Ukulele Number 14

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Still catching up on posting my Uke collection. This one was purchased in 2017 on a trip back past the manor shopping center from a meeting at Millersville University. Why? I didn’t have a cutaway yet, and the style is classic of course. BTW the bowler is a vintage Stetson complete with serial number and blocking instructions. It’s a bit small perhaps, but great for that tough guy blues image.

Monti’s First Book Published

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Monti (with the help of Jolene and me) has published his first book about how he wants to go to school. Inspired by his Therapy visits to schools he wants to be a regular student and visits a friend’s classroom to prove he has what it takes.

Hardcover 8″x8″ books are available. Email jolene@randysbooks.com for details. They can be prepaid via PayPal. Books are produced through Shutterfly and we’re taking advantage of special offers to keep the price down and selling them for $20 plus postage with any amount over our cost going to benefit Spinone Health & Rescue.

You can watch a short video of the entire book below:

Pen Backlog

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Bonus “thing I made” is Spinone Silhouette in the background which is awaiting a stain or varnish or both.

It’s been awhile since I turned pens, but there are loads of them in various stages of completion on my workbench. I finally found some time to complete a bunch of them. These are all a particular design meant to stand on a desk rather than fit in a pocket or bag. I still have a number of the unmade kits that will are probably next on the list to complete.

Another bonus “thing I made” even though it was made in the mid 1970’s. The bookholder on the left is modeled after one that used to be displayed at the Ephrata Cloister on a small table in Beissel’s cabin.

My Ship Has Come In

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Or at least I’ve finished building it. I made this from a kit I bought at the Maine Prison Showroom in Thomaston, Maine on our last visit. All the parts are wooden and already cut and shaped. The two largest sails were already glued. It just took some painting and assembly. The hard part was the rigging. I was influenced to buy it because of the nice wooden box with a sliding lid that the kit came in.

Ukulele Number 13

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Another banjolele actually. Lighter than either the vintage Dixie banjolele (#10) or especially the Luna (#4) whose weight appealed to me. The Firefly by Magic Fluke has a unique one piece construction of head, neck and post that holds the Remo banjo head. I’m not.a fan of the one piece molded fretboard, but overall the design is definitely different than my other ukes, so I like it for that. Got this in 2017 at Funky Frets. (I’m a bit behind in getting these posted.

First Print on the Provisional Press

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Saturday I made the first print on the Provisional Press that I bought in kit form and assembled last month. I made at least 14 good prints of a linocut of the finial on the Bronstrup iron press at the Conestoga Press using waterbase metallic gold block printing ink. Initially I planned to build one of these great presses from the free plans that can be downloaded. The plans are for cutting with a CNC machine, but I planned to use traditional woodworking methods. After hearing the creator talk about it at a virtual Chesapeake Chapter of the American Printing History Association meeting I decided to just order the kit. They are normally out of stock but you just have to get on the email list to be notified when they will have a limited number available each month. I had no problem ordering one a minute after the appointed time in March.

First print made on the Provisional Press. Linocut of finial on top of Bronstrup iron press.