Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/27/2014:  19:57:51

SUNDAY

My friend Tyler Andel came over from Nashville today to order a new banjo. We have been talking about this project for some time. It will be called Pumpkin Shipwreck. So we worked up the plans and dug out the wood...

Oh I seam to have gotten ahead of myself. Much earlier in the day, before Tylar came, I painted on the Puppet Master for several hours and went to Sam's house and sanded floors.

Here my granddaughter Abby and I are sanding the second story balcony.

Ole' Tyler came by the house so I showed and tried to explain the  PUPPET MASTER...

Down at the shop we went digging for lumber. This is just one of the many places that I hide my wood stash...

We laid it out all over the front room floor to inspect...

Many of these boards have been with me for years. Here we are looking at a very, very nice piece of extremely figured Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). I've had this piece for several years but there are a few which are marked 8-2-06 in this bunch. I have some wood that was given to me by my teacher Don McCarty, that was given to him by his teachers, teacher, teacher. Figure that one out if you can!

In an attempt to explain how the figure works and looks in differing grain orientations I decided that we'd just cut a couple of blanks out. I've got an order for a banjo that this will fit perfectly for so we went to chopping...

And Tyler went to sanding...

We chose to use some of the large board of silver maple.  Here I'm trying to figure the best way and place to cut out our neck wood...

Now both of us are figuring...

Here are the pieces after we cut them from the board. The neck will have a stacked heel and a scarfed head stock. It will be built up much like the dot banjo Shine.

more veri soon!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/29/2014:  06:04:43

MONDAY

We are beginning to prepare for our California trip. 

Did I mention that we are heading out to the golden state? We, Debra, Chandan and I are flying out from Nashville on Southwest Airlines on Saturday headed for Sacramento, California. We'll be visiting with friends and family and I'll do one show while we are there. Chandan is excited. This will be his first airplane trip (non steam powered!) and first time to California. Exciting, so many firsts here.

I started the day off today by rebuilding or perhaps I should say modifying the thickness sander. As it was originally constructed it would only mill material up to about 5/8". I want to be able to work thicker material through this machine so I took the back brace, table and adjusting shaft off modified them and put it back together. Now I can sand wood up to 1 5/8" thick. Yes, Yes, Yes!

Here I'm thicknessing the neck wood for Tyler's banjo. These pieces are about 1 1/8" thick...

My good friends Phyllis & Gary Jenkins brought by their guitars for one last check up before they move out to Idaho. I took advantage of the situation to set up a little photo studio at the shop and make some pictures. I built this pair of guitars for them three or four years ago. First a couple of Phylis'. You can tell that she loves cats...

The back and sides of this instrument is quartered white oak. Back in the 19th. century it was considered to be par to Brazilian Rosewood (as a tone wood) just not as pretty. I argue with the just not as pretty!

Gary is an avid fly fisherman so the inlay on this guitar is of Gary catching this fretwork fish soundhole...

Back and sides are figured sapele...

The on to carving Shine. Here is a tick master engraver William More taught me. Use Speedball linoleum carving tools, driven by a tiny mallet to do detail carving. All of the cuts are towards the carver. This gives tremendous control...

Just getting going...

!st. detail pass...

And sanding to get rid of fuzz...

SEE YA SOON!

DEmery - Posted - 07/29/2014:  08:25:05

Dan This has turned out really pretty. As we discussed the othe rday; that curved heel plate is one of my favorite details. That way you addressed the cone theme is very tasteful. David E.

Aradobanjo - Posted - 07/29/2014:  14:12:02

Hello Dan,

 What is appealing with silver maple for a neck? I have some from a wind storm that I have curing. I have been thinking along the same line. 

As shown by the white oak guitar, it is beautiful wood. I am looking forward to the end product. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/29/2014:  17:27:09

David,

Thanks. I'm very pleased with the way this is working out. The carving is now pretty well done and the background is mostly sanded.

John,

Southern silver maple is a very underrated specie in the luthery trade. It is very similar tonally to mahogany. It is much sweeter toned than northern or hard maple.  Also the figure can be quite intense and beautiful as it is in this board. Good luck with your maple.

Pine Cone - Posted - 07/29/2014:  19:03:40

quote:

---

Originally posted by DEmery

Dan This has turned out really pretty. As we discussed the othe rday; that curved heel plate is one of my favorite details. That way you addressed the cone theme is very tasteful. David E.

---

Looks like it might be a cone from Pinus banjoesus knowlesii

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/30/2014:  05:14:55

Scott,

How did you know?!?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/30/2014:  18:51:55

WEDNESDAY

Before I head off into today I've got to show just a bit from yesterday. Tuesday being my teaching day not a lot was accomplished, but progress was made on shine's heel carving.

