Nels - Posted - 11/16/2014:  11:13:53

We had a Sgt. with a hat like your 'Forrest Gump' hat..... we called the Sgt. 'Elmer Fudd' ! Especially when he was going 'wabbit hunting'...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/18/2014:  04:34:44

Nels,

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/18/2014:  05:03:30

TUESDAY

HOME AGAIN

We made it home yesterday evening. This morning I woke to a balmy 12 degrees Fahrenheit. It reminds me of back when I worked on Public Radio, W.K.M.S. out of Murray,Kentucky. I'd read the weather and it would be:

"Clear and cold today with the high in our aria of 27 and a low of 10.

Murray it's 10, Mayfield 11, Paris 10, Paducah 8 

And Almost Tennessee, Kentucky under balmy blue sky's it is 72 degrees."

It always felt good to think about such a place when it was so cold.

Sunday on the boat, unlike Almost Tennessee we had a high of 37 degrees under a cloudy dizzily sky...

But inside the Queen of the Mississippi we warmed it up with the joyful sound of the Banjo!

I always love it when, at the end of the class, I put my banjo down, walk away (down the hall) and the class keeps going prooving that they have got it.

This class was no exception. Some were sure that they couldn't, but they did!

Using a Zoom Q2 we have started to video our show so we can continue to work on it. So far we have captured 3 shows. I'm just about to get this camera figured out. The picture quality is fairly good. The sound is OK. Being as the sound is the ambient and not from the PA. This will really help with setting the levels, in fact it already has.

Here are a couple of shots from the Sunday night show...

Eddie Coffee doing his always masterful job!

Me, white suit and grinnin'!

I saw this photo of stain boiling in my achieves, it just looked so warm!

More Later On!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 11/18/2014:  15:20:00

Dan

The woman on the far left in blue is having way too much fun! :)

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/18/2014:  17:51:21

Dan

White suit and walnut stain.  Best you keep them apart.

Dave

DEmery - Posted - 11/19/2014:  03:46:02

Dan I missed a week or so of your goings on up in Paris and other parts while we were in New York seeing the kids. Glad to see the dot painting to commemorate 200K views. It is a big deal to fill a space on BHO that draws so much interest.  Not only has it been informative in a variety of ways; but it has been fun to watch. It' is not lost on us that to do this has required a bunch of effort on your part.  Thanks for doing it. David E.

Edited by - DEmery on 11/19/2014 03:58:53

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/19/2014:  05:42:04

Marvin,

She was a lot of fun there on the boat. I had a nice conversation with her all about her career working with horses who help kids with Alzheimer's.

Dave,

Well I took that white suit to the cleaners yesterday, does that count? 

David,

You have been a large part of this and I'd like to thank you too. It's fun to be heading for the View mark and the two year mark at the same time!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/19/2014:  06:26:09

TUESDAY

We are down to less than 3,000 reads till we reach that magical 200,000 mark. I'm a-workin' on the prize (as you can see). There have been a few entrants. But not many. So I'd like to open up the qualifications a bit further to give more folks a chance at this piece of banjer  (and bass) art!

If you have ever posted a tune (be it video or audio or both) or even posted on a Luthier's Life  here on the BHO, send me a link (to that posting) and you are in the drawing for this work! 

send it to:

dan@danknowles.net

LUTHIN' TODAY

It's so good to be back! Only one more trip this season!

Students received most of my attention today but that said the Steam Powered Aeroplane banjo neck made progress today.

Here I'm trimming the excess wood from the neck blank...

Sanding the neck true and flat. This requires very little work, mostly just cleaning off the glue squeeze out. This is because of the preparation in gluing.

Making sure every thing is square and flat...

I bought a new router table not long ago, for just a job like this. The cutter is one that I got from Harbor Freight (cheaply it may not last). But this 1/4" cutter is the exact size I need to fit my truss rod.

Here the height is being set...(you can't see me, but I'm under the table moving the router up or down)...  

Checking the set up using a piece of scrap...

Cutting the slot in the neck...

Cut, with the truss rod stuck in place...

MORE AFTER A BIT!

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/19/2014:  08:45:19

Dan

White suit to the cleaners!!  

If and when that Harbor Freight bit wears out, you could replace it with a Freud industrial carbide bit.  Smooth, easy, fast cutting, and never wear out.  Well almost never.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/19/2014:  10:27:02

Dave,

Thanks for the good advice.

