Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/24/2015:  04:20:49

Doug & Dave,

The inlaid fiddle is to be finished, setup and such by a violin maker in Nashville. There are some fine fiddle players in Nashville that I know and will ask. I'll try, but certainly no promises.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/24/2015:  04:54:29

WEDNESDAY

I thought about calling this post BUTT STRIP CONTINUED... but changed my mind. 

I had made so many photos today that I think I'll break this up into at least two posts.

After the clamps were removed this is what the butt strip (end cap, seam cover, decorative strip, v-seam, bottom strip, butt cover ) looks like....

This guitar will be bound with ebony and purfiled with black-white-black. To rout the channel I need to know the binding thickness (and the purfiling thickness) and a dial caliper comes in handy for this. I usually make all my wood bindings around .090 thick (this was.089).

Here I'm running a check cut in a MDF block. I want to know where I'm starting from. Perhaps I'll get lucky...

No such luck. So the router is unpluged and comes off of the machine. I measure the exposed tooth and change the bearing out to get the size that I need...

After changing the bearing a test cut is made in MDF and the fit is checked with a piece of binding material...

The guitar body is installed on the fixture and the sides are made square to the base...

And then routed. 

After both ledges are routed this is what it looks like. I'll have to get in with a file and clean up all of the fuzz before I can glue binding and purfiling....

MORE SOON!!!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 09/24/2015:  06:15:44

Dan...really looks great...making very good progress!

Dave1climber - Posted - 09/24/2015:  06:20:27

All you can do is ask, the worst that can happen is that "they" say no.

Thanks for all of the photos of the progress of the guitar.

tylerandal - Posted - 09/24/2015:  07:27:31

oooohhhhh..... I like the new bench top :)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/24/2015:  18:14:48

Doug,

Thanks!

Dave,

I asked today, I heard "Yes". It may be a couple of months before the violin varnish has cured and it can be played. Knowing the fiddler involved it's something I can hardly wait for!

Tyler,

Thanks. Only thing that would have been better was perhaps some snakewood, ebony or such!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/24/2015:  18:55:09

THURSDAY

You know tonight I almost did this whole post backwards. Start with MOORE SOON!!! and go from there instead of starting here at the beginning. After all the genesis was back almost three years ago when we started this conversation. I don't think that I've ever attempted one like that. Maybe I should sometime.

How 'bout the Pope today. What a gentle voice. It was almost like he was singing.

You could go to the MOORE SOON!!! and read it backwards if you'd like. I might be like some of those old BEATLE recordings (that were new when we were kids) that we used to play backwards hoping for hidden messages...

After the glue dried it was thickness sanded getting rid of all the glue humps and bumps.

1. Here I'm gluing some purfiling to the bottom edge of a piece of Macassar ebony binding. 

Next it's laid on some tinfoil and thoroughly wetted down.

1. The binding is laid flat and all the ends are taped together.

(luaP si luaP)

After this photo was made it was placed in the bending machine and (guess what) was bent.

1.Here it is all wrapped in aluminum foil.

(emiT wobniaR)

1. Out of the bending machine and soon the foil is removed.

1. Off comes the tape...

1. All of the binding and purfiling bent and now ready to be installed.

1. Here I'm cleaning up the routing channel, getting rid of all the fuzz and such...

1. On with the first pieces.... (egassem neddih)

1. A close up of the binding and purfiling at the waist....

One. 1 side binding all the way on!

MORE SOON!

Nels - Posted - 09/25/2015:  02:51:49

That is one sweet guitar!! 

guitarman8491 - Posted - 09/25/2015:  05:26:41

That ebony binding is really nice. The excitement increases with every post..as Nels said.. "one sweet guitar"

DEmery - Posted - 09/25/2015:  06:18:20

Dan that is looking really fine. The binding will be really tasteful with the finish choice we discussed. When it is finished the guitar should looked aged to fit that Martin top from 1959. Great one of a kind piece. Thanks so much. David E.

Dave1climber - Posted - 09/25/2015:  08:48:16

I can hardly wait for the fiddle sound clip.  



Thanks again for the progress photos of the guitar.  I look forward to your posts, they are always interesting.

Chris still doing rehab?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/28/2015:  06:06:46

WEEKEND

Saturday morning was our guitar building class. Kevin finished getting his guitar ready for spraying, Zeb inlayed his inlay piece, we met and picked with a traditional Corridos/ Nortinos Mexican musician named Saul and my two next door dentist neighbors Jeff & Chris signed up to start guitar building with us next time. Busy, busy, busy...

