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23 May ' 04:36
23 May 2012
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
Anna completed her banjo and instrument stand in April.
For progress photos of Anna's banjo as it was being built visit the Fickr project photo set
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
Anna worked on the banjo in class and also after school.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
Video Recording
Video recording of Mr Black playing Anna's banjo. Please note that he is a novice player.
For a bigger version of the video recording, go to YouTube.
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The calf skin is held in place using furniture tacks: a 'tack head' arrangement.
A hardwood tail piece anchors the steel strings. The strings loop around short lengths of steel rod.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The bridge, in ash, rests on the skin. Anna has opted for a very simple bridge, without any material cut away.
Instant coffee granules were added to the water that the skin was soaked in prior to stretching and tacking in place. This has made it's colour a bit darker.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
Two aluminium brackets were cast in-house and fitted to the neck. They hold hardwood wedges in place, which lock the rim / pot to the neck.
Anna burned her name on to the neck using a pyrograph.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The pot/rim is made from hardwood off-cuts from a local joinery workshop. The short lengths of hardwood were glued together then the rim was turned on the wood lathe.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The neck is made from hardwood recycled from a laboratory bench top. It was rough cut at the band saw for Anna, then she sculpted it with a rasp.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
Anna chose a guitar style slotted peg head design.
A router was used to cut the slots.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
Inexpensive guitar style tuning pegs were used.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The neck is widened to accommodate the fifth string peg.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
A router was used to cut the slot where the string connects to the peg.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
In this photo you can see that the peg head is built up from several sections of timber.
Musical instrument resource page
Anna Butchert's Banjo
S3 Craft & Design
The instrument stand has rubber pads. A car tyre inner tube was used.
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18 May ' 10:22
11 May 2012
Chris Aitken - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Chris chose to recreate a bedroom scene from the movie 'Monstors INC' and made a terrific job of it.
He modelled almost all of the elements in Blender and rendered the scene using Blender's new 'Cycles' rendering engine. The hand cream dispenser was modelled in Pro/Engineer and imported in to the scene.
Some textures were created from scratch, some downloaded from on-line libraries or made from photos. Chris used Gimp for texture painting.
Marc Notman - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Marc took the movie 'Toy Story' as his starting point, to model a room.
He modelled almost all of the elements in Blender and rendered the scene using Blender's new 'Cycles' rendering engine. The blue lamp, sitting on the desk, was modelled in Pro/Engineer and imported in to the scene.
Marc used Gimp for texture painting.
Marc Notman - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
The 3D scene must have reflections present, to satisfy course requirements.
Shona Dalziel - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Shona took the movie 'Ratatouille' as her starting point, to model a dining scene.
The cork screw was modelled in Pro/Engineer with the remainder created in Blender
Shona used Gimp to carry out a small amount of post production work.
Shona Dalziel - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Shona resisted the temptation to add fur to her rat, which would have taken more time to get right.
Shona Dalziel - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
This overall scene shows that Shona modelled only the corner of a room.
Elliot Dickson - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Elliot's scene features a penguin sitting at a work desk.
He has used Blender's 'toon' rendering tool to give the objects in the scene a line around their perimeter.
Gimp was used to paint the penguin's UV mapped skin.
Elliot Dickson - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
The penguin is using a personal hand held fan. The fan's components were modelled in Pro/Engineer and imported in to Blender.
Laura Davidson - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Laura had modelled a restaurant crockery store scene from an imaginary movie.
The grainy render suggests that she has used Blender's new 'Cycles' rendering engine. Soft shadows have resulted.
Laura Davidson - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Laura's cartoon candle stick character is holding an egg timer. The timer's components were modelled in Pro/Engineer and imported in to Blender.
Stuart Clark - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Stuart has taken Pixar's 'Ratatouille' as the starting point for his scene.
Stuart Clark - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Stuart's rat is using a pepper grinder to add seasoning to a pot. The pepper grinder's components were modelled in Pro/Engineer and imported in to Blender.
