That's not a bad idea. My thought is.. it does actually stick firmly to the rod, but it has enough flexibility to bend, so the fact that it sticks may not take away from its performance. I might want to limit the amount I put in, so it doesn't hold it too firmly. That's probably why you limit your use to "dabs".. Something I can't control. Maybe I should do some kind of experiments with it. But you;re right, if I have enough patience it will harden, even a tiny crack in a tube will eventually harden up the entire contents.

Early on, started with Eric Weissberg in '73 when Dueling hit the pop radio play rotation it hooked me at 12 years old. I got a teacher who introduced me to Earl and his book, I eventually learned all I could from the Deliverance album.. I learned to work out my own by ear and found Vic Jordan- became my favorite player for a long while. Great player. Also Bill Monroe's Love please come home.. Still not sure who recorded it but I worked that one out for a long while in high school. Don Stover, later on Ron Block, and Dennis Caplinger who I got to know personally before he passed a few years ago. I still play his banjo! He's the best player I've ever heard but I say a very tough one to emulate.

I'm glad you're testing it and not just going with "someone else's numbers". Every banjo is different. Thanks for the comment.

Glad to hear it thanks!

Thanks very much!

The distance between frets is a mathematical formula and there's not any way it can be different one instrument to the next, that is, with the same scale length. The nut to the 12 fret is the same as the 12th to the bridge, or it wouldn't sound right. All the other frets are divided into segments of the string's resonance as well. As for the lighting, I had my little work light on which is pretty intense. I just have to have the light to see what I'm doing. I'll try to adjust the camera a little more next time. Thanks for the comment!

It's the only way to go and I think that argument has been settled. Interesting with the rivet!

Sure could. Part of my goal was to cover up the smooth worn through part, as it's more visible if you don't but for a head without any frosting it would work fine.

It's good advice. I try not to if I can and I will change bridge heights but sometimes that's not going to make it either, when the half is too short and the 3/4 is too tall. I do adjust heel cuts on occasion, but it's an inexact science. And the tube and plate banjos, I have nobody who can re-cut those. I had a Huber once that was surprisingly way out of spec. Everything about the banjo was good except that, and how does that change? I sent the neck back to Steve for a re-cut on his jig which he graciously did but. It added a lot to the cost of the repairs. I also had Mark Taylor do one for me but nobody really knows what happened to him. Robin Smith was another resource that is gone. But I am probably going to talk to Eric Sullivan about it when I can't deal with it myself, he's been a lot of help to me and we've got a business relationship now. But again only the one piece flange banjos. I have done some minor adjustments to the heel with a Dremel tool. It worked but I'll tell you I like it to look right and have good surface area in contact at the pot. It makes me really nervous to do it.

@@beyondguitars9631that all makes sense. And all those guys you mention are good resources for sure. I’m actually flying with a new to me tube and plate banjo right now to CA to get the heel trimmed a bit. It’s always scary you are Right and it’s not an exact science. This one’s is a really expensive one though so I want to make sure to do it right. 1928 style 6 checkerboard: My buddy has both jigs in his shop but typically if it’s just a small amount needing cut we will just use the 10” radius sander and only sand the top or bottom part of the heel depending which way it needs to go and only do a small amount for the angle on the other part. If that makes sense. Anyways I watched your whole restoration of that bow tie and I was entertained and learned a thing or two! I appreciate the videos.

Wow I hope that banjo meets your expectations. It sounds like a winner. Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it and I'm always interested in the ways people find to trim or re-shape heels. Does he use a complex sanding drum or some kind of a shaper? Maybe something he made himself? @@goldenbanjo197

@@beyondguitars9631 yes he made it himself. It’s a 11” radius sanding drum for the parts that contact the rim. He has a table that you can adjust the angle of the neck and then push it into the drum. The cut out for the flange part he does by hand or with a Dremel. Everyone does it a little different but his way works very well.

Ohm man that's terrible. I've shipped instruments to Canada, it's not so bad, esp. west coasters like us. But take a look at the break. The way mine broke was kind of ideal because it went completely with the grain. If it were to break across the grain that's a very different situation and is frequently not repaired, or repairs are very intrusive, i.e. splines, or grafts of new sections. If you like I can look at it, just send some photos to [email protected]