Banjo Plans

[slausonm]

Well my mandolin mass production is going slowly but consistantly. One student is ready for finishing and about 7 others are ready for necks and fingerboards. I'm expecting about 20 of the 30 started to be playable by the end of the year.

So, on to my next project to prototype. Banjo. Anybody have a suggestion for a set of banjo plans? The general criteria is that I am looking for plans that are low on hardware cost. I have the capability of making almost anything except the head. I would prefer a design that allowed me to add a wood resonator, but would not be absolutely crucial to the build.
Thank you for your assistance! I will post more mandolin mass production pictures in the near future.

[Geoff B]

That's great news! You'll have to post pictures/sound clips when you get the chance!

Siminoff has written a book on how to build a banjo, could be a place to start...

[slausonm]

That's great news! You'll have to post pictures/sound clips when you get the chance!

Siminoff has written a book on how to build a banjo, could be a place to start...

We are on spring break right now, so the only work being done on them is from me...and a couple of kids who took their's home to sand. I'm really excited about seeing the one that is almost ready for finish as the kid making it is doing a great job. Cherry sides and back, walnut neck, spruce top. He brought in a slab of cherry that was cut from a tree in his yard about 15 years ago and cut into boards. It has been inside drying and getting moved from room to room. Mom was ready to turn it into firewood when this project came along.

Back to Banjos, I'll look into the Siminoff book, but I really wanted suggestions for a set of tried and true plans that someone might have used.
Thanks, Matt

[mandroid]

The Hoop making is the big part, a segmented glue up and turned on a lathe is one way.

[slausonm]

The Hoop making is the big part, a segmented glue up and turned on a lathe is one way.

I figured that is what I would do, but I don't know about size. I'm a metal working guy, so I would prefer to mount the blank in my metal lathe and use the tool holders to cut it. It will swing a 10" diameter part. We have a wood lathe at school that I could use if it needs to be larger.

[8ch(pl)]

You could make a tack on head over a built up hoop, or a gourd banjo. You can google Gourd banjo and find instructions. Both designs have a wet stretched natural skin. the goat skin or calfskin heads can be purchased from Elderly Instruments or Stewart MacDonald.

[Gary McMoran]

Here's a link to a free set of plans for a Frank Proffitt style mountain banjo. It's fretless, but you could easily add a fingerboard. Pretty low on hardware requirements: http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageFPMB1.html

[Michael Lewis]

There is a simple banjo in the FoxFire book. Should be available from your local library.

[slausonm]

Thank you for all the great suggestions. The mountain banjo is a bit simpler in design than I was looking for. I've seen the firefox books years ago and remember a dulcimer plan but not a banjo. Will have to look again. As far as stretching my own natural skins over a drum, I've experienced that while repairing a revolutionary war era drum. It came out nice but I was a bit nervous about the repair on a number of levels. I don't see this as an activity a student sould easily master on the first time out. The purpose of the prototype is to determine if I can get students to do it, and to see what the pitfalls will be. A couple of students asked if they could do Banjos when I said we were building mandoins, so I figured I would at least look into it. At first glance I think it will be considerably more expensive to do than mandollins.

[John Kasley]

I figured that is what I would do, but I don't know about size. I'm a metal working guy, so I would prefer to mount the blank in my metal lathe and use the tool holders to cut it. It will swing a 10" diameter part. We have a wood lathe at school that I could use if it needs to be larger.Most modern tenor/plectrum/5 string banjo rims have an 11" outside diameter..so the stretcher hoops and flanges sold by Stew-Mac and others are made to fit 11" rims.

[toddjoles]

Irving Sloane's book "Making Musical Instruments" has instructions and basic plans for a banjo. You can get it used on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Making-Musical-Instruments-Tambourine-Hardanger/dp/087690293X/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272120219&sr=1-8

[resophonic]

This is Randy Cordles home page on the Banjo Hangout. You can access some nice PDF plans that Randy has drafted there.


http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/home.asp?id=3035

[slausonm]

Thanks again for all of the great suggestions. Resophonic, you hit the nail on the head with Randy's plans. I have the wood and metal working machines to make all of the parts on the first set of plans he shows. I really like his barrel nut and allen screw tensioning mechanism. Simple but effective. This looks like one to try.
Thanks, Matt

[resophonic]

Your welcome Matt.

I happen to know Randy and have seen and heard his work, he is a clever fellow.