depscribe's photos with the keyword: banjo case

Here is where I will cut it in two. Then I'll strip away the old covering and glue, as well as the metal lip that overlaps the top and bottom. Bear in mind that I was making this up as I went along.

The banjo was this much longer than the case. Needed to build a middle part.

I made a strip of very thin plywood the width of the inside of the case neck and long enough to overlap a bit on the inside, to where the sides of the accessory compartment were. Then I glued and clamped it.

The top and bottom fit together. I would like to attribute this fact to skill. It was luck.

As I'm going along, I'm thinking how I'll finish this, whether to re-cover it with something or just what.

The lip glued in place, I thought to put the banjo inside and put the top on -- and I discovered that the case was not high enough. But I'd accidentally left enough overlap in the lip that I was able to add 1/4-inch-square, kerfed strips. Here they're glued in.

This was actually a little tougher, because the top was slightly arched, and my plywood . . . wasn't!

The top and bottom of the case were very thin plywood, so I needed to use plywood designed for inserts in cabinet doors -- three pieces of veneer glued up, really.

This was all done with Titebond II, a favorite with luthiers.

but this is just the start of the start!

I'd looked all over for an appropriate piece of metal to use to make the overlapping lip that seals the top and bottom together. I didn't find anything I liked, but I did have some very nice rock maple that I usually employ when making banjo bridges. I cut and soaked some thin strips and glued them into place around the outside of the top. Binder clips are very, very good clamps for this and other instrument repair projects. Get a lot of them in many sizes if you undertake a job like this.

These were made and glued to the sides.

I really lucked out here!

Observers might note that this is a left-handed case. The instrument is left-handed, and I'm left-handed, so why not? I'd added a cover to the acessory box, and a strip to keep the top from flopping back when the case is opened. It has worked out well and people have inquired about my making them such a case. Which I would happily do -- prices start at $5,000!

Where the lip strips met at top and bottom, i glued and faired in additional strips. Because the modifications couldn't ever be completely hidden, I decided to accent them by doing the lip strip in a lighter shade.

Lining the case was trial-and-error, using fairly fluffy and cheap fleece. The sides were fashioned by rolling it into a tube, so it would be three layers thick; then it was glued to the inside of the case. Top and bottom were double layers, glued together with contact cement before cutting and fitting.

Pop rivets and gold paint are our friends. It turned out that I had to replace all the hardware except the handle and its attachments; even so, the handle had to be reupholstered, which I did with suede leather, padded on the inside with silicon sealer (yes, it works, if you're careful).