I'm sure that the Harbor Freight unit is cheep, heck I got it cheep! It will probably not hold its edge long but I wanted to try doing my Truss rod cavities this way and well... the price was right for a test drive.

My dad always told me that you get what you pay for and I'm sure that this will eventually prove him to be true... again.

bill t - Posted - 11/19/2014:  16:38:49

I just watched an interview of Bela and Abagail on the "PBS News Hour". It was filmed at Rocky Grass in Lyons, CO. That was a bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one.

Edited by - bill t on 11/19/2014 16:40:57

Nels - Posted - 11/19/2014:  16:57:03

White Tails and Walnut Stain.....sounds like a song.......

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/19/2014:  20:17:45

Bill,

I've just found  the interview. I think I'll watch it after I go to bed...Thanks!

Nels,

Great idea! I'll let it molder in my grey cells for a while.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/20/2014:  04:41:44

BILL,

Thanks for posting about Abbigail & Belas interview, it was a nice one! here's a link:pbs.org/newshour/bb/bela-fleck...boration/

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/20/2014:  04:58:44

JUST 'BOUT COMPLETE

The 200,000 reads contest is still open!

There are just a bit over 2,000 to go. There is still time for everyone to get their name in the bucket!

Here is the painting as it is today...

bill t - Posted - 11/20/2014:  05:19:45

Dan, You're certainly welcome. It's good to see the banjo and Bela and Abigail get positive national exposure.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/20/2014:  05:48:13

SHOP UPDATE

Here are a few shots from yesterday...

A happy client who's fiddle was saved from the scrap heap! Actually only the sound post had fallen. She thought it was much worse than it was...

Laying out truss rod placement on Aeroplane...

end block glued in, the slot is filled (partially) with silicone. 

Clamped in, I'll cut off the squeeze out the next day...

Banjo set up time...

Set up complete a new truss rod cover is made from mother of pearl...

This Recording King banjo has had a new tone ring installed at some time and my client wanted R.K. Custom on his truss rod cover. This was the first try at lay out... not good!

A little alcohol and off it comes...

The new lay out complete engraving begins...

More soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/20/2014:  06:24:18

Dan

 The thought entered my mind that for all the runners up in the 200,000 contest, that you might do a high quality image of the painting, and make it available as a printable PDF file.  Just more work for a hard working luthier.  

Thanks for the Bela and Abigail link.      

Edited by - Dave1climber on 11/20/2014 06:26:04

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/20/2014:  06:45:13

Dave,

What a great idea! 

OK I'll up the ante...

I will email (following the end of the contest) all of the entrants to the contest a high-rez printable file of the painting and the winner will get the original!

60spicker - Posted - 11/20/2014:  07:02:13

What a great idea, Dave. I would buy a print of that in a heartbeat for the music area of my home. That is, of course, unless I win the thing outright. Hmm.

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/20/2014:  13:05:23

Dan

I am excited to know that at the very least I will get a High-rez printable file of the painting!!         

Yanni - Posted - 11/20/2014:  13:10:23

Me too, me too :)  I love the new mic in the painting too Dan :)

Ian

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/20/2014:  18:59:33

PAINTING COMPLETE

I completed the painting this morning. Then I took it to the shop and scanned the thing. I've decided that not only will I send a printable copy of the painting out to everybody who enters the contest, I'll send it out just as quick as I can after receiving your entry!

In fact I just sent out the first batch a few moments ago...

So here it is (lo rez) complete...

I'm looking forward to sending this to everybody who wants one!

So send those entries in and help us celebrate that 200,000 mark!

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/20/2014:  21:31:41

I just received mine, looks very good!!  

Many thanks Dan!

Dave

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/21/2014:  05:41:44

Dave,

You are so welcome!

Yanni - Posted - 11/21/2014:  14:25:05

Got mine too :)  Wow!  What a surprise!  Thanks Dan

Ian

rubicon - Posted - 11/21/2014:  16:07:30

Youre a solid guy Dan !

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/21/2014:  18:01:42

Ian,

You are so welcome.

Rubicon,

Thanks.

Nels - Posted - 11/21/2014:  19:11:14

Got mine!! Thank you Dan...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/21/2014:  20:09:01

Nels,

You are so welcome! 

I sent out an email to my mailing list about the contest tonight. Already I've received a bunch of emails from folks, some I haven't seen in a great while.

