Yup, check out #9 on this page:

https://web.archive.org/web/20210118095131/https://haruteq.com/gallery.htm

• Tools: bandsaw, wood lathe, lathe chisels, drill press. Total: approx $1,000 Canadian
• Wood: I happened to have quite a stash but $20~30 will get you all the maple, or whatever wood, you need/want
• Took me about 1 year to get comfortable with the tools

Added: I lost interest in building after this one so it's my one & only.

I think it’s good to have some knowledge of how sound works in as many ways possible. Like the relationship between sound and different structures, different timbers, different dimensions. The soundscape of where you want the banjo to fit in. Do you want it to blend in or do you want it to project above and so on. Then you need to get the knack of applying it all to achieve what you’re aiming for. Having a good understanding cuts out a lot of the trial and error. When you’re designing a new banjo.

I'm long-stalled on my first build. Learning and practicing inlay is the next step.

We already had a band saw (on which I cut two rough blanks out of my first billet), a compound miter saw (which I may have used only for cutting peghead ears), and a palm router/laminate trimmer (which I used to rout the truss rod slot).

We also already had a Dremel, which I'll eventually use for routing inlay pockets.

Tools I've acquired (some of which I've used already) include:
- spindle sander
- Saf-T-Planer (drill press accessory for thickness planing or leveling smaller work
- router bases for the Dremel

At a meet-and-greet with Greg Deering at my neighborhood music shop years ago, he said a belt sander like this one was very handy. Besides flattening the backs of fretboards on the flat part, the curved end was just right for the transition of the volute to the backside of the peghead. He even said at Deering they use an inexpensive one and just replace it when necessary. I did not get one of these.

At Greg's suggestion, I bought my first fingerboard pre-profiled and pre-slotted. I had mine made to my specific dimensions by Tim Davis, who I highly recommend.

The block rim I'll be using for what will be an open-back has an archtop woody configuation. It's made for two-piece flange, so I'll be using a tube to hold the pot together. I expect when the time comes, I'm going to shape the end of the heel with hand tools, the spindle sander, and maybe the Dremel. It's not as complex a cut as one-piece-flange: basically a flush rim with a cutout for the tube (which I suppose I'll do on the drill press).

Oh, wait. You asked about costs.

My neck billets  (one each walnut, mahogany, straight-grain maple) were about $40 each. Some less, some more. The block rim was a gift from Dick Guggenheim. Pre-cut inlay (Nick Lucas set plus some other pieces to fill it out) maybe $50. I don't remember.

Profiled and slotted rosewood fretboard was $50 plus shipping.

My spindle sander costs $125 today. I paid $110 for it 6 years ago.

I bought the top-of-the-line Stew-Mac plunge router base for the Dremel. I paid less than the current price of over $200. Plus, it was on a once-a-year special when if you buy the plunge base, you get the tilt base free (or maybe half price). Many people do fine with just the tilt base. 

My drill press planer is not the $72 Stew-Mac Saf-T-Planer, but a $50 or so third-party similar item that I can no longer find.

Miscellaneous luthier hand tools: rasps, files, chisels, Japan saw, fret cutter. Some were gifts. Not a big investment. 

Bitterroot Guitars is a good alternative source for value-priced luthier tools and banjo components. Sometimes considerably less than Stew-Mac with more-than-acceptable quality.

There are many woodworking skills that have to be combined to make a banjo. I have only just started making my first banjo, but have been doing general woodworking since I was 9 years old.

The only way to do it reasonably is buying rough cut lumber. Blanks and pre-made stuff will get expensive fast.

You need a way to resaw. This can be done with hand saw which takes patience, skill, and time. I prefer a bandsaw for this operation.

You need a way to dimension/joint/plane. I prefer hand planes for this. I have 2 #5 planes. One with a wide mouth, and a large radius for use as a scrub plane, and one setup as a normal #5 Jack. One #7 jointer. One #4 smoother. One normal block plane, and one bevel up. Others would go with jointers and planers for this step.

