rubicon - Posted - 10/11/2014:  06:13:41

Quite interesting to see where this goes you have quite an artistic imagination

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/11/2014:  07:36:21

Dan

That piece of coral should do nicely for the fire inlay.    Having a glimmer of how your mind works, I wouldn't be surprised if you think of something to "dress it up" some.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/11/2014:  19:25:45

Rubicon & Dave,

Thanks! But as you'll see in today's post... the world has again turned!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  04:31:23

WORLD TURNING

Yesterday (or was it Friday?) I posted about creating a inlay blank from a piece of red coral for Tylers Scarecrow & the Shipwreck banjo. Well the more I thought about this design (the wreck of the Sultana) the more inappropriate it seamed to be for this instrument. I did want to do a steamboat (riverboat) wreck and so after much searching through images that I have collected over the years I found this one. It is a painting of a unidentified steamboat wreck. I liked that. I also liked the fact that you see the boat with folks escaping.... nobody out drownding in the water.

So with Tyler's approval it got changed....

Here is the image after being worked up as an inlay pattern in Correl ...

Images printed and ready to be cut apart for their component parts. Also not the reverse image one on the left, you'll see what that is about later... 

Here is one of my newly organized pearl drawers.

From left to right they are; 1. Red Abalone,

2. Gold lipped Mother of Pearl,

3. Green Abalone,

4. Tennessee River Mussel shell (washboard on bottom, elephant ear on top),

5. Elephant ear  & Heel Splitter shell,

6.(top to bottom) Small White Mother of Pearl, Green Sea Snail, Green Abalone heart, Black Mother of Pearl,

7. (t to B) Large White Mother of Pearl, Large Gold Mother of Pearl...

Cutting out the various pieces, parts...

patterns cut out...

Gluing patterns to the pearl pieces...

Ready for cutting...

Cutting out the pearl for the sinking steamboat.

Notice the white piece of plastic. This is hooked to a hose that runs to a vacuum system. Almost no pearl dust reaches my nose...

Soaking off the patterns in water, Elmer's sticks 'um on, water melts 'um off...

Here are the newly washed and cut out pieces laid out on a pattern...

More Soon!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 10/12/2014:  04:39:21

Beautiful work....You da man, Dan!  

p.s. Lots of hard earned money lying in that drawer!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  04:46:31

Marvin,

Thanks, you do a lot of fine work yourself! ... That is ever the truth. But if one wants to do more pictoral types of work choice is what is needed. I'll hunt around for just the right piece. 

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 10/12/2014:  04:54:24

Yeah, Dan, I know what you mean. Sometimes I search thru all my pearl searching for the right piece that will show the light the way I need. Searching for the right abalone piece that has the right "grain" direction for a leaf can be quiet challenging, trying to figure out what it will look

like after it is sanded. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  04:59:42

Marvin,

Isn't that ever the truth! Sometimes I'll remove an already inlayed piece because it goes wrong after sanding! I guess that's just part of the fun though...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  05:00:06

...CONTINUED...

Ok, I'm sure you are still scratching your heads over that reverse image in the last post. Well this is what it was for and how it was used. 

The image was taped to  a firm flat surface. Then a piece of wax paper  is taped over that. Next the cut pieces of pearl are glued (face down) to the wax paper. Then colored epoxy ties the whole mess together.

I want some variety & visual texture in this epoxy, so I grind up some turquoise and shove & mix it into the mess...

As the epoxy sets up I go on to other work. Here making a bridge for a banjo that I'll show in the next post. 

I make custom bridges for each banjo that I make. It just feels wrong to have put all the work into making a banjo to not make the bridge too...

After several hours the epoxy has set and most of the wax paper removed. Next I'll thickness the piece and cut away a good deal of the turquoise/ epoxy mix and ready it for inlaying...

More Soon!

jbalch - Posted - 10/12/2014:  05:31:03

The artistry and technique in every detail of your work is astounding. I can't wait to see more....

Edited by - jbalch on 10/12/2014 05:31:22

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/12/2014:  05:36:35

Dan

Just wondering, did you save the coral piece?

The new version is looking nice.  Will you be doing some engraving on the boat?  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  06:40:40

John,

Thank you! I may post something special along that line later today.

Dave,

Oh yes, I did save it. I'm sure I'll find a use for it in another project.