Sarah Miller - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Sarah's scene is set in a dragon's cave. It features treasure and dismembered body parts.
Sarah Miller - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
The severed hand is holding an egg timer. The egg timer was modelled in Pro/Engineer and the remainder of the scene was created in Blender.
Jack McKinley - Advanced Higher Graphics
Final Environment
Jack's glossy human is holding a loudspeaker modelled in Pro/Engineer. The remainder of the scene was created in Blender.
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18 Apr ' 04:15
For progress photos of Steven's banjo as it was being built visit the Flickr project photo set
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17 Apr ' 03:40
17 April 2012
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
Steven completed his banjo and instrument stand in April. He was awarded grade 1.
For progress photos of Steven't banjo as it was being built visit the
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The banjo is a 'tack head': furniture tacks hold a piece of calf skin on to the rim (the pot).
The instrument stand is 4mm thick birch plywood, with cross halving joints that slot together without glue. This allows it to be dismantled for storage and travel.
For progress photos of Steven't banjo as it was being built visit the Fickr project photo set
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
Steven completed the banjo in April 2012.
He had worked on it in class from mid September 2011. He also put a considerable amount of extra time in, after school and for a couple of days during holiday weeks in February and April.Work in progress photos - at the CDT department's Flickr acount.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The neck is made from a wood called 'purple heart'. Purple heart is a very hard, heavy wood. It is traditionally used for dock piles, because it is so water resistant.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The rim (the pot) is made from walnut and poplar, both of which are hardwoods. Block of the timber are 'brick built' together then the rim is turned on the wood lathe.
The tail piece is ash. The ends of the strings are tied in loops and are held in place on the tail piece using short lengths of steel rod.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The calf skin is transluscent and golden brown in colour. Its surface is lightly textured.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The surface of the calf skin is mottled and lightly textured.
The bridge is ash. It rests on the skin, held in place only by the strings.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The neck passes through the rim. The rim is fitted tight on to the neck using cast aluminium brackets and hardwood wedges.
The aluminium brackets were cast in the department.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The peg head has a veneer of purple heart on its front, to hide several pieces of glued up purple heart below.
If you look closely, you'll see that not all of the purple heart is purple in colour.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
Conventional worm geared guitar tuners are used to tension the steel strings.
Musical instrument resource page
Steven Grieve's Banjo
S4 Craft & Design
The neck is made wider to accommodate the fifth string peg.
Musical instrument resource page
It has all the information about the activities available, 28 May - 01 June 2012.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Instrument and Stand
This is a prototype banjo, built to satisfy the requirements of the final course project of SQA's Practical Craft Skills (Woodworking Skills) course.
The rim/pot of this banjo is square because the course it is built to satisfy requires traditional woodworking joints to be incorported. A conventional circular rim wouldn't allow this.
The banjo is a 'tack head' style: the calf skin is fixed in place using furniture tacks, rather than clamping ironmongery.
It has a resonator panel, behind the rim/pot. A resonator reflects sound forward, back on to the skin, and increases the instrument's volume.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Instrument and Stand
The rim/pot of this banjo is square because the course it is built to satisfy requires traditional woodworking joints to be incorported. A conventional circular rim wouldn't allow this.
The banjo is a 'tack head' style: the calf skin is fixed in place using furniture tacks, rather than clamping ironmongery.
It has a resonator panel, behind the rim/pot. A resonator reflects sound forward, back on to the skin, and increases the instrument's volume.
The banjo has a scale of 670mm. This is quite a common size.
The peg head is a slotted type, more commonly seen on guitars.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Instrument and Stand
The instrument is light in weight, as it doesn't have a tone ring fitted. Additionally it is built mostly from pine which is not a heavy species.
The stand shown here is made from a low quality plywood. Birch plywood will be preferred.
