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mike gregory - Posted - 08/04/2011: 18:48:40
A newbie posted a link to this little Do-It-Yourself gem.
datatransform.demon.co.uk/CampingBanjo.htm
So, I immediately found an empty 2-liter bottle, and measured what size rectangular body it would cover.
At this moment (8:47 PM Milwaukee time) the frame and the skin are downstairs, with epoxy setting up to hold them together.
I'll post more as the project develops.
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/04/2011: 19:52:02
Cool mike! I can't wait to see your version!
goldtopia - Posted - 08/04/2011: 22:11:56
Fascinating
Bill.O
mike gregory - Posted - 08/05/2011: 06:25:10
Rather than hold it over a gas stove, I hit it with the hot air from my moustache dryer.
Apparently, I didn't let the epoxy cure long enough. As the material shrank, it pulled loose.
I'll do it again, more carefully, today, and not shrink it until tomorrow.
Klondike Waldo - Posted - 08/05/2011: 06:26:54
Would this be called a "Squared Elver"? When you ship it will you post "Elver has left the building."?
erikforgod - Posted - 08/05/2011: 07:05:08
EEL...I thought you were talking about sushi?
erikforgod - Posted - 08/05/2011: 07:07:25
quote:
Originally posted by mike gregory
A newbie posted a link to this little Do-It-Yourself gem.
datatransform.demon.co.uk/CampingBanjo.htm
So, I immediately found an empty 2-liter bottle, and measured what size rectangular body it would cover.
At this moment (8:47 PM Milwaukee time) the frame and the skin are downstairs, with epoxy setting up to hold them together.
I'll post more as the project develops.
Very VERY cool......but I will bet its harder to make than one might think. It seems like making the scroll and seating the frets would be hard?
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/05/2011: 10:19:51
The essential bit of information that I gleaned from the construction instructions is that pop bottle plastic will shrink when heated. I should have known that I guess. Anyway, this opens up lots of possibilities that I will be anxious to experiment with. I'm always up for another method of building a camping banjo.
Mike - I don't know how hot your mustache drier gets - I would guess it must be pretty hot to dry that volume of facial hair - but heat will make epoxy glue release, same as a lot of other glues. Tacking along with gluing seems a reasonable thing to do.
Eric - I agree about the frets. Using regular fret wire would make it easier, IMO. Leaving it fretless would be easiest. And the scroll is just for decoration so doesn't need to be done like that.
Edited by - Jonnycake White on 08/05/2011 10:21:04
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/05/2011: 10:24:56
I believe the plastic used in pop bottles is PETE, which is used in a lot of other types of food packaging. I'm thinking those big round party trays would yield good banjo heads. After you've eaten the shrimp, of course.
mike gregory - Posted - 08/05/2011: 11:46:56
The drier is your typical 1500w hair dryer. Just don't get it too close for too long.
I might try a party tray, if there's one cheap or free.
And, like the guy says, the scroll is not an essential part.
The epoxy has been setting up since about 9AM and I'm going to give it until 9 AM tomorrow, at least.
"Elvers has left the building", indeed!
SWCooper - Posted - 08/05/2011: 11:49:31
Be sure to hit the .mp3 file. He's strung it with wire, and it has a surprisingly clear, sweet sound.
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/05/2011: 13:23:33
Okay... This is what I need to know; would it be disastrous to not use a bottle for the skin, mostly because they don't make a 2-litre big enough? Even if the moldycubes are different, will it not work?
mike gregory - Posted - 08/05/2011: 14:10:26
Try everything you'd like.
It can probably be scraped and sanded off, even if it's been epoxied on.
If mounting a used drum head, try tacking a scrap of it to a slat of wood, as if the slat was a bow, and the plastic a bowstring.
Then heat it, and see if it shrinks enough to increase the bow.
OR---since "skin" originally MEANT skin, get a rawhide goatskin, sheepskin, whatever.
I get my calfskin heads from Smakula Fretted Instruments.
smakula.com/
Edited by - mike gregory on 08/05/2011 14:15:26
falconeman - Posted - 08/05/2011: 15:17:43
Have to try this!
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/05/2011: 15:59:37
I guess you can't learn new stuff if you don't try! I'll experiment.
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/05/2011: 20:51:11
quote:
Originally posted by Youngpicker
Okay... This is what I need to know; would it be disastrous to not use a bottle for the skin, mostly because they don't make a 2-litre big enough? Even if the moldycubes are different, will it not work?
