MacNaughtan Flutes

Carved Acorn Button and Deer Pendant

2011-01-30T05:35:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought that I would show you a couple of pics of two items I finished... I have started working with Deer Antler Bone again.....Thank goodness my Wife is tolerable with it....It really smells bad when I carve on it... I put these on Ebay. I really like carving on bone. It holds the detail really well...I will be carving more items......So stay tuned...

Custom Firestarter and Letter Openers

2011-01-19T09:23:00.001-08:00

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T21:55:00.001-08:00

How To Make A Buddy Burner

2010-12-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I came across this neat idea on the Internet, and I thought that I would share it with you.....These can be used as a Survival heater or stove...The First thing you need to do is order a pizza......save the boxes.....Have some soup the next time and save the cans......Cut strips of the pizza box, so that it is even with the soup can...I cut my soup cans down to about 1 inch......Then wrap the strips together as tight as you can so that they fit snugly inside the soup can.......Take a old cotton shoe lace and cut it as a wick...and cram in down the center of the cardboard. Now melt some wax, and pour the wax on the cardboard even with the soup can edge.....Fill it in as full as you can get it.......Let the wax harden and you will have yourself a great little stove or heater!!! They get extremely hot!!!!!....And Last for a long time...I am taking out the Wick alcohol stove idea with my little stove I made.....The reason for this, is that alcohol has a hard time in the cold weather, and I think this would be more portable and easier to use...Alcohol stoves are a great feature, and a lot of people use them....But for me, I think this would work for my kits.....

Custom Fire Starters

2010-12-17T16:24:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought that I would show you a couple of new Fire Starters I have Made....The first one is for my Son-In-Law for his Birthday...He likes Palm trees, so I thought I would carve a small tree on the end of a deer antler...The second two pictures are for my Niece. She wanted me to make her one for her Husband. He is a Avid fisherman, so I thought why not a Brown trout. My Wife has Painted these and they really turned out beautiful. The Orange container holds cotton balls that have been dipped in Vaseline. This ignites instantly with just a spark...Great for starting fires....The Striker is made from a tip of a deer antler and the blade is from a jig saw. Great Carbon Steel....That's the Key to a good striker. The pouches were made from one of my Mom's coats....They are 100% wool and will protect them when not in use...Soooo....Carson!!!! If you are reading this!!! Then your art piece is ready for your Christmas Present......Luv Your Unk...

Wood and Wick Alcohol Survival Camp Stove

2010-11-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!
Here is a Video of The New Stove all Completed....I decided to make it a optional Wick Alcohol Burning Stove too....Because it gives you another option to cook with if your fuel (twigs) are wet.....

Woodburning Gasification Stove

2010-11-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought I would show you a project I have been working on.....It is a compact camp stove that burns small finger size twigs...There are many designs out there on the Internet. Here is my version. It is made out of a 1 pint empty paint can and a Progresso soup can. Why it is called a gasification stove is because the air is drawn in from the bottom and then flows through the inner chamber and produces a efficient burning stove converting it to gas. Then it comes through the jet ports and your ready to start cooking. Once the twigs are added to the stove, it is lighted from the top, So the stove burns downward instead of the traditional lighting from the bottom. The pot stand is just made out of a tomato can. This acts as a windshield and is very sturdy to place your frying pan on. This is the second attempt. I made the holes to small on the first one. I will have a video of this when it gets lighter to show you how it works.....I am presently working on a alcohol stove that will fit inside this one. I was thinking that in the early mornings, while camping, most of the ground has dew on the twigs, so for us die hards that need that cup of "Joe" first thing, a person could use the alcohol stove to heat up that cup of coffee or cook breakfast......The alcohol and burner will be designed to fit inside the stove making it very compact and portable to use anywhere. I love camp fires, but sometimes I want a stove that will cook using a fry pan. The cool thing about this stove is that the fuel is free and you don't have to worry about having your fuel run low......There are usually always twigs on the ground, and it doesn't take much to fill this little stove to cook a full meal.

Helping Grandpa

2010-11-13T15:22:00.001-08:00

Many Years Ago, I met the most beautiful person inside and out. I was blessed to have a family....Now I've been a Grandpa for a while, and really enjoy the little things in life that make us complete. I asked Kasen if he would like to help Grandpa blow leaves tomorrow.....And of course he said yes...He was up early the next day, and his mommy got him all bundled up....I took him by the hand and we went to the shed where I keep all the fun yard work toys...I really didn't know how he would react by the blower, so I knelt down and started telling him what was going to happen....and what we were going to do with the leaves....I will never forget the expression on his face when I fired the gas blower up.....I held out my hand, and said come on and help hold the blower.......Little Kasen said.....No Way Grandpa.....Toooo Heavy!!!.......As he started to walk up the house stairs backwards in fright......I turned the blower off and sat on the stairs with him, and said....There is nothing to be afraid of.....How about you just sit right here and watch Grandpa....Little Kasen jumped at the chance, and said OK!!!!! So....I started to blow the leaves out into the street, when I felt a tug on my shirt. As I turned around, Kasen said I want to help Grandpa....He stayed right by my side and started helping me blow the leaves......This is one special little boy.....And I felt really proud that he trusted me enough to help me. After a short time, I looked at him and said....Time for a break?.....He said yeah Grandpa!!!......And there was Grandma with a big cup of Hot Chocolate for this little man......:)

Making Halloween Cookies and Carving Pumpkins

2010-10-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

Artistic Halloween Queens

2010-10-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I just won one of the artwork pieces from the Halloween Queens Bootique. http://artisticthalloweenqueens.blogspot.com/2010/09/queen-for-day-giveaway.html

You will have to check out this site!!! Filled with incredible artwork from gifted artists!!!! If you like Halloween this site is a must!!!

This artist does awesome Halloween art pieces and can be found on this link: http://paintmisbehavin.blogspot.com/

I am very lucky to have won one of her creations!!!!

Diane and Mandy Shooting My Ruger SR9 9mm Handgun

2010-10-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Diane and I go out and practice shooting handguns for one of our dates....Diane is a very good shot...She has made some really nice targets.....I wish you could see them in the video's...They are Zombies...In this Video she is shooting the 9mm....But she prefers my 45 caliber Ruger.....Our daughter, Amanda wanted to go out with us....It is the first time she has ever shot a Handgun....She did really good for her first time....I bet it won't be her last.....Now, she wants a gun.....:)

Making A Sling Shot Rifle

2010-09-29T16:59:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well it's almost done.....After many, and I mean many, bugs worked out of this rifle.....I would like to show you what has been done so far.... I have attached all the this and that's to it......The trigger mechanism works really smooth......I used a professional Walnut stain to the stock...The Fork glides to the front of the barrel and locks into place at the end.....Tony my son did a fantastic job welding the fork handle for me...With these bands it is very hard to pull back. It fires a 50 Caliber Muzzleloader ball through the air at a very good speed. I attached a scope that was given to me for my Birthday from the Luv Of My Life...It's a 3 X 9 power and the Cross Hairs light up with a push of a button....I have shot glass marbles through it with no problem....My only change to it now is that I ordered new Thera tubes. These are thinner and will increase the speed of the projectile and should make it easier to cock it... I am proud to say that there are many dents in my steel door to the storage shed....Hopefully Diane won't notice.....This blows threw a tin coffee can with no problem at some distance away. :) Time for a New Project.......

