Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/06/2013:  17:37:14

6 of February...

Our good Banjohangout friend Tommy Ogle is failing, they are giving him just a few hours of left of life. Please remember him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Today...

Moving on David Emery's banjo...

Here's me and my un-trusty old Delta drill press wallerin' out the slots in the peghead. As a side note. I purchased this DELTA drill press at LOWES a few years back. Next time I will buy a Grizzley.

Wallered...

Now I begin the job of chopping out the waste wood. I'm using a fine old Japanese chisel.

Next I go to filing those slots...

I meant to show this earlier... yesterdays banjo head today and dry.

Back to filing...

MORE VELLIE SOON!

kwl - Posted - 02/06/2013:  18:11:54

Sorry to hear about Tommy. He and his family are in my thoughts and prayers.

DEmery - Posted - 02/06/2013:  18:22:20

Dan your call on the Brazilian rosewood  really was a good one. The contrast with the maple is much better than black ebony along with the stain we will use. I know slot heads hasn't been one of your ole' stand by designs but it has become a favorite of mine. When you taper back those slots it will show the laminates nicely. It looks like you are going well down the neck with the back strap. Again...I couldn't be more pleased with the direction we are headed. By the way...if you look at my avatar image; this is the skin John Balch will be stretching for the banjo. David E.    

Edited by - DEmery on 02/06/2013 18:23:26

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/06/2013:  18:50:32

Dan

With those twirly tricks you could join the circus!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/06/2013:  19:02:13

Kenneth, Thank you.

David,

I'm glad you like the rosewood. It is a bit more 'chippy' to work with than most of the ebony, but it smells so good and is visually warm. It just feels good to handle.

You know as well as anyone that slot heads haven't been my forte but this one is beginning to really reach out and show me some of the creative sculptural effects available in this form. This is especially so when the laminates are tossed into the mix. Thanks to you I'm discovering new ways of  playing with the details of this shape.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/06/2013:  19:03:59

Dave,

Thanks, those tricks probably came originally from the circus!

Hot News!

Maggie the dipper gourd banjo just sold and will be on her way to her new home in New York !

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/06/2013 19:10:40

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 02/07/2013:  02:46:53

I'm enjoying this thread Dan!

Praying for comfort for Tommy and his family....

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/07/2013:  05:50:06

My friend Tommy Ogle died this morning.

He was 58 years old. He was honest, hard headed and one of the most faithful friends I have ever had.  The memorial service will be Saturday in Paris.

Yours,

Dan Knowles

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/07/2013 05:50:40

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/07/2013:  06:43:29

Dan

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.  The pain will become bearable.

Dave

Kaelri - Posted - 02/07/2013:  08:11:50

Sad news. Will keep the Ogle family,  his friends, those he touched with his life, in our family prayer for the time being. 

DEmery - Posted - 02/07/2013:  08:28:25

Dan I know you were really close to Tommy and I hate to hear the bad news. The photo is a great one of Tommy. That was the Jacobs project and you guys had bent those rims on the sidewalks of Paris, Tennessee. I hope you can carry those good memories. David E. 

kwl - Posted - 02/07/2013:  11:08:11

Dan, my sympathy and prayers are offered for you and Tommy's family. May God offer you comfort and hope in this time of grief and sorrow.

Steven M - Posted - 02/07/2013:  13:30:58

Too young to go! Sorry to hear that sad news!

dbrooks - Posted - 02/07/2013:  15:08:59

Dan, I'm sorry to hear about Tommy's passing. My thoughts will be with you and his friedns and family.

David

rubicon - Posted - 02/07/2013:  15:39:50

I extend my deepest sympathy goes out to both the family and you Dan ,   true friends are hard to come by I will keep you in my prayers ..

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/07/2013:  19:10:49

Thank you each for your kindness.

