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Philj200
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 2nd, 2005 |
| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 01:49 pm |
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In the constant catabolism that my instruments undergo, I'm think about converting a banjo to a dulcijo. But would like some guidance on the the fret board. It there a diagram with measurments extant? Or should I just take a banjo neck and pull out some frets?
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Charlie
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| Joined: | Tue Apr 13th, 2004 |
| Location: | Glenn Heights, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 870 |
| Instrument Interest: | Ukulele, Clawhammer Banjo, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Other |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 04:12 pm |
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Hey Plil, I had a little cheap banjo that I did that with and it plays good, I had a set of plans for a dulcimer and I took the measurement from that,
It is different from my Dulcijo that I bought, but the same results and I tune it in a different key from my dulcijo and have two now in different keys.
Pulling out some of the frets will not work as they will not fall into the right place and you will have a lot of grooves in your fret board that you don't need, so I took the old fret board off and built the new one and install new frets on it and have enought room to have a scoop. I could only use 12 frets, but seems to be enought.
Good luck with your project and let us know how it works out.
Charlie
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Philj200
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| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 05:29 pm |
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Thanks Charlie.
If you have the measurements handy, I'd appreciate it.
It's just a whim at the moment. I have beach guitar that almost never gets played. I wonder which would be more rewarding to attemp. Building or rebuilding a banjo/dulcimer hybred. Or working the guitar into a dulcimber/guitar. And if I ever do it, what shoud itbe called?
Dulcitar?
Gitamer?
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Charlie
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| Location: | Glenn Heights, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 870 |
| Instrument Interest: | Ukulele, Clawhammer Banjo, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Other |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 07:31 pm |
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Phil this is a few measurments I worked out and it will work with a scale length of 25 and 3/4 inch.
All measurements are from the nut
1st fret is 2 3/4 inch
2nd fret is 5 1/4 inch
3rd fret is 6 3/8 inch
4th fret is 8 7/16 inch
5th fret is 10 1/4
6th fret is 11 3/16
7th fret is 12 inch
8th fret is 12 11/16 inch
9th fret is 14 1/8 inch
10th fret is 15 3/8 inch
11th fret is 15 15/16
12th fret is 17 inch
That is as far as I went with mine so I could leave room for the scoop before the banjo head. The intonation is right on all the way to the 12th fret.
I hope this is some help and the guitar project sounds very pretty cool also, but if the bridge will not move it might not work with this scale, But if you can move it it would.
Let me know how it goes.
Charlie
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Philj200
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 2nd, 2005 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 1239 |
| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 08:01 pm |
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Thanks Charlie,
I've saved the information. If I ever finish it, I'll post about it.
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gerard mcd
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| Joined: | Sun Jan 22nd, 2006 |
| Location: | New Hampshire USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Posted: Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 09:43 pm |
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Hey Phil,
I always enjoy your postings on these projects. I'd recommend you give in to the dark side completely and build something from scratch or you'll never be satisfied. Lots of us live full and productive lives with this disease. Check out my cookie tin banjo page (link below); and I have a better one in progress. There's also a photo of my 'guitulele' on my EZ Folk Messages page. (actually I'm holding it in the photo at left)
To address your fret measurements:
Yes, you can just remove the unneeded frets, IF you don't change the scale length (distance from nut to bridge). If you change the pot to something smaller, such as the dulcijo has, you may have to move the bridge forward, changing the scale length...
If you fabricate something new, or change the scale length, go to http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator/ and type in your intended scale length and the type of instrument (in this case a dulcimer) and presto!
Last edited on Tue Oct 3rd, 2006 09:44 pm by gerard mcd
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Philj200
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| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Wed Oct 4th, 2006 02:08 pm |
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AhhhhhhHHHHAAAAAAA!!!
This is a neat thing to know about.
Beside figuring out the dulcimer/banjo I played around with 40 fret guitars, ten fret banjos. StewMac's computer was never complained.
