kevinwholmes Says:
Thursday, June 23, 2011 @12:27:03 PM

Very spiffy. Was the logo added to the head (which I assume) or is/was International Harvester making banjo heads?

championofnorthhuron Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @4:16:33 AM

Thanks. I added it. I used to farm and had several IHC's, so I just like tractors. This particular banjo is particularly 'stout' in build, and has a powerful sound; so it just seemed appropriate to it. Now I'm in a business that makes graphics. The company's old Gerber Edge printer just died so it was replaced with a new one. I passed this off as a test image and had a couple of these made up as reverse window decals. It's printed on a thin film polyester, and applied to the back side of the head.

kevinwholmes Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @4:54:24 AM

Cool. Do you make and sell custom banjo head designs? Could be a big money-maker if they don't adversely affect the tone. I can think of one or two for myself.

championofnorthhuron Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @8:52:05 AM

I know this would be a great idea. Unfortunately I don't personally own a digital thermal printer such as a Gerber Edge along with the Gerber Plotter/Cutter that can cut the shapes. A new set-up costs ~25K new! And understandably, the company I work for would send me packin' if I started making $ on the side with their machinery. Hard enough to try and sneak-by a custom decal or two for personal use. That said, I do have a buddy who does own these machines personally. I've been toying with the idea of approaching him with the idea of doing customs for banjo heads. The decal film I use is thin... 0.002' polyester with 0.001" adhesive, and doesn't seem to perceptibly affect tone. Like the head it obviously flexes with vibrations and adds something probably only on the order of grams or less in terms of mass. And being on the back side of the head it should last as long as the head itself.

kevinwholmes Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @10:18:49 AM

Well, they've been doing them on rock band bass drum heads for years, why not banjo heads now? I think it's a million dollar idea. I'd be willing to invest at least 5 bucks for startup capital :-) At least patent the idea, in a hurry.

kevinwholmes Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @10:26:28 AM

Speaking of "government jobs", I worked in a plating room one summer in college. They plated gold electrical contacts. During the day, when the managers were there, they didn't waste a fleck of gold, but 3rd shift was running entire tea and silver sets through the gold plating line, among other things. I found this out when one of the 3rd shift guys I knew whipped out a gold lighter to light his cigarette. When I commented on it, he replied with 2 words: "government job". I had never heard the term before, so he explained it to me.

This is absolutely NOT a suggestion for you. It's bad for the business and risky for you, but I thought it made a good story. Check if your buddy will go for it. Remember, there's a whole 5 bucks already available.

randallaustin Says:
Friday, June 24, 2011 @11:26:33 AM

YES!!!!!! i love all things IH. ive had several scouts and my dad is restoring a '67 travellette currently. i would definitely buy one of these if they were for sale.