I’ve been spending a lot of time down here working on projects lately. I’ve also got a small amp and cheap pedal setup to bang around on while the machine is running, or on the odd occasion that I feel like getting loud(er). I am still playing a lot of guitar without processing (aside from pedals) lately and I’m feel like I’m getting more confident/comfortable with it. Still don’t record anything to share though. Maybe someday. ;)
This is a picture of a wren. I thought I saw one for the first time the other day, but have been doubting myself because it was quick and I haven’t seen it again. Tonight just before dusk I heard a lot of sound coming from the back porch and spied this little one singing its heart out. Then it flew up and hid in one of the hanging plants. It was too dark so the picture blurred. Still happy about it.
This is a short recording of some piano and pitched loops. Happy about it.
After a lot of trial and error, I managed to finish the etch. The tiny endmills needed to get all the detail just didn’t hold up so I had to bump it up after I snapped a few. In the end I don’t think it hurt the design too much and am happy with it. After that it was paint and sanding — I use course sandpaper to give the aluminum a brushed finish that I think looks and feels great. Got everything boxed up except have an issue with the template for the input and output jacks being off (or maybe my enclosure was off) so the jacks don’t really fit. Still debating on whether or not to enlarge the hole or get different/smaller jacks to make it work. So close.
Still hesitating on the enclosure for the Rip due its potentially long machining time. The file is ready, and the enclosure is flattened and secure so whenever I’m ready…
The parts for my guitar strap arrived so those are also ready to go except learning how to use a sewing machine. Luckily Ash knows and we just got her grandma’s (a professional seamstress) machine. Maybe I can learn and then make while the enclosure is running?
I picked up this small old digital camera today as a gift for Emi’s birthday next week. She’s always very interested when Ash and I are shooting and wants to hold the cameras and take pictures of her own. We figured this would be a great thing for her to be able to carry around and play with. It’s funny because I’m pretty sure that I had this same camera back in the day. Anyway, I was checking it out and noticed that at full zoom it was pretty much worthless, but still like the images it took, so here they are. Adding a blur effect? Boring. Pushing an antiquated piece of technology outside its bounds? Wonderful.
Emi woke up at 5:05 this morning, right as I was putting on my coffee. That means I wasn’t able to get down to the machine and get it running on the Rip etch. On top of that work turned out very busy so I wasn’t able to divert attention to do it later on either. Jinx I guess.
This afternoon Emi and I made a few replacement cards for her daily calendar. Ash scored a ton of great old materials from a retired school teacher, but there were some things missing so we made a few more together. I’m particularly happy with the fog drawing haha
I got the file all setup to run but all that detail means a tiny (.5mm diameter) endmill and a lot of time. The program currently estimates 8.5 hours to engrave, and that’s only half as deep as I usually go. There have been plenty of times when the actual time is much less than the estimate, but I’ll start here and see how it turns out. Probably work in the basement tomorrow to babysit the machine while it runs.
I think I previously mentioned that I got a bare board #rip. pedal in a trade with my buddy Jack at droppingacidpedaletching. Well, it’s been sitting on my bench too long waiting for an enclosure to be made for it so I knocked one up tonight based on an old linocut print. I always go for bold lines on stuff like this, but this is also a nod to the man himself because he’s crazy about surf music. I probably won’t be playing much (any) surf through it, but it’s cool nonetheless. Wanted to run down to machine this tonight, but I have a feeling it’s going to take awhile to etch due to the thickness of the lines.
Got a nice little 3d printed ring to close up the sides on my Norns shield so I had a go at Awake sequencing Timber. I’m pretty sure that the only thing better than norns is 2 norns.
Morning sounds playing the JM into a sequenced looper and effects, with a pulsing accompaniment by Continua. It has been awhile since I’ve played with effects and processing so it felt really good to quiet along with this.
This afternoon the ladies and I went to a nearby park to have a picnic and then walk along the shore of Lake Ontario. I know that Canada isn’t that far out of sight, but there’s still a really deep feeling when looking out over such an immense body of water softly swaying. Really reminds you how small you are.
Not a lot to show for today. I did finally manage to massage Axoloti back together with 2 working screens. Now I need to get back to working on the patch.