Here Zeb is cleaning up, rounding, binding and in general getting ready to inlay. And Kevin is taping off his guitar in preparation for finish and I'm kibitzing and just causin'  trouble...

This is after Zeb laid out his inlay spot & routed out where it will go he is putting black dyed epoxy in...

In with his pearl piece. The x (or t depending on ones point of view) pieces of wood are to keep the inlay flush as the hole is just a smug bit deeper than the pearl...

Clamped, next time he'll sand it flush...

Meanwhile I'm back in the lathe room working on one of my wooden coordenator rods...

Turned, sanded & ready for stain & finish...

This one is made from a piece of the same maple as David Emery's St. Augustine banjo and is being finished in a similar manner; natural walnut stain, metal stain & oil. After the first batch of stain was applied it is sanded deepining the color when finished...

More stain...

Here it is stained with its first coat of oil...

Hear I drill a brass spunover rim for Airoplane....

And stamp a serial number on it.

The white ladye tone ring gets aged....

Here you have it all ready for engraving...

More Soon!!!

maynardje - Posted - 09/28/2015:  08:13:42

Hi Dan--- its so great to see all the amazing work you do in your shop and a few photos of the Aeroplane coming together!

Best,

Jamie

DEmery - Posted - 09/28/2015:  08:39:48

Pretty banjo work. Of course..., I think so after all these years and covering my walls with your work. David E

Dave1climber - Posted - 09/28/2015:  09:56:11

Another busy day in A Luthiers Life.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/28/2015:  19:48:45

Jamie,

Just thought you'd like to see it!

David,

Thanks so much!

Dave,

So right!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/28/2015:  20:05:18

MONDAY

This is gonna be a quick post tonight. I just got in from playing plumber at the Art school and that at the end of a very busy day in the shop. 

So here it is, my first invitation to y'all to a workshop & concert on Halloween. What could be a better Trick or Treat!

Ok I guess I'll stick in a couple from today's day at the shop...

Here is just a few of the "ancient" parts made old today for the Areoplane...

Three wooden coordinator rods from today. They kind a remind me of bagpipe pipes...

More Soon!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 09/29/2015:  07:00:52

Dan

My father used to compare a unpleasant job to "working on old plumbing".  The best part of plumbing is being done!.

Good looking "old" hardware and Bagpipe pipes.   I noticed that the bolts have an unusual head, is this something that you did for each bolt on your lathe?

Dave

Edited by - Dave1climber on 09/29/2015 07:02:30

Dan Knowles - Posted - 09/29/2015:  19:16:32

Dave,

These bolts are are from Bill Rickard's shop. I get quite a bit of my parts from Bill. For my money they are the best banjo parts made since the golden age of the 1890's.

Eddie just arrived and we are all packed up and ready for traveling to Vicksburg in the morning. We'll be performing on the American Eagle. It should be great fun!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 09/29/2015 19:19:19

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/02/2015:  12:52:18

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY

ON THE

AMERICAN EAGLE

A big HOWDIE from Memphis, Tennessee today! Its a bit cloudy, breezy and cool here (65 degrees) on the Green Belt Parkway. We landed here  because they are having to dredge the Beale St. Landing. High water brought lots of mud and deposited right where we normally land. Can't get there until it's dredged away or the river comes up.

Ok, here it is, Eddie and I drove down highways 641, 79, 22, 70, 40, 240 and 61 to Vicksburg, Mississippi on Wednesday morning. We got to laughing about how much this trip is our "short" little 7 hour commute. Ain't no tellin' how many times we've done it just this year.

Fortunately it was a nice little trip and we arrived in Vicksburg around 1 PM, just in time to go eat a burger at the Burger King & shopping at the local music store (thumb picks) & men's wear shop (for shirts) before boarding the American Eagle.

Here was a shot I just had to post... the sun breaks through the clouds just before dinner....

Wednesday night's show where we knocked it clean out of the ballpark or off the boat... you choose!

In our guest list on this cruise are a bunch of great folks from New Zealand. Several made it to our Banjo 102 class and they all did WONDERFUL! Here is our Thursday class... One & two &...

What you know there they are again... one & two &...

Thursday was a nice and windy day on the river. Here is something you don't see on the Mississippi often, a dust storm...