Here I'm beginning the process of removing the chisel marks and smoothing out the background.  Often times on older banjos a stamped texture is used to hide the fact that the background was not smooth. This is often found to be true on older Vega, Paramount and Stewart banjos. Although this can look very cool at times, here I want the neck to flow into and around the cone...

Sanding...

Today we loaded up three of our granddughters and went to Nashville. What a nice day we all made of it. First we went to the famed reconstruction of the Parthenon. The original building, built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition was made from plaster and was intended only as a temporary exhibition hall. By the 1920 this temporary structure had fallen into such disrepair that the city of Nashville replaced it with this steel and concrete structure. It was one of the places the girls had always wanted to go to and in so to and in we did!

Here they are (Left to Right) Anna, Haley (a new friend not related to us), Abby and Amber.

Pallas Athena...

Abby and Anna by the giant doors. After we left the Parthenon we went to the Taco Truck and had lunch (oh yes!!!), then to the World Market for some extra goodies, The Frist Center for Visual Arts (for several great displays including one on Surrealist painters, A collection of Marty Stewart's photographs and another that the kids really liked on Animation) and then back to home sweet home in Paris, Tennessee.

SEE YA SOON!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/30/2014:  20:37:42

That heel is looking mighty good!!  

Always good to be doing things with family.

DEmery - Posted - 07/31/2014:  04:36:43

Dan that carving is one of my favorite you have done over my years of watching. I also see the heel cap curvature more clearly in these photos. I agree that the way this one is being worked so the neck flows up under the carving is tasteful and to hide the carving roughness with some other detail would be much less clean. It is almost like the carving is dropped on the heel as a cap. Pretty Mr. Dan. Be careful though...you rounded this enough to be Dobson-ish. I like it but know you don't usually do Dobson style heels. David E.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/31/2014:  16:31:55

Dan that banjo neck heel is looking great..can't wait to see the finished neck..really nice work!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/31/2014:  18:46:52

Dave,

Thanks, it was a nice and fun day.

David,

I'm glad you like it. I like it even better now that it's got some stain on it.... oops, I'm getting ahead of myself!

Doug,

Thanks, I can hardly wait myself!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/31/2014:  19:12:06

THURSDAY

Debra and I just just got in from Sam's new place. It is looking so good. We are quite proud of what he has done there. He is almost done on the inside and will be ready to move before long... within the next week or so.

Luthin'

Time is running out on what I'll achieve before heading out on our trip to the Golden State on Saturday. I really feel the push to get as much done as is humanly possible.

First out today went in the spray booth and coated a couple of instruments. They'll cure up (mostly) while I'm away.

Next I glued up Tyler's basic neck blank. In this case that means gluing the heel to the main shaft. Usually I will only use epoxy on necks. This one is no exception. Here I'm slathering it on....

Clamped up...

Shine received its first staining today. Much like David Emery's St. Augustine, I'm using natural (homemade) walnut stain on this one. I will also use my metal stain after a bit more work....

Once the stain has dried it is time to do the very last (hopefully) sanding. This banjo will be finished with oil and so the sanding has to be absolutely perfect. There is no allowance for shoddy workmanship now. This first coat of water based stain not only raised the grain but it also exposed several arias where my sanding was not yet complete. So back at it with the sandpaper, both 220 and 400 grit....

Now another coat of walnut stain...

Before I do the final staining I'm going to install the frets. He I'm pre bending the fretwire...

Frets are cut to length, tangs relieved and then pressed in place...

Back Real Quick!!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/31/2014:  21:43:59

I know that there is lots of detail work to be done, however when the stain goes on and the frets go in its beginning to feel like that you are entering the home stretch.  looking very good.  

darlo - Posted - 08/01/2014:  02:04:56

well mr knowles all i can say is that carving on the banjo shine is absolutely fantastic its beautiful ,even though its rare i comment this is still the place i head to first on the hangout,because slowly but surely i am learning about the mechanics of things and the work thats entailed in the building of banjos and other stringed instruments as well,although i will never be a luthier my choice its wonderful watching a master craftsman at work ,so have caught up whilst i am working in angola ,many thanks and keep up the good work it really is appreciated all the very best darlo

DEmery - Posted - 08/01/2014:  02:39:20

Dan..., she looks pretty all carved up. Like Saint Augustine the figure is beautiful. That walnut stain and metal solution has an amazing effect on maple. I can say the work you did on my slot head getting the neck prepped for finish is as perfect as anything I've felt in my hand. I am sure it will be beautiful. David E.    