Bigger – 644 KB.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Resonator Panel / Frame Construction
The resonator panel is a square frame with haunched mortise and tenon joints at each corner. It is 300mm square. The infill panel is 1.5mm birch plywood, routed in to a rebate and fitted flush with the front surface.
A hegner saw was used to make the cut-outs around the perimeter.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Wood Turning
The resonator panel is screwed to the rim. Each of the four screwnails passes through a small turned spacer.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Rim / Carcase Construction
The rim is a carcase, with four stopped housing joints holding it together.
The neck passes through the rim and the walnut tail piece slides on to it.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Neck Angle
The neck sits at a slight angle to the rim.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Peg Head Detail
The peg head is formed from several pieces of pine.
Bigger – 162 KB.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Fifth Peg Detail
A piece of walnut supports the fifth peg.
Bigger – 63 KB.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Fifth Peg Detail
A piece of walnut supports the fifth peg.
Bigger – 81 KB.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Finishes
All wood surfaces received five coats of water based varnish.
Practical Craft Skills Banjo
Finishes
The brown colour of the calf skin was achieved during the soaking process by adding instant coffee granules to the water.
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19 Mar ' 07:39
19 March 2012
Activities Week Choices Brochure
Now Available
The Activities Week brochure is now available to view / download (as a PDF file).
It has all the information about the activities available, 28 May - 02 June 2012.
Download / view the Activities Week choices brochure - 4.5 MB.
Banjo - S2 Activities Week Project
A number of S3, S4 and S6 pupils are currently building banjos. For progress photos visit our Flickr photo sets:
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
S2 Activities Week Project
As an introduction to the project, Edinburgh banjo player and educator Rob MacKillop visited school on Monday 5th March.
Mr MacKillop brought along several banjos, each different in style. He played a bit, discussed banjo history and tradition, and answered pupil questions.
We're grateful to Mr MacKillop, who has waived his usual fee for us.
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22 Feb ' 21:35
20 February 2012
Banjo - Activities Week Project
In late May, when the seniors are on exam leave and most S1 and S3 classes are off on trips, our normal timetable will be suspended for a whole week. During that week, pupils in S2, and those in S1 and S3 not out on trips, will have the opportunity to try a range of activities.
During that week, the CDT department will offer ten S2 pupils the chance to spend the entire time in a workshop constructing a banjo. The photos here show the type of banjo that will be tackled. It was built by Mr Black.
For progress photos of Mr Black's banjo as it was being built visit the
Banjo
Activities Week Project
Each pupil will build an instrument stand, to support their banjo. The birch plywood unit will slot together without glue, so that it may be dismantled and transported with the banjo.
For progress photos of Mr Black's banjo as it was being built visit the
Banjo
Activities Week Project
The banjo is traditional in design, employing domed tacks to hold a calf skin in place on the rim (the pot). The rim is hardwood, turned on the wood lathe.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
The neck passes through the rim and is held in place with aluminium brackets and hardwood wedges.
The brackets are cast in-house from scrap aluminium such as old window frames.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
Pupils will have the opportunity to design the profile of their banjo's peg head.
Mr Black's banjo is fitted with nylon strings.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
Side profile of the banjo.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
Banjos use lots of different tuning peg designs. These ones look like traditional ebony violin pegs but in fact are metal and plastic with a hidden planetary gear mechanism inside.
The pegs shown here are expensive. To keep costs down, pupils will use simple worm gear style tuning pegs, with open gears.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
The type of worm gear style tuning pegs that will be fitted to pupils' banjos.
Bigger – 59 KB.
Banjo
Activities Week Project
Each pupil will build an instrument stand, to support their banjo. The birch plywood unit will slot together without glue, so that it may be dismantled and transported with the banjo.
Car tyre inner tube is glued in place to cushion the instrument.
Banjo - Video Recording
Activities Week Project
Video recording of Mr Black playing his banjo. Please note that he is a novice player.
