Meeting
March 13, 2011
Banjo Parts
Jack's Tack Head Fixture
Banjo Drawings and Templates
Metal Bending Device
Jack demonstrated how he plans to bend the tone rings usings this metal bending device.
Banjo Neck Radius Jig
Here's Larry's jig for getting the proper radius on the banjo neck for a tight fit against the rim. It allows you to radius the neck heel and drill the dowel stick mortise at the proper angle. The jig consists of 3 pieces - a flat base, a sled that the neck rides on, and a router carrier that pivots and moves up and down.
Meeting - March 13, 2011
Banjos, an Electric Guitar, Parlor Guitars, and Group Projects
We met at Jack Gellerstedt's shop and saw a recently completed Early American banjo, another one ready for the head to be tacked on, a prototype neck joint for an electric guitar, 2 completed parlor guitars, a six sting banjo in progress, and some jigs and tools.
We had two visitors, Justen Lazzaro and Roy Skeen, who ended up becoming new members.
We also discussed two charitable projects:
- Using the piano soundboard and other parts of the piano that we extracted at the last meeting, to build a guitar for Guitars for Vets. As we understand it, the local program is for residents in Veterans Hospitals who want to learn how to play the guitar.
- A guitar for Bookbag Santa, a non-profit that helps schools in Belize. Gary Hunt who heads up the charity agreed to bring back some local (Belize local) woods for this project. It will be a year before we can start on this one.
Click on an image to see a larger picture.
Jack's completed minstrel banjo
Jack Gellerstedt showed a recently completed Early American (circa 1850's) banjo. In the photo in the left column, Jack shows how he gets the tacks installed and evenly spaced.
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Jack's banjo ready for the head
This Early American banjo is ready for fitting of a conventional style skin head with a home made stretcher band. The banjo is made with a mahogany neck and boxwood fingerboard.
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Justen's Electric Guitar Neck Joint Test
Justen Lazzaro explained how he did a test, routing the neck pocket for an electric guitar.
Justen is a native of Salem, Virginia and an alumnus of Roanoke College, where he obtained a degree in Music Composition.
After graduation, He decided to start experimenting with the construction of stringed musical instruments.
He is currently focused on building electric guitars, but hopes to begin building acoustic guitars, hammered dulcimers, and other instruments in the near future.
Larry's completed parlor guitars
Larry Sakayama showed two recently completed parlor sized guitars.
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Larry on his staved rim banjo:
After Jack spent some time on the phone with me and explained the intricacies of the neck to rim joint and the dowel stick, I was able to build a jig for my laminate trimmer to radius the heel of the neck at the proper angle and drill the dowel stick hole at the proper angle.
The neck is angled back about 3 degrees. The heel end must be radiused to match the curve of the rim for a tight fit and that radius has to account for the neck tilt. Also, the mortise for the dowel rod must account for the neck tilt.
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