Making A Sling Shot Rifle

2010-09-15T13:18:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I wanted to show a couple of pics of how my Sling Shot Rifle is coming along.

The Trigger mechanism is made from an idea from Eingesellt Von from Germany. I changed it around a bit to match up with the stock I made from White Pine. The Rollers hold the ball or ammo securely until you pull the trigger. I decided to use a metal barrel, due to the extreme pressure from the bands that will be put on.....I will be working on the sling shot next. It will glide along the barrel and will stop at the end and lock securely until you are ready to fire. It will shoot 50 Caliber Muzzle loader balls I hope this idea works, time will tell.........More to Come!!!!

Making A Sling Shot Rifle

2010-09-09T09:30:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well...There comes a time when you look back, when you were just a young pup, and remember the fun things you played with......My dad made me a rubber band gun......It had a long barrel, and shot those old red tire tubes made into elastic bands......When you shot them, you could here them cutting through the air, knocking over your target...Or mom's priceless figurines....Well, I am going to make me a Sling Shot Rifle. Its gonna be a lot more powerful then a rubber band gun!!!! I used my favorite Ruger Pellet Rifle as a pattern. I went to Home Depot and picked me up some nice White Pine.....After cutting the pattern out with my band saw, I glued two pieces together with clamps... Stay tuned on the progress of this powerful adult toy!!!!

A Fire Starter Out Of A Deer Antler

2010-09-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought that I would show you my latest creation...It's a Fire Starter Kit. I made the bag out of Lamb Skin, and is sewn up with Elk Leather. The Fire Rod, is protected in a wooden case. I laminated matching deer antler to the top and bottom to match the handle. The third pic is the Fire Steel out of the case....These Fire Rods will start 2 or 3 thousand fires. The Striker is made from a high carbon jig saw blade embedded in a Antler Tip. It really throws the sparks. Each spark is roughly 5600 degrees. Inside the orange container, which I got from "Wally World", holds many cotton balls coated with Vaseline. They will grab a spark very quickly and instantly ignite the cotton ball. No more crumpled up newspaper and blowing to get the fire going!!! I thought that I would make this for my Brother-in-Law Barney, for his Birthday coming up!!! Maybe he can use it on our annual day camp in the mountains on our Birthdays.....Which are both in September.....This is the third one I have made and I think that I might have to make them as presents...great little tool to have handy......

Survival Fire Starters

2010-08-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends,

I have been making a few things in case of an emergency, and I came across this great idea....These are fire starters for camping or anytime you need them.....All you need is a cardboard box, toothpicks, twine, and wax. I cut pieces of cardboard into strips the width of a tooth pick. Tear off the paper part of the cardboard, so the jagged part is showing. Then put some toothpicks and wrap the cardboard around them as tight as you can. Use the twine to bind the cardboard together. In the process of making these, get some wax and start heating it up, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T JUST USE YOUR WIFE'S GOOD PANS, OR YOU WILL BE IN TROUBLE.........Dip the fire sticks in the wax, three times, and let them dry completely. I had a chance to test them out last night at our camping spot......They burn for a very long time. You could use them as a heat source for small cooking if needed. I also got some cotton balls, and dipped them into the wax. They will burn for about 15 to 20 minutes. They produce a consistent flame about 2 to 3 inches high. If you are using the card board one for cooking, simply put it out after your done and use it again. These would be great if the area you are in is damp and you needed a heat source. I made a short video of them burning....The wind was blowing, so you can see how good the flame stays consistent........They really keep that flame going while you add kindling to increase your fire....I have put 5 of these in my survival back pack........

Shooting Trip to Promontory

2010-08-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well My son and I were able to take a break and go shoot some targets. These are 50 caliber Muzzle Loader Rifles that we made together several years ago......They are really fun to shoot!!! And surprising very accurate when you get to know your gun. Tony is measuring the Black Powder and applying it down the barrel. Then you ram a lead ball with a cloth wad down the barrel for a tight fit......Now you are ready to go!!! I had to make a short video of us together shooting the guns that we built......This is the same location that I hunt for coyotes.......Huge dessert, with a full view of the Great Salt Lake....I really enjoy going with Tony shooting, It's a common interest that we share together. I think the Muzzle Loader is one of my favorite to shoot. I recently bought another 9mm Handgun, and was sighting it in. I would recommend the Ruger SR9 Compact. It shoots really smooth for conceal carry and very accurate. A great little gun to pack around and rely on........

Jayda's First Birthday

2010-07-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to Jayda's First Birthday Party!!!!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/NE3Hq9dg

Making an Ant Farm

2010-06-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I am proud to show you the finished Ant Farm I made for My Grand kids....Here is a short video of the busy little critters making their tunnels.

Within two hours they had made a 2 1/2 inch tunnel..... The little mound on the right is a cotton ball, that they have almost covered over with sand from the tunnel.....I got a oral syringe from the pharmacy so it will be easy to add water for them. This was a fun project to make, and my wife has painted an ant on the knob.......It's really amazing to watch them work....

Making an Ant Farm

2010-06-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This first pic is the feeding center....I made a hole in the top and separated it, so you can lift one small side to add small pieces of bread crumbs, fruit or vegetables. The straw in the top is for adding water. A eye dropper will work perfect to add the right amount of water for the little guys. A small sponge or cotton ball will be under the straw to catch the water. My wife is sculpting a knob where the screw is now. I have used clamps to glue all the pieces together and prevent them from escaping. Once the glue is dry, I will give it two coats of shellac. I used Ceder to build this one.....My ants are on their way in the mail....

Making an Ant Farm

2010-06-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

As a boy, my Dad made me a Ant Farm. I used to watch it for hours, and was always excited when it was time to feed and water them.....It was fascinating to watch them make tunnels in the sand, and so I thought that it was time to build my grand kids Kasen, Jasmine and Parker one.....Little Jayda and Rylee are a little too young. I went to the thrift store and bought two 10 X 13 picture frames....Only a buck a piece.....I then took some of my wood flute scrap pieces and made a frame for the glass inserts from the picture frames....I used a table saw to cut grooves in each side of the frame so the glass would slide in perfect.......In the third pic I am glueing the sides together......In a couple of hours, I will be able to take the clamps off and build the top.....I ordered the ants...They are called Harvest Ants. Excellent for making tunnels, and will tunnel up to 15 feet when the winter hits them.....I got the ants from antsalive.com . They were excellent in answering my questions quickly through emails....They also have lots of kits that you can just buy. Soon in three to ten days I will get 25 harvester ants for the new ant farm I am building. This is just enough time for me to finish the project and surprize my grand kids with something that I enjoyed when I was a boy......More pics to come on the completion of the farm. :)

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-06-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This is a pic of the finished Black Bear letter opener I made for my wife.....I made a Elder Berry Branch sheath to keep the blade safe when not in use......I am always so excited when my wife starts painting one of my projects.....I love to see how beautiful it always turns out......