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Charlie
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| Location: | Glenn Heights, Texas USA |
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Posted: Wed Oct 4th, 2006 03:27 pm |
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Hey Gerard, Thanks for the info about the fret calculator at Stewmac, that is great, I have bought a lot from them but never saw that.
Your cookie tin banjo is really nice, and waiting to see your next project when you complete it, I am working on a few projects myself, but some times I never get it done or did not work out for reasons unknown.
I have to wait for my wife to move her car out of the garage and then I set up my portable table and work some and then have to put her car back in and put everthing up again, Its the pits doing that. Next home will have a work shop with good lighting and heat and air condition.
Charlie
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Philj200
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| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Wed Oct 4th, 2006 03:58 pm |
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Gerard, did you post about a cookie tin, a month or so ago. I saw that. We spoke about the comparison of choclate chips cookies vs pecans. But not if crumbs assist or degrade performance.
I saw a double neck dulcimer advertised in the latest Lark in the Meadow catalog. It is plays by two people facing each other. Common body, two fretboards. One erson plays a four-string neck, the other plays a three.
I wonder if anone ever built a guitar neck and dulcimer neck instrument in one?
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Dulciaddict
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Dulcimer, Other |
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 04:44 pm |
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Philj200 wrote: In the constant catabolism that my instruments undergo, I'm think about converting a banjo to a dulcijo. But would like some guidance on the the fret board. It there a diagram with measurments extant? Or should I just take a banjo neck and pull out some frets?
Hi,
I don't know what your tool / shop, situation is but; if interested in building
take a look at mine: ( Most likely last two pictures in the group. - they keep
playing with the structure )
http://photobucket.com/albums/c132/daddict/My%20Instruments/
I have plans available (free for the asking)
Dulciaddict
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Charlie
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 05:45 pm |
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OH My Goodness Dulciaddict, What a collection you have and alot of very nice work you have done with them.
I don't have the shop equipment and space to do something like that at this time, but hope to some day, my instruments that I have built are nothing like what you have done.
My next project is a hammered dulcimer, I have built a couple of them before and sold them, but plan on keeping this next one. I have built a few mountian dulcimers also and have only kept one.
Keep us up on what you plan next and post pictures when you do.
Charlie
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Dulciaddict
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 06:12 pm |
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Charlie wrote: I don't have the shop equipment and space to do something like that at this time, but hope to some day, my instruments that I have built are nothing like what you have done.
Charlie
Charlie,
The round wood pots wereactually built using a table saw.
A band saw is nice for doing the inside arcs.
a router would be necessary, and a drill press with a sanding
drum attached.
The metal work, most notable is the top, hold down rim is by
far the most labrous part and requires building a bending jig.
(included in the plans)
Dulciaddict
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Charlie
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 11:06 pm |
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I have attempted makeing a pot , but never got it just right by using a miter saw and forming a hex shape and quite on it.
If you do have plans as to how, let me know how to get them and I will give it another try.
Thanks for the info
Charlie 
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Dulciaddict
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 11:16 pm |
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Charlie wrote: I have attempted makeing a pot , but never got it just right by using a miter saw and forming a hex shape and quite on it.
If you do have plans as to how, let me know how to get them and I will give it another try.
Thanks for the info
Charlie
Just drop me an e-mail, ( Remove the "xyz") from below
and have the word banjo in the subject.
xyzwrpowell@cswnet.com
I will email you a zipped package pictures and plans.
Dulciaddict.
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Philj200
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 2nd, 2005 |
| Location: | New York USA |
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 12:49 am |
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I don't know what your tool / shop, situation is
--I ask myself that question frequently especially when I can't find what I know I have. Not a lot of space, but I can expand into other rooms for short trem projects. Good collection of handtools, decent power tools, 1/4 band saw (good for scrolling), 3/4 horsepower 8" table saw (old, no safety features, scares the crap out of me when I use it.)
but; if interested in building
--Answer the door. That's me knocking. I want to see them all.Your craftsmamship is awesome.
I have plans available (free for the asking)
--Too many project under way right now. But I'll remember. My dulcijo reconstruction morphed into a tincan banjo.
