Setting the Neck in a Mountain Banjo
Added 2020-03-22 01:16:39 +0000 UTCBefore we begin, I must note that this is _not_ the most common attachment method that I have observed in antique Kentucky-made mountain banjos. The folk banjos of this region are often "full spike," i.e. the neck runs the entire length of the instrument, terminating at or a little beyond the rim, as seen in early gourd banjos. For this reason and others, it is possible that the Kentucky mountain banjo (whose characteristic octagonal sound chamber is basically a wooden gourd) predates the more industrial North Carolina/Tennessee mountain banjo popularized by Stanley Hicks, Frank Proffitt, Tab Ward and others.
Photo 1: shows our walnut neck seated in the mortise I created by cutting a 2.5" gap in one of the pot's eight side panels. Three 1/4" holes have been drilled (through the back plate and into the neck tenon) and three 1/4" oak pegs have been prepared as fasteners. When joining wood like this, it's best to use pegs of a harder material than that being joined, i.e. when joining pine, oak or pegs should be used; when joining oak, cherry/maple/walnut pegs should be used.
Photo 2: shows the three pegs seated in their holes, ready to be tapped in with a rubber or rawhide mallet. You'll also want to smear some glue on each peg and inside each hole (note shown).
Photo 3: typical method for trimming peg ends once seated. Take an old saw blade, build up the ends with tape so the teeth can't mar your work surface, and carefully use this to shorten each peg.
Photo 4: use two small boards and a pair of C-clamps to hold the pegs tightly in their holes while the glue sets. In the morning, I'll remove the clamps and plane the pegs flush.
Comments
I actually just grabbed onto the wadded up electrical tape this time. These are only 1/4" pegs so they weren't too bad. A hacksaw blade works the best because it's long and one can easily hold onto it.
Clifton Hicks
2020-03-23 14:49:29 +0000 UTCAh! I knew there was a reason I saved that old bandsaw blade that snapped a while back. What'd you use for the handle on the saw? I've tried a couple things and everything I do ends up being either too floppy/useless (a wad of electrical tape) or too big and annoying (a proper wooden handle).
Jake Tolbert
2020-03-23 13:46:37 +0000 UTCGreat job there Clifton, I look forward to seeing the finished Banjo I have not yet tried my hand at makin a Mountain Banjo yet but am in the process of doing so, I have a friend turning a Cherry wood bowl for mine I plan on cuttin a half moon shape in the back when he gets the bowl finished. I really like the construction you have going for this Kentucky Mountain Banjo I look forward to seein the steps as you go. Thanks for sharing this and for all your Great videos . Sure hope yer stayin healthy and safe out there and your dear family?. have ya ever used a bridge made of horn? I made one from a scrap of Ram horn just a wounderin how well it will work?. :>)
Kapel Coolac
2020-03-22 04:00:17 +0000 UTCYou can do it that way. In the past, I tended to overkill it with three drilled 1/2 way through the front and another three drilled 1/2 way through the back. Lately, I've just been sinking three halfway through the back and it seems to be sufficient. My reasoning for not drilling the front is that I hope the instrument will sound better if there are as few holes as possible in the sound table.
Clifton Hicks
2020-03-22 02:05:10 +0000 UTCDoe the legs go throught the front face as well?
Nick Conner
2020-03-22 01:47:20 +0000 UTC
