Fitting a Tone Ring to a Wood Rim

In the next few pages I am turning a banjo wood rim to fit a tone ring.  You can't order wood rims to fit specific tone rings in some cases, so I prefer to cut my own.  If you do this kind of work you will sooner or later run into the need for a large lathe.  I have been running into that very need for many years, and here is a glimpse at mine ... in action.

Click on the photos below for a larger view of this operation.  It isn't exactly a step-by-step explanation, but if a picture paints a thousand works, please enjoy these next 7,000 words!

I have turned the rim for the tube and plate flange and now I am ready to chuck it into the lathe and turn it to fit this J.L.S. #12 Tone Ring by Jim Stull.  I take a very close measurement and transfer that mark to the wood rim, then make sure that I have an accurate measurement for the thickness of the tone ring.  If you want to have a banjo be all that it can be, fit the tone ring correctly.  Too tight and it will never live up to its potential no matter how good the tone ring it.  Too loose isn't really good for it either, but if I had to choose one or the other, I would choose the loose fit. After about 30 minutes I have a really nice slip fit on the tone ring.