4/29/2018

Today I worked on the second bass ukulele. I’m building the fret board of jacoba wood Wayne gave me. It’s a hard South American flooring board with a color similar to the mahogany I’m using for the body. I cut it to square width on the table saw and marked it in pencil from the CAD print out. I set it up in the fret cutting jig with wedges to hold it solid. Using the .023 flush cut saw I started each fret slot with the jig, matching the blade to the mark in the sunlight lined up without a shadow. It’s fairly accurate. I attached the wooden depth guide set to the wide fret depth and re cut each slot. I slipped a couple times, so I sanded it on the surfacer and by hand with new 100 grit sand paper, then carefully re cut it to depth. There are a few small errors, but the wide fret stock will cover it and the lines are accurate.

I positioned the neck on the fret board and marked the line, continued with a straight edge to the proper length, this all on the back after marking the nut and end cut. I trimmed it wide on the bandsaw so I can sand it into place after it’s attached, roughed to form on the drum sander. Cobbled together on the bench, it looks good.

The second soprano I put together yesterday is looking good but needs a few adjustments to the nut (lowered) and bridge (filed back to increase the length). I want to add a few burn marks to the neck as markers.

I cooked up a 5 pound batch of chicken leg quarters, boiled for enchiladas, meat separated, bagged and frozen. I cooked the bones and skin down for a bone soup broth, strained and cooling in the fridge to solidify the fat for removal. All good stuff. A good day.

4/15/2018

I made a batch of Tarragon Chicken Casserole today for a potluck this Wednesday. Cathy gave me a fat package of chicken tenders, a few pounds, guessing ten pieces. I stripped out the tendons and chopped them into two cups of bite size pieces. I remember when I worked for the fish and chips place on Sunset Blvd, the Chinese owner cooked us meals. He showed me to cut carrots by switching the angle each cut. “It looks interesting and they don’t roll away”. It works.

Two large stalks celery chopped, four good size carrots peeled sliced. two cloves of garlic chopped fine, two Tbsp olive oil, one and a half onions, four fat mushrooms sliced, two Tbsp fresh tarragon chopped. 3/4 cup white wine. one tsp ‘Better than Bullion chicken’,  two or three Tbsp flour and water slurry to thicken, a cup sour cream, a cup Panko bread crumbs toasted, a cup grated Mozzarella cheese, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. one pound flat wide egg noodles prepared al dente.

Cook the mushrooms in oil then onions. add chicken and brown. Garlic, tarragon, veggies, wine, Simmer until the carrots are firmly done in the veggie broth. Add ‘better than chicken bullion’ to taste, Thicken the broth with flour and water.

Meanwhile, boil two quarts water with tsp salt, add noodles cooked to al dente. strain and rinse.

Combine the sauce with sour cream, add noodles, mix and pour into a casserole pan. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan and toasted Panko. Bake at 450 F for 15 or twenty minutes to melt the cheese.

A new recipe. Should be tasty. I hope the sour cream doesn’t curdle when reheated. Flour should help.

I also worked on the the second bass, I guess I’ll call it B2. Yesterday I carved out the neck. Wayne thought it might be walnut. It’s a bit red, who knows, but it’s good wood. I formed it with the drill sander, lapidary, spoke shave and sand paper to smooth. It’s low profile like the Kamaka my Uncle gave me. I cut some bone for the S2 nut and fitted it.

Today I cut the bottom sides to flush and a piece of mahogany to size rounded, glued them together, clamped. I measured the neck Spanish heel width and trimmed the sides 7/8″ to match. I cut a piece of Jakoba wood to make a fret board on the table saw, then sanded it flat using the surfacer. It’s a really hard wood, but similar in color to mahogany.

Another productive day.

Easter Sunday 4/1/2018

Happy Easter! I was working in the garden last week and a bunny said Hi and hopped under the neighbor’s fence. He knows where I live.

I weed whacked the waist high lawn today, planted some seeds in the garden, cooked chicken lunches and worked on ukuleles. The second soprano frets in and bridge glued.

Working on my second bass ukulele, the neck is glued ready to carve, the body liners are bent and fitted to the sides. Top and bottom panels are glued and ready to cut to shape.

Much done. Happy Easter indeed.