We’re having the last gasp of summer weather amid the changing leaves. Emi and I hung out in the yard most of the afternoon doing this and that. She occupied herself with mud cakes (and tea and pizza) for awhile and I played guitar on the porch. Was pretty great. Did a bit more brainstorming on the guitar strap and the jazzmaster pickguard/electronics. Think it’s almost time to order some parts. I also told Ash that she needs to teach me how to use the sewing machine…
One big perk of my job is having access to lots of interesting materials. Since I got the jazzmaster I have been thinking I should get a new strap since I only have 1. The problem there is that it can be hard to find something to buy that doesn’t use leather, so I have been brainstorming alternatives. I found this piece of rubber flooring in my stash and it seemed like a good candidate, and a quick test seems to agree. It cuts fuzzy, but with the right tooling and setup I bet it would be very clean. I just want to test weight resistance/tearing and the potential for abrasion of the guitar finish. Either way I’m happy that I just went for it instead of overthinking as is my wont.
When we stopped putting out suet cakes for the birds the woodpeckers almost completely stopped coming to our feeders aside from an occasional peanut grab. Since the weather is getting cooler (it melts in the heat) we are now able to put homemade peanut suet so Emi and I made a batch from this recipe I found online. The only change I made was to use up some cashew butter we had in the pantry. I put 2 cakes out — one with the front feeders and 1 below the platform in the back — and they were busy almost immediately. We had visits from the male and female downy woodpecker, the mail red-bellied woodpecker, and the male hairy woodpecker, who very rarely came around before. Not only that but also the red-breasted nuthatch who we’ve only seen once before. The only one missing is the northern flicker, but hopefully he will come back too. Very, very happy with how this turned out.
Oh tiniest resistor, a jumper, to be de and re-soldered. You give them each their name.
You wake, yet there is a duplicity — the connection is not properly made. One wonders why.
Oh tremulous heart, here you both stand properly before me!
Oh cursed fates, a crack is heard as you settle into place. One twin shall speak no more.
/scene.
Really busy day with work and home so I didn’t get to move on any of the projects from yesterday. I made dinner and took some pictures. Suppose that’s creative. It’s looking like the rest of the week may be busy too…
The jazzmaster template is scaled correctly, which means the annodized aluminum panel I have is big enough to cut the guard from!
Ash’s marketplace skills paid off big time with this lot of 60 rolls of expired Kodak Max 400 — all for $10!. It’s not the most special film, but it should keep us set for snapshots for a very very long time.
I tried to desolder the oleds but they just wouldn’t budge and I didn’t want to destroy them. Decided it was easier to just cut a new board on the cnc and it turned out very nice. It’s really hard when the pitch is this small (for example, look how spacious that through-hole destined board is) but this works. I really need to work out a better process to get from layout (via DIYLC) to a file the machine can cut. Then I need to work out a better process for leveling and engraving. Always more to learn.
Weekends fill up with things so fast. Spent most of the day working on chores, which were necessary but not very glamorous. I did get the platform feeder up on a more steady pole though, and the birds seem to like it a lot. It’s right outside the office so I sat here for awhile watching the chickadees and titmice play with each other. Pretty funny! I’m going to make a bracket so I can attach a few peanut suet blocks below the feeders since it’s getting cool enough that it won’t melt. The woodpeckers will be very happy.
I have been playing this Jazzmaster SO MUCH and am into everything about it: the way it plays and the way it sounds. The only thing I can’t shake is all the extra controls that I don’t use — for example, I modded my Jag to have a single volume and a pickup selector switch. I am looking to do the same thing here, except retain the separate rhythm and lead circuits. This would leave a single volume, channel selector switch, and pickup selector switch. Still need to figure out how to wire it and if I’ll need unused pots, etc under the pickguard to get the same tone out of it.
As for the pickguard — I think I am going to leave the stock plate and electronics as is and just make a new one with pots, jacks, etc. Then I just have to detach the pickups from the stock guard and solder them to the new. I just so happened to have some metal panel samples I got from work that I think will just fit the guard, but I need to print it out to make sure everything is scaled correctly. Slap it on the cnc and that’s that, right?
I spent most of the day in the office, working and isolating. Felt like I was coming down with a cold yesterday and because I’ve been in the hospital for work Ash wanted me to call the dr about getting a Covid test. They had me come in and told me I needed to isolate until my results come back, probably (hopefully) tomorrow. Honestly, I feel fine but can’t mess around. Anyway, just worked and then played my guitar while sitting on the guest mattress I made up for myself, listening to the sounds of family on the other side of the door.
I got the platform feeder up today, but by the time we finished, then had dinner/bath/bedtime it was too dark for a good picture. The birds didn’t seem to notice it yet anyway. It’s right outside the office window so I’ll be sure to keep an eye on it.
Otherwise the feeders in the front yard are still hopping, from top left: Red-breasted nuthatch who we’ve only seen that one time; the teeny female hummingbird takes a rest; male downy woodpecker sneaking in to grab a sunflower seed while the house sparrows have their backs turned; goldfinch waiting for said sparrows to disperse; sign of (fading) summer; sign of autumn approaching.