rudy - Posted - 05/07/2014:  10:04:58

Sometimes you gotta do something just for the fun of it.  I’m sure a “walking stick banjo” has been made before, but here’s my take on it.

Playing a bit in front of the new beehive, just cuz I can, and to celebrate a beautiful start of great weather season.

Using as a walking stick:

The overall length is 32-1/2”, but could easily be shortened by reducing the 25-1/2” scale length.  A taller version could be made by adding length to the tip.  The standard 36” cane length felt a bit too tall for me, so I based the length on my 5’ 9” height.

The neck has a length of 2024-T4 aluminum bar embedded in it to reduce any tendency to flex in “walking stick mode”.  It works quite well, with very little deflection when used as a cane.

The neck also has two 1/4” by 20 tee nuts embedded below the fretboard scoop area that are used in conjunction with two 1/4” by 20 knockdown furniture fasteners to attach the handle loop.

The handle loop is 11” outside diameter and has a cross-sectional dimension of 1” by 1”.  It was formed from multiple 3/32” layers of 1-1/4” wide laminations.  The thin layers were bent around a 9” outside diameter form by first spritzing them with water, but they can also be bent dry if a bit of care is exercised.

Standard slot head guitar tuners were used and oriented with the tuner buttons closest to the idler roller end so string pitch is raised as the tuner button is turned in a clockwise direction.

The idler rollers were made by drilling a 1/4” hole in a chunk of 3/4” diameter bar stock, slicing off 5 pieces, and sanding them to a uniform 3/16” thickness. A groove was formed in the outer edge for the string to run in.  The strings are  attached by passing them over an idler roller, passing through a drilled hole extending into the tuner slot, and inserting the string end down through the small hole in the in the tuner’s string post. The hardened shaft for the rollers was cut from a 1/4” length of what is sold here locally as “music wire”.  It fits the drilled holes precisely, but you could use most anything. The center section end was routed to create a ledge for the idler roller shaft, with the slots cut with a small backsaw and refined with a sharp chisel.  I found that the roller assembly is held very securely by string tension alone, so I didn’t add a means of securing the shaft in place.

Final thoughts:

I used this project as an excuse to test the ability of my newest plunge routing jig to make closed bottom slots, which were very easy to produce with my latest router setup.  I reversed the slot orientation from my normal slot head design to check out the difference in feel, but I’d recommend anyone who would build this type of instrument stay with the standard 3+2 design with the long slot on the 5th string side for tuners 3, 4, and 5.  That configuration feels much more natural to use.

Ball end strings with the ball ends housed in counterbored holes on the rear of the “peghead” area would make for a cleaner look, with no need for the screw heads on the fretboard side of the neck.  I would do the same thing for the fifth string, with a small counterbore on the back side of the neck to house the ball end.  The ball could even be placed in a fretboard recess if you didn’t mind it being visible.

The end of the neck that extends from the handle attachment point to the idler roller end is parallel, I’d also recommend extending the neck taper to the end so it would end up being a bit wider at the idler rollers; the extra width would make it easier to produce the slots that house the outer idler rollers.

Yes, it’s quiet.  That’s part of the design.  I originally thought of floating wings across the lower portion of the “handle” (attached to the neck end) to boost the volume a bit, but I ended up liking the minimalist style, and it is shockingly comfortable to play.  It actually feels very banjo-like!

Here's the detail shots:

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OldInTheNewWay - Posted - 05/07/2014:  10:20:26

Cane-Jo!!!!!

I'm not sure what I really imagined when you told me about this, but wow!

I like the simplistic look of it, it would be right at home on a forest hike.

Good job.

xzr6f7 - Posted - 05/07/2014:  10:41:56

Rudy,

Cool banjo. Looks like you did a great job. I have a travel guitar very similar to this.

I noticed the bee hive in the background. My wife and I started to use that design a few years back. I don't see them very often.

John

BugTugly - Posted - 05/07/2014:  11:40:38

Wow, couldn't beat that with a stick 

Dan Drabek - Posted - 05/07/2014:  11:41:48

How very cool Rudy!  I like it. 