Making a Wood Spirit Letter Opener

2010-06-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought I would show you the finished letter opener. This is going to be a gift for my dad. The blade fits into the branch when not in use, and stands up on a flat surface. This was really fun to make, and I know that it won't be my last one...The blade was tempered to a straw color in the oven. It will remain sharp, and can be easily sharpen at a 30 degree angle.......

Making a Wood Spirit Letter Opener

2010-06-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

What do you give a person that has everything??? The answer is make something......My dad's birthday is coming up, and I have decided to make him a Wood Spirit Letter Opener. I have used a nice piece of Redwood to create this Wood Spirit. I enjoy carving on Redwood, because it holds the detail in very well. I thought that I would show some stages of the progress for his letter opener.....The last pic is the inside of my stove, where the file is being heated up or "Annealed" to change the properties of the metal. This way, the file can be shaped and made razor sharp to cut any letter wide open....I will then make a sheath out of wood to protect the blade.....The wood I will be using is Elder Berry...My Dad went hiking in the mountains for me and collected many pieces for my flutes...More pics to come when I get closer to being done.....

Making the Totem

2010-05-09T05:04:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought that I would show you the totem I got done for the Elder Berry Flute I'm working on....The Totem is placed over the two holes of the flute called the nest. This redirects the air flow and creates the sound or "singing" of the flute. This totem is made out of Poplar. I really enjoy woodcarving on Poplar, because I feel it holds the detail very well. There is a Green tint to this wood, and after the flute is done, I will be giving it to my wife to bring it to life with her painting....That has always been my favorite step in making a flute....My wife is extremely talented, and I am fascinated watching her paint. The way she mixes colors, and blends them is truly a gift.

Making a Elder Berry Flute

2010-05-05T06:15:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought that I would show you the inside of another Elder Berry flute that will be going on Ebay....There are two chambers that I carve out.....The air will go through the first smaller chamber then travel outside the flute where the totem will be placed....Then back inside the flute to create the sound or singing of the flute. I split the branch in half, and after the chamber has been carved out, I sand them until they are smooth as silk....This allows the air to glide through the flute to make a crystal clear tone.....I will be gluing these together today, then I can burn the mouth piece, and key note holes in.....

Fishing Trip To Willard Bay

2010-04-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

The love of my life and I had our 16th Anniversary....We decided to go to Willard Bay for a picnic and some fishing.....It turned really cold, and no fish.....But it was nice to have the family together!!!

Making a Worm Bin and Compost

2010-04-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I do a lot of fishing, and I can't afford buying worms all the time....They are getting very expensive. As a boy, like most of us, I caught worms and sold them...So I did some research on the internet to see just what these little critters like to eat.....They eat almost anything like egg shells, fruit, vegetables, and the common things like leaves, paper, and coffee grinds. I thought that I would make a worm box and start catching worms. I found a great worm box at a thrift store for a couple of bucks....It is a old clothes trunk. I drilled tons of holes from the top, bottom, and sides. Then I added newspaper that was soaked and wrung out really good. I added egg shells, coffee grounds, leaves and a couple hand fulls of dirt for them to digest. The depth of all this came to about 6 inches. Each day a worm eats half its weight in food. You need about a pound of worms for each pound of Kitchen waste per week. Worms can double their population in 90 days. They make odor free Vermicomposting or worm compost. Great mulch for your plants!!! I keep this in my basement storage area. This is also a great recycle program. It is always cool and never changes....I think this will be an excellent home for my worms.......Until they meet their Doom and are used for bait!!!!! :)

Fishing Trip to Pioneer Park

2010-04-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

We had a great time fishing at Pioneer Park...This is a park that is stocked with fish from Catfish, Trout, and Blue Gill. Jasmine caught a lot of Blue gill. The neatest thing about this is that it was just a walk from Mandy and Rob's house. Kasen got introduced to fishing, and had a lot of fun....What a great evening......

Making a ElderBerry Flute

2010-04-14T05:36:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

It's scary when we really look at how time flies..... I had made a lot of flutes for people and when I changed jobs, I did not have the time to put into what I really enjoyed making and creating... I had to decline many orders from people. I have made small things along the way, but now I am back, and will be making some flutes. Not like I used too......but I have realized that you control the time you have..........It shouldn't be the other way around......This is a pic of a Elder Berry Branch Flute I am working on...I have bored a hole and chambers and now it is being glued together with lots of clamps....Elder Berry was one of the first flutes that was used by people long ago.....A Native American Flute has what is called a Totem....This allows the air flow to be converted into sound or "singing" from the flute. I will be carving a Black Bear for the totem today, and will have a pic of it later...:)

Coloring Easter Eggs

2010-04-04T06:10:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

We had the chance to get all our Kids and Grand Kids together to color Easter Eggs...It was so much fun!!! They make things so differently now since I was a kid. Now you can get a egg spinner that with a few drops of coloring, the egg is done in no time at all... I really enjoyed all the eggs that were broken in the process, cause then you have to eat them on the spot!!!

Making Catfish Bait

2010-03-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!
I thought I would sneek out and go Catfishing tomorrow morning!!! I came across a recipe on the internet that I thought I would try......

1 can of Pedegree Chunky Chicken dog food
1 oz. of minced Garlic
1/2 cup of Cornmeal
1/4 cup of Muenster Cheese
Heat it all up in your wife's favorite pan........then put it in the freezer.....I had to laugh, as I was making this brew, Diane, came up from her art room and said......"What you making????....That smells really good!!!!" I was going to let her try it, but I am not that mean.......lol

Catching Catfish at the Bear River

2010-03-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well it's time for some Catfishing!!! Rob and I went out to the Bear River and caught some nice Catfish!!! We had tons of bites, and had a lot of fun!!! The weather couldn't have been better. We even got a little sun burnt. Rob got introduced to fishing with Chicken Liver........Catfish love it. I think it is going to be a great year for fishing. Looks like I have been bitten with the fishing bug!!!