You need a way to make the rims. Wether it's block or bent you will need a lathe with enough capacity to round it. If you want to bend, resawing becomes important again, and you need to build a steam box. Then you need to learn how to bend.

You need a way to shape the neck. This could be done with a router, sanding, spokeshaves, scrapers, rasps, or combinations of all.

You need a way to shape the headstock. Coping saw, fret saw or bandsaw.

You need a way to precisely drill for your tuning machines. Drill press, jig with a hand drill, brace?

You need tools and skills for doing fret work(unless you're thinking fretless).

You need dust collection for machines, and/or need to learn sharpening skills for hand tools.

Will you do binding, and need a way to cut the channel?

How will you finish it?

How will you deal with nuts and bridges?

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

How much is the wood? You'll probably waste a lot while learning.

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As I said above, I need to learn how to inlay, which means learn learn how to rout correctly shaped pockets with the Dremel.

I think it was Ken LeVan who said to me in a discussion here long ago that it was best to practice with the type of wood you'll be using. If you practice shaping or routing pine from Home Depot, you'll know how to shape or rout pine, which won't entirely prepare you for shaping walnut or routing rosewood.

But rosewood and other typical fretboard blanks are expensive to practice on.

Thanks to Luthiers Mercantile (sorely missed) I saved money by buying several second-grade non-slotted ukulele fretboard blanks. I think I got ebony and katalox. Close enough to rosewood, I hope. They're small and cheap to begin with and were even lower priced as seconds. They provide plenty of surface for practice routing. I can even use both sides.

But wasting some wood comes with the territory. And if you're self-learning, it costs a lot less than classes.

My wife and I are both dabblers in lots of things, and we have lots of tools that are beyond our skill level. But we have made good use of most of them. 

Taking a (week-long) course on banjo building might speed up the process. Some of the highly successful builders started out doing repair/restoration/conservation work on musical instruments. They learned a significant amount about different construction techniques and what problems arise repair-wise over time with different construction techniques.

Tools and supplies can cost a lot or a little depending on how much of a scrounger you are. For instance, finding old fireplace mantels can yield lots of old well-cured wood. Buying used major/large power tools is fine if you know enough about them to spot problems--otherwise you are just buying someone else's problem.

I might add that since no part of a banjo is more than 3" in diameter, a large airbrush (Harbor Freight Avanti) and small compressor are all that is needed to spray a finish. Deft brushing lacquer also works quite well. With spraying lacquer please cover all your skin and wear a respirator. Too many instrument techs have died of liver cancer.

quote:

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Originally posted by Bart Veerman

Yup, check out #9 on this page:

https://web.archive.org/web/20210118095131/https://haruteq.com/gallery.htm

• Tools: bandsaw, wood lathe, lathe chisels, drill press. Total: approx $1,000 Canadian
• Wood: I happened to have quite a stash but $20~30 will get you all the maple, or whatever wood, you need/want
• Took me about 1 year to get comfortable with the tools

Added: I lost interest in building after this one so it's my one & only.

---

Slight deviation from the OP, your S.S. Stewart, "no-frill model" is a "Grade 2" (abbreviated to GRE2) and post dates SSS' life and likley made after George Bauer forced the family out of their own company.  It is even possible that this was a Keenophone or B&J era banjo. 

That rim decal is only found on post SSS Stewart low end banjos. 

There's a fellow in Maine that teaches how to build a guitar for $3600 and you get to keep the guitar.
Start building and learn from each one.
I would think it would be similar for banjo if one could find a teacher/after hours shop.

I have built 13 banjos of different types, some ukes or parts banjos, 1 flat top mandolin, 4 ukes, 4 electric guitars, 1 electric mandolin, 15 acoustic guitars and a few more unfinished projects. Banjos are probably the easiest after solid body electrics. My first banjo took 2 years, my most recent acoustic guitar took 29 days.

