woodworking tools tips

its fall. the light is changing. you start to notice stuff. like chicken feathers. you gotta love those barred rock feathers ... this one has been stuck in my van dashboard for a few weeks now ...
and then theres the foliage... click the photos to enlarge them ...

makes the old back yard sparkle .. and vegetables !

and tomatilla skeletons

and the asparagus bed on almost frosty morning

and the last of the zinnias ... days are dwindling down ... a few more golf days, a few more tennis days, on to winter paddle tennis ... and more big claro walnut tables

all for now

Jumat, 02 September 2016

banjo 6 a remake

will shipped his latest banjo project yesterday afternoon. it was a re-necking of an antique instrument made by W.A.Cole, of boston mass. the client had the original nickled brass pot, head, and tension hardware, but the original 8 string banjo mandolin neck was missing. click the photos to enlarge them...

the client is a banjo collector and w a cole was mostly known for his banjos so she wanted a five string, short neck to go with the diminutive 8.75" pot. will was able to find pictures of w a coles original inlays online and was able to replicate some of them in the new neck ...

heres a close up of the original makers mark on the dowel stick which is now back home in the original pot, which, as you can see below, polished up nicely.

it has a surprisingly loud and robust sound and im sure at some point soon there will be a video online on wills website, seeders instruments, so you can hear it ... great sound ! 12/18/2011 ... the video is up now ... heres a link to it.

this photo shows the 8 string end from its original banjo mandolin configuration which will was able to adapt to the new five string mode.

he had to fabricate a missing, tricky, dovetailed brass piece that tightens the neck to the pot. he had it chromed to match the original by a local electroplating service, vermont plating, in rutland.

in the new case, and ready to ship ... should arrive at its destination tomorrow ...

Kamis, 05 Mei 2016

seeders instruments banjo 12

will wrapped up banjo #12 last week and his client/friend is coming to pick it up tomorrow afternoon. jeremy is going to be one happy banjo picker. his friend is a part time professional musician and you can here jeremys band, the flat top trio, at this link . click the photos to enlarge them.

will used his newly learned engraving talents on this project. he learned his new skills in west virginia this summer in a class taught by kevin enoch, a banjo maker and master engraver. coincidentally, kevin lives in beltsville, maryland, and will and i were able to visit him when we were on our choice to deliver the pool table we took the virginia in august. it was about 5 minutes out of our choice and it was a unique experience for me.

kevin enoch, of enoch banjos, is a master banjo builder and master engraver and he was kind enough to give us the tour of his studio.

he had a work in progress and i wish now i had taken a little more time to get a good photo of it. amazing, artistic craftsmanship, and i know will was totally inspired by the course, and by the studio visit. its not often we get to beltsville.

#12 has a 12" pot with a very mellow sound. the pot is constructed from blackened claro walnut, of which we seem to have many scraps of lately, with a mahogany end cap and a wenge tone ring, an ebony fret board, and a figured mahogany neck. a handsome combination for sure.

vermont pride is strong here, and at the 5th string fret and a few frets below, will added new versions of his vermont touch. these are the counties engraved on a miniature map of vermont.

the little flowers are actually dots with engraved dividers that make them look like multi piece inlays. clever.

a little carving by the 5th string tuner

the whole deal ...

and on wills website, seeders intruments , there are a couple short videos so you can hear it as well as see more photos and a list of the banjos vital statistics. this is the banjo will was working on when the made in vermont video was made for WCAX. in case you missed that profile, you can see that short video here.

all for now ...

Minggu, 17 April 2016

things to be thankful for

so, another thanksgiving ... the 41st for kit and i, and we have a lot to be thankful for ..
1. each other ... 40 years ... how could they go by so fast ??
2. our two kids and their girlfriends ..
2.5 our respective families of aunts, uncles and cousins ...
3. the fact that both our boys work here everyday and we get to have lunch with them, and then they go home to their own places ..
3.5. our 3 non family employees whose skill, happy attitudes and dedication we hugely appreciate.
4. a nice place to live and work, in a fantastic small town, with no traffic lights, in vermont
5. our furniture and metal clients and kits jewelry and gardening clients who make this all possible
6. the friends we have been hanging out with since the 1970s, and the new ones who have come to town since.
7. an incredible community of supportive and sharing artists around us
like someone who gets an oscar, i could go on and on but i feel like i should just stop with the highlights ... happy thanksgiving to you and yours ... dan

the traditional share the burner turkey day woodburning event ..

dinner ... just the six of us

the pre thanksgiving event at kits fathers house last saturday ... about 20 aunts, uncles and cousins ..

mini concert for grandpa

woodworking tools tips

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Sabtu, 03 September 2016

plymouth rock chickens and a few fall things

Jumat, 02 September 2016

banjo 6 a remake

Kamis, 05 Mei 2016

seeders instruments banjo 12

Minggu, 17 April 2016

things to be thankful for

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