BTW if anyone wants to post about this contest on Facebook please do so with my blessing & thanks!

Kaelri - Posted - 11/22/2014:  06:19:00

Dan;

Thanks so much for the generosity of your artistic skill! My daughter thinks you are like a "Pointillist Santa"! It kind of feels like Santa came early in the Luthier's Life thread! We will definitely find a nice place to display it in this old house we are restoring. 

By the way, ain't that Bela & Abigail album great??? I cannot stop listening to it! 

Ellen

DEmery - Posted - 11/22/2014:  08:49:56

Dan I did a post on FB for you.....so check it out. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/22/2014:  13:49:24

Ellen,

Pointilistic Santa... I like it perhaps now my wife  will let me try to grow a beard! 

I absolutely love Abigail & Bela's recording, especially Shotgun Blues (the last line)& By By Baby Blues.

David,

Thanks. I'll say it again, you are a good friend.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 11/22/2014 13:49:43

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/22/2014:  19:16:08

SATURDAY

In the Shop

We had a large and very productive time this morning. A fella came in to show and (for him) hopefully sell us a few guitar side & back and top sets. 

I bit on several Indian rosewood fingerboards and a Koto (at least that what this light yellow wood was called by him) or Pterygota macrocarpa (how's that for showing off my Googling abilities!) back and side set. It is nicely stiff and has a very nice tap tone.

BHO member Jon Eaton came by and I did a quick repair on his guitars saddle. 

All the while Zeb and I worked on making tiny  marquetry blocks for the rosette on his guitar. These blocks are made of tiny (and I mean small) strips of Ebony and maple laid out in a (sort of ) checkerboard pattern, framed with walnut. The blocks finished out about 1/2" square.

Zeb started out by truing one side of a block of ebony.

I don't remember what was so funny... but it was!

All of the maple & ebony is ripped into strips...

Glued together and thicknessed...

Here a big mass (well maybe not big. I suppose size is relative) is glued together. After the glue dried the block was trued and then the chunks were cut off of the end...

We made enough blocks for about two rosettes. Zeb took them home. He will true the walnut edges and glue up the mass to form the basis of the rosette.

I'll be excited to see the result when I return from my last river trip of the year. 

By the way Eddie and I head out Wednesday for two weeks on the Queen. We will have our longest river trip of the year. Vicksburg to Memphis to New Orleans then back to Vicksburg.

Remember to get your entry in!

The contest will end soon!

Only a hair more than 1200 reads to go!

Paul R - Posted - 11/23/2014:  21:23:54

Woo-hoo! Got it!

Getting it comes as a pleasant surprise - even when it's expected. And it came on our granddaughter's 18-month birthday - and she was here today, and slapping hands on legs to the beat of my banjo playing. Now, if only it had been a Dan Knowles banjo ... . (It was a hundred-year-old Orpheum, is that acceptable?) Christmas came early this year.

Thanks, Dan!

 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/23/2014:  22:20:53

Paul,

I got your thank you today and that made mine too! Yep it's ok to play an Orpheum, perhaps one of these days it'll be a...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/23/2014:  22:33:31

SUNDAY EVENING

Under 1,000 reads to go and closing in.

This is so exciting for me. I certainly hope that you can put up with my excitement....

I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.

It looks as though we might be drawing the winning entry while on the Queen of the Mississippi. That should be fun!

For those of you who haven't sent your entry in yet or for some reason I've not got your large copy out yet, here is an enlargement of just the mic from the painting...

Today was coffee roasting day for me.

My grandson Keaton was running around with my camera and caught me in the act of Red Neck Coffee Roasting...

After just a few minutes of heat gun and rattelin' around here the beans are. Not quite yet done but browning nicely...

The smoke pores out as the second crack kicks into gear...

Out go the beans to cool off and stop the roast.

My goodness this is so easy and fun (and cheep) that I'm surprised more folks don't roast their own coffee beans. 

Just think tomorrow I'll have completely fresh roasted coffee...

Mum um , Good to the last drop!

See ya for More Luthier's Life Tomorrow!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 11/23/2014 22:35:11

rubicon - Posted - 11/24/2014:  05:26:28

I Gotta try the coffee bean roasting they look like they will make some great coffee.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  05:43:51

Rubicon,

Son it's so easy! The heat gun was about $13 from Harbor Freight. The pot from a local thrift store (maybe 50 cents) I added a long handle so I could keep my hands back. Most of the beans come from Burman burmancoffee.com/  or Bodhi  store.bodhileafcoffee.com/ . Most of these beans cost between $4.50 and $6 which is a definite savings and the coffee is soooooooooo much fresher.