Broken Flute Song

2010-03-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I had to share a short story with you....I made a flute for each one of my kids...And one day Mandy came to me, with tears starting to emerge from her eyes, and said....My flute is broken, can you fix it? Her flute had been dropped and it broke in HALF. I looked at it and said, Ahh....I can try. In the back of my mind, I really figured that it was ruined. I knew I could glue it, but didn't think that it would ever sing the way it used to. Boy, was I wrong......I made this song from my heart after I glued it back together. I named the song, "Broken Flute". Any way hope you like it....

Making a Survival Fishing Pole

2010-03-10T16:09:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I had to take a quick pic of all the pieces being glued together....I will let this dry overnight for a good cure. I used regular PVC primer and glue. I will then bevel the edge so the line will guide off the reel with minimal friction.......I will then add bicycle tube straps along the cap and handle for easy opening and holding. The cap will have a hole drilled and a lanyard will be placed into it to go around your hand while casting........This is to keep it from getting chucked into the water when you cast your line out..... :)

Making a Survival Fishing Pole

2010-03-10T15:10:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I came across a easy project that can be made simply with some PVC pipe....I have thought a lot about the future lately, and realize that we are not prepared for a natural disaster or anything that would force us to rely on our skills to survive. I thought I would start making a survival kit......A back pack that could be grabbed in a heart beat and contain everything that was needed to survive for a short period of time. Heaven forbid we should ever need it, but, it would be there for us.
This will be a survival fishing pole for the back pack. I will be gluing all these pieces together with the exception of the end cap. This can be unscrewed and inside will contain sinkers, swivels, lures, floats and hooks. On the outside of this will be the fishing line and will be used as the reel when I am done. The pieces are a 1 1/4 in. cap, a threaded coupler, a piece of PVC pipe about 7 inches long, and a end plug. When I am done I will show a picture of it completed and will be testing it out hopefully Sunday, if the weather isn't to bad!!!!

Making a Knife From a File and Old Saw Blade

2010-02-25T17:39:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I pulled the file and saw blade out of the stove....The anneal process worked great. I took a pattern off of my Kershaw skinning knife and cut the rough blade out. Now comes the fun part of cleaning up the blade and then I will put a 20 degree edge on it.....I cut the Antler handle out and put it up against the blade.....looks like it is going to work!!!! Until next time...:)

2010-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well, I have decided to make two knives. I was out in my storage shed looking for fishing gear and came across a file that was my Grandpa's. As I spit on my finger and whipped the rust from the bottom it read "Nicholson File" Made in the USA. These files are very good for making a knife blade....If you can find them.... I debated about using it, then I realized to myself, It had been sitting in the storage shed for many years and I would probably never use it. What a great present for someone to have a knife made from a file that belonged to my Grandfather. So......Off to the stove I went!!! I need to anneal the file and saw blade. If you heat up metal to a orange glow, you change the structure of the metal and thus making it softer to work on....Then you allow it to cool down slowly and by the next day you are ready to start creating. The Letter Opener I made my wife turned out razor sharp......cuts a envelope open in no time flat.......I can't wait till tomorrow to be able to work on the file......This will be my first attempt at making a workable hunting knife...

Winter Fishing At The Bear River

2010-02-18T12:44:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I needed a break from Work and Art, so I asked my Son-In-Law Rob, if he wanted to go fishing.....We have a pretty good spot to catch some catfish. We have to hike in a ways to get where nobody goes......It couldn't have been a better winter day. We got a lot of huge bites, the catfish were being very aggressive, but we couldn't hook any today. I wished I had my nice camera with me, but my cell phone camera did a fair job of how beautiful it was out there....Well, except for the way back. I decided to go on our normal trek.......Boy, did I make a big mistake. The snow was up to our knees and we had to keep stopping because our legs were extremely tired....It was a long and tiring HIKE back to the truck....I also realized how "Not" water proof my hiking boots are. I kept thinking that thought process of, if you feel light, your feet won't fall through the snow......Yeah right, that didn't work, I guess I don't have the Ninja Mojo, or I need to loose several pounds.....Anyways, we made it back!!! :)

Fire Steel Project

2010-02-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,
This is a short video of a project I have been working on for my Brother Roy for his birthday. This is a great gift for some one who has everything!!!

Another Creative Project

2010-02-07T04:43:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

Well, I have so many of these beautiful antlers that I thought I would start making use of them. I was racking my brain on what to make a member of the family for a birthday present.......I have come up with a great idea......Stay tuned to see what is going to become of this little three point buck antler.....

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-24T14:55:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well, I have finished Diane's Letter Opener......I thought I would take some pics of it....Later, after Diane creates her magic on bringing it to life, I will post a pic of it all completed.....This has been a fun project and I was able to bring wood and metal together....

Tulson's Shark Flute

2010-01-23T12:51:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

My Great Nephew is playing his flute that I made him....I had a tutorial on the Making of Tulson's Flute a while ago........He really liked the sound of me playing the flute at a family Christmas Party a year ago. He ask me if I would make him one......He loves sharks, so that was the theme of his flute......It's neat to see that after this long he is still playing and enjoying something that I created......Tulson, your Great Uncle is very proud of you!!! :)

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This is a pic of the process I use to inlay turquoise. I buy my turquoise from a active mine in Arizona in small chunks. I made a crusher. All it consists of is a 1X5 inch pipe with a nipple on the end....I then take a large bolt and smash the turquoise into very small pieces.....I then carve out the figure to be inlaid and use tweezers to lay each small stone in the impression. Once they all fit good I take Super Glue and apply two thin coats.....I give the Super Glue one full day to fully cure and then I sand and buff them......

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!
I wanted to show you the progress of Diane's Letter Opener......I draw a pattern on a piece of wood......I used a old banister post.....Then I start carving away......Tomorrow, I will put the detail in and start on the turquoise inlay......

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-13T03:53:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!!

Before I hardened the blade I did some decorative file work along the back side of Diane's Letter opener......I used small needle files and created a design.......

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-13T03:38:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well I couldn't make a video of how I tempered this cause, It happened way to fast.....So I took a picture after I tempered the blade. I started from the back side and used a propane torch in a painting motion back and forth. The colors started to change in the metal, and I carefully did this until the sharp part of the blade was a straw color.....Then I dunked it into water to stop the process......As you can see, there are a wide range of beautiful colors.......The blade is ready........Now comes the making of the handle for my wife.........

Making a Letter Opener From A File--Using the Forge

2010-01-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This video shows how I harden the letter opener......Hope you like it.....

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!!

Well here is where we sit tonight.....I took my grinder to the file after it had cooled completely down from inside the stove. I shaped the tip, and tried to take most of the grooves off. I then used my belt sander to it......As you can see, it throws alot of sparks......I had a bucket of water and kept submerging it, because I didn't want the metal to go back to its original state......

It is now smooth and shinney!!! I laid down another file like it so you can see the difference....I will then hand sand it with smoother sandpaper, until I get the desired look I want. I will then put a 20 degree angle on the edge........I haven't decided what handle to make for it.......My wife loves bears, so I think I will carve a Bear head and maybe inlay some turquiose bear feet. But before this I will use my forge to heat it back up and hardened then the tempering will be next, so stay tuned!!!