Here I am with one of my new shiney shirts from Thursday night's show. I got me a blue one too!

MORE SOON!!!

rudy - Posted - 10/02/2015:  13:12:42

Man, Dan!  How do you keep those end wedges looking so good?  Mine always want to go crooked on me... 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/02/2015:  13:25:50

Randy,

I LOVE IT!!! THAT IS SO COOL!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/03/2015:  15:26:10

SATURDAY

PAINTIN' ON THE RIVER

Over the past two days here on the American Eagle I finished painting these three. Now I didn't completely paint them these past few days just got 'um done.

This one is titled NEBULA...

  

This one THREE ANGLES...

And this one THE QUEEN ANNE....

MORE SOON!!!

kwl - Posted - 10/03/2015:  19:20:23

Very nice Dan. Looks like the Queen Anne is really moving. Is she headed downstream?

Ken

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/03/2015:  20:00:57

Ken,

Yes! What gave it away?

kwl - Posted - 10/03/2015:  20:35:00

I'm not sure Dan. It just looked to me like that was the way the current was flowing. I think it is a great set of paintings. Thanks for sharing them.

Ken

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/03/2015:  21:23:22

Dan

Three very impressive paintings by a man of many talents.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/04/2015:  06:47:59

Thank ya fellers! 

It is with great sorrow that I reprint this newspaper story:





10-1-2010 PARIS PAST INTELLEGENCER

By Dan De Quill



VANDALS STRIKE AGAIN



Paris police chief Timmy Hooper reported today that several business on East Rough St. were struck last night by the ruffians who have attacking business in the Paris aria recently. Among the business involved were Designs Ltd. a hair saloon, Antiques De Parie and Knolz Strang- Gallery 108. 

"Damage to the business appears to be minimal. " said police chief Hooper, "It seams we have vandals who have a very warped since of humor." Business signs were switched, Designs Ltd. becoming Antiques De Pari, Antiques De Pari became Knolz Strang and Knolz was changed to First Baptist Church. Graffiti was also scrawled on business windows. The most offensive was found on beauity parlor Designs Ltd. which said "Hair no evil!" 

 

Only one business was entered, Knolz Strang-Gallery 108. Proprietor Don  Knolz reported that signatures were switched on valuable paintings along with titles and prices. The worst damage reported was to a valuable banjo neck that Knolz was building.

"I don't understand these people," Knolz was reported to have said, "They removed all of the pearl work and re inlayed it on another neck I was building for Dempton Jerdon. Then it was removed form that neck and re-inlayed in the ebony instrument although slightly askew. Also they emptied my bottle of Ever Clear, which I use as a solvent and moved my cheetah bowling ball vice."

Damage estimates are not yet available.

Paris Police looking for a male 6 or 5 feet tall, religious in nature, aprox. 27 1/2 years old, with blond hair, green or brown eyes (depending on the light), with or without a long black beard, wearing a floppy green sweater, large black 'slouch' hat, green jeans and brogan shoes. Several other people are also wanted. So far no one has been brought in for questioning. Their is a reward for his capture. Although we are not sure of the amount at this time.

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/04/2015:  07:06:26

After five years and still no culprit brought to justice?   Perhaps a new police chief?  

guitarman8491 - Posted - 10/04/2015:  08:12:04

Well Dan this has to be one heck of mystery and ta think they know how to inlay pearl work in a banjo neck, why that doesn't narrow down the field of potential criminals, in Paris that much??! Hmmm!

And to switch signatures on paintings..my gosh it would take an artist an as far as that solvent..that may have caused someone to just have a foggy mind and maybe somewhat responsible.

Ya may want to go down to the shop and place a sign outside..pearl inlay artist wanted..see who applies. That culprit maybe closer than ya think :)

Hope ya have a good day...cheers!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/04/2015:  10:13:56

SUNDAY BANJO 102 

GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

ON THE 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Here is another great 102 class. They all got it and we had a great time!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/04/2015:  14:16:24

Dan

If you keep this up you are going to turn into a "river rat" .   I mean this in the best way possible. 

Paul R - Posted - 10/04/2015:  19:14:35

Dan, that "report" reminds me of the time the Mrs. and I returned home to find that thieves had broken in, stolen everything in the house, and replaced it all with exact replicas!

"Dan De Quill" is a real "nom de plume"!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/06/2015:  17:31:46

Dave & Paul,

(GRIN)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/06/2015:  19:30:18

TUESDAY

GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING!