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/04/2014:  08:16:28

Dave,

Yes and it feels great to be eyeing that checkered flag. I'm going to try and post some photos of the dowel stick turning and staining today.

Mark,

Thank you so much. I'm just glad that I can be here and be of interest to folks!

David,

Thanks! I am quite pleased with how this one is coming out too.

Everybody,

I'm making this post from Ripon, California. We are staying at my Mom's house and have been running around for the past few days.

We (Debra, our grandson Chandan and I)flew out from Nashville Saturday morning before dawn even pretended to open up its eyes. After a layover in Phoenix, Arizona we arrived in Sacramento, California around noon. Since that point we have been visiting family, friends and seeing sights in and around the Central Valley. In just a moment we are going to drive over to Santa Cruz (on California's coast). 

I'll try and post a few photos tonight along with a bit of an update of our Luthier's Life!

60spicker - Posted - 08/04/2014:  09:28:35

Dan, 

In contemporary urban parlance, a man's "outfit," "look" or "costume" is called his "Dougie." I've noticed that yours is quite eclectic, although there are occasional themes. While you're busy doing other things away from the shop, perhaps you could share your view of the modern luthier dougie. 

Terry

Dave1climber - Posted - 08/04/2014:  11:51:48

Dan

How did Chandan do with the air travel?  I would think he might have been quite excited.

More fun with family and friends!!  

DEmery - Posted - 08/04/2014:  15:09:12

Hey Dan......you passed 160,000 views. Headed toward 200K. better find some more banjos to build to fill out the thread....or maybe time on the river. Have fun in California. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/04/2014:  23:11:09

Terry,

Having followed your link to the word Dougie and read all of the definitions I'm not sure how to answer you... Still in the spirit of partial disclosure I can only offer the following short list of rules along with explanatory photos...

Winter put some more on when it's cold...

Dress more outrageously than your audience when on stage...

Never fear ridicule...

Take it off when it's hot...

Those are my rules of Dougi.

​And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

​Dave,

Chandan had a window seat the whole time. And loved it! Today he loved the Pacific ocean too!

David,

Thanks for waking me up to that AMAZING fact...Wild is it not! 

160,000 reads!

THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING AROUND!!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/04/2014:  23:32:22

MONDAY

Friday before I left on this wonderful trip, I went into the shop and made some progress with Shine.

I pulled out another piece of the neck wood which I've been saving to make Shine a wooden coordinator rod. It is a very nice piece of maple which I first squared up on the band saw, then mounted in my miniature machinist lathe and went to turning...

Turned to shape and being sanded. I went through grits 120, 220, 400 and 800 on this.

On goes the first coat of natural walnut stain....

After the first walnut coat...

And after a coat of the metal stain. This is a reactive or chemical stain in that it reacts with the tannins or tannic acid in the walnut stain achieving the near black color.

Sanding with 800 grit to level the raised grain...

After sanding...

More walnut stain...

Stained! I absolutely love this rich brown!

More Soon!!!

DEmery - Posted - 08/05/2014:  05:54:06

Dan that metal solution and natural walnut stain sure does treat highly figured maple well. I recall you going through that process on St. Augustine and when the neck got really black; it was confusing. These photos show how the steps in finishing flow and end up with a rich color and ebonized curl in the wood. That is a fine look and as shared earlier a very organic feel. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/05/2014:  06:39:22

David,

 I T Totally agree.

Hawgfiddle65 - Posted - 08/05/2014:  06:52:56

Hi >i agree ,Lovely rich brown .Looking forward to seeing how you are going to fit the round dowel stick....Jim

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/05/2014:  07:27:53

TUESDAY MORNING

This morning it is time to catch up a bit. 

This has been a wonderful trip so far! We have been able to see my mom, daughter and some very good friends and that is the best part of  this trip.

Sunday after church with my mom we loaded picnic stuff in the trunk of the car picked up our daughter Jenny and went to the California gold rush town of Colombia. This is an interesting place from that bygone era.

Later that evening we went over to Kenny & Meg Vande Kieft's house for a nice visit where I was privileged to pick with this newly minted fiddler...

Yesterday morning early we again got in the car and headed out for the oceanfront town of Santa Cruz. Kenny had Googled up a map of a prospective route that was mostly back roads. This led us through the hamlet of Gustine, site of my first professional playing career. Back in the day this building was the site of a little pizza parlor beer bar ( I don't remember its name then) that Ed Corbiser  (who started me on banjo) we performed as the Toulumne River Boys,  two nights a week for nearly a year.

