mike gregory - Posted - 09/13/2011:  13:31:43

Made a neck out of maple 1x2, with poplar peghead ears.

(Far left) Set the ears at a slight slant, rather than go through the work of cutting, flipping, and gluing the neck to make a slanted peghead. Dowel stick and neck are one single piece.

(2nd from left) instead of a top nut, a ZERO fret with brass nails as string guides. Less work.

Held the top of  a small wooden bowl up against the disc sander, to make a nice flat surface for the head to epoxy on to.

Cut a slot in the side of the bowl, test-fitted the neck. Took the neck out.

Cleaned off and slit open a 2-liter soft-drink bottle, stapled the 4 corners to a piece of plywood, put epoxy on the rim of the bowl, set it on the plastic, and clamped a board across it, to apply pressure while the epoxy dried.

Next day: Unclamped the bowl, tightened the head by heating and shrinking it with a blow dryer, then trimmed the plastic.

Finished the neck.

Cobbled it all together. One screw into the end of the dowel stick, one through the bottom of the bowl, near where the neck enters.

In the close-up of the head, the bridge is a temporary bit of scrap softwood. I think I'll go with maple or walnut for the final.

Sound file recorded while strung with 30 lb fishline. Twisted 2 strands together for the third string.

banjohangout.org/myhangout/mus...#comments

Edited by - mike gregory on 09/13/2011 13:44:41

Salad Bowl Banjo Uke 5

Salad Bowl Banjo Uke 4

Salad Bowl Banjo Uke 3

Salad Bowl Banjo Uke 2

revellfa - Posted - 09/13/2011:  14:41:39

Mike, you are just fantastic! I'm proud to know ya!

scooter46 - Posted - 09/13/2011:  14:42:39

Mike if you cut the top of the peg head a little deeper it could double as a boot puller.

aeroweenie - Posted - 09/13/2011:  20:04:59

Nice, but you forgot the 5th string!

Jonnycake White - Posted - 09/14/2011:  09:18:41

In the immortal words of Ronald Reagan, "Well - there you go again." Your instruments always put a smile on my face.

mike gregory - Posted - 09/14/2011:  10:04:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by aeroweenie

Nice, but you forgot the 5th string!

---

5th string is an available option, at an increased fee.

Extra-deep Boot puller pehghead is an available option, at an increased fee.

Translucent green "7-Up" head is an available option, at an increased fee.

Of course, since as of Monday, this year's scam&spam spreadsheet shows that  I have been offered a total of two and one-half Billion dollars from various overseas bankers, widows, etc, I should just wait for the money to arrive, build a factory, hire some help and start giving away these banjos, until the money is all gone.

This morning's latest was $15,000,000 from a "Mrs Karren Azahar Arshad". (She chose me because my Internet profile shows me to be a swell fellow.

I dunno. Made up names are fun. It was I who made up the name "Melanie Blousefront".

The "Funny Bluegrass Band Names" game has two dozen PAGES of them. banjohangout.org/topic/176759

 But if I was trying to make up a name for a trustworthy dying widow of a millionaire, I wouldn't go with something that looks like a bad spelling of "Karen Is Our Arse Head".

Uh-oh! Thread drift!!!

Edited by - mike gregory on 09/14/2011 10:07:13

PD Kirby - Posted - 09/14/2011:  11:14:51

Mike, you take recycling to a whole new level. This is another example of a brilliant mind at work. Do you really hate to take out the trash that much? Bravo Sir.....

mike gregory - Posted - 09/14/2011:  11:33:00

With all doodoo respect to my brilliance of mind, and a thanks for the compliment, I must remind you that making banjos out of whatever was found around the old homestead, is the MOST ancient tradition of banjo.

I seriously doubt that somebody said, several thousand years ago:

"I plan to plant a gourd and plant a tree, and when they're big enough,  I'll skin an animal, put the pieces together, and make the world's first banjo!"

ridetwowheels - Posted - 09/20/2011:  09:05:28

Mike, that's too funny.

This has got to be the best forum on BHO!

Working up my courage to build my own one of these days.

mike gregory - Posted - 09/20/2011:  09:43:52

One might be SLIGHTLY thriftier by using USED pegs off some other instrument, or making a tuner like Yoppiari does,

out of drywall anchors, banjohangout.org/myhangout/pho...bumid=608

or by whittling pegs from scrap hardwood.

Edited by - mike gregory on 09/20/2011 09:47:23

Brian T - Posted - 09/20/2011:  11:09:39

I could have guessed! Mike, your BHO posts become shorter and less frequent when you have one of these concepts cooked up in your powerful brain. I must learn to anticipate another of your usual masterful outcomes. Nobody around here tosses out/sells bowls.

vernob - Posted - 09/20/2011:  11:59:06

Mike is about my favorite BHO friend. His posts are fun. His ideas are incredible. Whattaguy.

mike gregory - Posted - 09/20/2011:  13:59:10

Thanks , Vernob.

Brian T, the body doesn't HAVE to be a bowl.

Cobble up a rectangular frame, small enough to staple and epoxy a sliced open 2-liter plastic bottle to Hit it with a blow dryer, and it shrinks tight as a drum.

Look up "Baby Squared Eel".

frankiej73 - Posted - 09/21/2011:  03:15:21

Wow! That's a lot of innovative ideas there. I love it! Especially the idea for the head. Incredible!