DIY Network

Old-Time Banjo, Part 7: Dowel Stick and Rim Assembly From "Handmade Music" episode DHMM-208

	An old-time open-back style banjo on display at The Laurel Theater in Knoxville, Tennessee.
	The dowel stick helps integrate the banjo's rim and neck. In this case, it also bears the mark of the luthier who handmade this banjo -- Dave Ball.

This episode of DIY's Handmade Music is the first of two installments on the creation of an old-time banjo. With the tone-ring and internal resonator built, luthier Dave Ball now moves on to completing the rim assembly and integrating a center dowel-stick.

Materials and tools used in this project:

Maple stock
Padauk stock
Ebony stock
Kerfed lining
Table saw
Band saw
Lathe
Drum sander
Drill press
Hand-held router
Pantograph router
Hand saw
Files and rasps
Epoxy glue
Woodworker's glue
Clamps
Clothespins
Sandpaper and sanding blocks

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when
working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

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The banjo's neck fitted with the dowel pin.

Dowel Stick and Rim Assembly

The banjo consists basically two main parts --a rim and a neck. There’s an additional element, however, that connects the two. It's called the dowel stick. "The dowel stick is used on old-time banjos," says luthier Dave Ball, "to attach the neck to the rim. Modern banjos might use a bolt. Some makers cut the dowel-stick out of the same piece as the neck. I prefer to do it in two pieces so that I can do a more precise shaping where the heel meets the rim -- and so that I can get the angle of the dowel stick just like I like it."

Starting with 1"x1" raw maple stock, Dave begins preparations by forming a tenon at one end of an eighteen-inch length. The lathe does the work quickly (figure A) as Dave shapes the piece perfectly for fitting into the neck. A solid, tight fit with the neck is critical (figure B). The stick will be tapered later to insure a tight fit as it passes through the banjo rim.

Figure A

Figure B

A half-inch drill bit made a hole in the rim earlier to accommodate the dowel-stick, but a file is now used to square the opening (figures C and D).

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

Now with a firm dimension to shoot for, Dave marks the dowel stick’s taper. The taper is not drastic, and only requires a little shaving. Dave prefers using a plane for this work (figure E)

As he shapes the dowel stick, Dave goes through a series of test fittings. First he wants to check the fit through the outer rim (figure F). If it’s slightly loose, that’s good since it will leave options for adjusting the action later. A shim can be used tighten the fit if required. Once Dave is happy with the way the dowel stick penetrates the outer rim (figure G) he shifts focus to the inner rim.

Figure F

Figure G

He aligns the two holes in the inner and outer rims. Because of the taper, the hole on the inner rim will be slightly smaller than the one on the outer rim. When the dowel stick passes through the two rims (figure H) Dave uses the contact point to mark the exit point at the back of the inner rim. As before, he gradually adjusts the size to match the dowel-stick (figure I).

Figure H

Figure I

	Figure J
	Figure K
	Figure L

In spite of the tight fit of the dowel stick and the rims, more support is required in the form of a head block. This element is made of maple and cut to size using the band saw (figure J).

The drum sander is used once again for creating the curve to match the circular rim. Dave uses wood glue to attach the head block. First he glues it to the inner rim (figure K) and he let’s that joint dry. Finally he joins all rim components. Again wood glue is used, and Dave applies a healthy dose to the bottom edge of the outer rim. He temporarily inserts the dowel stick through the rims to insure the rims remain aligned throughout the clamping process (figure L).

In the segment that follows, a logo and finish are added to the dowel stick and the rim is finished as well.

RESOURCES :

African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Study of Folk Traditions
(Publications of the American Folklore Society New Series)
Author: Cecelia Conway
ISBN: 0870498932
Publisher: University of Tennessee Press (1995)
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

That Half-Barbaric Twang: The Banjo in American Popular Culture
(Music in American Life)
Author: Karen Linn
Publisher: University of Illinois Press; Illini Books ed edition (August 1994)
ISBN: 025206433X
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

America's Instrument: The Banjo in the Ninteenth Century
Authors: Philip F. Gura, James F. Bollman
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press (September, 1999)
ISBN: 0807824844
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

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Authors: Robert L. Webb, Margaret Hutchinson
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ISBN: 1574240161
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

The How and the Tao of Old Time Banjo
Author: Patrick Costello
Publisher: Pik-Ware Publishing (September, 2003)
ISBN: 0974419001
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

Jubilee Community Arts is a regional, community cultural center dedicated to preserving and presenting the traditional arts of the Southern Appalachians. The organization's stated mission is "to promote, preserve and present the performing arts of the Southern region and to nurture the cultural milieu responsible for the birth and evolution of these and related art forms." The organization owns and operates the Laurel Theater, a 19th century converted church located in the Fort Sanders community of Knoxville. The building now houses an acoustically and visually excellent concert hall and archives of concert and field recordings.
Web site: www.jubileearts.org

Clawhammer Style Banjo
Author: Ken Perlman
Publisher: Centerstream Publications (1989)
ISBN: 0931759331
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

How to Play the 5-String Banjo
Author: Pete Seeger
Publisher: Music Sales Corporation (3rd edition, June, 1969)
ISBN: 0825600243
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.