Hey guys i picked up a tin for a banjo but when i go home i realized i dont have tin snips.....ive got some old wire cutters that should work but im lost at where to cut the tin . down the side like a box ? cut out a hole ? i have a problem with over thinking so any advice will help me out .

Views: 471

Replies to This Discussion

Tin snips will distort the tin. Best idea is to use a dremel with a fine cutting disk

 

I just built one based on instructions in Mike Orr's Handmade Music Factory book. I cut down the sides from the top with a pair of heavy duty scissors. I first cut thru the top edge with a hack saw. Easier with snips but i used what I had. DON'T cut off the flap.Just bend over this will be used to attached the stick.

I attached the stick first using some epoxy on the metal flap & clamping it down, once dried I put a screw up from the bottom thru the metal flap and into the wood. If you look closely you can see the metal flap. I highly recommend Orr's book. Plays real nice.Here's a picture. Have fun!

oh cool thanks yeah that books on my santa list lol

For some reason the image didn't load before but it is now.

I -love- your string retainers. Are those from CBGitty?

I'm a medic so I had a few pairs of trauma shears sitting around and that's what I used. Worked a treat!!

I cut mine down from the top and used the bottom edge of the tin's lid for a tail piece just by punching holes through the lip and out the top. A bottle cap holds the string ball ends to keep them from cutting though the thin tin.

One piece of advise: Every tin that I cut a "sound hole" sounds terrible unless you have a grommet around it.

I use a nail and a hammer and punch a bunch of holes in an elongated "X" pattern then I use a pair of dikes (precision wire cutters used for electronics) to snip the tin between each pair of holes. Once the holes are cut, I then bend the edges of the cut material back up and into the tin so that there are no exposed sharp edges on the outside of the tin.

Be aware, that when I'm pounding in the holes with the nail and hammer, I support the backside of the tin with a piece of wood to minimize any unwanted bending of the tin's wall. Most of the time, this wood is a 3 foot length of 1" x 1" or 1.5" x 0.75" poplar with one end rounded to better fit the interior contour of the tin (usually rounded). I hold this length of wood vertically with my feet and knees, holding the tin against the piece of wood using by left hand (with which I'm also holding the nail) while I pound with a small hammer in my right hand. It's a bit of a balancing act, but not too difficult to do. It works pretty good with minimal investment in tools.

And with tin guitars, I don't even bother to put in a sound hole.

Word.

I'm done with sound holes on my tins. They look cool but man, they usually sound like crap.

I am in Korea right now and I made an great sounding tin string dulc out of a really cool Ginsing tin that has a 'sound hole' but like I said, it also has a large brass grommit. I'll post a picture next week.

How's your lunar new year so far Rand?

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Discussion Forum

The Cookie Tin Variety: a community image bank

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Keith Zorn Dec 27, 2022. 37 Replies

Canjo Tablatures

Started by Adam Jellison. Last reply by Adam Jellison Jan 8, 2020. 6 Replies

Can Cutting

Started by Mike Whisenhunt. Last reply by Glenn Watt Nov 22, 2019. 9 Replies

The Gas/Kerosene/Oil Can variety: a community image bank

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by James Conder Nov 5, 2018. 7 Replies

How to adjust Intonation???

Started by JL. Last reply by Wichita Sam Mar 10, 2017. 9 Replies

1st Electric Canjo Build

Started by Greg Thompson. Last reply by TN Twang Aug 19, 2016. 4 Replies

Reds Wicked Apple canjo

Started by Greg Thompson. Last reply by TN Twang Aug 14, 2016. 8 Replies

Chromatic fretting.

Started by Graham Alibone. Last reply by Graham Alibone Sep 15, 2015. 6 Replies

Gunpowder Jug Resonator

Started by David Harris. Last reply by Greg Thompson Nov 27, 2014. 1 Reply

Can Jo for Children

Started by David Bowes. Last reply by David Bowes Sep 29, 2014. 11 Replies

Strings: Materials, Techniques, Sound, Etc.

Started by Dustan Eichler. Last reply by TN Twang Jun 13, 2014. 23 Replies

Circular hole tuner design

Started by Philip Daniel. Last reply by Rand Moore Apr 4, 2014. 10 Replies

cookie tin banjo (tinjo)

Started by Hillbilly Hobo. Last reply by Rand Moore Apr 4, 2014. 1 Reply

mag pup

Started by jabes. Last reply by jabes Mar 25, 2014. 2 Replies

Overthinking a simple cookie tin ?

Started by Piht Bull (Delta Dawg Guitars). Last reply by PKB Jan 31, 2014. 7 Replies

brass canjo/cbg

Started by Mario Poggio. Last reply by Mario Poggio Nov 28, 2013. 7 Replies

Can Orientation

Started by Alan "Poor Boy" Ackerson. Last reply by Alan "Poor Boy" Ackerson Oct 20, 2013. 6 Replies

Scale length and bridge

Started by Battmann. Last reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry Jul 23, 2013. 5 Replies

Attaching the Can

Started by Jim burt. Last reply by Russ Dugger Dec 13, 2012. 9 Replies

Loudness Versus Scale Length

Started by Randal. Last reply by Randal Oct 27, 2012. 9 Replies

Latest Activity

BrianQ. liked Gary O'slide's video
5 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Flathead Diddley Bow

"Thanks. Wow! That becomes a spendy box Alan. They are pretty distinctive though. I have a few on…"
9 hours ago
Nigel McTrustry posted a video

Nigel McTrustry & The Hound Dogs are Loose! - Yellow Dog - Live - Original - Cigar Box Guitar

Nigel McTrustry & The Hound Dogs are Loose! Yellow Dog (McTrustry)@ The Cave Inn Brisbane, Australia.The song is currently on Spotify.
9 hours ago
AGP # commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Flathead Diddley Bow

""Sweet Doug" :-), have seen quite a few Flathead Builds over the years, great looking…"
12 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
12 hours ago
AGP # liked Aaron Green's photo
12 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked Gary O'slide's video
13 hours ago

Events

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->