2010-01-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!!

Wow, three posts in one day......That must be a record for me....Anyway, I just want to let you know how talented my wife is. She designed this New Banner for me in a matter of minutes.....I haven't a clue how she did it.....And I was watching her every step of the way....I am so lucky to be married to the best person in the whole world......My wife, She is my World.......I love her more then I could ever explain.....Anyway, I just want to let her know that I am so greatful to have her in my life.......

The file is being annealed

2010-01-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Here are some pictures of the file in my stove...The picture doesn't really show that the file is a red/orange glow....It is going to sit in my stove until my stove burns down. This way, the file can cool down slowly.......I tried to get close to the fire with my camera, but it was so hot that I feared burning my lens...........I also inserted a saw blade, and tested it to see if it could be made into a knife blade......Looks like it can...How I did this, was I heated it up to a red/orange glow then I hit it with a hammer.......If a piece broke off, then the saw blade can be hardened and tempered......It was a success.....So now I can make a knife blade from it........Stay Tuned!!!!!!!!

Making a Letter Opener From A File

2010-01-06T05:19:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!!

I wanted to dabble in the art of metal forging for a while now and I thought I would show some of the steps in making a letter opener, for My beautiful, and talented wife Diane....I have made a small forge out of a old brake drum off of a SUV and attached the piping. It works really well, in fact, I have heated up railroad spikes to a consistent orange glow...I will show pics of my little forge soon......Here is my file I bought at the hardware store. It is a Nicholson file Made In The USA, six inches long. After doing research, I have found that old Nicholson files make a great knife and remain sharp. This is due to the high Carbon content in the metal.....I thought I would try a new file from Nicholson, and see what the properties are..........I will heat it up Red/Orange to Anneal it and then let it cool down slowly... This changes the properties in the file and makes it brittle and easy to work with. Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!

Silent Night

2009-12-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

I know Christmas is over, but I just had to play Silent Night with my flute in front of our new fireplace we got each other for Christmas.....Hope you like the song...

Christmas Eve

2009-12-25T05:11:00.001-08:00

As traditions grow, My sister has always been good with keeping on top of them. On Christmas Eve, Peggy always has a family get together with food and remembrance. These pictures were taken at the Cemetery. I miss you mom and Shelbie......our hearts are always filled with you and the memories we shared together.

God Bless.......

Empty Nest Christmas

2009-12-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

As I woke up, I ran to the door..........there was no one there. This is the first Christmas that our kids have their own families to experience the magic of Christmas Morning. I am having a very hard time with this.......I have always looked forward to the waking up early, pounding on the door, scrambling for that cup of coffee to see the kids faces as they wait to open their presents up. This picture is of Amanda's tree and it looks like Santa came and unloaded his sleigh.........Now we will go to their house, and see all the presents that Santa left for our grand kids......I will miss that magical time.....But, change is good and new traditions will emerge. I wish all my kids a Safe and Merry Christmas Morning!!!

A Voice From the Forest

2009-05-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I have a story to tell you........I captured this song from my heart on video. Back in Time when life was a day to day struggle to live by the land, and respect what it has to offer. The story goes like this........Two people in love, soul mates for life. The winter was hard, but they had each other. Food was running out....and spring was on its way. The trapper knew it was time to leave his beautiful wife and go hunting in the forest for three days to harvest food for them. He kissed his wife, and started his short journey. Now, he had did this many times before, and had always returned early. On the third day, his wife started to worry. In her heart, she knew something must have gone wrong for him not to return. That night she knelt on her knees to pray, thanking God for everything that she cherished and a special prayer for her soul mate to return safely. When she awoke from her restless sleep the night before, she heard her soul mate playing his flute. He always played his flute when he returned home for her. She jumped out of bed and ran outside to meet him half way down the long path that disappeared into the forest. As she kept going, he was nowhere in site.....But his music was clear and echoing through the trees as the wind touched the leaves. She knew that he couldn't be to far away. She called for him and listened for a response. The forest was filled with wildlife.....but no familar answer came to her. Quickly returning home, she gathered up her supplies and set out to find her soulmate. A short time had passed and in a meadow she found his horse grazing but no sign of her husband. The sun was setting and she made a small camp to continue looking in the morning. One week came bye quickly, and still no sign. Now, many thoughts were racing through her mind. As she closed her crying eyes a faint sound from his flute echoed through the canyon. His song was fainter now, but she continued to search praying every minute to find her true love. At last she could see him sitting bye a clump of trees with his flute in his hands. Flying off her horse, she ran to him........wrapping her arms around his body. He was barely alive, and unconscious. Nursing him back to life, he opened his eyes and said thank you for saving me. I was riding, when a pack of wolves scared my horse and I hit the ground knocking me out cold. He asked, how did you ever find me? She replied, I followed your beautiful music. The trapper looked at her with a puzzled stare and said that a man with few words helped me to these trees. The man said that the angels were waiting to here a song from me. I started to play until I could play no more. As I looked in the meadow I seen many angels listening to me. Dancing to every note I played. When they returned home together that night was filled with great happiness. As they closed their eyes they could hear the faint harmony of a flute coming from the canyon.....I hope you like this song!!!

Roy and June's New Camera

2009-05-13T06:20:00.001-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!!

My Brother Roy, bought a new camera the other day....I had to put these nice photos on my Blog. This first photo is him shooting his .22 handgun at the range. Notice the shell casing flying out of the gun as he is shooting his target.
This next picture is my favorite!!! June, Roy's wife caught this bee arriving to his next stop. She took this picture in their garden. They always have a huge garden every year!!! Lots of yummy vegetables. Roy is a very gifted green thumb!!! If you ever have questions about gardening, then you should ask them!!!! They will probably have the answer.

This little spider looks like it is taking a nap in the sun on the Tulip. These pictures are really crisp.

With my New job, I haven't been able to get on the computer like I used to.....I miss it!!! I love spring time......That is my favorite season. So many things to do and get ready. Until next time!!!! God Bless!!!!

Rob and Amanda's Barbeque

2009-05-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!My wife and I were invited to a Barbecue at our daughters new home. Rob, Mandi's husband, was the grill master!!! He had two grills going......It rained......and rained......and rained!!! He didn't care. The burgers turned out awesome......Rob is always there to help, and I know my daughter will always be safe from harm and put first in his life.

Amanda was busy preparing all the burgers and fixings for us......She made sure that all the little kids were set up with burgers.......and hot dogs. There were a lot of kids running around and my wife and I realized that we were getting old......Our stage of that is over and it is neat to see how our kids handle the stress of the little munchkins darting left to right, jumping, running, skipping and hopping!!!