Dan

Paul R - Posted - 02/07/2013:  20:59:52

My condolences also, Dan. I hope the memories of happy times will provide some measure of comfort. Thoughts and prayers for you and for Tommy's family and friends.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/08/2013:  17:46:07

Tomorrow  (Sat) Will be Tommy's Memorial service. I'd like to tell you a bit about my friend...

 We first met the winter of 1984-85. I had moved to Paris to work as a recording engineer/ record producer for the vocal gospel group Accappela.  Mutual acquaintances that knew that we both played music introduced us. In those days Tommy had a wonderfully high tenor voice and played both guitar and bass. Along about 1988 we formed up THE ALMOST BROATHERS along with  Dobro player Bobby Smith, Mandolin picker Benny Coley, Old-Time Fiddler Chester Robbins, Banjo Wizard Travis Lamb and M.C. Brad Hosford. We performed a re-creation of a 1930-40's radio show where we were the stars of W.I.M.P. the Mighnty 2 watt voice of Almost Tennessee, Kentucky. We performed at a lot of great functions like Rat-Killin's  Dish Washin' and such. We were booked on shows with Jim & Jesse, Charlie Louvin, Josh Graves - Kenny Baker and such folks.

 About 1995  Tommy became heavily involved with a church here in Paris where he played in their Praise and Worship band. He always loved Christian Rock music and with his friend Glenn Kaiser spent countless hours helping and performing at the Cornerstone Festival up in Illinois.

 Through out the years Tommy encouraged and promoted my endeavors. He often times lent his considerable skills  to help me with numerous projects. Together we built Dulcimers, Minstrel Banjos,  Gourd Banjos and the project that I want to look at just a bit here, helping me hand bend rims for the Jacobs banjo reproductions. I miss my friend and I will continue missing him like an amputee misses a leg.

 A couple of years ago I restored a 1850's Jacobs banjo (here on the Hangout) and it was followed by the building of a reproduction of that instrument.     Here is Tommy and I making the rim.

The White Oak was hand split into true quarter sawn pieces and then  thicknessed using hand planes to a completed size of (if I recall correctly) 48" X 3" X 1/4" . Then I laid out the scarf joint (and here we start)...

And shaped it with my Grandpa's old Stanley Jack plane...

Then we set up this steaming rig. Tommy made the box and we modified a old fish cooker to create steam.

We also mounted a bending form with a compression strap so we could pull the piece of wood out and roll 'er up. We only had a few moments of time to pull of the roll and so every thing was close.  Here we've pulled out a steamed timber and start the bending. We look serious but in fact were having a monstrous big time!

Tightening it down...

I don't know what we were doin' but this is proof of fun!

And a bit of dry heat to set the bend...

Here is my favorite Tommy photo, he's lookin' through the recently bent rim Just off the mold.

Tommy's gettin' ready to pull another stick out of the steamer, we bent around 8 rims that day.

See you soon...

Tylerb1 - Posted - 02/08/2013:  17:53:56

WOW He along with you are and were great craftsmen. Bob

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/08/2013:  18:12:36

Dan

I can tell that you and Tommy worked well together, closer than brothers, I also lost a "closer than brother" friend, and all I can say is that it does become bearable.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/10/2013:  17:38:33

Dave,Bob & Everyone,

Thank you for your kindness and thoughts throughout this time. And thanks for the many e-mails , it means a lot to us here. 

Ah and C YING HAPPY NEW YEAR, the year of the snake.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/10/2013:  17:57:36

PEGHEAD SCRATCHIN'

Back at David Emery's slot head , peghead... I've really enjoyed this one. It is a design challenge that has caused me many sleepless (not) nights. I want to take a fairly simple and direct design and make it uniquely mine and yet remain within the bounds of the Dobsonian (sounds like a telescope don't it?) style design. Already the peghead angle is slightly greater than modern banjos and the veneers are much more involved. So I've been thinkin' that this last refuge of fools would be in adjusting the shapes of the slots, slightly... Here is the first layout...

