Backpacking Banjo

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mp3 recording of the backpacking banjo (0.47 Mb)

More to come, this page is still in development!

The backpacking banjo, next to its case. The folding armrest is extended. The banjo weighs less than 3 pounds including the case. If it is strapped alongside of a backpack with the neck down, the case can handle the rain without getting the banjo wet. A cat food can is the "head" of the banjo.		The tuning mechanisms, called "keyless tuners". An Allen machine screw anchors the end of the string, and another tunes the string. The Allen wrench key is in its slot at the lower right of the picture. Yes, it is odd that a "key" is used for "keyless tuners". The tuners and key weigh less than half that of a set of Grover Mini-Tuners. Here is a drawing of a tuner.		My Allen wrench key is a piece of an Allen wrench embedded in some acrylic. This fits into a slot made for it, and held in place by a small magnet. To the right of the magnet is the end of the axle rod that  holds onto the base of the tuners.
Detail on the folding armrest. The aluminum support strut has an o-ring that allows it to snap into a little socket in the side of the body.		This is the back of the headstock. The loops of the strings go over small stainless steel rods, and through holes to get to the nut.		The anchorage for the fifth string. The loop of the string is recessed into the side of the neck, similar to the back of the headstock.
Glued up blocks, ready to be cut with a band saw into the sides of the body. This is also in  a drawing. The tuner block is not glued yet, and is held in place temporarily with 2 wood dowels (to be glued) and an aluminum rod (to be the axle for the tuners). It gets glued after the cutting is done with the band saw.		The inside of the body, before the face is glued on. Two struts inside support the cat can 1/8" above the bottom.		Back of the body.
Here is a scale drawing of the banjo. Also available is the same drawing with all of the dimensions, and a drawing of the wood blocks that form the body when they are cut out. Requires Adobe reader. If you want to make the banjo, print the drawings, take them to you local copy shop and have them printed full size.		View of the foam case, without liner or cover. The two layers of 1/4" closed-cell foam are formed and glued together on a form made of scrap wood. When the foam case is separated from the form, it holds its shape.		Top and bottom views of the form for making the case. It is made of scrap wood, wrapped in wax paper, and then the layers are glued together with 3M "High Strength 90" contact adhesive.
Case with inner liner in place, and plug in the end. (This is actually for the first version of banjo, but the cases are made the same.)		Drawing of the case.		The inside of the case, lined with nylon fabric. Two pockets inside the lid hold picks, etc.

The neck is ready to have the slot cut for the carbon-fiber reinforcement rods. Small pieces of wood are taped to the edge of the neck so that they are in a straight line, and then they form a guide against the table saw fence to cut the slot in the proper position.		The case liner is loosely pinned around the form, and then sewn along the line of the pins.		The outer fabric is pinned around the foam case inside out, so that it can be sewn along the line of the pins. The position of the carry handle is chosen now, when the center of balance can be approximated.
My first version of banjo. At 3.75 pounds including the case, it was too heavy, and needed some design changes.		The case and the Martin "Backpacker" guitar, that inspired this whole thing.		Latest version of tuners. Don't need a key. Made from a knurled nut soldered to a brass machine screw, then cut off the unneeded part of the nut.

Resources:

Seattle Fabric Company The place to go for case fabric, straps, seam sealer, and other case supplies.

McMaster-Carr  An excellent source for metal bar and rod, Allen screws and wrenches, gun taps, drill bits, and just about anything in the way of tools or hardware.

Stewart-McDonald Company This is  not only a great source for banjo parts and tools, but also for information on banjo construction.

    0147    Fretwire (2 pieces total 4 feet)

    0153    Ebony Fingerboard

    4841    Stringed Instrument Lacquer

    4843    Vinyl Sealer

    4401    Carbon Fiber Rod 1/8 x 3/8 x 18 (2 pieces)

    6010    White bone nut

    0011-A    Abalone Inlay 6.35mm for the fingerboard

    0002-A    Abalone Inlay 5mm for the fingerboard

    0964    Pearl inlay side dots (Abalone is prettiest for the fingerboard, but pearl is more visible for the side dots)

Nice to have:

    4151    Hand-cut Rasp, Large Coarse (great for shaping the neck)

    0823    Nut file .013

Banjo Repair Information good site for banjo construction tips.

5th string spike Information on the H-O railroad spike for a 5th string capo.

Lee Valley Tools: source for strong rare-earth magnets (like I used for holding the Allen wrench key in place).

Science Diet cat food has some cans that are a  gold tone in color. They look nicer, although it is too bad that the cat food company and the stores don't realize that their cans could end up in a musical instrument when they dent up many of the cans. The label glue can be removed by heating the can a little and then wiping the glue off with a paper towel. The date code can be removed with acetone.

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