My project time gets split about 50/50 between cars and music. I teach music for a living and try to keep it alive as a hobby as well. I enjoy folk music and that's what a lot of my "fun time" music activities revolve around. I spend time fiddling with my instruments for the same reasons I spend time working on cars.
- It's cheaper to build something cool myself.
- It's more fun to do it myself.
- And I (usually) end up with exactly what I want in the end.
At some point (Christmas?) I was given a wooden banjo kit. It's a pretty simple operation. All pre-cut and shaped.
The first step was to sand down all the rough edges and fine sand the surfaces. Then test fit the pieces.
The next step will be applying a finish. I'll probably keep it simple and go light and transparent.
I'll also have to do quite a bit of adjustment to get it to play like it should. The nut is about twice as tall as it needs to be and the bridge will need work as well.
Model trucks are nice when I need something to keep all the little pieces together.
2nd project. The other day a friend told me, "Hey, you play music and like fixing things. Here's a free dulcimer." Score.
It needs to be glued back together but that's about it... and then I need to learn how to play it.
Very cool! I'm a chronic lurker here, but I'm also part-owner of a music store, so this gets my interest too.
What finish are you considering for the banjo? Consider nitro lacquer if you haven't already picked something. I've never sprayed one from scratch, but I've touched up a lot of damage on various guitars, and it's way easier to deal with. It also ages very naturally. I've heard good things about reranch.com as a source.
Looks like the dulcimer will be an easy project... some Titebond and a few hours with clamps, and you should be good to go.
That's really cool. I remember back in the 80's, my dad used get Popular Mechanics and they published plans for a Fender telecaster copy. I can't play the guitar, but I always wanted to build one.
Leo couldn't play, either. He did all right making his own telecasters.
I can only play keyed instruments in the most basic fashion, but I really want a melodica. One of our local music shops even stocks a couple that aren't too expensive.
Lot's of guys build guitars who don't necessarily play. Check out the tdpri.com forums. GRM for guitars... kind of.
Cool build!
The banjo is the only stringed instrument- well, the only instrument I was ever able to figure out. Not quite sure what that says about me...
My friend that was teaching me to play built one and it sounded really, really bad.
What are your plans for the head, tailpiece and strings? Will you add in a tone ring?
In reply to paranoid_android74:
As it's a wooden kit I'm not expecting a typical banjo tone. It will be darker and quieter. Great for picking around a campfire. At least that's the idea. The "tailpiece" will basically be small carefully placed nails.
My last banjo was a Deering Goodtime, all maple and no tone ring. That thing was LOUD! Even after taking the resonator off it was still loud. I put a set of Nylgut strings on it and it helped a good deal. It still didn't quite have that old-timey deep clawhammer tone, but it was pretty close.
I look forward to following your build!
Totally different kind of instrument, but definitely grassroots: native American flutes. Easy to play, lovely sound, and there are a number of good quality kits out there in a variety of woods if you want to make your own. A good kit will be well under $100. Cheap kits to practice your woodworking on can be had for around $30. These play a minor pentatonic scale, not fully chromatic, so you need several of them in different keys if you really get into them, sort of like a serious harmonica player. Careful shaping by sanding and finishing with a little tung oil and they are beautiful, and sound wonderful.
I've been working on the dulcimer. It's going to be a Christmas present for the lady friend so it needs to get done. As a result of being left in its broken state the sides have come out of shape where they would glue to the bottom piece so it doesn't fit flush at the edge.
I could just glue it back like it is but that would be lame.
Another problem that will need to be addressed: the bridge is broken in two pieces. Won't be too hard to make a new one though.
First step towards resurrection. Take the back off and sand off the old glue bits.
Second step. Devise a solution to put the sides back in shape. A pen pushes it back close to where it should be. Something like this could work.
Time to go raid dad's workshop for wood scraps.
Now it looks like a boat. This should work. I have no idea how this will effect the tone. A dulcimer doesn't have much tone to start with so we'll see I guess. The other option is to use steam and pressure to put the wood back in its original shape but that needs time and a place to steam. I have neither.
Everything fits right. I'll glue this weekend.
All glued up and drying with weight on the glue joints.
Putting the bridge back together. Almost done.
Glue dried and it fits together quite nicely.
Put strings on it, tuned it carefully, and wouldn't ya know it works!
Success! It was done in time too. Tip: ladies like it when you give them hand worked musical instruments for Christmas.
