece all in one piece. David E.

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/09/2014:  05:04:49

Ellen,

Thanks so much. I'm glad you are enjoying it!

David,

I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a dot per view on this fingerboard!  A major inlay on a banjo is the one thing we have yet to do for you. I am into my dotage ya know!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 07/09/2014 05:06:39

Patrick Hanna - Posted - 07/09/2014:  09:59:13

Dan,

What a revelation you have given me! Bonding a plate glass sole to your sanding plane is such a wonderfully obvious and excellent idea. Fortunately, you showed it to us, because many things are ONLY obvious to me after someone like you points them out! Thank ya' muchly.

Patrick

DEmery - Posted - 07/09/2014:  13:24:01

Dan I don't know what sort of major inlay on a banjo could be done for me. I will keep watching your work and maybe one day a vision will come to me. I don't know how many you have built for me with no inlay...maybe a dot or two years ago. I would have you do a boat race on the Mississippi but you already did that one. David E.

cbcarlisle - Posted - 07/09/2014:  18:27:18

I'm wondering how you would Count the dots. From what I have seen you put thousands of tiny dots down, then covered many of them up with bigger dots, then covered some of those (both) with trees, houses, canoes, etc., then cut through them with fret slots, and I may have forgotten some... Do you consider the Total number of dots put in, or the remaining dots visible? Gross or net?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/09/2014:  19:15:30

Patrick,

You are so welcome. I'm glad you found that to be useful. I don't remember where I got the idea from...

David,

Maybe it should be called, The banjo Mans Dream, a dream within a dream, within a dream, within a dream...pie r round...

Curt,

I have in fact, kept track of all the dots which I have installed. Your choice is good depending on how gross one wishes to be.

I may start a contest.

It would be that the person who guesses the exact number of dots would be given a 50% discount on any banjo which I have already marked up 100 % from its regular price.

It would be a contest that nobody could pass up!

Everybody would want to get in on it!

I'll have more banjos to build than _______________ (fill in the manufacturer here) to build!

Everybody wins!

I won't care what you guess, you'll be a winner!

Better than Vegas!

Hay, ah, wake up Dan...

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 07/09/2014 19:21:40

Kaelri - Posted - 07/09/2014:  20:44:43

You could send out the contest announcement in one of those Nigerian "You've won a special discount on a banjo" emails!

Think of all the credit card #s you could amass to buy more banjo building supplies!

Edited by - Kaelri on 07/09/2014 20:46:19

Pine Cone - Posted - 07/10/2014:  06:57:19

Count me in on entering your contest!  Sounds like a deal I can't afford to miss...

The fingerboard is looking great - can't wait until I can see it in person, but I'm not surprised that it is difficult to photograph. 

Here's what it looked like at our house this morning... a misty start to what should be another nice summer day.  Much drier than normal around here, hasn't rained for 3 or 4 days!

Morning Mist

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/10/2014:  19:21:47

Ellen,

Do ya think it would work better than offerin' an inheritance?

Scott,

I'm glad you like it! What a beautiful photograph! I bet it is amazing there, dry as it is. Sounds like us here. We haven't  had rain since the day before yesterday!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/10/2014:  19:44:34

THURSDAY

Here is a quick look see at today. There were a lot of customers in and out of the shop today. An all around busy day.

Here are a couple of projects which I remembered to aim the camera at...

I did a set up on this little mandolin. It turned out to be quite interesting as the bridge was out of spot at least 3/4 of an inch. Usually a bridge (on an F hole mandolin) will be roughly centered on the F hole point. This one finished out at least 3/4 of an inch towards the fingerboard from this point.

Here I'm giving it a cleaning...

Adjusting the bridge placement...

I've been back at work on my opera "1934" for several weeks now. Writing new material and generally tightening it up. If I have all of the writing complete by the end of August, then we will begin working on the production with a hopeful opening date sometime in January or February 2015. Here I'm writing a new tune for one of the lead characters Sr. Kevin McPhearson, the very uptight owner operator of the Almost-Tennessee, Kentucky radio station W.I.M.P.

You can tell this must be a great tune ... my head is not in it!

Here is a job I don't do much any more. This inexpensive (cheep) guitar really needs a neck reset. It is just not worth doing. A reset would cost twice the replacement value of the instrument. Since this is for a friend I agreed to perform this operation.

First the bridge was planed down quite severely. A new shorter saddle was created. Then these slots were cut into the bridge top allowing some string break over.

Oh ya... here is an update on the new painting. Lots of dots with many more to come.

MORE SOON!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/11/2014:  05:02:43

FRIDAY AM

Coffee making, breakfast getting ready, soon we are off to Memphis with four of our grandkids.