Our little grandson Kasen is digging in to a plate full of yummy hot dogs........Got to have his ketchup with them.......What a big boy he is getting.......Using that spoon to eat his dogs.....

Jasmine is our other grandchild. She is full of energy and Rob better get ready to beat the boys away. I think she looks so much like Amanda. I luv it when we arrive to their place when she is around........She always stops what she is doing and runs to give us a big hug!!! She is a very smart and special girl...

My other daughter and her fiance are awaiting the big feast.....Tiffanie is 7 months pregnant with her first baby. She is going to have a little precious girl. I can't wait to hold her in my arms. Tiffanie is very caring, always thinking of others....Chris, has been a great companion to my daughter. He always puts Tiffanie first in his life. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for you........What a great combination of traits that their new baby will have.

I am so lucky to have these great guys in my life.......I know that my daughters will never go without, and they will always be cared for, and always thought of first. As a dad, it is really hard to see my daughters grow up........I remember when I was the one with the questions and help.....I can remember many times helping them fix their hair, reading stories, and taking them fishing. Now they have their own lives. They have turned out to be responsible, caring, strong, and independent.......What more can a dad ask for......... I am very proud of them.....And love them dearly.

Until next time.......God Bless!!!

What Child Is This

2009-04-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I thought I would list this song on You Tube. This song is really special to me. It was my Mom's favorite song. When I miss her, I have to play it..........So I play it quit a lot....:) Anyway, I really enjoy playing the Native American Flute. It is so relaxing, and always calms your sole. I hope I can get back to making flutes again when my New Job settles down. Its really amazing to think that when two pieces of wood come together, they can make a beautiful sound. I hope you like this song!!! I am making close up videos on songs I know, so people can see the fingerings as I am playing it.

Over The Rainbow

2009-04-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!
I have a short video of a song I just learned.....What a classic!!! Anyway, hope you enjoy it!!!

Amazing Grace Song

2009-04-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This is a video I made on You Tube while playing the song Amazing Grace on the Native American Flute. It was one of the first songs I learned and I hope you enjoy it!!!

My First Blog Award

2009-04-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!
This award was given to me by my beautiful Wife.....Diane. She is extremely talented. My favorite place to be is by her left side watching her create her next masterpiece. Everyone that knows Diane, can agree that she is a fun and wonderful person to be around. I can sit in her art room for hours and watch how she brings her creations to life. She is my best friend, love of my life, and I am truly blessed to be a part of her life...... I have found the one to share my life with.....and I would be lost without her.........

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers!"

I would like to pass this award along to a person who has a interesting blog of her family and life. Linda's Home Sweet Home... http://lindashomesweethome.blogspot.com/

Until next time!!!!
God Bless

Kasen The Next Albert Einstein???

2009-03-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This pic was sent to me from my daughter...........Yes....My grandson is growing up. Him and my Grand daughter Jasmine spent the night and it was always nice to see them. They are very close, and he follows Jasmine every where. She is a very good sister to him. I was very proud of the $5.00 she earned for getting soooooooo many 100 Percents in school!!!!!!

Until Next Time!!!

God Bless!!!

Grandma Jamming with Kasen

2009-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well you have heard the saying........"Now that was a Kodak moment"......Well, I finally got one of those.... I think Grandma has a secret passion that none of us knew about.......Well, almost none of us!!!!! We all know how gifted she is........but this puts her over the top. I snagged this phone video when she was performing at a make believe concert with Kasen......We all have to wonder where she gets this amazing talent!!!!!! :)

Rose and Dove Flute Video for My Sister On Her Birthday

2009-03-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

Back Yard Winter Scene

2009-02-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I couldn't help but take a picture of our back yard. We have got a tremendous amount of snow the last few days and My Man's Best Friend had to go investigate her property. The impressions in the snow are my future stream and pond.......This yard has been a ongoing project for three years now going on 4.......It used to be solid weeds and lots of creek bed rocks. Our local creek ran through here for years......So, I am the third owner that is attempting to put a backyard in...I have put alot of new grass down last year, and I will have all the grass 100% this spring. My dog Tessa is standing by the fire pit I placed last year.....There is so much snow that you can't see it.......

Until Next Time......God Bless!!!

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I am very happy to show the beautiful painting job my wife has done on Tulson's Shark Flute!!! It really turned out wonderful.........

If you click on the picture you can see the detail of the shark swimming through the ocean. This flute is now ready to be sealed up today and will cure for a couple of days then off to its new home.......This has been a great honor to create for my Nephew. It will serve him for years to come, and as he grows older, I can open the holes to meet his fingers and this flute will be even more responsive then it already is......

Until Next Time...God Bless!!!

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute Instructional Video

2009-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hello My friends!!!

I wanted to add another short instructional video of a few techniques that Tulson can use to play his flute when he gets it.....This will be a good reference when he starts playing his flute. His Aunt Diane will be painting it and I will take some pictures of it along the way. My flutes are made so a person can play Native American Songs.....Or Contemporary Songs. The best way to practice......even though it sounds corny is to practice in the bathroom or door jam or any room of the house that will provide a natural echo. This brings the magic of the flute to life and is really good to learn and feel the keys so it will become natural. Some of the best fluters practice this way.....If you can find a cave or canyon, you will be amazed of the haunting beauty that these instruments will provide. I am using a amplifier to enhance this flutes voice and provide the echo. Thanks for being patient Tulson!!!! It takes time to create it, but it will last a lifetime.......:)

Hope you like this Video!!!!

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-12T18:42:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Well here are two pics I took of Tulson's Shark Flute. I will be putting in the detail tomorrow.....Like the eyes, gills, mouth, etc. This flute really came together....On the back side is a rock holding the shark. I wanted to achieve free motion. Then after I textured the clay for the sea bottom, I figured that it needed a star fish trying to get out of the way of this scary shark. The front bottom of this flute has a shark fin rippling the ocean as it looks for its next meal.....I would hate to see this coming after me!!!! After I get the Detail in, I will turn it over to my beautiful and talented wife to bring everything to life with her painting...

Until Next Time...

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Today I am working on The Shark Totem!!! This is a great technique to achieve a rough cut out to start carving. I design a side view and then a top view of the shark on a piece of paper. Then I trace my pattern on a piece of Poplar and start to cut it out, using my band saw. I stop every once in a while and add some tape to keep the pieces all together and secure. When I am done, I take the tape off and I have a great 3 dimensional cutout. I will then start to carve on it and make it life like. This technique will work on just about any object you wish to create and saves you lots of money. You can buy rough cutouts of just about any animal, or object. I must add that through my step by step processes on this Blog, I am not liable for any accident that may occur. Safety is always a key to success. If you are new to carving, then I strongly suggest you buy a cut out. This will give you excellent enjoyment and learn the basic principles of wood carving.

Until Next Time!!!