On the way we stopped at Mission San Juan Baptista. It was built by Father Junipero Serra around 1790. It is a serene and beautiful place on the El Camino Real (Kings Highway),

Into the icy waters of the Pacific ocean. That's me being hit by my first breaker in opposition to catching my first wave and boy was it cold! Chandan's already out there. That's his head & shoulders just beyond the wave and to the right. This was his first time in the Pacific. He's been in the Atlantic several times so this completes a circle.

The wooden roller coaster at the Santa Cruz boardwalk... nope I didn't have the courage to ride it, but these folks did!

My mom and Jenny riding the sky rail (heck I don't remember its correct name)

This fella wanted to do read my future for a dollar... I wasn't sure that I could trust him!

Jenny doing Yoga on the beach, in the sun. I think it was around 70 degrees that day... in the sun!

MOre Soon!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 08/05/2014 07:30:45

guitarman8491 - Posted - 08/05/2014:  08:12:02

Dan, Looks like you are having a wonderful vacation!

Dave1climber - Posted - 08/05/2014:  12:52:05

Dan

Did you try body surfing in those good looking waves?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/05/2014:  19:04:56

Doug,

We are, thank you!

Dave,

If knock you over, roll you around and pump salt water & sand up your nose is called body surfing, then the answer is yes!

Paul R - Posted - 08/05/2014:  20:11:56

Well, Dan, I trust that you won't take that four-wheeled conveyance (in front of the Wells Fargo) when it's time to head back home!

Enjoy the time you have left, and then, safe home.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/06/2014:  21:18:39

Paul,

I'm not sure how many wheels the winged conveyance we will be traveling on has...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/06/2014:  21:45:26

WEDNESDAY

(In California on my B-day)

I just came in from performing for a very nice group of folks here at Bethany Home (a retirement community where my mother lives). I'm a bit tuckered out but it is a good tuckering. It's good to feel the tiredness that follows a good show.

I awoke this morning to the sound of a text message from Steven Ogle wishing me a happy birthday. It was just the first of many. And just when I thought nobody remembered...

After breakfast  my mom and I went down to the Les Schwab tire center for a new set of warachies (sp) for her Toyota. They had been warning he for some time that these tires would need to be replaced . So today after a flat tire yesterday, they got changed.

Have you ever led a group in singing Happy Birthday to Me? Well that is just what happened tonight... odd but fun none the less. 

Here I am with Gilbert Van Mourick, they made this cake for me. What a treat!

Here I am working it out with my old friend Kenny VandeKieft. I'm playing his Pharaoh 2 banjo and he's playing his Santa Cruz triple ott.

Classical music time. Here I take a stab at the Sunflower Dance. I always attempt to do this as much like Fred Van Eps as I can...

My Daughter Jenny joined us for a version of Somewhere over the Rainbow. She not only played her new Cavaquino (the one I recently made) but did a wonderful job of singing it too!

I wish you could have heard her!

After the program I gave Jacqulyn Fraser a quick beginners lesson in clawhammer. She got it!

SEE YA SOON!

Pine Cone - Posted - 08/06/2014:  22:04:40

Happy Birthday! 

Looks like you're having fun.  I've always liked Columbia, used to live an hour or two north of there on the Georgetown Divide.  I love the smell of the forest in the Gold Country, as long as it's not burning...  

Santa Cruz is always a nice place to visit.  Hope you continue to have fun on the rest of your trip.

 

darlo - Posted - 08/06/2014:  23:05:10

mr knowles
very many happy returns of the day hope you have a wonderful birthday

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 08/07/2014:  02:19:56

Happy B-Day, Danny Boy!

Kaelri - Posted - 08/07/2014:  05:41:54

Happy Birthday Dan, from my family to you! My daughter says that you should celebrate it for a whole entire week! 

kwl - Posted - 08/07/2014:  06:07:45

A belated Happy Birthday Dan. Sorry I missed it yesterday. I'm enjoying your visit to California almost as much as my recent visit to our son and his family in the southern part of the state. Enjoy the rest of your visit.

Ken

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/07/2014:  07:08:09

Scott, Mark, Marvin, Ellen & Ken,

Thank you for your kind wishes! Yes this whole week has been a celebration for me!

In a few minutes we will be leaving for the high country again, this time Yosemite. Up State highway 120 I believe. Very windy roads that I love to drive and my poor wife doesn't. Chandan has never been up there so it will be fun intrducing him to these amazing mountains. 

Dave1climber - Posted - 08/07/2014:  10:47:21

Dan

Somehow I missed your birthday!    So here is wishing you a Happy Unbirthday!!  