The power tools I use most in approximate order are, bandsaw, router, drill press, disc/belt sander and thickness planer. I rarely use a table saw or jointer. I build mostly from rough sawn lumber so I use the planer. If you buy dressed lumber you might forego the planer, pay a little more for wood but much cheaper then the trap of buying "blanks" or "kits". Power tools are often available used for a fraction on new prices. You could probably buy all the tools above used and add a lathe for $1000. Instrument building usually requires lighter or medium duty power tools, not the heavy duty stuff.

For simple tone rings, you want a ring roller, amazon.com/Central-Purchasing-...006ZBCVU0

I think you can build banjos with all 1 " or 4/4 lumber, either rough or dressed.

Maple, Walnut, Cherry and African Mahogany are reasonably priced and can make good banjos to start. You can make economical fretboards with, Pau Ferro or Chechen, maybe Bloodwood. Later you can buy rosewood or ebony fretboards , the only blanks I buy.

Finishing can be accomplished with aerosol cans or wipe on Tru Oil or French Polish shellac.

Special tools you likely require are a fret slotting saw and fret dressing file. Most other tools can be common hardware store tools or altered ones.

Books:
Scruggs book, (how I built my first banjo)
Roger Siminoff, Bluegrass Banjo Construction
Banjocraft

Youtube is a great source for learning new skills that I didnt have when I started. I did have the benefit of some elementary and high school shop classes.

Shop around for materials and tools, Try Amazon, aliexpress, Lee Valley before Stew Mac

I think if I were to build my first banjo today starting from scratch, I could do it for $2000, including outfitting a shop with used power tools, providing you have a workspace.

Good Luck on this addictive journey.

I started on my journey to build banjos about eight or nine years ago, and have built a few banjos that I would call practice pieces. I've glued up and shaped about eight necks (razor files are really great for this, and one of the most fun parts of making a banjo). I have made over a dozen rims, turned directly from log sections and freeze dried. I have restored a few banjos, which I consider one of the best ways to approach the craft, and am refining some of the things I thought would be interesting to incorporate into a banjo. I like the Nechville neck attachment, and have worked out a way to tighten it through a Rudy rod from the tailpiece end of the rim, separate from the tailpiece mounting.
I'd say that the primary thing to think about would be along the lines of what you want to build in a banjo, rather than how much it will cost, as the time you put into the project is going to exceed the cost of the tools you need to build the banjo. You will need tools, and good lists of them are above, but I'd suggest that you just start into the process by making a neck and buying a rim that is close to ready to use, as that will give you something that will be satisfying in the end. I have several banjos that I consider just experiments along the way, and so far have not made one that has all the elements I am interested in incorporating, but the journey has been rewarding.

You wil want to acquire kiln dried quarter sawn wood for the neck, which is available from many sources, and really not that expensive, even for exceptional pieces of wood.

Excellent thread with excellent advice.

I believe it's accurate when imagining, that many BHO'ers, especially those skilled in the wood/metal working trades, have mused or toyed with "making banjos" at one time or other. And likely, many others have considered the same during the last 100+ years, so, your question is not unique but I'll restate your opening question before I give you an incomplete answer. You asked: "What does it take to build a decent open-back banjo?".

My answer does not differentiate between "open-back" or "resonator" configurations although the resonator style (if entirely built 'in house') would most certainly entail more extensive knowledge of the wood/metal crafts. [....think metal machining, foundry, pattern making, veneering, finishing, etc. ]

So first KCJ, do you see yourself building a banjo(s) as a money pit hobby (?), or to 'make' a bit of money over cost (?), or to 'make a living' at it (?), or to make a 'decent' living at it to support your 3 children (soon to be 4 because your wife is pregnant) (?), or, enable yourself to live a REAL decent middle class lifestyle (including at least 1 decent 2-week vacation per year in Cancun) plus pay the financing of your wood/metal tools and equipment, plus monthly domestic home expenses, plus house and vehicle payments. (...let's think, what did I miss ?) [I don't know about your situation but the answers are easier if you still live with your parents...tic.]