Fly Fishing Rod and Brown Trout

2009-02-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

My Nephew asked me to create him a flute.....When I asked him what kind of animal do you like......to my surprise....he said.....Can you make a Fly Fishing Reel? I said sure. I had some pictures of his father's fly fishing reel and I used that as a pattern. I carved a Brown Trout and some Rocks out of Poplar. His Fly Rod is made out of a clothes hanger and I made individual rings and wrapped them on with sinew for the eyelits. The Moss is made out of a scrubber pad....It is all cemented in with my wife's epoxy sculpt. This will keep everything nice and sturdy. Along the shaft of the flute are two relief carved flies. I then inlayed turquoise for the bodies. The turquoise was from a active mine in Arizona. My wife did another fabulous job with bringing everything to life with her painting....It is being sent off today and should arrive to his house tomorrow....

Kasen Riding Kee Bee Appo

2009-02-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I had to video my grandson......riding a rocking horse. Now, this is a special horse.......This horse has been through the mountains chasing indians.......It has jumped over many long uncrossable rivers and lakes. This horse has flew to the sky.....and touched the clouds...I have ran many a race with her through horrible weather and blistering heat. I remember many adventurous trips with this horse, I called Kee Bee Appo. I remember my brothers and sisters watching Bonanza and I raced as fast as I could to bring my horse in and ride with the best. My dad made me this special horse when I was 2 years old.......A while ago, he asked me if I wanted this horse back.......I have been keeping her safe and warm for a special someone to ride her and see what dreams she has left. As you will see......my special horse will always be a joy to ride.

Why Kee Be Appo?....I have no idea but it has been a name I have always remembered. If someone were to offer me money for this magical horse....I would have to say "No".....For this is KEE BEE APPO!!!! and Her Legend Will Live On!!!! :)

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

Tulson's flute is now ready to play its voice......I thought that "What Child Is This", would be a great choice for his flute. Now I will do some carving on his flute and the Totem will be the next step. He wants a Shark.....So I designed a great pattern that I will be using to bring his shark to life. I will be carving a shark fin on the bottom of his flute.....When I am done it will look like it is swimming in the ocean.... This flute has a great voice and as he grows older I can open the holes and fine tune them. But for now.......I think this flute rocks!!!! I hope you like this song that is close to my heart.

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

This is a short video of me burning the holes in Tulson's Flute. There are many ways to do this, (but through trial and error), this is what works for me. I like to have all my holes 1 inch apart. I measure the length of the flute from the flue hole, then I cut that measurement in half.....If I have kept the wall thickness to 1/4 of a inch, then I add 1/4 to my half measurement. That is the mid point, then I measure 1/4 of a inch more and that is my third hole. I have found that this only works with a bore diameter of 3/4 or 7/8. Now, Tulson's flute must have smaller holes then a adult, so I measured 1/8 of a inch more before placing the third hole. Then from this I measure 1 inch until I have 6 holes all 1 inch apart. I first drill my holes with a 1/8 inch drill bit......then I cheat and use a cone shaped bit on my dremel. At maximum speed this burns the holes and allows me to be very accurate in my tuning and prevents chipping. After I open the holes so far, I start with the first one and slowly open it up, then I check it on a tuner to see how close I am. My room temperature must maintain a consistent 72 degrees. That is a good temperature for any studio playing.

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

The flute has its shape.......I use a Lathe and a Belt sander to turn my flutes down to tolerance. After I measure the thickness of the wall I try to get it between 1/4 of a inch to 3/16. Then comes the fun part.......as you can see in the photo, there are pieces in front of the flute. These are pieces that I cut with a Bandsaw....usually 1/8 of a inch at a time. By cutting the flute shorter, changes the Key. We started out with a Key of G minor. I wanted to get the shortest flute possible and still maintain the right calculations for the correct bore. A bore is the center hole of the flute. The larger the bore, the lower the flute can be. The bore on this flute is 3/4 of a inch......so I have the option with my measurements to make the flute in the Key of G, Key of G#, or Key of A. I chose the Key of A. This will be a good size for Tulson to learn on, and will be easy to handle. After I cut each piece off.....I put the flute on a tuner at 440 Hz. to get the correct tone and continue this until the flute tells me what I want to here. This is called the fundamental note.

Next.......comes the exciting part!!!! Burning the holes in and hearing the flutes full voice.

Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hi My Friends!!!

This short video is showing me burning the mouth hole in. I heat up a steel rod that I made into a burning tool and I insert it into the mouth hole. This is a natural sealer to help keep the wood from warping when moisture enters it. It also gives a smooth natural channel for the air to enter the first chamber. Long ago, Fire was a key factor in burning the holes, and the Native Americans knew how to use it well.

In this next video, we can hear the first voice of the flute. If everything is done properly there will be a clear tone. I modified my calculations for this flute so a younger person can blow into it and play it with ease. This flute right now is in the Key of G.....I will shorten the flute, after I shape it by taking 1/8 of an inch off at a time.....I will then test the flute on a tuner in 440Hz. until I get it to sing in Key of A. I will be fooling the flute right now, and making it think that all the holes are covered.

Until next time!!!!

The Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I have sanded the two halves as much as I can and now I am ready to glue them together. This will glue overnight and create a near hidden seam. The next step is the most exciting part.......It will be hearing the voice of the flute.....Hopefully tomorrow!!!!! :)

The Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

Hi My Friends!!!

This is a short video of me burning the holes in Tulson's flute. The flue has two holes. One for the air to travel along the flue and another one to make the sound before it enters the flute again. I burn these holes in to add another seal of protection. The second hole has several angles....Mostly 45 degrees. Once I am through, I sand....and sand....and sand the inside to make a crystal smooth surface. When the air travels through these holes, the least resistance will result in better tone quality.

Flute Grave Yard

2009-02-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

I have made many mistakes and have learned from them......Trying new things can get frustrating......

Never give up on your Dreams......Always try to bring a positive out of a negative.....I call this the Flute Grave Yard. This is where all the flutes go that don't make my expectations......:)

The Creation of Tulson's Shark Flute

2009-02-03T18:09:00.001-08:00

Hello My Friends,

I have been given the great pleasure to create a Native American Style Flute for my Great Nephew. I will be doing a step by step process to show how this is done. The first step is to choose the correct wood. As a flute maker, I look for texture, grain, and tonal qualities of what the wood will produce. I have modified my calculations on my nephew's flute so he can play it like a adult.

The Native American Style Flute has two chambers. The breath is collected in one chamber and through a series of angles goes up to the totem and back down to the second chamber. These chambers must line up correctly and will be glued together. The heart of the flute is the making of the inside. It has many angles to divert the air and must be crystal smooth to produce a near perfect sound. Below is a short video of me on the router making these chambers.

The next steps will follow shortly. I am happy that God gave me this talent and I enjoy the response of young and old when these magical instruments sing their songs...........Until next time.......