Files are such marvelous tools... I begin the shaping...

Chandan started laying out small banjo necks (remember them?) and cutting them out on the band saw.

Back to filing...

Chiseling details in the slot top.

There was a bit of epoxy glue that had squeezed out into the nut slot. Here I'm burning it out with a very hot knife.

the cleaned the rest out with this Japanese chisel.

More very soon...

DEmery - Posted - 02/10/2013:  18:44:30

Dan the flare on these slots is really nice. I knew you would find a way to make the design Knowles-n-esh. I had to come up with something that wasn't Dobsonian to explain it. I do like the reveal of the maple and know as it is finished out the look will be special...as all your banjos have been. David E.    

Edited by - DEmery on 02/10/2013 18:47:47

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/10/2013:  20:07:02

Dan

Its beginning to look quite elegant.      I am very interested to see how you treat the tuners, five tuners, two slots?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/11/2013:  19:36:16

David,

I was hoping that you'd like the way that the peghead is looking. Tomorrow after I finish up the little Martin (neck reset job) I intend to grab onto that neck and finish shaping up the peghead. There might even be some photos!

Dave,

Thank you. I always appreciate your comments. My question is this though... Doesn't 5 divide by 2 evenly?  I always thought it dit!

Everyone,

Today was my teaching day. Also I went to a board meeting for our local Art Academy. Where we discussed details for a benefit concert my band and I will be performing Feb. 23 for the school, supporting their ceramics program.

Just in case you are wondering, I'm the shoeless fella second from the left. Here is a recording of the band performing Tommy Ogle's THE WIND. banjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D29180">banjohangout.org%2Fmyha...ID%3D29180" target="_blank">hangoutstorage.com/jukebox.asp...D%3D29180

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/11/2013 19:41:07

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/12/2013:  01:55:39

Now you've made us feel that if we don't buy a ticket you'll never be able to afford a pair of shoes.  (Insert smiley face here).

Play hard,

Lew

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/13/2013:  04:41:21

Thanks Lew...I could sure use another pair of shoes!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/13/2013:  05:07:49

2-12-2013

I was out late last night so I am sitting here with the computer before I go to the shop trying to play catch-up. It amazing how busy life can be.

First out of the shute I went around town delivering tickets to the various ticket sales locations for my upcoming concert.

After I got back I went to work on the little Martin. Somebody glued this saddle in, it's a lot of tedious work getting it out!

Later I went to working on a banjo neck for a client in Martin, TN. In a day or two I want to set up and do the heels on both this and David Emery's neck.

Here I'm cutting the mortise for the double acting truss-rod that I use on most all my banjos.

This one will receive a tunneled 5th. string so I lay out the 5th. fret position.

Laid out...

Routing the trench. I try to make these with as small aslope and change of directions as possible. This makes the string work in the tube better.

Cleaning the rout...

The blocks that finish off the trus- rod are added & trimmed...

And now the peghead ears are glued on...

My minstrel banjo needed some new strings, so I ordered some Nygut minstrel strings. I usually use Pro-Arte hard tension classical guitar strings. These Nyguts seam a bit softer. I'm not sure that I won't change back to the Pro-Arte.

More soon...

Tylerb1 - Posted - 02/13/2013:  15:13:18

24-7 365 It is great to see someone doing excellent work and also enjoying the work.  Bob

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/13/2013:  18:40:00

Thanks Bob!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/14/2013:  10:59:23

Tunnelin'

Here we go The ears are glued on the neck now so now after a little bit of truing I'll be ready for putting in the tube and on withe (Old English) the fingerboard.

Here's the peghead , freshly freed from the clamps...

Marking my square line...

Marked...

Truing on the belt sander...

Preparing the peghead overlay...

Everything in place for the gluing...

I'll be gluing this with cyno... so everything has to be ready...Here it is glued and under clamps...

Drilling the hole for the tube...

Inserting the tube...

Now clamping the fingerboard on...