Other factors, particular to your circumstances, would include the more or less costs associated with where you (your shop) is located within regions of the U.S. or Canada [....think distances, shipping, proximity to suppliers, trade shows, etc].

Last question is, if your noble intent is to "make a decent living" with your hands then what degree of perfection, propriety detail, artisanry, and overall quality do you envision that demonstrates what you are about and what attributes you value as a "banjo builder" (hence, reputation).

Your question nonetheless is a good one but with a dizzying number possible answers. I personally have a relevant technical background and international "hands on" experience, and operating a 'sole proprietorship' business. With all of that, 25 years ago, asked myself the same question as you. And yes, I discussed this notion with other banjo folks of note whose input I truly valued.

Conclusion:
I don't build banjos. Analysis can sometimes lead to paralysis.
Scratch your itch, you'll find a way. Ask and listen like a sponge. Accept that you will utter 4-letter words - more in the beginning/fewer later. Be patient through commitment. Imagine and anticipate consequences then take leaps of faith. Remember, there is a cost to learning.

More information than you asked for ?? Likely. You can't know all the questions yet.

Good luck. Jump in. Make a banjo. Your second will be more "decent" than your first. You may make banjos forever or move on after your first.

There's lots of folks here and around who would be happy to help you as you've already discovered. Some replies already may underestimate tool/equipment costs in my experience but that's also a regional thing.

done.

I wasn't clear in the OP's question how the 5 years are counted. 5 years of 40 hours a week is different than 5 years of Saturday afternoons, or whatever. In my case I already had some carpentry and woodworking experience, but my instrument building time was limited to evenings and Sundays at first. I built my first dulcimer in 2003, first banjo neck in 2006 and first complete banjo in 2010 as I recall. I built harps and hammered dulcimers in between. To get to the point where I could make a living selling instruments took 15 years or so, and some luck along the way. If the OP asking about making banjos as a hobby it would be quicker, I would think, especially with the amount of money that was mentioned. Certainly my first banjos were less refined than my later ones, but the rate of improvement slows down over time. The first few were playable, but the necks were too square, the pegheads too thick, and the rims not as strong as I would have liked.

For tools, to make tone rings a ring roller is useful, and I recommend the one from Shop Outfitters if you're going to make more than 10 banjos.  It rolls straight and does it in one pass once the right setting is found.  Most of the other tools needed can be found secondhand locally.  For wood I think buying lumber is better than buying blanks, as it gives more freedom of choice and at a lower price.  A planer and jointer are very helpful, but they don't need to be very big for banjos.  A drum sander is a huge convenience, but probably only worth it if you plan to make a lot of instruments.

Lots of good advice here. I started with very little about 4 years ago. Took me quite a while to get my space set up, build a good workbench etc. and I've maybe spent 2 -3 K on tools, wood, parts, etc. I'm lucky to have access to a Community Shed that has all the big stuff - planer, thicknesser, lathe, CNC, et al; maybe there's one near you? I bought my own drill press and small bandsaw, and have recently purchased a new mitre saw. I already had plunge router, drill, hand planes etc.

When people find out that you're building banjos, they'll give you stuff.

I've been doing this very part-time, with some long breaks for various reasons. I've just finished my third banjo, each one a little better, have 2 more started, and more wood stockpiled than what I'll probably get to. Are they "decent" yet? -time will tell.


You might like to scan through this archived topic, from about when I was building curious.

banjohangout.org/archive/377600/2

This forum can provide you with multiple different answers to any question. Just do us a favor; do a search before you ask a question. It's very likely to have been asked many times!

Good luck

Learning how to use tools is half the battle.

John’s suggestion of a community shed is a great idea. Over here “men’s sheds” are in virtually every town. I don’t know if a similar organisation exists in the US. They are full of retired tradesmen escaping their wives for the day. The blokes love to share their skills. They are well equipped for just about anything. A mate of mine builds cigar box guitars at one. He lives in a flat and has no workshop at all. I hope they exist over there