Yes, I'll engrave most of the details on both the sinking & escaping boats. I have to get out my see-close-glasses for that one.

rubicon - Posted - 10/12/2014:  07:00:55

Your techniques always amaze me this is no exception .You a true ARTIST!

DEmery - Posted - 10/12/2014:  07:28:03

Dan the boat race them on the second ebony banjo is a good reference to the detail that will end up in this piece for those that my want to visualize the art in these banjos. The art piece you chose for this inlay is a nice direction to the boat/river theme. I am watching........... David. 

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  07:32:53

Rubicon,

Thanks!

David,

I'm thinking about the Ebony Banjo 2 (Othello) a lot in this project. I'm sure there'll be some photos of my leopard skin gravers vise soon!

60spicker - Posted - 10/12/2014:  08:12:56

Artistry aside, I'm absolutely amazed at how quickly you pulled this off. You are truly a gifted fellow, Dan, and I consider it an honor to look over your shoulder while you work, thanks to this wonderful thread on a discussion board in cyberspace. May God continue to bless you and the work you graciously share with me.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  10:34:58

Terry,

Thank you and I glad you do enjoy this...I hpoe you think that about the next post.

60spicker - Posted - 10/12/2014:  12:06:59

What I wish is that you'd create a coffee table book.

Dan Drabek - Posted - 10/12/2014:  16:40:11

A fascinating project Dan. You have excellent powers of visualization.

Really looking forward to the finished image.

DD

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  18:36:20

Terry,

I wish I would too! Maybe sometime I will.

Dan,

Thanks.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:20:12

SHINE, SHINES

Seams like somebody wanted some glamor shots of Shine a few days ago... well just ask and ye shall receive.  Also Terry here are some photos that you could print out, staple together and put on your coffee table. I hope you enjoy them!

Yours,

Dan Knowles

rubicon - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:30:09

WOW WOW WOW !

jbalch - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:33:37

Truly a MASTERPIECE!

So many amazing details ...

Is that an ivory ring on the dowell stick?  I've never seen anything like that.

rubicon - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:36:57

John what better to have as a head on this materpiece than a vintage Jb ! Dan did you make a recording yet ??

Paul Meredith - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:40:36

Fantastic Dan!  You made an unusual idea real!  But I've forgotten how the concept came to be, something to do with one of your paintings I think?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/12/2014:  19:49:11

John,

Thank you so much. Yes that's a piece of fossil walrus ivory.

Rubicon,

Only the best skin head I could find. Vintage John Balch! What did I say about "ask and..." I'm planning on turning on the recording machine in the morning....

Paul,

Thanks. Yep you are right in remembering the painting. Here tiz!

thumbdropper - Posted - 10/13/2014:  00:59:32

Dan,

I am just plain amazed! Thank you for a virtual tutorial on fingerboard enhancement. You seem to be an artist whose medium just happens to be banjos.

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/13/2014:  06:51:10

Each and every detail perfect, making a wonderful banjo!!        

Yanni - Posted - 10/13/2014:  09:57:54

Simply stunning.  When you first started out on this particlar journey, I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not.  Now it is all together, it is truly wonderful.. In fact it 'shines' :)

Ian

60spicker - Posted - 10/13/2014:  14:57:24

Absolutely breathtaking work of artistry. Priceless! Do they give a Nobel Prize for art? You should be mighty proud.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/13/2014:  18:46:01

Paul, Dave, Ian & Terry,

Thank you each so much! A Nobel Prize for art... Hum... who'd a thunk it!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/13/2014:  19:15:57

MONDAY

SHIPWRECK cont...

Among other things today I did a bit more on Tyler's Scarecrow & Shipwreck inlay, in fact I continued to work on the steamboat wreck part. The epoxy has had plenty of time to cure by this morning and so was quite hard and nearly brittle. One thing I really like about this West Systems material is that it seams harder and less rubbery than any of the others I've used.

That said I ran it through the thickness sander, sanding mostly the back side, bringing it down to a uniform .060 thickness...

There tiz. Thicknessed..

Next I nerried it down some . I'll keep it a bit wide until it is closer to being inlayed...

Then I cut back a bunch of the excess flashing (or so I like to think of it) so the epoxy turquoise  mixture forms more of a frame than filler...

The fret placements were laid out and then cut. This makes for more accurate fret placement later...