Banjo - Rob MacKillop
Activities Week Project
As an introduction to the project, Edinburgh banjo player and educator Rob MacKillop will visit school on Monday 5th March at 4pm.
Mr MacKillop will be bringing along several banjos, each different in style. He'll play a bit, discuss banjo history and tradition, and try to answer your questions.
We're grateful to Mr MacKillop, who has waived his usual fee for us. He has also been instrumental in arranging Eric Stefanelli's involvement in the project (see below).
Opposite is one of a large number of video recordings that Mr MacKillop has posted on YouTube. In this one, he's playing a banjo built by Mr Stefanelli.
Banjo - Eric Stefanelli
Activities Week Project
During activities week, professional banjo builder and player Eric Stefanelli has agreed to visit school for a day, to help and advise us. He'll also be playing a bit, and Mr MacKillop has offered to visit and play on the day too.
Mr Stefanelli is based in France and is making the trip over especially for us. His travel expenses are being part funded by the members of Edinburgh Banjo Club
Opposite is a video recording of Mr Stefanelli playing one of his banjos with his wife Patricia.
Banjo - Eric Stefanelli
Activities Week Project
The photo opposite is a detail of a banjo built by Mr Stefanelli.
It's based on a design dating from 1906.
Bigger – 92 KB.
Banjo - Eric Stefanelli
Activities Week Project
Another detail view of one of Mr Stefanelli's banjos.
Bigger – 96 KB.
Banjos - Work in Progress
Activities Week Project
A number of S3, S4 and S6 pupils are currently building banjos. All have turned a rim (pot) and are now forming the neck, as shown opposite.
For more progress photos visit our Flickr photo sets:
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22 Dec ' 05:10
22 December 2011
Shark Attack
Stop Motion Animation
This session, the school is running a number of interdisciplinary learning projects. The CDT and music departments (Mrs Hislop and Mr Morley) are offering pupils the chance to create stop motion animations.
This animation was created by S2 pupils:
Felix Allan - props and director;
Martin Oglesby - cameraman, co-music;
John MacLeod - co-music, digital storage;
Henry Clark - motivator.For a bigger version of the video recording, go to YouTube.
Wardah Rafiq - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
Wardah completed her final course project to a good standard back in April.
Wardah Rafiq - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The door is decorated with a painted graphic, and the door handle and towel rail also received a paint finish. The remainder of the cabinet received several coats of water based satin varnish.
Wardah Rafiq - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The carcase uses stopped housing joints, to qualify for Intermediate 2 grade. The door employs haunched mortise and tenon joints.
The flush door has a magnetic catch fitted.
Wardah Rafiq - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The plywood back board has been profiled top and bottom to Wardah's reqirements.
Andrew Tyler - Advanced Higher Graphics
Still Life
Andrew painted the material for his urn in Gimp and applied it as a UV map. It looks great. The scene was created in the 3D surface modelling programme, Blender.
The still life assignment is designed to bring together a number of modelling, texturing and lighting skills covered by the course. We'll post more examples soon.
Stewart Clark - Advanced Higher Graphics
Still Life
Stuart's urn material was also painted in Gimp and he made a great job too. The gentle gradient where the body colour meets the rim is particularly good.
Scott Pearce - S6
'16 Plus' Banjo Project
Scott is currently constructing a banjo, as part of the '16 Plus' initiative.
He is pictured here with Mr Black's completed 'tack head' banjo.
For progress photos of pupils building their banjos, visit our Fickr project photo set.
For progress photos of Mr Black's banjo being built visit our Fickr project photo set.
Quita Hynd - S2
Pencil Box Designs
We've run the pencil box project for many years and it remains popular and successful.
Boxes are constructed from pine and birch plywood and feature a swivelling lid.
This is Quita's sheet of designs. They are super.
Melissa Percy - S2
Pencil Box Designs
A fine sheet of designs from Melissa.
