Added making the pot post

xavishobbies/content/music/making_the_pot.md

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+---
+title: "Making_the_Pot"
+date: 2023-03-13T00:00:00-07:00
+description: Banjo - Building
+categories: ["Top_of_the_Stack"]
+tags:
+---
+
+What I've noticed about *banjos*, at least more than I have with other instruments, is the shear amount of differences in *shape*, *size*, and *sound* **[there is a chance that this is just bias from building this instrument and researching it a bunch]** they seem to have. I think what this diversity allows me to do is create a unique looking and sounding instrument that also caters to my woodworking ability **[more like lack of. good thing my dads around to fill in the gaps... or craters]**. 
+
+With this in mind, I do enjoy the look of a rough banjo made almost entirely of *straight cuts* with an exception of the *head* and this would fall perfectly into within my ability. We decided to take lots of inspiration from [Clifton Hicks Kentucky style](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zomuSYEW5c) banjo. It looks to mostly include straight cuts but still has a *unique* and *finished* feel when completed **[i believe he even mentions that it's a good style banjo to start with]**.
+
+Last week we were able to get started on the *pot* because we were actually able to find some *oak boards* at Lowes, of all places,**[HA! i told you I could find hardwood at a general hardware store]**. We spent a bit of time drawing out the exact shape we were going to go for and landed on an *elongated hexagon* that was *equiangular* but not *equilateral*. We decided this would be a good shape because it wasn't too wide and *cumbersome* to hold in my lap while playing **[don't want a point to poke me in the eye when playing]** but still maintained the initial vision.
+
+{{< imageresize "/banjo_sketch.jpg" "Sketch of Pot" "400" "Sketch of Pot" >}}
+
+Once we got the measurements all figured out, we *transferred* it to scale onto a *parchment paper* that we laid over the *oak board*. This let us get a visual feel for what cuts would need to be made. We used a *protractor* **[haven't used one of those since high school geometry]** to make sure that the angles where pretty spot on.
+
+{{< imageresize "/banjo_measuring.jpg" "parchment paper model" "400" "Parchment Paper Model" >}}
+
+When we were happy with the *parchment paper layout*, we transferred it to the board with an *exacto-knife* by scoring the lines onto the wood. We then took it to the *bench* and used a *C-clamp* to hold it in place and a *miter saw* to get the nice straight cuts **[well... as straight as i could get them with my wiggly arms]**. A *miter saw* has a *reinforced back-edge* to reduce any bending of the blade **[doesn't help much if your a shaky human]** resulting in a straighter cut.
+
+{{< imageresize "/banjo_potlineup.jpg" "Lining up pot " "400" "Lining Up First Cut" >}}
+
+We then just placed the first completed *pot layer* onto the oak board and *traced* the outline *twice* more. What we might do differently next time is give a bit *more space* between each outline instead of placing them right next to each other. This is because one of the *side vertices* started losing its *point* about *halfway* through the board. We expect came from the *straight cut* of the layer next to it **[you can see the *straight cut* i'm talking about to the right of the hexagon, drawn in pencil]**. This shouldn't be too big of an issues to work with **[fingers crossed]** but may be something to consider *next time*.
+
+{{< imageresize "/banjo_cutting.jpg" "Miter Saw Cutting" "400" "Miter Saw Cutting" >}}
+
+After the other two outlines were *cut*, we *stacked* all three together to see how the pot would look *size* and *thickness-wise* **[those are the official terms]**.
+
+{{< imageresize "/banjo_pot.jpg" "Stacked Banjo Pot" "400" "Banjo Pot Shape" >}}
+
+
+I think it turned out pretty *cool*! Here is just a quick *rundown* of the *materials* we used to get to this point for *reference*.
+- *12x48x1 inch* red *oak* board **[from lowes. HAHA!]**
+- Parchment Paper
+- Protractor
+- C-clamp
+- Miter Saw
+
+ That's all for this installment of *banjo build*!