Tree Branch Saxophone

[Rontana]

Beautiful work. Building stringed instruments, satisfying as the outcome can me, was always a little nerve wracking for me.

The knowledge that one crucial mistake can send you back to the beginning after weeks/months of work (I was reading your comment on the pyrography) is always there....

[Rontana]

Thanks Herb

[Rontana]

Thanks Claude . . . it's a fun little gizmo

Appreciate it, Bill. I hope so too . . . and really miss using the knife . . . but am trying to get the hang of power carving just in case

[Rontana]

• Thanks Bob L . . . great looking bears, by the way

• Sappy . . . I have to put my dog outside when I play this thing; it makes him crazy

• Thanks Glenn . . . yeah . . . the arm is a real pain in the . . . uh . . . arm

• Hey Joe B . . . appreciate the...

[Rontana]

Those look perfect for bluegill. I skip across the line to fish pretty often (live on the Mo/Kan border). Kansas has some fantastic lakes

[Rontana]

I'm still unable to whittle without further screwing up a tendon in my right arm - docs and PT say it's a no-go - but am still able to use a draw knife for basic shaping (and powered gizmos for the rest).

Thus . . . after making a ton of flutes for friends and family (Christmas presents)...

[Rontana]

I haven't been able to do any figure carving for a few months due to an arm injury (a brachioradialis malady combined with bicep tendonitis . . . am in PT regularly now to try and heal up). So, I started making some other things that are of very low impact and don't further screw up my arm.
...

[Rontana]

I've been on the somewhat disabled list for a while now. Developed bicep tendonitis, which has temporarily sidelined my carving and any weightlifting that requires me to bend my elbow (been doing weights a few times a week for over a decade). The arm is in the rest stage now per MD's orders - but am...

[Rontana]

Naaah . . . it's hard to do much of anything wrong. And, if you do, it's not a big expense in time or dollars. I have to admit to working on some sticks after a few months, when I really liked the way one looked or felt and got ancy to start. Some turned out ok, some not. Probably depends on species,...

[Rontana]

Nice one, Joe. Looks like he's deep in thought

[Rontana]

Ha! Eddie . . . I once asked my dentist if he'd ever had anyone come in who tried to whiten their teeth with bleach. He started laughing, and says it happens more often than you'd think.

He said the reason people come in, after trying it, is because bleach turns teeth green

[Rontana]

That's beautiful. Merle. At first glance I thought it was straight out of The Rifleman.

[Rontana]

Thanks Lighter. I can't add a whole lot to what Brian and Bill have posted. I generally cut sticks in late fall, bundle them in groups of 5 or 10, and hang them from rafters in an old shed (it's open on both ends) They stay out of the weather, but get plenty of air flow. I try and give them a year to...

[Rontana]

Hey Wayne . . . the dolphin will stay there pretty secure on its own, so at the moment it's removable. I'm giving this one to a friend, however, so will epoxy it down prior to shipping

Thanks Joe . . . that mount came about by accident - not my original plan, truth be known - but I consider...

[Rontana]

First one I've done for a while. Had to glue two pieces of basswood together to make this the size I wanted, but the tail separated right on that glue line during final sanding. So . . . put it back together with epoxy, and painted with acrylic (followed by some spray lacquer) to hide the evidence....