We've promised the fellas that during this visit to Paris we'd go visit Mud Island and today is the day. It should be great fun wondering and wading the Mighty Mississippi.

See ya soon!

Nels - Posted - 07/11/2014:  05:37:06

What is it with grandkids and mud and wading in rivers? or is it the 'grandparents' wishing they could enjoy it as much as they use to when they were young? Enjoy!!

Paul R - Posted - 07/11/2014:  06:37:04

I think the Count from Sesame Street would love that dotted banjo. Will it play only polkas?

How many Muddy Waters references will you come up with by the end of the day? Have a Grand Day Out with the kids, Dan.

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/11/2014:  13:14:18

Family First.  Hoping you are having a wonderful time.  And no bug bites!!  

Bufo Bill - Posted - 07/11/2014:  13:24:33

I stared at your unfinished picture for a long while. Then it started to stare back at me. Now I am convinced Roy Orbison is staring out of it through those shades of his.

I need more to do with my time I suppose . . .

All the best from Bill. :D

DEmery - Posted - 07/12/2014:  03:55:39

So Dan.....how was Mud Island? First I wanted to find out how the day went. All of that was put in Memphis years after I was around that neck of the woods. I lived just north of Memphis while stationed at NAS Millington, TN back in the early 70's. The second purpose is to post my 900th post on your thread. I must say that more posts written by me are deleted after they are written; so few make it through the editorial process. If I don't think they contribute..., I simply get it out of my system and delete it. I think someone said Lincoln use to write letters and put them away without sending them. Beyond that....most of my 900 posts have been on your threads. Many of them were about banjos you were building me at the different times over the years. Who knows; maybe I will hit 1,000 by 2016 or so. David E. 

CommGuy107 - Posted - 07/12/2014:  05:17:10

I have truly enjoyed a leisurely stroll through this thread. There were many highlights along the way, but given my latest personal adventures in luthiery, I particularly enjoyed the pictures of your "New Baby" from last week.

Thanks for letting us ride along...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/12/2014:  15:18:45

Nels, Paul & Dave,

Thanks for letting me off for the day!

Goodness I hope that banjo will play more than just dotted polkas... unless that is all Scott wants to play! 38.6...

Bill,

I've stared at it so long that now I've painted somebody looking back at me!

David,

We had a great time wondering the miniature Mighty Mississippi. The little fellas swam in the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ohio, Missouri, Wolf, White, Arkansas, Yazoo, Atchafalaya rivers and Lake Pontchertrain  (and maybe a couple I don't remember). It sure was fun to see the little ones doing what the old one wishes to do! We even got lost in a parking garage. It was the highlight of our trip... at least it was the first thing they told their mom about when we got home.

900 posts! Congratulations! Perhaps you should start a contest to celebrate! It is amazing how these comments just mount up. And I'm not talking about horses. Like you I have written and tossed more than ever see the light of a computer screen. I like that story about Lincoln (considering that you have his banjo!). If it weren't for the round file I have a whole lot more silliness out there than I already have!

Dan,

Thanks so much for joining us!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/13/2014:  18:47:02

SUNDAY EVENING

There is nothing quite like a slow quiet Sunday afternoon. I've been taking it quite easy. A nice hour long nap. Some time spent grilling some hamburgers. Reading my neighbor Aden James' (Jim Jackson) GREAT new and yet unreleased book DENMARK (Watch for this 'un, it's worth the read!) . And several hours dotting. Now posting. What could be better!

Tomorrow morning Debra and I will head out to Paducah, Kentucky. I'll be getting onboard the Queen of the Mississippi for a short overnight trip to New Madrid, Missouri. One show and some banjo missionarying (how bout that fer a new word? The ole' spell checker sure doesn't like it!). 

Saturday... yes Saturday. It seams like forever in this internet world but here is a bit from the long ago day. 

Of course during the morning I was in the shop working with Kevin.

Here I'm firing the brand so I can brand a couple banjo bridges...

Branding... I really am! Even if you can't see it happening!

Kevin and I putting the pressure to hold down his top braces!

Sunday an update on the new one. This is before I did any painting today...

My grandson  Braden posing (and freezing)  in front of the dots...

My neighbor Jim Jackson came by and helped out with some tiny pink dots!

As did my grandson Chandan. Oh yes, did I say that I painted some too. Well I did but you've seen me before...

MORE SOON!!!

Kaelri - Posted - 07/13/2014:  19:35:15

"Banjo Missionarying" I like that! Spreading the gospel of the banjer! (I might like to borrow that phrase once or twice) 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/13/2014:  20:18:42

Ellen,

Feel free to use it!