More soon...

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/14/2013:  11:11:44

Dan

What kind of glue are you using on the finger board?

Dave

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/14/2013:  17:35:32

Green glue...

just teasing, it was slow set epoxy.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/15/2013:  04:15:38

2-14-2013

I'm not sure how this has worked out, but here I am it's 15 till six in the morning and I'm up doing yesterdays post.... Hum?

It was a very busy and productive day and so I'll show bits and pieces of several things I did.

First I finished up the little Martin. After the neck reset the bridge failed. It had failed and been repaired in some earlier time and so with the new raised saddle it just fell apart. So I made a new Brazilian rosewood bridge (to match the original and replaced it. Here the clamps are being removed...

Here I'm polishing the top of the bridge to a nice sheen...

I finished this with a set up, new saddle & strings and went on to pulling clamps from the Martin (TN) banjo.( WillT now that we are Hangout buds may I admit?)

I began to do the lay out lines for further work.

I next laid out and cut off some of the back of the peghead so I can begin the process of backstraping. Here I'm bringing the peghead to final thickness.

The on to David Emery's peghead for a bit of shaping... sorry I neglected to shoot any photos after I finished this work...maybe today.

Here is something special.

Rebecca Ogle, Tommy's wife has asked me to restore and sell his Vega Tubaphone banjo. This one has a nearly 20 year old neck that I built for myself. This is the banjo that I won my first State banjo championships on. Although Tommy later built himself several banjos he always prized this one.

The neck is made from Walnut and purpleheart. The peghead inlay has 60 something pieces in it and was made from a antique Chinese ivory sculpture that I have a photo of.

Soon....

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/15/2013 04:16:58

jbalch - Posted - 02/15/2013:  15:34:40

I remember Tommy's banjo.  He went home and got it to show to me one day when I visited your shop. No doubt he was very proud of it.

Edited by - jbalch on 02/15/2013 15:35:11

dbrooks - Posted - 02/15/2013:  17:54:05

Stunning work on Tommy Ogle's banjo, Dan. It's a banjo to be proud of.

David

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/15/2013:  19:05:11

John, & David,

There are a lot of very good memories  tied up in that instrument.

Everybody,

I am so sorry, when I left the shop tonight I forgot to grab the SD card out of my camera. No SD card, no photos, not much of a post... So tomorrow I'll make a post of today and tomorrow...maybe we can make it a real bang up job!

Breaking news!!! I just  received confirmation that the PBS program Creative Licence will be here next Saturday. They are going to film a segment about my work, including filming the concert. I am quite excited!

Ho C Ying - Posted - 02/16/2013:  00:37:13

quote:

---

Originally posted by dbrooks

Stunning work on Tommy Ogle's banjo, Dan. It's a banjo to be proud of.



David

---

Ditto.  Very beautiful banjo. I am sure this banjo will find a new home soon.

Ho C Ying - Posted - 02/16/2013:  00:40:23

"Breaking news!!! I just received confirmation that the PBS program Creative Licence will be here next Saturday. They are going to film a segment about my work, including filming the concert. I am quite excited!"

Wow! Very GOOD news! Congratulations, Dan!
Wish you a successful performance.

Steven M - Posted - 02/16/2013:  12:57:28

Excellent, hope I can get to see it online somehow.

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/16/2013:  13:10:17

Look what I found at:

wmufradio.com/

PBS To Tape Upcoming Dan Knowles and His Hot Band Concert

wmufradio.com/images/danandhotband.jpg" border="0" height="348" src="file://localhost/Users/lew/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image002.png" width="352" />

Paris, Tenn.-A crew from PBS will be on hand at next weekend's concert by Dan Knowles and his Hot Band at the Lee Academy for the Arts. PBS will be taping the performance for a segment about Knowles that will air on their show, "Creative License".

The concert will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday February 23 and it will benefit the ceramics department at the Lee Academy , which is located at  402 Lee St. Paris. The program  will feature Swing, Old-Time Country, Minstrel and Original music.