What about a 3-liter? They sell those here in the USA - maybe you're from across the pond, seeing as how you spell "liter" "LITRE".
See my comment above, about PETE.
Add to comment: PETE has a recycling number 1, and says PETE right by it. That's how you can tell.
Edited by - Jonnycake White on 08/05/2011 20:52:28
mike gregory - Posted - 08/06/2011: 02:35:37
I'm going to check the beverage store for 3-liter, since the grocery store didn't have any.
Meanwhile: I awoke at 4m. Decided that, since I'm not falling back asleep anyway, may as well check the epoxy.
Turns out I spread it a bit thin on one edge, and there was a gap. So I took a thin scrap of wood, and slid more epoxy into the gap. Might be another 5 hours before I dare hit it with the 1250W hair dryer.
rudy - Posted - 08/06/2011: 04:58:17
If anyone follows the instructions for building an inexpensive banjo, DO NOT use the copper wire for frets. It will quickly divot under steel strings and will turn your fingers green. Do pop for a few feet of standard fret wire. If you're looking to do it without a proper saw sized to the fret tang you can go with a bigger slot and epoxy the frets in place. You can also use Titebond. Just skip the copper wire!
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/06/2011: 08:01:44
Thank you Johnny! Now that you say that about the PETE symbol I remember. Duh. Nope, not from the other side, just from western South Dakota. Always spell it that way, don't know why. I guess I like it better. I dunno if I've ever seen a 3-litre/liter bottle before. Hope to see pics soon Mike!
mike gregory - Posted - 08/06/2011: 09:01:42
Is this soon enough?
1 is the banjo, 2 shows the plastic bottle head, 3 is the neck joint, 4 is the top of the neck joint.
Since it was experimental, I used a couple of screws instead of glue.
5 is the 5th string shoulder. I ran the string around a couple guide pins and up along the side of the neck.
6 & 7 are the peghead. a 6-32 machine screw as a top nut allows easy repositioning of the strings, and guide pins keep them from moving out.
Now, while y'all are gazing in ruptured rapture at the pics, I'll see how fast I can post a Music File.
TXhookey - Posted - 08/06/2011: 09:07:04
I like the "unstealth" trapeze 5th string.
mike gregory - Posted - 08/06/2011: 09:17:20
quote:
Originally posted by TXhookey
I like the "unstealth" trapeze 5th string.
Yeah... why tunnel, when you can sneak by on the fly?
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/06/2011: 09:27:28
Beautiful, Mike! Love the sound. Good picking! I hope mine sounds that good. If not I'll try your 3-litre bottle.
mike gregory - Posted - 08/06/2011: 12:49:47
Can't find 3-liter bottles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (The Centre of the Civilised World).
Tried 2 grocery stores and a beverage store.
Haven't given up looking, but those are the results so far.
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/06/2011: 14:58:56
Then I can't find 'em in Arpan! Google Map Arpan once.
falconeman - Posted - 08/06/2011: 18:25:37
You can usually find the 3 liters in Walmart or Cosco. Always go flat before you can finish it (the soda, not the banjo).
Edited by - falconeman on 08/06/2011 18:26:11
Castania - Posted - 08/06/2011: 20:24:52
Dang! I'm impressed, Mike! I think I spend way too much time planning to make a banjo and not enough time just doing it.
Edited by - Castania on 08/06/2011 20:25:28
golsby - Posted - 08/06/2011: 21:32:47
That just blows my mind. A banjo in a day. Cool beans! Nice work as always, Mike!
mike gregory - Posted - 08/06/2011: 21:58:17
"As always" is only because I seldom post my Epic Fail banjos.
SWCooper - Posted - 08/07/2011: 02:23:09
That would be a great brand name. I'd buy an Epic Fail banjo, for sure. Give my listeners an idea what to expect.
mike gregory - Posted - 08/07/2011: 05:55:41
And if
"Chicken On The Kneecap"
isn't a perfect title for a banjo tune, I'll eat my spare hat.
mike gregory - Posted - 08/07/2011: 07:34:23
Can you find UTZ Cheese balls, or any snack in a similar huge plastic jar?
It's standing next to a 2-liter bottle, to give an idea of how fornicatiously huge it is.
xnavyguy - Posted - 08/07/2011: 09:56:45
Nice job Mike! I'm speechless!!!
theonly1hardway - Posted - 08/07/2011: 10:16:50
Nice job Mike! I'm speechless!!!
