Added wood_scouting post

xavishobbies/content/music/_index.md

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+---
+title: "Music"
+date: 2023-02-22T14:17:31-08:00
+---
+

xavishobbies/content/music/wood_scouting.md

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+---
+title: "Wood_Scouting"
+date: 2023-02-23T0:22:17-08:00
+description: Banjo - Build
+categories: ["Top_of_the_Stack"]
+tags: ["banjo", "build"]
+---
+
+The truth is I'm not very good at playing banjo. And the first thing a bad musician does is blame their instrument for how bad they sound. Well believe me when I say I need a really good excuse for sounding this bad **[there's a reason I haven't posted myself playing yet]**. So I decided the only way to give myself that big of an excuse is to build the instrument myself **[although then my dad got involved so now I might have to find a new excuse]**.
+
+The style of banjo I play **[or attempt to play]** is called *clawhammer* or *frailing* banjo. It's heard a lot in [old-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aDpYAaYNqw) music with, what I find to be, a much *warmer, more rustic* tone than the twangier and brighter bluegrass and [Scruggs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbFdE25QAlc) style banjo.
+
+I found a fella' by the name of [Clifton Hicks](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0fRKB_T-2yrNajqoz9VWAg) that seems to have some videos that go into building a banjo that, I believe, emphasizes exactly [that tone.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4VxGOJGf-8&t=10s) I really like the sound and look of his Fretless *Kentucky style* banjo and I think for a beginner woodworker like myself, it doesn't seem all to difficult to try and replicate **[we'll see once we get into the thick of it]**.
+
+It looks like wood selection has a pretty major impact on sound and Mr. Hicks has a couple [recommendations.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVVgjWSAWxU) It seems like, basically, you want *hardwood* for every part of the banjo. He even mentions that some older banjos were made entirely of *maple*. He notes that *maple*, *cherry*, or *walnut* are preferable for the *neck, tuning pegs, bridge, and tail piece* while *red oak* is good for the *pot*. This is because he finds that the porousness of the oak contributes to a great sound from the pot.
+
+{{< image_sc "/woodcraft_wood.jpg" "Woodcraft Wood" "Woodcraft Wood" >}}
+
+So here's the quick rundown of the plan.
+
+**For the pot**
+1. Grab some *oak*
+2. Cut out three equal hexagons
+3. Stack the hexagons
+4. Cut a hole into the top two
+5. Tack some *hide* or *drumskin* over the hole
+
+{{< line_break >}}
+
+**For the rest**
+1. Grab a *4x4x36* of *cherry*, *walnut*, or *maple*
+2. Use most to shape out the neck
+3. Use the rest to whittle the bridge, tailpiece, and tuning pegs.
+
+Obviously there is going to be a lot more to it **[you don't say]** but I think it's a good jumping off point to get feet wet **[I always feel the hardest part of a project is just getting started]**.
+
+We did end up going out and looking at our local wood selection and found it did not have any of the wood that we were looking for **[or they did, but just not in a size that would work]**, so it looks like actually finding a good wood supplier might be a bit harder than I expected **[I am ashamed to say that I thought I could find usable stock at a Home Depot. DON'T LAUGH!!!]**.
+
+
+Another revelation was just how *EXPENSIVE* all the available *hardwood* is **[now I see why instruments are so expensive]**. So in order to try and mitigate any unfortunate mistakes on the *VERY EXPENSIVE hardwood*, I decided that it might make sense to try and prototype some cuts with a much **[MUCH]** cheaper wood like *pine* or *poplar*. 
+
+{{< image_sc "/homedepot_pine_4x4.jpg" "Home Depot Pine" "Home Depot Pine" >}}
+
+Welp! That's pretty much all I got for now. Next things in the pipeline is to just *get the wood* and *start chopping*. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!