Have a good time in Yosemite, and if you have the time drive up to Tuolumne Meadows, a very scenic place.

Dave

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/07/2014:  22:11:50

Dave,

Thank you... And we did!

Aradobanjo - Posted - 08/08/2014:  03:59:28

Hello,

Yosemite, when it's dry, is brown. Most falls are empty and dry. Glaciers and snow caps should be gone. All of my children worked at a Youth camp in Yosemite. They have been there when its dry.  Last year my daughter said it was very dry. But not this dry and fires. How much burn did you get to see? 

When my wife and I went to Seattle and visited Shuksan and Baker, my pictures still show the thick smoke haze. The flight over affected areas of Washington, Montana, and Dakota was black.then. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/08/2014:  06:24:31

THURSDAY

YOSEMITE TRIP

We just came in a short time ago from a very nice trip to Yosemite National Park. I have been there several times over the years and each time I go I am astounded and amazed by its grandeur. Tonight I won't pontificate, instead I'll just let the Photos do most of the talking.

Downtown Oakdale, California headed for the high country...

Lake Don Pedro. Is it ever low. This drought is really at a very dangerous leval... year 3...

Here is s photo taken near the park last October. This was part of last years Rim fire...

The same aria today, brown and desolate.

the iconic Half Dome...

Scott these are for you....

Bridal Vail Falls...

Lunch by the Merced river...

Me with Jenny's hat on...

My mom & Jenny...

On our way back, heading towards Merced, we turned north on St. Hwy. 49 at Mariposa. It looked like a short cut. Behaved like a short cut, until we came to this piece of road. You know what thay say about a shortcut being the long way around...

Here is the happy crew having dinner at a Vietnamese restruant in Oakdale... 

See ya soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/08/2014:  06:32:23

John.

We didn't see any active fires. We did see the remains of the Rim fire. You can't miss it. We drove miles and miles through desolate burned out forest. The Del Portal fire (the most recent) is totally contained according to the U S Forest Service. It was a bit hazy rhough. I don't know if that was the remains of the smoke or just summer heat.

Pine Cone - Posted - 08/08/2014:  21:45:27

Dan-

Thanks for the picture of the Douglas-fir cones!  Looks like a Douglas squirrel aka Chickaree got to some of them.  Haven't been to Yosemite in years, but I have been following last years and this year's fires.  Fires are always a mixed event, in some sense they need to happen from an ecological standpoint, and fire suppression can ultimately make them worse, but having done some prescribed burning the the past the more common name of "Controlled Burn" can be a misnomer.  Lots of wildland fires are not "controlled" by any person.  The weather and the good lord might be in control, but us mortals don't have much influence no matter how many aircraft and bulldozers we have.

I think I tried that same Highway 49 shortcut back in 1983 or so with similar results.  Learned enough so I haven't tried it since...

Enjoy your remaining vacation time in the Golden State!  Who knew there was a Vietnamese restaurant in Oakdale!

Edited by - Pine Cone on 08/08/2014 21:47:20

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/09/2014:  08:50:29

Scott,

Thank you!

We are in Elk Grove right now at my brother Kenny's home. We will be climbing on the airplane a bit after 1 this afternoon heading towards Nashville.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/10/2014:  09:12:48

SUNDAY

WE HOME

It is so good to be here. Going is good, but home is ... home.

A cup of coffee in hand, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I just looked at yesterday's photos.

We left Sacramento, California yesterday at 1:45 PM and at 2 AM this morning we walked up our own front porch. Both flights were great, we had front row seats on both. Two windows and extra leg room, just what the doctor ordered. 

In Sacramento yesterday I had my computer & banjo out (I'm working on writing an arrangement of Johann Pachelbel's famous Canon in D Major for the banjo) when up stepped a young lady named Samantha. Turns out Samantha is a classically trained violinist who is learning fiddle traveling to Nashville. We ended up playing in both Sacramento and Phoenix during the layover. One of the most enjoyable layovers I've ever had.

Looking out the window leaving Sacramento...

3 travelers in their front row seat...

Chandan in his window seat...

Phoenix...

SEE YA SOON!!!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 08/10/2014:  09:21:17

Dan..wonderful photography and welcome home! Thanks for sharing.

Kaelri - Posted - 08/10/2014:  13:21:15

How cool! Getting to play with a fiddler at each layover! What a neat surprise. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/11/2014:  06:32:58

Doug & Ellen,

It's great to be home and yes it was a nice surprise. It is amazing how nice surprises happen if we allow them.