Golden Eagle Feather Flute

2009-01-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends!!!

I created this bad boy for my father. This flute drone is in the Key of E. I carved relief Golden Eagle Feathers along the shaft. I then inlayed turquiose that i got from an Arizona mine. I crushed the stone myself and
each piece was placed by hand for a near perfect fit. My wife then took over and brought these feathers to life with her painting.

My father loves to go to Alaska every year to fish for the beautiful Salmon. I felt that the Alaskan Golden eagle would be a great choice for his next flute. I am truely humbled that he has an interest in the Native American flute and wants me to create one for him.

Blue Jay with Acorn and Leaves

2008-04-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends,

I am very proud to have completed this flute. My wife has made her magic happen and brought this flute to life. I enjoy watching her paint on a project. I try to understand the layering that takes place when painting.....But I can't figure it out. She tells me that all she does is follow the lines.......I know that if it was that easy, then I could do it. Well, I will stick to carving.

I used to carve collectible Santa Clauses many years ago. My wife and I were very short one year with money.........I know that this never happens to anyone else.......especially around Christmas. Anyway, I needed a present for my mother. She was a special person, always grateful for what she had, and would always give more. I started looking through a magazine and came across an article about a woodcarver. He carved Santa's, all shapes and sizes. My first Santa, was carved with a hand saw, steak knife, and sand paper. It stood about three feet tall. I remember my wife, what a good sport she is, holding the end of this future Santa while I was trying to cut chunks out of that old block of Redwood. I got so carried away a couple of times, that I cut deep holes in our kitchen table. Oh Boy, I thought that I was in trouble. My wife just looked at me and didn't say a word.......Well we completed that Santa, and that sparked an interest with other people wanting one. We soon had Santa's in Dianes moms restaurant. I couldn't keep up with them.....we were selling them in September. Soon we went to shows and sold many. My mom, until the day she past on......had that Santa in her living room all year round.

I am thankful for what God gave me. It seems like when you come across a problem you can usually find a way around it, over it, under it, and sometimes through it. It just may take a little longer. I am always discovering new things about carving. My journey with flute making has been awesome.....and I am a little jealous of the great flute makers out there that can do this for a living!!!! One day, maybe I can be like them...Anyway......

Take Care and God Bless!!!

The Owl Drone

2008-03-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hello My Friends,

Its been a while since I have written in my Blog. I wanted to share with you a new drone that I have just completed. A drone can be played in Harmony with its self. I build them so you can play the flute side or a combination of the flute drone. I carved a Great horned Owl feather on the right, and a Barn Owl feather on the left for the totem.
I then did a relief carving of a Pigmy Owl on the bottom front. These little owls are great hunters and I have been blessed to see many of them throughout my life time.
The design of the Owl Feathers are very interesting. One side is always jagged. This allows the Owl to hunt through the night air without a sound.

This drone is on its way to my brother Keith. He has put up with me and my constant updating ideas for the website that he built me. He has always been supportive, and I am extremely greatful for the incredible website that he made me. He is truely gifted, and a great Brother to boot!!!

If you would like to hear a sample of this Drone please click the link, then the back button: http://mcollection.fileave.com/dronea.mp3

Thanks for reading my Blog............Until next time.....God Bless!!!

Closed End Hummingbird/Trumpet Flower Flute

2008-02-27T19:06:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

I thought that I would post some pics of a flute that I completed. My wife has did it again and brought this beautiful Hummingbird to life!!! This Flute was a real challenge, due to the fact that you have to think outside the box when designing it. This Hummingbird really looks like it is ready to fly away....

New Song....Wayfaring Stranger

2008-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

I was off early this morning and all is quiet so I thought that I would record another song.....It is called Wayfaring Stranger...This song was done on a Key of F flute I made. I enjoy this Key, because it has a very mello and soothing voice. Hope you like it....

Hummingbird/Trumpet Flower Flute

2008-02-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

I have finally finished the Closed ended hummingbird/Trumpet Flute. This flute is Keyed to Low D. This flute is rich with beautiful grains running through it. I will now be turning it over to my very talented wife to paint and bring the flute to life. I used three woods to create this. The totem flower is made from Aspen and the Hummingbird is made from White Pine. The Trumpet Flower on the end is made from Poplar. The flute itself is made from White Pine. I decided to use three woods because I wanted to add character to this beautiful flute. It has a very clear mello and smooth voice. Closed ended flutes are different then the ones I am used to carving. You really have to think outside the box when designing them. This flute will be on its way to its new owner in Florida soon!!!

New Song...Journey Through the Dark

2008-02-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,
Being a Flute Maker has been very rewarding for me. I enjoy playing the Native American Flute, as much as I like creating them. I find myself not having the time to play as often as I used to. I created this song...Called Journey Through the Dark, because it reminds me of the many obstacles we have to over come in life. During the day, we work hard, and sometimes don't reward our selves like we should. Little things that we do, sometimes never get noticed. We always need to remember that we are confident in ourselves, and there is only one person that stares back at us in that mirror. Sometimes we can go our whole life expecting things to be different. I feel this is a waste. We should embrace what we have now, for someday it may be gone........and we will never be able to get it back.....

Creating The Flower

2008-02-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,
Today I have been working on the Trumpet flower for the closed flute...It will be ready for Dianie to Paint and bring it to life tomorrow. I talked to my brother tonight.......He is the one that is a Genius with computers. Keith has been working on my website. I can't wait to post it!!! I feel it is the best one on the net!!! No Offense :) I am very blessed to have a great family!!!

First Song Amazing grace

2008-02-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hello My Friends,

Today I learned how to put Music mp3 on this Blog.....On the Right I will be listing some songs that I play with the Native American Flute. One day I will have an album for my kids. You will have to click the back button when finished.....Haven't learned how to just keep it on, so you can read my blog.......But.......One day it will happen. I have been working on a closed end flute, For a Client, and I am finding that this is harder then it looks. A closed end flute is a flute that has a carving on the end and then you make holes (measuring) to fool the flute into thinking it is open. The end of this flute will have a Trumpet Flower and a Hummingbird totem. The grain of this flute is very beautiful. I have matched two pieces of wood together so the grain blends naturally. I usually carve down the shaft with relief carvings, but this client prefers to see the grain. I can see why, I can't wait until this is finished. When my part is done, I can give it to my very talented wife, and watch the true magic happen. Diane brings all of my carvings to life. More to Come.........God Bless!!!

My First Blog entry

2008-02-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Blog.......This is the first entry, (with the extreme help from my very talented Wife)...http://www.dianiemacs.blogspot.com

I started this blog to open up my eyes and thoughts to the many opportunies that exist. As I sit back from the drivers seat, I observe my wife taking over the computer. I am a simple man,(So Bear With Me), until I get this mastered.