mike gregory - Posted - 01/12/2012:  19:16:18

Needle just happens to be the right size to fit the plastic tubing I already had on hand.

Drilled a hole through the dowel, into the socket. Put the needle in, and siphoned hot water from the teakettle into the joint.

There's the teakettle, on an upside down saucepan, to give it a little better height for the siphon to run, and a closeup of the needle into the dowel.

The neck is held in  a padded vise, sittnig in the sink. And it's slanted to the water will drip AWAY from the varnish on the neck.

Steaming out dowel 2

Steaming out a dowel

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 01/12/2012:  20:20:27

I'll bet your thanksgiving turkey is never dry

Steven M - Posted - 01/12/2012:  23:46:37

You have to inject flavour into a Turkey. Is it really worth cooking?

mike gregory - Posted - 01/13/2012:  01:20:32

I don't use it as a cooking device, so I'll never know.

The relatives who invite me over for turkey dinners are all excellent cooks, and I don't know that they use that device, either. (But it's an excellent question.)

banjoy - Posted - 01/13/2012:  03:11:47

Mike, are you making a banjo or brewing beer?!?!

beegee - Posted - 01/13/2012:  06:40:24

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven M

You have to inject flavour into a Turkey. Is it really worth cooking?

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I know a guy who injects Vodka into his turkey, then deep fries it.

timmo_1949 - Posted - 01/13/2012:  06:49:53

Good idea.  I love your ability to "re-purpose" things around the house to further the banjo.  Also, you could just inject warm water directly from the syringe if you're willing to wait a little longer for the old glue to soften.

Tim Smith

dickinnorwich - Posted - 01/13/2012:  06:50:56

Mike:

I used the exact same tool to remove a dowel stick last summer. I injected vinegar, as I recall, into four small holes I drilled around the dowel perimeter. I thought the vinegar would soften the hide glue faster than it did. It took a day or so for the joint to give itself up. But using steam (vs. vinegar) might be preferable.

gansen - Posted - 01/13/2012:  08:28:45

So I hope I'm understanding this. Your banjo tastes like turkey? Mine tastes like chicken.

Helix - Posted - 01/13/2012:  08:31:31

I was going to say, are other flavors available?

beegee - Posted - 01/13/2012:  08:32:20

I use boiling vinegar spooned from a small metal measuring cup heated on a stove burner. I apply a small bead, wiggle the dowel, repeat until something starts moving. I have one of those Stew-Mac neck steamer needles, but have never used it. I'm going to use a small pressure cooker as a steam generator.

mike gregory - Posted - 01/13/2012:  08:57:34

quote:

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Originally posted by beegee

I use boiling vinegar spooned from a small metal measuring cup heated on a stove burner. I apply a small bead, wiggle the dowel, repeat until something starts moving. I have one of those Stew-Mac neck steamer needles, but have never used it. I'm going to use a small pressure cooker as a steam generator.

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 With the pot and siphon, or with a steam generator, I can go do something else, while the glue softens. That way, I don't get impatient, wiggle something too hard, and snap what doesn't need snapping!