The fingerboard has a bit of tempera paint slathered on it. After the paint has dried  the inlays are glued down with a spot or two of Elmer's...

30 or so minutes later it gets marked around...

And then removed as soon as possible and placed in the envelope for safe keeping. Maybe I'll rout it out some and inlay it tomorrow... We shall see!

More Soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/14/2014:  05:53:26

Progress!     As always your skills make doing amazing things look easy.  

guitarman8491 - Posted - 10/14/2014:  08:24:17

Dan, looking forward to seeing the progression and finally the ship wreck..yer a true master!

cbcarlisle - Posted - 10/14/2014:  08:38:49

...The only time I remember looking forward to a shipwreck...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/14/2014:  18:42:33

Dave, Doug and Curt,

Thanks! Well there was more progress to the shipwreck today!

ClayTech - Posted - 10/14/2014:  19:20:08

Dan, this weekend we visited the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, IA. If you ever get that far up the river you should see it. Great stuff. I can see why you're hooked on the river!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/14/2014:  19:48:53

TUESDAY 

As y'all know, probably even better than me by now, today was my teaching day.

All but one of my students made it in today. Usually they all make it but one of my favorite guitar students, John McDaniel had a recording session come up. Don't worry John I'd a probably missed my lesson too! 

I dug out my little Dremel router and so earlier today I was able to do a bit of work on the Scarecrow & the Ship Wreak banjo. I stuck a little cheepo router base on it and went to chawin' out the aria I needed to stick the inlay into.

Someday when my ship comes in I'm gonna get one of those fancy new router bases that Stu Mac sells. I lust after one regular, but how can I justify the expense when I've already got this piece of junk! And it works... sorta...

After routin', I took a utility knife blade (I really like these things!) and scraped off the tempera paint...

And then washed the surface with water. It melts away the paint and comes comes clean in just an instant...

The inlay pieces have thin maple kleets glued to them. These help maintain the inlay at the level and keep them aligned with the fret slots and each other during gluing... 

A couple pieces of masking tape keep the epoxy from vacating the cavity...

In goes the  West Systems T-88 epoxy. It is mixed with a small amount of tint and some ebony sanding dust...

All the inlay in and clamped. Tomorrow we'll see if everything has worked out like I hoped it will...

More tomorrow!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/15/2014:  06:37:35

Looks like a mess, but glue ups do.  Sanding always makes things look better.    

Nels - Posted - 10/15/2014:  08:30:59

Amazing! 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/15/2014:  11:16:56

Dave,

How correct you are!

Nels,

Thanks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/15/2014:  11:26:01

SHINE SINGS

Here are a few short tunes that I recorded yesterday. 

Oh ya here is a photo of Shine & me recordin'!

Actually this is not a completely accurate photo. It was not made using the new Knowles mic, instead it was done with a pair of AT 4033's. No effects, Eq  or compression was used. This is what I captured. I hope you enjoy them.

Shady Grove

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=

Slow Shiinin"

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=

Burry me Beneath the Willow

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/media-player/audio_player2.asp?musicid=35082&archived=

guitarman8491 - Posted - 10/15/2014:  12:36:22

Listened to all three tunes..My favorite...hmmm..I like the all..nicely played Dan!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/15/2014:  18:03:02

Thank you Doug!

Kaelri - Posted - 10/15/2014:  20:03:07

All those tunes sounded great. That banjo sounds great. Thanks for taking the time to share with us. I am also enjoying watching the Scarecrow banjo come to life. 

And I wanted to ask you, have you ever made a bass banjo? Those have recently come onto my radar screen and I think they're pretty neat. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/16/2014:  04:20:24

Ellen,

Thanks, I'm glay you enjoyed them.

Yes I've made a bass banjo several years ago. I believe you have heard it although you might not know that you have. On my latest  CD, LOOKING BACK, there is a tune called BANJO BOYS. It is my imagining of a clawhammer banjo band. As I remember, there are 16 banjos on that recording and the bass instrument is the bass banjo. I'll try to remember to shoot a photo and post it  here for you.

TheLastWord - Posted - 10/16/2014:  04:26:54

Shine sounds as great as it looks...beautiful.

rubicon - Posted - 10/16/2014:  04:55:29

Very nice Dan thank you for posting these tunes !!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/16/2014:  05:31:42

Rubicon,

Thank you, you are so welcome.