ken61 - Posted - 05/20/2012:  16:33:19

Ok, we were all together again today to do some last minute work on two necks.

Dan , just back from California made a "NUT" and installed it.  Installed the tuners, and placed the neck on the rim.  It was then we found out some boozo got the two holes in the rim at the tailpiece end 1/4 inch off center.  That Boozo would be ME.  Well, I told you I would tell you the good , the bad, and the UGLY.  We will take everything apart, plug the holes, and bore new ones.  When we put it back together, it will be ready for strings.  Hey, don't tell anybody I did this ok.  It is an easy fix and it will be nearly invisible when we orient the grain of the plugs correctly.

Rich finished sanding his neck , we installed the heal cap and sanded it, installed the hanger bolts for the coord rods, and he needs to make a nut, put finish on the neck, drill for the fifth tuner, do the inlay to the fretboard, and install the frets. 

Sorry, no pics--next week.

When all is complete on all three banjos and we know everything is A-ok, we will install spikes.

Then the sound files and the pics will arrive here.

ken

ken61 - Posted - 06/03/2012:  19:01:57

We met again today and the final banjo is very near completion.  It will be a beauty!  Rich's banjo.  This is the one where neck nr one went badly wrong and this is the second neck.  Rich is somewhat of a perfectionist and this banjo is perfect in all respects.

It has an ebony heel cap to match the fretboard.  A mahogany and maple neck and a mahogany and maple resonator.

The last of the sanding and scraping was done on the neck and we installed the neck for the first time and the fit is just right.

Pearl, frets, resonator hardware and a nut is all that remains.  Well, a little more finish is needed.

Here are the pics.

I told everyone today that there were sound files needed for a future post and some final pictures.  We are nearing the end of our adventure.  It has been almost once a week for 8 months--and it was fun.

ken

aeroweenie - Posted - 06/03/2012:  19:56:27

Looks great Ken, what an unusual and attractive resonator wood pattern!  I appreciate you sharing your progress (and problems) over the past months.  I look forward to seeing more pix of the three finished banjos and the sound files.

ken61 - Posted - 06/05/2012:  16:50:52

As we now come close to the end of this almost 9 month journey, I would address one more issue.

PARTS:

we were most dissapointed in some cases with the quality of the parts which were purchased for these banjos (four banjos in all).

We purchased parts from  Stew Mac, First Quality, and Anthill.

We had issues with tone rings (2), resonator lugs and screws,  coordinator rods and heel lugs., and tail pieces.

Two tone rings had dents in them --quite significant.  The resonator lug screw holes and screws needed to be put through taps and dyes in order for them to be able to be mated.  Same with the coordinator rods and their bolts--they needed to be put through taps and dies in order to fit.  I suspect these were made then plated and this changed the dimensions  significantly. 

Three of the four tail pieces needed to have a "U" shaped cut made in one part in odrer for them to function properly.  One of the four tailpieces cane with the "u" shaped cut present and it worked fine.

Trouble is you cannot see these defects until you are ready to install them and a decision to return them is difficult since you want to move forward with the build and the parts were purchased months earlier.

None of these defects stopped the build, only because we were skilled enough and had the tools to overcome the problems caused by the defects.

I realize the tailpieces were Waverly style SAGA brand--not truly high end- but they would not function without our extra efforts.

These shortcomings were truly an annoyance.  Other parts we purchased from the same vendors were just fine--top dollar, but fine.

I will add that I believe the others will agree, the most difficult part of the building of the four banjos was the coloring and the finishing.   Had I to do it again , and I surly will, I would go for a non colored natural look which has a satin low gloss finish.  This is personal , of course, but I believe easiest in terms of skill and work load which is why I mention this.

No aspect is beyond the ability of anyone who really wants to make a banjo.  A wonderful journey !

There is still a little work to be done on two of the banjos and then the pictures and sound clips will follow.

ken

Edited by - ken61 on 06/05/2012 16:53:04

ken61 - Posted - 06/10/2012:  19:21:02

Dan's banjo is all together after today's session.  Strung up, spikes at the fifth seventh and ninth.

SOunds great.  We will allow it to settle in and then fine tune the action .  Everything looks good exceptfor one fret , the 12th seemed a little high so we hammered it down.

I should mention three of the four makers are taking lessons fro Jeff Belding , a teacher in the Albany, NY area.

He is a terrific teacher and can handle students in tab and in notation,  His command of music is outstanding.

Anyone in the Albany, NY region looking for a teacher should look up jeff.  He teaches anything with strings on it.

We meet for two hours every other Friday.   We are having a very good time!

ken

ken61 - Posted - 06/28/2012:  05:27:31

Life has been getting in the way for a few weeks.  We have not had the group of four together although several of us have met to do some fine tuning.  Thought everyone might like a status report:

My banjo is finished and playing!

Peter's banjo is finished and playing.

Dan.s banjo is finished and being fine tuned for best sound.

Riche.s banjo needs frets, a nut, and inlay.  Rich is the only one of the group not retired , so he has somewhat less time to devote to the project, but he will be finished soon.

Final pics and sound clips will be posted.  I suspect we will meet this weekend.

ken