IT IS SO GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE SHOP TODAY.

If you remember the little Mountain banjo from a while back, well my son Patrick worked up a head for it today. I've been working on this idea for several years and today it finally worked!

But before we get to photos of the head here is some other stuff I fooled with...

Here I'm sanding the face of a pearl logo piece. I'm getting it ready for engraving. This will be glued on the peghead face of one of my new basic banjos.

Here I'm screwing in a tailpiece hanger in one of my wooden coordinator rods....

Here are some shots of the head along with a new (untreated skin) and a couple older heads I just happened to have in my shop. I'll have to do a bit more to gain the nice dry look of the other heads...

Here's a close up...

More Soon!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/06/2015:  21:08:24

Dan

Good to know that you are back in the shop, I was beginning to wonder if all of your tools were gathering a thick layer of dust, or worse a coating of rust from disuse.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/09/2015:  17:46:57

Dave,

Yah, they've been gatherin' dust and junk all over the place. But things have been changin' at the ole' shop!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/09/2015:  18:19:07

FRIDAY

The past two days have been full of nose down tail hawlin' cleaning. The Knowles Sting shop had jus become toooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much of a mess! So yesterday morning I got 3 of my grand boys (who are out on fall break) to help me clean. They helped for a couple of hours and then I just kept goin'.

My back tool room had got to be a pure wreck. Wood all over the place. No good order. The big vacuum was even full. We just rolled the whole thing out to the dumpster bin and emptied it....

Too full Knowles, you know better...

I even moved a couple of power tools out of the shop and put them up for sale. A Dremel scroll saw (which was sold today) and this Delta Joiner ($125)... 

I did take some lutherie time (for my souls sake). I glued on this pearl overlay and laid out the engraving...

And engraved it...

I needed some fifth string pips so I found a piece of more than perfect bone and mounted it in the lathe. It's no good to use anything but the best as dud material will break in the lathe.

Here I'm shaping the pip crown...

Marking the pip head...

After making the shaft to a right on 1/8" , I cut the pip off and start a new one with the remainder...

4 pips...

Oh ya, just before leaving today I glued this mountain banjo tension hoop...

MORE SOON!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/09/2015:  19:16:55

Tidying up the shop, always a pleasure when done.  Then some fun in the shop.  

jbalch - Posted - 10/09/2015:  19:20:38

That smoked hide looks great ... really old. 

Bufo Bill - Posted - 10/11/2015:  13:28:14

Those little pips are exquisite, Dan. Banjo group name of the future: Dan Knowles and his 5th String Pips!
All the best from Bill. :D

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/11/2015:  19:44:34

Dave,

How true it is!

John,

Thanks. I hope to have it on that little mountain banjo in the next couple of days.

Bill,

Gosh...Thanks. I guess I'll have to make you a pip sometime!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/11/2015:  20:35:23

WEEKEND

Lots of photos today everybody... Hope you enjoy them! I started to edit this down to jus a couple and I thought "what the heck" I'll enjoy seeing them all and I hope you do too!

Do you remember the little pips from the other day? Well here I'm a'stickin' one in. First up I grab my ancient (my great-grandpa's) paddle (eggbeater) drill and drill a 1/8" hole for the pip shaft...

And then file the pip front so the string is stopped directly in line with the crown of the fifth fret. It also will get its basic string slot cut into it here too...

Here tiz...

I went ahead and cut the fret slots and found that I was out of CHRIS SANDS CLASSICAL BANJO STRINGS. Was that subtle enough? Did you notice an add for my favorite nylon banjo strings? How can a person exist without CHRIS SANDS stings? At least when the banjo yer building is supposed to be set up with them...

Nope, I don't have an endorsement with them, But I wish I did. I do hope the Chris Sands folks will notice this one!

Anyway I ordered a bunch up... hope they're here by Monday so I can finish this banjo... 

SATURDAY...What a good day!

I started two new guitar building students today, Jeff Fletcher & Chris Graves. We all had a great time listening to and picking out a couple of tops. That's Jeff there on the left and Chris on the right with the big grin on his face. Oh yes that's Zeb, y'all ought to know Zeb by now, there in the middle...

Here's Jeff joining his top...

We also joined the tops with hand planes and sandpaper and then glued them up with epoxy...

We had fun putting all of these weights on Chris' top...