Laura Watson - S2
Pencil Box Designs
Laura's designs are very well presented.
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02 Dec ' 01:58
28 November 2011
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
Lucy completed her mirror before the Easter holidays and made a very good job of it.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
Front view.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
The mirror frame is pine and the shelving is mahogany.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
The feet have been turned from mahogany.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
The underside.
At the time this photo was taken, Lucy was part way through upgrading her shelf supports from simple dowels to plastic brackets.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror
Several coats of clear satin varnish, followed by wax, is the finish Lucy selected.
She had planned to add stencil decoration to the sides of the shelving towers, but omitted it in the end.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror Folio
Lucy produced a fine folio.
Her early designs were very ambitious, with lots of curves and drawers.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror Folio
This second page of ideas features drawers for storage, rather than shelving.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror Folio
Development - How it works.
Lucy considered several ways of adding funtionality to the unit. These included doors, hinges, locks and mirror size.
Lucy Gynn-Poisson - Standard Grade Craft & Design
Dressing Table Mirror Folio
The first page of Lucy's manufacturing sequence.
Mr Myles' Guitar
Mr Myles, who did his probationary teaching year here at Royal High, is currently teaching at Broughton High School. He is visiting us on Monday afternoons to assist with our banjo construction project, and brought along this guitar he's built.
The sound box and neck are pine. The pine sides of the sound box were bent using a cylindrical heater, specially made for the job. The sound holes have been drilled out using a forstner bit.
Mr Myles' Guitar
The finger board is ash, with an oak nut. A set of inexpensive guitar tuning machines has been fitted.
Bigger – 1.1 MB.
Mr Myles' Guitar
Although the front face of the sound box is much thicker than commonly used in a bought guitar, the instrument sounded good when played.
We'll encourage Mr Myles to bring the guitar along to Royal High again, to allow us to do a sound recording, to post here.
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09 Nov ' 08:53
07 November 2011
Chris Aitken - Advanced Higher Graphics
Still Life
Chris has made a great job of this still life composition, created in the 3D surface modelling programme, Blender
The still life assignment is designed to bring together a number of modelling, texturing and lighting skills covered by the course. We'll post more examples soon.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
Ciara made a great job of her cabinet, completed in April.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
This variation on the standard wall cabinet was prior-verified a few years ago.
It features a carcase with stopped housing jointed top and bottom rail and shelf. The door is a frame utilising haunched mortise and tenons.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The towel rail was turned on the wood lathe, then dye was applied, followed by sanding sealer, liming wax, then clear wax.
The door handle received the same finish.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
Ciara used the Hegner saw to cut out the eagle head design, then stained the individual pieces before reassembling them.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The door is hung flush in the carcase using brass plated steel hinges, and a magnetic catch is employed.
Ciara Hanlin - Practical Craft Skills
Wall Cabinet
The cabinet received five coats of clear varnish. Ciara sanded down between coats.
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24 Oct ' 02:36
24 October 2011
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
We've secured funding from the Scottish government's 16 Plus initiative, to help us resource a banjo construction and playing class.
The funding allows us to purchase some specialist tools and subsidise the cost of materials. We're offering S4, 5 & 6 pupils the chance to build a banjo and learn how to play it, as an after school activity.
The photos here show Mr Black's prototype, which is a copy of the 'fireside banjo' kit available at www.backyardmusic.com
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
What's really needed is a front porch, somewhere in southern United States.
The clothing looks reasonably authentic though.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The total cost of this instrument and its stand was around £15. The hardwood neck is made from part of a four metre length of 'end of line' handrail purchased at B&Q for £10. We'll get four banjo necks out of this.
It's unlikely that we'll be able to source hardwood this cheaply on a regular basis, so we've allowed a budget of £22 per instrument. With a £10 subsidy from the 16+ fund, pupils will pay £12.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical InstrumentConstructing a Banjo
Mr Black is a novice player. You may (just) recognise the tune as 'Old Joe Clark', played at a snail's pace.