Dave1climber - Posted - 11/24/2014:  06:10:28

Dan

Looks like a Dark roast, which should make some seriously strong coffee.  Not for the faint of heart.  

Do you do your own coffee when you are aboard the Queen?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  06:33:49

Dave,

T answer your question, from my posting of 8-4-2013:

One of the very enjoyable things I am able to do is teach "Red Necked Coffee Roasting". Here I show my rig... a stainless steel carafe and a Harbor Freight paint stripping heat gun... total cost, $37. HARBOR FREIGHT are you looking? I'd be a great endorsee!!!

Crusty - Posted - 11/24/2014:  07:54:28

I don't want to divert this topic Dan but I just gotta ask, do you think that roasting method would work for French Roast coffee (which I understand is roasted twice)?  I've already got one of those HF heat guns and I can come up with a SS pan. 

I like my coffee best when it looks a lot like used motor oil and having it fresh roasted and ground could be the creme de la creme (I bet you're surprised that somebody from Texas knows what that means).

montanamike - Posted - 11/24/2014:  08:31:40

I've roasted my own coffee for years in a cast iron pan... its great as long as your oven fan works well...   Heavy duty popcorn poppers work well too.   

I think most people can tell the difference and it is so easy and inexpensive to try.

Well done with the heat gun!  I've never considered that route.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  10:50:04

Mike,

I know you can. Basically the beans are roasted until they reach the color that you'd like... just one roast. What you are probably misunderstanding is a term used by coffee roasters, first crack & second crack. What this means is this: coffee when it reaches a certain point in the roast makes a popping noise, usually it can do this twice with a somewhat lull in between the "cracks". Lots of the connoisseur sites make this sound somewhat mysterious but it really is not a big deal. Get you a few pounds of green beans (Colombian are a good start) and burn 'um to your liking. I could go on about all the different coffee's and their flavors... but I won't here. If you need any help getting going feel free to email me.

BTW Congratulations on your 2 years of banjo playing!

Mike,

Inside roasting? Doesn't it make a big mess and smoke up your house?

Crusty - Posted - 11/24/2014:  11:11:57

I've already ordered some Expresso Blend from Burman and it's on the way, as well as a grinder.  I'm looking forward to learning to do this and I think it'll be a new skill learned that pays off in big rewards.  Love that java in the mornin'.

I'm sure I can figure it out - after all I learned how to bake my own sandwich bread that's nutritious and isn't full of chemicals and crap by watching Breaking Bread With Father Dominic on TV and these days I make my very own recipe of Honey Malt Pecan Whole Wheat bread that's almost a meal by itself.  I've been readin' about roasting coffee this morning and now I understand about cracks, and I guess that it makes sense to use some sort of deep vessel so that the beans don't jump out like pop corn.

And conga rats to you too for being one of the most widely read unpaid authors around.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  19:22:30

Mike,

Welcome to the new world of the elite (or is it as Agnew used to say "effete") order of Red Necked Coffee Con-ie-sewers! Next thang ya know y'all will be drankin' those x-perss-soes!

​By the way that bread of yours sounds excellent. Makes me wish that I had some to go with my morning brew!

Rick Turner - Posted - 11/24/2014:  19:31:12

BTW, the darker the roast, the lower the caffeine. Same deal with tea...green tea has more push to it than black teas.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  19:39:47

Rick,

Thanks! You always have such great information, I didn't know that. No wonder I like green tea!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 11/24/2014 19:40:13

Dan Knowles - Posted - 11/24/2014:  20:00:50

MONDAY

Today was a bit unusual, for a Monday.

Because there might have been a chance that Eddie and I would have to leave out for Vicksburg on Tuesday, today became my teaching day.

So I got home just a bit ago, I picked up my gut strung banjo and whiled away a good hour working on a new medley arrangement of Spanish Fandango & South Wind. It will be interesting to see how folks respond to it these next two weeks.

All of my students showed up and did smashingly! Zeb even came by to show me the progress he's making on his rosette. Looking good Zeb!

​I just checked only 475 to go, oh my who'ed a thunk it!

Not me that's for sure!

Any how here is another detail shot from the prize painting...

Remember you still have time to get your entry in!

See ya tomorrow!