Ditto
harrisonbanjos.com
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/07/2011: 10:49:27
Huh! They're fairly common here in Utah (3-liter bottles, not banjos).
SWCooper - Posted - 08/07/2011: 11:20:49
I gotcher logo right here. (Did you see this banjo on eBay? I wanted it so bad, for the redneck engineering alone).
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/07/2011: 12:31:55
I feel the need for a cheez balls keg whenever I get to walmart. Thanks for the idear!
DonLohr - Posted - 08/07/2011: 13:23:46
Well, I'm going to have a bit of extra time on my hands this week, and I have some "un-assigned" hardwood in the shop, and the last time I was at Walmart they did have 3-liter bottles of soft drinks. Don't have fret wire on hand.....hmmmm. Could be interesting.
Don
mike gregory - Posted - 08/07/2011: 13:59:50
Don: Don't NEED no steeenkin' fretwire.
Either go fretless, or just super-glue stainless steel wiper blade slats flat to the neck.
The sooner you're done, the sooner you can start picking it.
Youngpicker - Posted - 08/07/2011: 15:29:42
I used contact cement and white elmers school glue to attach the baling wire frets on my stick dulcimer. I think the wire is made out of steel.
DonLohr - Posted - 08/07/2011: 19:45:42
Mr. Gregory,
"......Either go fretless, or just super-glue stainless steel wiper blade slats flat to the neck. ....."
Here in West Virginia we're a little behind the curve.....we use rubber wiper blades on our windshields. Sir, I have no clue as to what you're canibalizing for fret parts. As to fret-less, I have trouble enough getting my banjo to make pleasant sounds without being slightly (or more) off key every other pick. I take my hat off to you folk who can play without frets ! :-) Salute !!
Don
mike gregory - Posted - 08/07/2011: 20:17:00
INSIDE the rubber blade are a pair of metal stiffeners.
(In this picture, they are at the top, having been pulled from ONE wiper.
And they also appear as a thin silvery line in the not-yet- torn up blade at the bottom.
Please note: I offer free advice, (which has been mathematically determined to be at least three times what I'm charging).
Anyone who wishes to ignore it, may do so. Just because I am so goshdarned good-looking doesn't automatically make me Boss of anything.
Use whatever fret material you want. The important thing is to have Banjo Fun.
DonLohr - Posted - 08/08/2011: 05:23:53
Mr. Mike,
I've been throwing away perfectly good banjo parts for years.....bummer!! This calls for a quick trip to Advance Auto to see what's in their scrap bin !! :-)
Don
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/08/2011: 09:12:38
Mike - I'm always open to suggestions for how to make a cheaper banjo from another man's trash (notice I did NOT say "junk"), but can you really get clean buzz-less fretting from a flat fret that wide? Do you have sound samples of a banjo made with that type of fret? Do you use nylon or steel strings on such a banjo?
The above questions should not be construed as doubt - just intense curiosity.
Edited by - Jonnycake White on 08/08/2011 09:16:03
mike gregory - Posted - 08/08/2011: 09:16:24
Ain't made one yet, but I'll see if I can find the Youtube where somebody else did.
This guy: youtube.com/watch?v=guBfEzqVgeQ
And his is even cheaper than mine!
Edited by - mike gregory on 08/08/2011 09:30:45
Jonnycake White - Posted - 08/08/2011: 12:27:44
Well his banjo sounds pretty good, but he didn't state how the windshield wiper blade frets were installed. Are you sure they're glued on flat?
Edited by - Jonnycake White on 08/08/2011 12:28:09
SteveFiddle - Posted - 08/08/2011: 12:43:06
You could also try tied frets. Haven't attempted this yet myself, but apparently heavy fishing line works well for this, just like the gut tied frets on viols and on most of the Central Asian banjo-like instruments. Have a spool in the shed, waiting to go on my pick handle / cookie tin banjo project.
Yours in the pursuit of innovative frugality in lutherie...
Steve
mike gregory - Posted - 08/08/2011: 14:03:15
"innovative frugality in lutherie..."
Ah, yes, we of the Innovative Frugality In Lutherie philosophy are much ignored by the mainstream manufacturers.
The last time the I.F.I.L had any real public acknowledgement, was about a hundred years ago, in France.
In our honor, they erected the I.F.I.L. tower. And even at that, they mussed up the spelling something awful.
Perhaps the editor of the Paris newspaper should not have assigned Monsieur Figmaux to the story.
