I apologize for the confusion, but I started this chapter with the wrong number - should have been 5 - anyway for the historical reference, just go to bracket band 4.
In this particular project, I want to use a raw brass patina finish rather than a nickel plated finish. I think this is going to make an unusual resonator banjo, since they're all usually nickel or gold plated.
The choice about what finish you want is an important design decision - nickel or gold / brass?
I know I posted this before, but it's important, which look do you want? The picture on the top is nickel, the one on the bottom is patina brass:
NOW - here's an original 1927 Granada with most of the gold plating worn off - I like the way that looks - more like the patinaed (spelling) brass.
Here are pix of details of another banjo I made with the patina:
The colors vary because of the different alloys of the brass -red brass, cartridge brass, architectural brass and leaded brass- they all react differently to the atmosphere and chemical baths used to make the patinas (patinae?) but I think that adds to the interest in the color of the metal. SO, my decision for this project is to do the patina and use raw brass.
Having said that, I'm back to the band, which I bent with the funkidelic Harbor Freight spiral ring roller, and corrected by hand.
You need to make templates for the outside diameter, which on an 11" rim is 34.5576" using ther circumference as a measurement is 3.1416 times more accurate than the diameter, PLUS, bracket bands and tension hoops will always be out of round. Then you braze the joint and clean it up as described earlier:
Now we will make the brackets.
I start with a length of architectural brass angle 1/2" x 1/2" with a .125" wall thickness.
Using the brazing techniques described earlier, you flow a "fillet" of silver solder in to the angle. this creates the proper cross section for a bracket.
Then you mark this off into equal 1/2 " sections, and drill them for the hooks:
Then you radius the backs of them to clean them up for soldering, and make them sit right on the tension hoop, then cut them into individual pieces and round off the front. I do this with a disc sander:
In the end you wind up with a bunch of little brackets - to get 24, I always make 25 because of my pessimistic nature.
NOW, after marking all the positions using a drawing, and double checking - measure twice - silver solder once,you coat the backs with flux and attach them to the band with metal clips or something similar, then you silver solder them on - as you go around, the whole thing gets hot and it goes fast - you don't need much silver solder - it gets sucked into the joint if you do it properly:
All the brackets are attached permanently.
I clean them up with a Dremel tool (one of the very few things I ever use a Dremel for).
More later
