Sha-banjo!

I've been working on the neck here and there, but there hasn't been much to show. I'm starting to get serious about assembling the banjo in the white and getting some playing time. The first thing standing in my way was mounting the head, so I did that tonight.

Here are all the supplies laid out:

I would like to have a little color on the skin. Step one was to test the stains I have on hand on some pieces of skin. I tried coffee and TransTint Honey Amber in water. The TransTint would match how I plan to dye the maple rim and neck. In the end I went with the coffee because it's much easier to work with and clean up. Besides, I roasted the coffee and I'm making the banjo, so I owe it to myself to blend my two hobbies.

Loading up the Chemex for the full dose:

Whew, that sucker looks mean in the black sink, covered in coffee:

Moist skin draped over the rim, flesh hoop pressed down:

Not shown: ample sweat and cursing as I threaded the skin up under the tension hoop and tried to hold it down...

After a half hour or so: success, four hooks attached, holding the tension hoop down!

And now eight hooks in place and even tension all around:

Oh, and one more thing...

After 14 months of work and several more in the planning, it speaks! Just do me a favor, listen on good heaphones or speakers so you can hear that booming low end.