I've finally started to catch up on stock. There is now a healthy supply of FW390(3A) S595(5B) S595 1/2(5BX) both in Acorn, S540(7A)barrel, S555(747)acorn and testing level of B595 and B580 in Acorn. The B stands for bounce and those sticks have an acorn type tip. There are more S565(5A) barrel and acorn coming this weekend in both standard and long length.

I've had more requests for sticks that fall outside the standard sizes so I am going to start lathing some of those sizes that fall in the middle of the standards. I am also going to turn .515 dia equivalent to pro mark 7A and Elvin Jones models. 

I am also revamping the labeling system used, along with a new label and all sticks will be paired by weight and pitch. I am going to start marking all sticks in their number diameter. As example 595 will be a 5B and 565 will be a 5A. This will allow for fewer stamps to be made. Also, there will be a lettered prefix for everything outside of standard taper. There will be an FW for 'forward weight,' short taper, a B for 'Bounce,' long taper regular neck/tip and a J for 'Jazz' long taper and skinny neck and smaller tip. 

The latter part of last week, I finished up the long straight back knife. Man, talk about some slow tedious work. It was totally worth it! Now that knife cuts a shaft within .002" and super clean. I'm a happy man! I turned out some 3A style sticks and they are sweet! Have I mentioned the new mods on the lathe for sanding? Makes a very nice sanded finish and rounds over the taper to shaft transition. Yet again, VERY happy. I also turned some "bounce" .580 and .595 sticks.

Today was a very productive day. I sent sticker designs to my friend Tom Brown at Downtown T-shirts. I should have small stickers for general use and large vinyl stickers for bass drumheads. Also, went and got some new stamps for sticks. I'm going to start labeling stick in actual diameter and placing a single letters for Jazz, Bounce, and Forward Weight. Standard tapers will just have diameter marking. All sticks will also be labeled Hickory, Pecan and Maple.

The big project for the day was getting some paint on the bandsaw I bought nearly a year ago. I started working on it and then my Mom got sick with Alzheimer's and everything in the shop got shelved for about 5 months while my bro and I cared for her until she passed. With the weather nice and low humidity the past couple weeks, I knew I needed to do this before summer set in. 

I got to the shop, pushed the saw outside, got the pressure washer and washed off the evapo-rust. Since it had sat for a while, I had to give it a quick once over with steel wool and evapo-rust and then wash it off again. Wipe it down, set it in the sun and go mix up some epoxy primer. 

Got the primer mixed and ready to go, get the gun, fill with primer, and .... nothing comes out. Bummer. The paint gun has sat for nearly 15 years so I can't blame it for not wanting to spray. With primer still in the cup and the sun going down, I needed to get this done. After fiddling with it a bit, I got the needle unstuck, pulled it, gave it a quick lick with super fine sand paper and away we go. Started laying primer really nice and then halfway through it started acting up. Figured out a work around so I could finish. It's not my best primer job, but... it is sealed and primed. Very long day and I'm happy and tired. Posted below are before and after pics.