Why do you cut the banjo pots out of solid wood? I've never made one (yet), but I would suppose a laminating of several ply of hardwood veneer would be a lot easier. I would find or made a rounf block and build up the laminations in the outside perimeter. My lumber yard stocks 2" veneer in rolls that I've been thinking of trying. Prehaps for a tack head. I've heard some remarkable sounds on a them with nylon strings.
What do you think of the lamination idea. It would certainly be a robust construction.
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 01:30 pm by Philj200
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Dulciaddict
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 03:23 am |
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Philj200 wrote: but; if interested in building
--Answer the door. That's me knocking. I want to see them all.Your craftsmamship is awesome.
-----cut----------
I have plans available (free for the asking)
--Too many project under way right now. But I'll remember. My dulcijo reconstruction morphed into a tincan banjo. ------------cut----------- Why do you cut the banjo pots out of solid wood? I've never made one (yet), but I would suppose a laminating of several ply of hardwood veneer would be a lot easier.
What do you think of the lamination idea. It would certainly be a robust construction. --------reply---------
The key to the ones I made is the top rim that holds down the drum head.I needed a thicker rim to mount the adjusters to tension the head. The rings could be cut more safely using your band saw with a jig similar to the one I used on the table saw for rounding the rings. You can find some of my other plans on my page : http://home.centurytel.net/Dulciaddict/dulciaddict.htm Drop me an e-mail at the address given above, if you would like to give it a shot. They are a little labor intensive compared to some of my other instruments. Dulciaddict
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Philj200
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| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 01:53 pm |
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I'm even more impressed with your site now. Some questions;
1. On your long neck dulcijo, you mention "adjustable string spacing." Can you talk about what that means? Where and how? Is it something you could do during a set?
2. Your sound boxes are beautiful. I saw and appreciated the inlay (I assume it was inlay) of a long vee-shape, on the back of one of the ladies. They look like flat-tops. Have you attempted arch tops?
3. You may have covered it, so excuse me for missing it, but can you talk about the bridges? Did you make them as well. And if the string spacing is adjustable, then a player would likely need multiple bridges? Or is the adjustment something made once and then left for a long time?
4. How big is your workshop?
I downloaded the chord-calculator. Thanks. Will come back for play downloads.
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Charlie
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 02:03 pm |
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Hey Phil, If you don't hear from Dulciaddict, He told me he would be out of town till Thursday, but I am sure he will respond.
I was impressed with his work also and he did give me some ideals on a few things.
I have the same problem as you do, Need more work shop space and more equipment would help.
Charlie
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Philj200
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 02:07 pm |
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Thanks Charlie.
Question for anyone:
Iron-On Veneer. I saw rolls of veneer available is several widths that are attached by an iron. The instruction call for 400 degrees heats. I don't know if a house-hold iron gets that hot. And if it does, how strong is the adhesive. Does anyone have any experience with this stuff?
I don't trust it on instinct. Besisdes, my supplier was out of the 2" wide tape which I needed it to repair some missing veneer on an old oak desk. I made do with one inch wide tape glueing it in place with Titebond and all my clamps. While paper thin, it is real wood and can be lightly sanded, stained and oiled. Now to see if it stands up. Came out looking okay.
This is the veneer I am considering for a banjo rim. I think two complete rolls of 2" veneer tape would give me enough mass. Thinking of using a... guess what... cookie tin as the form. But not the one already in service as my banjoreo.
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 02:17 pm by Philj200
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HowlinHobbit
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| Joined: | Tue Nov 16th, 2004 |
| Location: | Seattle, Washington USA |
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 11:23 pm |
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Heya Dulciaddict,
Is the body on the "Easy-Jo" a roto-tom or some sort of practice drum? It has a very interesting look and also looks pretty easy to build.
Howlin' Hobbit Got Uke?
Howlin's MySpace site, ezFolk site, UkeLand site and blog
Snake Suspenderz Hot Jass, Hokum and Novelty Music... with a bite!
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