The sound quality that the instrument achieves is better than appears in this recording. The recording sounds as if the strings are buzzing, but they aren't.
For a bigger version of the video recording, go to YouTube.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Side profile of the banjo on its stand.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Detail showing the pot resting on the stand.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Rear view showing the pot resting on the stand.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Detail showing the banjo's pot.
Rather than a skin, the front of the pot is covered in a 3mm thick sheet of birch ply.
The bridge is oak. This one is a bit high and was changed for a lower one shortly after the photos were taken.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Detail showing the pyrographed motif on the front of the banjo; a butterfly resting on a blade of grass.
Pupils will be encouraged to create their own designs.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Detail at the pot.
The pot is made from two layers of 3mm birch ply.
The strings are held in place by looping them around panel pins.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Forming the pot.
An M.D.F. jig was used to form the plywood around. This photo was taken at 'dry cramping' stage, showing the first layer of 3mm ply tacked in place temporarily, to allow the second layer to begin to be clamped.
P.V.A. glue was used to bond the two layers of ply together.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Forming the pot.
Clamping and gluing completed. You'll see that the pot isn't perfectly circular. With two people clamping and gluing, rather than one, it should be possible to do better.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The nut is oak, rather than bone. It is set in to a channel formed using a power router. The narrowest router bit we have in the department is 6mm, so the nut is this width. We may eventually invest in a narrower router bit.
Using a router makes it easy to get the bottom of the channel perfectly flat.
The form of the peg head is very simple on this prototype, and we may allow pupils to select from a range of different profiles, or even design their own. You'll see some variations at Deep Creek Strings.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Routing the channel for the nut.
The photo shows the neck, set up for routing. This was the first operation carried out on the neck.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Detail showing the frets and fret board.
Fitting the frets and dressing them after leveling proved tricky. You can see that the fret board has been indented by the file used to re-crown the frets after leveling.
To make things easier, we'll probably use heavier duty fret wire, which should be less fiddly to fit in to the slots in the fret board. Instead of hammering in the frets, we've ordered a Fret pressing caul, which will be fitted in the pillar drill. This allows the frets to be pushed in to place.
We've also ordered a proper quarter round fret dressing file, which should prevent damage to the fret board.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The tuning peg for the fifth string is the same type as for the other four strings. The neck has been widened to accommodate it.
For pupil banjos, we'll probably shorten the peg's barrel so that there'll be no need to build the neck out.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Another view of the fifth string peg.
The neck is sculpted to help the hand to slide past the peg.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Another view of the fifth string peg.
The neck was cut to its rough form at the band saw, then shaped on the sanding disc and belt. A rasp, files and sandpaper were then employed.
A digital caliper / vernier gauge was used to check that the thickness of the neck was close to that of the www.backyardmusic.com fireside banjo.16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Looking along the neck.
The banjo is strung with light gauge strings. The bass string is phosphor bronze wound.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
Looking along the neck.
These simple guitar tuning pegs are not common on banjos. Makers tend to fit units that look like traditional friction pegs. However, the pegs used here are very inexpensive. This set cost £4-50.
The neck received three coats of Danish oil. Six hour was left between coats, but the neck then needed several days for the coating to harden off.
The pot was given five coats of varnish.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The stand is 4mm birch plywood, slotted together with cross halving joints.
Rubber cushions have been added to protect the banjo. The rubber was cut from a tyre inner tube, then bonded in place using evo-stick.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The components of the stand.
16+ Initiative
Build and Play a Musical Instrument
Constructing a Banjo
The working drawing for the stand.
(Half, symmetrical) elevation, end elevation and true shape. The elevations have been left as construction lines but the true shape has been darkened in with clear lines.
The elevations show an earlier arrangement for the cross rails. The true shape shows the final arrangement.
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