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Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 16:00:02 GMT
First attempt so don't laugh.  Didn't like the black plastic one that it came with, so i took a chunk of 400 year old New Forest oak that i have in the shed and cut a bit off. The rest is hand carved and sanded. Bit of lemon oil and hey presto.    Not too bad. The wood came from a place here in the forest called Bucklers Hard, it's where Lord Nelson had some of his fleet built. A mate gave me a lump of it, really solid to work with though, tough as old boots. Saved me a few pennies anyway, in all it cost me one hour and a few nicks on my fingers.  Calv. |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 11, 2013 17:02:49 GMT
Looks very good to me Calv - nicely done!
Keith
(lucky Buckler.)
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Apr 11, 2013 17:08:10 GMT
Wow, that looks great!
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Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 17:27:26 GMT
Cheers I'm not too keen on really fancy artsy banjos and guitars, so this will do me for now. Calv. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 20:21:36 GMT
Very nice job, Calv.
I always admire craftsmanship. If I tried to do anything of the kind it would finish up looking a lot like the block of oak in the first pic. Only with a nail through it.
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Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 20:41:57 GMT
Cheers Pete lol.....well i must admit it had it's moments. Whilst the wood is solid as a rock in one big chunk, once it's taken down to a millimeter or two thick, it's a tricky process drilling the holes and screwing the plate on, you realize how dry and fragile wood that old can be. This is just a small scrap of wood, so i have a huge respect for luthiers who can not only make whole beautiful instruments as well as they do, but to make them sound nice as well is a skill on a whole other level. If i could live my life again eh? Calv. |
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 11, 2013 22:59:08 GMT
I managed to overtighten a screw on a wooden TRC and it split v easily from hole to outside edge - but fortunately glued together invisibly. Calv - might be misreading your description, but wouldn't it be easier/safer to drill the holes before taking the thickness down to final dimension? Whatever, you got a great result I reckon - especially impressed with the neat chamfering around the edge. Keith |
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Post by Martin on Apr 11, 2013 23:01:40 GMT
That is really great, Calv! Great work, and I think it adds a lot of class to the banjo, not to mention the satisfaction from having done it yourself!  |
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Post by calv on Apr 12, 2013 13:36:47 GMT
I managed to overtighten a screw on a wooden TRC and it split v easily from hole to outside edge - but fortunately glued together invisibly. Calv - might be misreading your description, but wouldn't it be easier/safer to drill the holes before taking the thickness down to final dimension? Whatever, you got a great result I reckon - especially impressed with the neat chamfering around the edge. Keith I'm not sure i could have done that with this Keith, as i sanded the layers down bit by bit, i noticed i was coming across cracks and really awkward bits of fragile wood that were breaking off as i went, i think i was just lucky to get a nice bit by the time i got down to a couple of mm. It was very fragile though, the holes were made gently with an awl to start off with, then by hand, twisting the tiny drill but between my fingers. Same with the counter sinking, by hand with the drill bit then lightly sanding with a cone shaped scrap of wet and dry. Takes a while but i guess thats part of the attraction. Cheers Martin, it certainly doesn't look out of place on the banjo, the Gold Tone CC50OT is a beginners basic open back anyway, no frills, but i liked that. It certainly would have looked odd if i'd have got some fancy MOP cover on it. What is your open back Martin? Calv. |
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Post by Martin on Apr 12, 2013 14:59:40 GMT
What is your open back Martin? Calv. I've accumulated a few over the years, Calv. Started with a basic (and awful) Aria resonator banjo. After a while I sold it and bought a Gold Tone BC-350 from Frailers in Runcorn. That was a beauty  Had that for a while, upgraded the tuners to 5-Stars and then sold it to a fellow forum member (where are you Jane??). Then I bought a Cedar Mountain Model L from a friend of a friend, which did me very nicely. Since then I had a Deering Goodtime Special from Eagle Music (which was nice, and I inexplicably sold it on), and bought a second hand Deering Goodtime Parlor. I recently got a Luke Mercier Fairbanks reproduction banjo from Rob MacKillop in Edinburgh (regular on banjo hangout), which has nylon strings and a Dobson tone ring. At the moment, my main banjo is the Cedar Mountain, the Mercier nylgut one is a great alternative, and the Goodtime parlor goes with me in the car |
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Post by calv on Apr 12, 2013 15:37:12 GMT
Lovely collection there Martin. I tried nylgut on mine the other day, took me about an hour to tie a bowline in the string (very hard with a bouncy string), and then snapped it whilst tuning lol. I sacked the idea after that. Whilst i'm still learning i'll stick with the steel strings i think. I've been looking at the Deering Goodtime range recently, some nice ones in Eagle Music. Have you always done clawhammer then or have you dabbled with Scruggs? Your piece on the BHO was fantastic. Calv. |
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Post by Martin on Apr 12, 2013 16:22:34 GMT
Thanks Calv I started with Scruggs and three-finger style/classic, and it didn't really do anything for me. I went to some group lessons, and my teacher there again started off with three-finger, but after a few weeks he showed us frailing, and that was it for me. It was at that stage I went out and got the Gold Tone. |
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Post by leoroberts on Apr 12, 2013 19:58:13 GMT
Top work, that man Looks really good. |
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Post by calv on Apr 13, 2013 6:18:26 GMT
Thanks Leo...nice to see another familiar name, i've only just found the forum. Calv. |
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 13, 2013 8:44:02 GMT
Thanks Leo...nice to see another familiar name, i've only just found the forum. Calv. There should be a great many familiar names here, Calv. But there's still some previous regulars who we haven't managed to contact, and/or who haven't found us one way or another. So, if you have any contact details for, or other Forums in common with, anyone who hasn't made it over to here then please do let them know where we are now. Thanks! Glad you're feeling better! keith |
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Jo whoever he is.
