So last night I went out to my grandpas house, he can fix ANYTHING. The tension hoop on my old banjo was 1/2 in too big. It's been like that ever since I got it, and I wondered why I couldn't get even tension and why I couldn't get it to sound right. So Grandpa started on his jewlers bench but steel it a little harder than gold to we moved to his heavy duty equpitment in the barn. He cut it then grinded it slowly till it was a perfect fit. Then he welded it back together in his garage. I forgot my camera. I have been trying to take pictures of all my progress but I didn't bring it to his house last night. I was kinda sad. So he shaped it and bent it and fit it on my banjo till it was perfect and THEN he welded it. Then he grinded the weld down till it was all the same shape. And when we put it on my banjo it fit perfectly! And my tail pice covers up that little ugly weld. You can't even tell. And actually it's better than it was before we started, before he cut it the weld was uneven and rough. Grandpa did a great job.
Then I went to put my bracket hoops on and realized the posts were all straight and they needed a bend. I don't know if that is standard and you have to bend them you self, or if they were just cheap. But Grandpa has a ring bending tool, and it worked perfect. He gave it a little squeeze and bend each hook to the perfect angle, PLUS they all look uniform. He is amazing. They are so perfect that it looks like they came stock like that.
Today I'm putting my bridge and strings on. I have replaced strings before but never the bridge. So this will be a new adventure.
1 comment
on “resizing the tension hoop”
wrightedward Says:
Monday, June 2, 2008 @8:55:20 AM
You are a lucky person ,not so much that Grandpa can fix things ,but because he cares enough to do it for you .Being a Great grandpa i know how he feels .GOD BLESS Grandpa ..
Thanks for the blog ,i can tell how you feel about him
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