Reggie,

A rifle case (leather with zipper) was a perfect way to carry my saw around when I was on the road with it. But the reaction I used to get when walking through Ohare Field's corridors in Chicago made me quit using that---as good as it was. I really got tired of searches and explaining it all over again. More recently the damn thing always set off the metal detectors. But I also had a guitar and a banjo to lug around. I wound up eliminating the saw problem by mounting my saw securely into the top of my banjo case (inside). To keep the teeth from doing a number on the one pont where they touched the case/plush, I mounted a coffee can lid (bent in half) at that point and mounted it securely in there with a screw and a nut. That served as a fairly secure groove to slide the saw into and it held it in place pretty well. For extra security, and so the saw did no damage to my banjo, I put a layer of sponge-foam between the two instruments---extra padding over the bridge. Of course, make certain the banjo case is large enough (too large for the banjo in question) to accomodate both. Extra foam padding can take up any residual space if necessary. A Gibson Mastertone hardshell case was perfect for a Bart Reiter Whyte Lady or a Vega Tubaphone banjo plus a saw, bow, jew's harps, nose flutes---whatever.

If you're the same Reggie Miles who has been working with Magpie (Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner) be sure to give them best wishes and salutations from an old friend from days gone by. It's nice to meet you here in cyberspace. Tell Greg & Terry that their great version of the song about "THE DIGGERS" that they do seems right on at this sad time in Seattle. Psychic waves of support are going out from here, and that's for certain. Sometimes it takes a 2 X 4 up side the head to get the mules attention. Deja (Grant Park-1968) Vu all over again. 'Tis said that history repeats. But why does it COST us twice as much every time around ! Previously, the only thing the students at our University of Illinois bothered to get upset over was the university powers-that-be said that they could no longer carry open liquor and beer around campus with them. It's good to see, at the Millenium, that so many good folks are thinking about the future of our planet !!

All the best. Hope to've saw you one day in the near future.

Art Thieme