Go to page 1...Rim construction, glue-up and forming basic rim.
Go to Page 2...preliminary mounting of the head.
Go to Page 3...Making the neck.
Go to Page 4...Making the neck, continued.
This is Page 5...Installing frets.
Go to Page 6...Bringing it all together.
Go to Page 7...Outer rim band and miscellaneous details.
Go to Page 8...Finishing and final assembly.
Go to Page 9...Basic banjo drawings and notes.
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Click on images below for larger views.
The very thought of fretting may frighten you, but you've got to get past it...
Cut a few extra pieces and install these test pieces in a scrap of wood with slots cut in it.
This will give you a feel for the process. It's not nearly as scary as it sounds!
This is a process that really must be done a few times to get comfortable with it.
The frets are marked and cut 1/4" longer than the slots and laid out in proper order adjacent to the neck.
Sand the surface of the fretboard with 150 and 220 grit sandpaper using a sanding block before beginning the actual fretting process.
Make a few passes with a small triangular file along each slot to facilitate the entry of the tang. This also allows the fret to seat correctly. Run a small bead of glue along the slot to ease the process of hammering the frets into place. This also is an extra measure of protection against the frets becoming loose. The choice of walnut for the fretboard material was a consideration when choosing to glue the frets in place, and is not necessary with harder woods such as Ebony or Rosewood. Seat each fret with several light hammer blows. Make sure the neck is firmly supported and cushioned directly below where each fret is being installed.
Use diagonal cutting pliers to trim excessively long overhangs to within 1/8" of the fretboard.
Follow with a small sanding drum in a rotary hobby tool to grind away the excess fret material remaining.
Alternatively, a file may be used.
Make certain that force is applied only in a direction which pushes the fret into the slot.
Use a file held flat against the ends of the frets to bring them down level to the fretboard edge.
Make certain to file only in the direction which tends to push the fret into the slot.
Tilt the file progressively toward the frets as you file to produce a slight angle on the fret ends.
Follow the filing process with 150 and 220 grit sandpaper to remove any final roughness at the fret ends.
Use a straightedge or level to check the flatness of the fretboard.
Slight irregularities can be corrected with a long level with sandpaper held to it's surface with
double-stick tape.
Small fret irregularities can be addressed with a few quick strokes of a sanding block and 150 grit sandpaper.
Finish off the top surface of the frets with 220 grit sandpaper first held on a sanding block
and then held with the fingers to slightly round the tops of the frets. Follow with 0000 steel wool.
I've picked up a tremendous number of tips on Frank Ford's FRETS.COM website.
Here I'm marking the top level of the frets on the nut blank by holding a "half pencil" against
the frets while marking the nut.
Sand the top of the nut blank to within 3/32" of this line at an angle which matches the peghead. The string slots can be cut at this same angle to within 1/32" of the half-pencil line drawn previously. Trim the end off to the correct length and round the top edge of the nut slightly.