Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

56nortondomy wrote: ↑

Fri May 17, 2019 4:26 pm

Looks really nice Dennis, well done.
Wayne

Cheers.

Hopefully not 'Deliverance' country.

Just completed Tenor scale banjo uke in Tasmanian Blackwood, Silver Ash and Purple Heart.

It used to take me at least half a day until I asked Allen what rasps he was using in a video of him carving a neck. Two Dragon rasps later and I am down to an hour. Thanks Allen.

I have sent over forty banjo uke's to the US and never filled out any paperwork other than shipping documents. Have hasd zero issues.

kiwigeo wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:44 am

Hang on that's a US license plate....is it allowed on the road in NZ??

I only drive it at night with the lights off

Tassie Blackwood with a touch of Purple Heart. Three string box guitar tuned GDG, fretless.

Dave M wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 02, 2018 1:58 am

I know nothing about the instrument but that is stunning looking.

Cheers

Mark McLean wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:14 am

A stunning combination of woods (and other materials). The purple heart is amazing. You certainly have crafted a unique instrument.

Thank you!

Concert scale, Tasmanian Blackwood, Purple Heart and Claret Ash.

Handcrafted in New Zealand using Locally grown Timbers.
Open back banjo uke built in Tasmanian Blackwood, Purple Heart, and Claret Ash.
Concert Scale, Gotoh planetary geared tuners, Southcoast Strings, Remo fibreskin head. Handmade bone nut, Purple Heart bridge, and Tasmanian Blackwood armrest.

Purple Heart is one of my favorite feature timbers. Great for accents etc. Can be a sod to work sometimes, splinters easily, hard on tools, but worth it in the end.
"Military Uniform", I quite like that.

Just completed. Tenor scale open back banjo uke.
Main wood is Tasmanian Blackwood. Feature ring is Purple Heart and Claret Ash. Neck is TB laminated with a skunk stripe of Purple Heart and Claret Ash. Fingerboard PH with TB fret markers.

Excellent tutorial.

That looks great Dennis. I have never been too fond of Purple Heart before, but there is something about the "out there" brassiness of a banjo that makes purple wood seem appropriate. The whole design comes together very well. And your building is obviously very good. Hi Mark, Yes I think the solid...

Southern Cross open back banjo Uke Tenor scale. The neck is Heart Rimu with a Kahikatea and Purple Heart stripe. The body is a block construction using Kahikatea with a feature ring of Purple Heart, ninety-six blocks in all. Fretboard Purple Heart with Kahikatea position markers, Gotoh planetary gea...

I always trim the skin while it is still wet, I find it easier and get a neater finish. I agree, the reason I personally don't trim the skin whilst wet is sometimes, after drying I cannot achieve the desired tension, this means I start the process again and make things a bit tighter. If I was to tr...

I always trim the skin while it is still wet, I find it easier and get a neater finish.

routout wrote:That is some fine laminating of wood there ,wish I had my eyes back my joints only look good from a distance now

Thanks John, Some days my 71 year old eyes work well and on others they don't. I try to cut the joint angles on the good days

DarwinStrings wrote:Nice job on that headstock shape Dennis.

Thanks, not quite the Gibson shape but pretty close.

Bob Connor wrote:Nice work Dennis.

Regards

Thank you Bob.

Hi,
Sliced and stacked
Dennis

Latest creation using Rimu, Kaihikatea, and Purple Heart.

Hi Dennis, Welcome, and I have a question: Is it an "ordinary" banjo, or does it have a shorter-than-banjo neck? Tenor banjo, maybe, or banjo-ukelele? Thanks, Greg Luker. Hi Greg, My mistake I should have made it clear in the first post. These are banjo ukes, this is a concert scale. It's pretty mu...

In that case here's another one.