Here is something that applies to all of us banjo builders as well. When we really need that perfect neck to body fit , what can we do...

Call GHOST BUSTERS!!!!

Wrong show....

This ones called SAND FITTING...

I know it doesn't have the same raz ma taz but man does it ever work!

 This is a technique that I use for neck fitting on new guitar construction and neck resets.

Part of this though I learned just the other day from reading a post that our friend RUDY  posted here on the ole BHO. Bless you Randy ! This tape backed sandpaper works so much better than plain sandpaper!

Here it is...

Zeb first backed a whole piece of 100 grit sandpaper with shipping tape, then laid out 3/4" wide strips... 

Next he cut them out with a scalpel...

The neck is loosely attached in its mortise and the sandpaper is repeatedly drawn out through the joint (on both sides & heel ) causing the neck to be a perfect duplicate of the body sides...

Here is a close up view. Notice how the paper is pulled at a slight down angle. If it is pulled at an up angle the joint is opened instead of fitted.

By the way Randy, Zeb pulled this one piece of sandpaper perhaps 100 times through the joint and it never tore. What an amazing technique!  Love that tape. Thanks!

Wednesday I head out on the river again. I just happened to notice this photo. I posted it once before, but I just couldn't help myself...

MORE SOON!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 10/11/2015:  21:21:49

Photos!! Lots of photos!! Lots and lots of photos!!!

The more the merrier!!

Stephen45710 - Posted - 10/12/2015:  03:24:24

Dan, Those photos of the neck fitting are really helpful. Thanks for this thread!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 10/12/2015:  06:03:36

Dan the banjo is amazing. Looks like you have a few very talented students building guitars and yer shop is buzzing with activity!! Cheers..Doug

PS got a kick out of your assortment of weight for gluing the guitar tops..I have a similar assortment :)

kwl - Posted - 10/12/2015:  07:54:42

Dan, I appreciate your sharing the information on the neck fitting. I've been thinking about building a guitar and any information I can accumulate is helpful. I do have a friend here in Reedsville who is a luthier who will give advice and assistance. BTW, the walnut stain I made following your instruction turned out very well. I have about three quarts of it. Should last me a good long time.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/13/2015:  04:41:59

Dave, Stephen, Ken & Doug,

Thanks for your comments! By the way that walnut stain gains more and more streangth over time.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 10/13/2015:  05:25:05

MONDAY

Do you realize that it is almost three years ago that we started this journey? I just looked back, wondering about when we started this conversation. December  8, 2012. So much has happened during that time. Certainly much of it was not expected or planned. It just happened...

I was read the premise that we started this with: 

Have you ever wondered about the working life of a full time Banjo/ Guitar builder repairman, Musician and artist? Well if you have then this forum will be for you. I'm going to attempt to follow my days with photos, words, recordings and perhaps an occasional video. Please feel free to comment and ask questions.... who knows where that will lead!

Anyway here goes todays post 12-8-2012...

And it is still true today. I appreciate all of you who have followed these days an years. Also I want to thank Eric and all of the good folks here at the BanjoHangout for providing this wonderful space for all these stories.

THANK YOU!!!

On to Monday...

I had a new helper in the shop today! Semaja! He is a good friend of my grandson Chandan. Semaja is home schooled and asked me if he could go and work with me. So I put him to banjo finish sanding and he did a great job!

Hollis was in today workin on fiddles and guitar bindings...

I sprayed finish, watched everybody else's work and attempted to finish a classical banjo. Here I'm making a couple bridge blanks. I usually make two or three at a time and this was no exception. This one is made from a beautifully quartered and figured piece of (at least) 100 year old piano bridge material capped with maccasar ebony. Here I'm drilling out for the legs...

And here I cut out the feet openings with a a band saw...

It was a giddy, happy family that met tonight for the the Lee Academy for the Arts had its annual board meeting. It was exciting reviewing this years accomplishments and continuing to move ahead on this years plans.

I had loaded my spray gun with a catalyzed finish and it needed to be sprayed out and cleaned. You just don't want that mess to set up in your gun. If it does you might as well just pitch the thing because it will be of no use afterwards. 

Anyway I told you that to tell you this: when I went back to the shop (around 8PM) I found this little fella attached to the glass front door of the shop. He kindly stayed put while I went got my camera. Then he posed so nicely for the photo and was quite unhappy and excited when I unhitched him from the door, took him across the street to a bit of lawn and released him. 

MORE SOON!