I've often thought of building myself a traveling banjo. Not for performing but just for practicing. With no real volume, it would be great to play in a motel room, or waiting for your flight in an airport. If the rim were flexible and detachable, so you could straighten it out, the whole thing would fit in a very small bag. The idea of a walking stick is something I've never seen before. The only problem is that people might tend to run away in terror when you were coming. :->   Nice job.

Dan

rudy - Posted - 05/07/2014:  11:48:19

quote:

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Originally posted by xzr6f7

Rudy,



Cool banjo. Looks like you did a great job. I have a travel guitar very similar to this.



I noticed the bee hive in the background. My wife and I started to use that design a few years back. I don't see them very often.



John

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Hi John,

The top bar hive (as well as bees) is a brand new thing for us, we're good so far.  We just took out the (now empty) queen cage and they are building comb like crazy in there.  Being the age that we are my wife and I didn't relish the idea of hoisting full size supers, so we opted for the top bar design.  With colony collapse our thinking was it's a good thing if as many folks as possible work bees into their lives in diverse ways.  The bees are just as susceptible to mono-culture as any other "crop" and they deserve better!  Now we'll cross our fingers, hope they don't decide to abscond, and cross the wintering-over bridge when we come to it.

We also have chickens in our living room right now until they get big enough to go out to the chicken house in the background.  Preston the shop dog is very good, and hardly pays any attention to the peeping by the fireplace.  He looks in once in a while and then ignores them.  He's used to hens running around the yard, though.

Edited by - rudy on 05/07/2014 12:02:09

rudy - Posted - 05/07/2014:  11:57:26

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan Drabek

How very cool Rudy!  I like it. 

I've often thought of building myself a traveling banjo. Not for performing but just for practicing. With no real volume, it would be great to play in a motel room, or waiting for your flight in an airport. If the rim were flexible and detachable, so you could straighten it out, the whole thing would fit in a very small bag. The idea of a walking stick is something I've never seen before. The only problem is that people might tend to run away in terror when you were coming. :->   Nice job.

Dan

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Thanks Dan.  It works superbly well; quiet it is.  I can hear it fine, but you're not going to use it for ensemble playing; but then again it's not designed for that.

The hoop / handle comes off very quickly with a Allen wrench but you really only gain about 4" by removing it, but it would make stowing the whole thing easier.  I was a bit surprised myself with how similar it feels to a full-size banjo.

beegee - Posted - 05/07/2014:  12:00:25

So how's the top-bar hive working?

rudy - Posted - 05/07/2014:  12:08:13

quote:

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Originally posted by beegee

So how's the top-bar hive working?

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Really well so far, but we're bee newbies. (See my post above).

Our local bee supplier sold just over 550 three pound packages this year (Yup, close to a ton of bees!) and I don't think there are any other top bar users in the area here. I think it's a superb design, but what do I know?

buckholler - Posted - 05/07/2014:  13:08:10

Very cool.

David Cunningham - Posted - 05/07/2014:  14:12:18

That is brilliant!  There may be a market there.

Kurt Kemp - Posted - 05/07/2014:  17:33:07

quote:

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Originally posted by beegee

So how's the top-bar hive working?

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Exactly what I was going to ask. I have lots of hives but was thinking  of doing a top bar this year from one of the swarms I collect.

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 05/07/2014:  18:11:17

Rudy, that is one cool stick! Your design engineering is VERY impressive.  

farmy4700 - Posted - 05/07/2014:  19:19:39

thats rad.

Todd Treadway - Posted - 05/07/2014:  20:54:24

quote:

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Originally posted by rudy

 

I’m sure a “walking stick banjo” has been made before... 

 

 

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 Actually, I kinda doubt it! Love it, though!

Weitzel - Posted - 05/07/2014:  23:05:28

Very nice design! I love the concept and execution. Best travel banjo design I've seen.

Mike Floorstand - Posted - 05/08/2014:  00:06:19

Great design - love the rim/handle.

