ShiraForge - Posted - 07/21/2014:  05:06:01

So I just got the skin on my first banjo with tension hooks.  I think I tightened it too far while wet and a couple of my tension hooks "bottomed out" and are still loose.  Can I just take an 1/8" or so off the threaded end? Any other suggestions?  I know now for the next one not to tighten the head so far while wet.

Thanks,

Matthew

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/21/2014:  05:12:56

Matthew

You may want to post this in the Hide Head group.  

mbanza - Posted - 07/21/2014:  06:06:41

You can trim a bit from the ends of your hooks, no problem, but if you have not already trimmed the excess from the head, you'd be ahead to re-mount it.

ShiraForge - Posted - 07/21/2014:  06:56:51

I have trimmed the skin already unfortunately. Where do I find the Hide Head group?

mbanza - Posted - 07/21/2014:  07:00:51

Look upper left:  Members/Groups.

Billybiltbanjo - Posted - 07/21/2014:  07:06:02

Sometimes you can loosen the tension so that the hooks are really loose, wet the head again with a sponge while still on the banjo and let it dry very well.. It will shrink quite a bit and you may find the hooks are tight afterwards.. Eventually it may stretch out again if it gets humid and you tighten the hooks too much but it worked for me and still fine a year later

John Gribble - Posted - 07/21/2014:  07:46:49

I don't think trimming the ends of the hooks would do any good. What you need is more thread, not less.  You might consider washers/spacers between the tops of the nuts and the bottoms of the shoes.  I did that once when I had to use a high crown head on an archtop and the nuts ran out of thread on the hooks. 

But first I would try re-wetting the head like Billy suggests.

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 07/21/2014:  08:55:23

The problem is not the length of the hooks, but the length of the threading. If they're "bottomed out" and still loose, you've reached the end of the threads and any further tightening will twist the hooks and break them. Cutting the ends that stick out below the shoes will only shorten the hook so that you may never get it on again when mounting a new head.

I'd try washers under the nuts if you find it impossible to re-wet and re-stretch the head. Or, if you have sufficient clearance at the neck heel, you might be able to add a homemade "flesh hoop" on the head between the existing flesh hoop and the tension hoop. The only other answer would be to try another head.

But, please, don't cut the hooks for any reason. It won't solve anything and could spell even more trouble later.

etparadox - Posted - 07/21/2014:  09:41:43

Heads are less expensive than a new set of hardware. Even if you can use washers to get the hooks to stop rattling, you probably won't have enough room to adjust the head tension as is needed with a skin head. 

Fathand - Posted - 07/21/2014:  18:13:11

I would put on another new head. They are available for as little as $9.00 at Elderly.

Helix - Posted - 07/21/2014:  20:00:13

Spacers, not washers are allowed and available from True hardware, note the banjo on the left, no one has ever noticed the spacers.

This skin head tightened up overnight with loose hooks, it sounded like a bongo drum the next morning

Edited by - Helix on 07/21/2014 20:02:56

Helix Midnight Zephyrs #001,002, 003 Black Walnut

rudy - Posted - 07/21/2014:  20:10:25

I'm assuming OP is talking about closed end nuts?

G Edward Porgie - Posted - 07/22/2014:  13:38:21

Even if the OP is talking about closed end nuts, it's a terrible idea to shorten the hooks.

The order in which I'd try:
1. Re-wet the head and try to pull it tighter around the flesh hoop.
2. Get another head.
3. Use some kind of washer or other spacer under the nuts. (This is a last resort and I wouldn't do it, myself. You don't learn how to do the job properly if you just fudge things. Even if a new skin costs an extra $20, think of it as a learning experience and better than doing a half fast job.)

For the next time, it would pay to let the skin tighten up adequately before cutting off the excess. I had one once that didn't seem to be tightening properly, but because the extra skin hadn't been trimmed, it was very easy to re-do it all.

grm405 - Posted - 07/22/2014:  14:18:27

Simple fix?  Buy a box of SS washers from Home Depot (about $3/50) and use as many as required under the nuts.  Then the next time you mount a head, don't stretch it as far when drying.

I use SS washers (#6 or 8, depending on the actual hole size in the washer as some are oversized) under the nuts on all my banjos to give a smooth, hard bearing surface for the nuts to give consistent feel (or torque reading) when tightening.

Gerry

rudy - Posted - 07/22/2014:  15:01:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by G Edward Porgie

Even if the OP is talking about closed end nuts, it's a terrible idea to shorten the hooks.



The order in which I'd try:

1. Re-wet the head and try to pull it tighter around the flesh hoop.

2. Get another head.

3. Use some kind of washer or other spacer under the nuts. (This is a last resort and I wouldn't do it, myself. You don't learn how to do the job properly if you just fudge things. Even if a new skin costs an extra $20, think of it as a learning experience and better than doing a half fast job.)



For the next time, it would pay to let the skin tighten up adequately before cutting off the excess. I had one once that didn't seem to be tightening properly, but because the extra skin hadn't been trimmed, it was very easy to re-do it all.

 

---

I'm in total agreement.

It just sounded like a lot of folks were assuming the hooks were sticking out the bottom of the nut.  I didn't deduce that from the OP's post, so I must have missed something!

Helix - Posted - 07/23/2014:  14:56:47

I think you're right, and ball end nuts would be correct.