The layout of the shoe bolt holes will depend on the type of tension hoop you have chosen to use. For the notched tension hoop you will have to make the shoe bolt holes match the pre-existing hook spacing on the tension hoop. If you have chosen to use aContinue Reading
The location of the rim dowel stick hole is interdependent with the location of the neck dowel stick hole. A lot of things come into consideration here, like the height of the tone ring, and the depth of the rim. Also, the neck should cover the place where the outermostContinue Reading
The rim is mounted to a wooden plate that is attached to a hub that chucks into the lathe. The rim is mounted to the plate with screws. It needs to be mounted evenly so that it will come out as round as possible. There is some danger of cuttingContinue Reading
If you wish to accent the rim cap, it should match the fingerboard. In the case you don’t plan to accent it, it could match the neck. The rim cap covers the laminations that would otherwise be visible on the backside of the rim. The cap is usually made fromContinue Reading
Forming the banjo rim requires the use of the rim clamping form. The inside dimension of the form matches the outside dimension of the rim. The form I use is made in two pieces so that the rim can pop right out. Mac’s rim form uses a latch and aContinue Reading
Bending wood seems a little mysterious at first, but gets easier to believe after having done it for oneself. There are several ways to bend wood: boiling, steaming, and ammonia treatment. Boiling is the way that I have done it with the most success and least gear. An old pieceContinue Reading