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Permalink Reply by Brian Lemin on August 12, 2009 at 7:48pm

That "thingy" is a doweling locator. You use it so you know where to drill for a dowel and its hole. You can get them in sets. Quite cheap. Sometimes they are part of a doweling set.

Wichita Sam said:

Diane,

I don't know that the thingy is called.... it looks sorta like a two sided tack. Press one side into your box, then align your neck and press it against the box. This will give you points so that you can drill the neck and the box from the outside and have it align. If you get everything "just right", why not bolt and glue? It will be super strong and you won't have to mess with inserts in your neck... Simple small size lag bolts will do to align and tighten enough for the glue to finish the job?

I did that on my last built, a cat bowl reso and it worked fine.... can handle a lot of tension well...

the best,

Sam

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Permalink Reply by Roosterman on August 12, 2009 at 10:00pm

Im not sure I have an answer Diane, but wanted to congratulate on what looks to be a superb build! Good show! :o)
I have an old banjo neck that already has a bolt in the heal - it seems a pretty good way to go, but I fully understand the problems of drilling 'straight' holes without a press. How about this; remove the inside bit like Ted suggested, drill and assemble on the bench using the bolt through method, then just slot the box edge. The slot would be the thickness of the bolt, and down to depth. This would allow the slacked off assembly to be slid down into the box (onto a bed of glue to hold the block inside so when you un-bolt in the future it stays put), nip it up, shut the lid - job done! You wouldnt see the open top of the slot as it would be hidden by the neck. You could always patch in the gap after the neck was fitted if it bothered you.
Just an idea.
Cant wait to see the finsihed piece! :o)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on August 13, 2009 at 3:53am

Several good suggestions here, Pick the easiest one for you and get it done! I can't wait to see the finish. That is a very fine looking neck.

Here's mine, if I can explain it. I'm assuming the brace is already clued in. I'd Hold the neck in place against the box and trace a line around it. Put then neck away and drill screw holes through the box and brace from the outside of the box. Hold the neck in place again and stick a awl or nail through the holes from inside the box to mark the neck where the screws will go into it. Drill the holes in the nick and screw it together. Maybe put some glue on the neck where it will mate with the box. Remove any paper/finish on the box where the two mate up so the glue will hold better. Sorry is this has already been suggested. I didn't read everyone, but I well because this is the next step in my current build.

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Permalink Reply by HOGS GRUNT on August 13, 2009 at 4:06am

I too think a hanger bolt with a couple of nails as dowels to stop the torque would be the best way to go.
Can't wait to see the finished job, looks different and good. I like anything querky.
Good luck with the neck.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Morris on August 15, 2009 at 2:29am

It's called a "threaded insert." Consists basically of a tube w/ wood threads on the outside and machine threads on the inside. They come in different diameters and are available @ most hardware stores.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on August 15, 2009 at 2:58am

Hey Diana,
Its not all that hard to do, another one of those jobs that can be over thought because it seems so hard.
I suggest going to a banjo site for installation ideas.
Also before you screw and , or glue, check your neck angle carefully to make sure once its glued in that the strings are where you want them in relation to the neck.
What I do when building banjos is lay the pot down flat on the table set the neck in place next to the banjo so its mocked up in the position it'll be in when installed and lay a straight edge along the top from BRIDGE height to nut.
If the strings dont lay at the right height then you go back and trim a bit off the the back of the heel until the angle is where you want it ( string height).
Once you have the angle where you want it you can use one of the methods mentioned by the other guys, or do what I do and install a wooden hardwood dowel in the middle area of the heel and then install a long wood screw in the bottom back of the heel going thru the reenforced part and into the neck.
To figure out where to drill the holes ( they can be drilled from outside the box) tap a couple of small nails into the beck of the heel and then press it in place on the box. It'll leave marks to show you where to drill your large hole for the dowel and screw.
I've used this method many times and it has always worked.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on August 16, 2009 at 9:53am

Crap! The first threaded insert went in text-book perfect, flush and tight. The second one kept wanting to veer to the side so the bolt to be inserted would be at a crazy angle. I backed it out and tried again, both with a screwdriver and a drill.

And of course, now I've stripped the hole of any wood left to hold the insert. It just spins around in there, doing no good whatsoever.

Now what to do?

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on August 16, 2009 at 11:07am

start over? I just had the neck pop off is "set neck" reso that I thought was perfect.... The box is ruined. Probably as many hours as I've put into any built.... Oh, well......

the best,

Sam



Diane said:

Crap! The first threaded insert went in text-book perfect, flush and tight. The second one kept wanting to veer to the side so the bolt to be inserted would be at a crazy angle. I backed it out and tried again, both with a screwdriver and a drill.

And of course, now I've stripped the hole of any wood left to hold the insert. It just spins around in there, doing no good whatsoever.

Now what to do?

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Permalink Reply by jim on August 16, 2009 at 11:25am

fill the hole, and try it again. you could try a wood filler or glue a wood dowel into the hole.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on August 16, 2009 at 11:45am

This would be what I would do. As Jim says. OR, better yet send that neck to me and I will see if I can attach it to one of MY boxes!! Really, it should not be too hard to fix, drill a little bigger hole, glue in a dowel and than redo the insert thing.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on August 16, 2009 at 1:36pm

But first, try to find a bit larger insert/bolt. If not, then dowel. And I wanted to string it up this week! Sigh.

Paul Doug said:

This would be what I would do. As Jim says. OR, better yet send that neck to me and I will see if I can attach it to one of MY boxes!! Really, it should not be too hard to fix, drill a little bigger hole, glue in a dowel and than redo the insert thing.

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Permalink Reply by Dylan Waldron on August 16, 2009 at 2:16pm

Diane just go one size up on the bolt. If you stripped out the last hole that means you drilled the hole too big to start with. You want the hole the same size as the bolt minus the threads on it. Meaning if you were to sand all the wood threads off the bolt thats the size of the drill bit. Be careful not to use too small of a bit because this could put too much strain on the neck and make it crack.

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