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Lacquering

Lacquering

I covered the neck and rim with 5 coats of spray lacquer, masking the fretboard with painters tape.  When the lacquer was dry, I wet sanded it with 1000 grit paper to smooth it and then polished it with compound.
Installing Frets

Installing Frets

Each fret is cut from a long piece of fret wire so it is a little longer than the fretboard width at the point where it is to be installed.  The fret wire has a tang with barbs that will hold it in place once it is hammered into the slot.  I used a block of wood to...
Staining

Staining

I used 3 stain colors to try to create a fade from red to a darker color closer to the ebony.
Installing Side Dots

Installing Side Dots

I am keeping the front of the fretboard plain except for the star but I do want a few fret markers along the top edge so they can be seen while playing.  The dots are made from 1/16in white plastic rod inserted into holes along the side of the fingerboard.  A short...
Drilling Holes for Tuners

Drilling Holes for Tuners

Four of the five strings start at the peghead so I need to drill 4 holes for the tuning machines.  I used a brad point bit and backed the piece up to minimize tear out. I won’t install the tuners permanently until after the banjo is finished but here are some...