There is a guy selling pocket- and walking cane-instruments here on etsy too:

Now if someone could design one with an integral umbrella ... :)





 

etparadox - Posted - 05/08/2014:  01:07:14

Put a pickup in it and I bet it could be used in performance, albeit not traditionally. I love the design of ending the body at the bridge. It makes logical sense and looks slick. Chrome it and add some LED's and it could fit in in Star Trek!

OM45GE - Posted - 05/08/2014:  04:24:08

That is really nice. You've come up with creative and thoughtful solutions to engineering challenges. You should consider making them for sale if you are so inclined. I would certainly be interested in buying one. 

mike gregory - Posted - 05/08/2014:  04:41:16

To quote a spoken line from my favorite Dillard album:

"...slicker than deer guts on a doorknob.."  !

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  04:48:45

Hi Mike,

I think the cane instrument designs from Etsy are very cool.  He doesn't do banjo, though.  The problem with those particular designs (or many of the minimalist stick designs) is in in the actual holding of the instrument for playing.  I tried playing mine before the loop handle was attached and it was fairly impossible.  Once I attached the loop I realized just how much we count on the banjo pot to stabilize and hold the instrument in the proper ergonomic playing position.

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  04:53:54

quote:

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Originally posted by OM45GE

That is really nice. You've come up with creative and thoughtful solutions to engineering challenges. You should consider making them for sale if you are so inclined. I would certainly be interested in buying one. 

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Thanks Bill.  I have other banjo projects that are taking higher priority so I don't think I'll be making any to sell, although it would be a nice little sideline business for someone.  It's easy enough to do a specialized product on Etsy.

My M.O. for posting is really more about getting folks to take the plunge and make an instrument for themselves if possible.

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  05:00:27

quote:

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Originally posted by Weitzel

Very nice design! I love the concept and execution. Best travel banjo design I've seen.

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Thanks.  Sam Ferris' Tranjo and the Sloan Fold-a-jo are both very nice travel instruments.

This one would be better for mushroom hunting or protecting yourself from a rattlesnake, though!

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  05:03:26

quote:

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Originally posted by etparadox

Put a pickup in it and I bet it could be used in performance, albeit not traditionally. I love the design of ending the body at the bridge. It makes logical sense and looks slick. Chrome it and add some LED's and it could fit in in Star Trek!

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It would be easy to add a pickup, volume, and output jack, and recessed strap buttons.  It would be a bit disconcerting seeing such a minimal design played with a Marshall stack behind it...

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  05:06:09

quote:

---

Originally posted by rudy

Hi Mike,

I think the cane instrument designs from Etsy are very cool.  He doesn't do banjo, though.  The problem with those particular designs (or many of the minimalist stick designs) is in in the actual holding of the instrument for playing.  I tried playing mine before the loop handle was attached and it was fairly impossible.  Once I attached the loop I realized just how much we count on the banjo pot to stabilize and hold the instrument in the proper ergonomic playing position.

---

The other problem with the Etsy version is hitch pins for tuning.  Been there and done that, I won't be tuning with hitch pins any time soon if I can avoid it.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 05/08/2014:  09:23:29

As usual you show your true innovative side, Randy.  This really looks good.

I guess if you just want more volume for practice, you could put on a pickup and a small onboard amp to drive headphones.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 05/08/2014:  12:27:46

Very imaginative design and cool looking!

Shawn Hoover - Posted - 05/08/2014:  15:55:27

Sweet jo, rudy. Do the bees get mad if you serenade them with a banjo with a head on it?

rudy - Posted - 05/08/2014:  16:10:09

quote:

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Originally posted by Shawn Hoover

Sweet jo, rudy. Do the bees get mad if you serenade them with a banjo with a head on it?

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Haven't tried that, Shawn.  They actually seem to ignore most everything in their zeal to do their bee thing.  I'm brand new to bee culture but I've already learned they are the most obsessive compulsive insect I've ever observed.

farmy4700 - Posted - 05/09/2014:  06:36:11

This has really inspired me to try my hand at creating some sort of banjo-ish instrument to take camping.   Thanks, that thing is awesome.