Knowles is a nationally-recognized banjo player and songwriter who resides in Paris. He is a 6 time Tennessee State Old-Time Banjo Champion and a National Old-Time Banjo champion. He was named a Kentucky Colonel for co-writing a song for the Kentucky Derby called Sunrise at the Downs. He has performed coast to coast at many prestigious venues including the Grand Ole’ Opry. During the program he will perform on the modern 5-string banjo, Minstrel banjo, musical saw and guitar.

The Band is no less accomplished and includes Master fiddler Danny Conger, Bass wonder (and son) Sam Knowles, Guitarist and vocalist extraordinary Mark Holladay and Mandolin master and Fiddler Josh Coffey.

Tickets are $10 and are on sale at: Jack Jones Flowers and Gifts, Leaches Music, Merison’s, Lee Academy and Knowles String Instruments.

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/16/2013:  13:11:38

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/16/2013:  13:13:37

I hope my second try ad posting the photo of Dan's band worked. 

If it did, you will note that the picture is taken strategically so that we cannot see whether Dan's feet are clad in shoes or are still unswathed. 

V/R,

Lew

dbrooks - Posted - 02/16/2013:  14:32:10

Thanks so much for posting the information about Creative License filming Dan's concert.  Every time I think I have a handle on Dan's extensive range of talents, I learn about a totally set of accomplishments. I didn't know that Dan had written a tune for Churchill Downs -- and I'm a Louisville resident.  I sure hope KET picks up Dan's concert.

David

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/16/2013:  15:06:12

Its a bit far for me to drive, otherwise I would be there for sure.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/16/2013:  16:19:14

C Ying, Stephen, Lew, David & Dave.

Thanks for your comments we are quite excited by the show and by many of this years up coming events and prospects. I am working on touring dates p in St. Paul, MN in August, Mr. 1 Climber I'm not sure if it will be near Dewitt but it sure will be closer than Paris.

OK Lew,

Just for you. Proof of the shoes! Or rather the shoeless...

Please don't tell my wife! I was just wearing my Lucky Piano Key socks. This is cropped out of the original...

This is the original!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/16/2013 16:20:28

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/16/2013:  16:51:31

KETCH-UP

Here, we are back at the shop with some more banjer workin' .

I'm gluing up the veneers for my unnamed Martin, TN client. I tried something a bit different this time and it worked very well... Very well indeed! You'll see it in just a moment.

Here I've just glued down the 1st. veneer...(ps. this gets three)

and am spreading glue for the second... How's about that glue bottle balancing trick. I didn't realize I had done this until I saw the photo. I'm kinda proud of that one!

This is it... I used a piece of blueboard Styrofoam insulation (R value 1.5 ) to spread out the clamping pressure, it worked really well. I think that next time I will add a hardboard backer to help equalize the pressure even better. I used separate blocks of wood but I think that the hardboard would work much better.

Now I'm working on the tuners for David Emery's instrument. These machines started life as a set of Stu Mac Golden Era aged brass mandolin machines. Eight tuners are cut down to five. The cut end should look like the original cut ends...

Here I'm cutting the ends using a Jewelers' saw...

Filing into shape...

Engraving...

Complete... well David, I hope I came close...

More very soon!!!

Dan Drabek - Posted - 02/16/2013:  17:36:20

I like that "shoeless" shot. Is that by chance "Abner Lane?"

DD

DEmery - Posted - 02/16/2013:  18:33:59

Sir you got them just right. They do look aged nicely and as you said once the plates of 4 are cut to plates of 3 and 2...you cannot tell they were cut. I appreciate you putting the detail engraving back in place. It makes them look "correct" as we say for the banjo. I know you were working on the head stock last time I saw a shot. I am pleased we can use a proportionate slot head yet get the tuners to fit. Thanks for all the attention you always provide to detail. David E.