Once I was finished with shaping the rim and sanding it smooth, it was time to separate it from the plywood backing it was glued to. The rim blank was about 3in deep and I decided that the finished rim should be 2 1/2in deep, based on how the rim, the heel of the neck, tone ring, tensioning hoop and hardware all fit together. I chose to partially cut the rim off on the lathe, then finish cutting on the table saw. Using a chisel I cut about 2/3 through on the lathe, then removed the rim and plate from the lathe and cut most of the remaining material on the table saw, leaving a couple spots where the rim was still attached. The last bit I actually cut by hand. This cut edge will be where the tone ring sits, and will be under the banjo head. I sanded the edge so it was smooth and flat. The next steps will be working on fitting the neck to the rim and making the dowel stick, which holds the two together.
Rim and backing plate
Rim and backing plate
Rim
Rim
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