Finished sanding all the rims today and stained Rainier's ready for oiling, radiused Tom's fingerboard, fretted, slotted peghead and made a start on carving the neck. Should be able to start oiling both banjos next week.
Since I had a customer drop out last week, I decided to do a little more work on a banjo I started last summer. I've changed the specs so many times but finally settled on one of my 2 layer Cherry rims, brass rod tone ring, Walnut neck, 24.75" scale and went for a super cool brass Raven inlaid in the peghead. Being a Norse mythology buff, I originally wanted both of Odin's Raven's, Hugin and Munin, after cutting out a different design I decided it looked too crowded so just went for one Raven. I  will be inlaying a Raven into Corentin's banjo in a couple of months, so I guess this one is Hugin and Corentin will have Munin!

I took on an apprentice a few weeks back, my 6 year old son was off school with chicken pox, he wasn't too spotty, still full of beans and keen to help out in the workshop. He's been crazing me to build him a banjo for months, so I got him to draw some designs and helped him get started ona mountain banjo. He insisted on a battle axe peghead and the inlay has gone from pirates to skulls to vikings, he has now settled on a skeleton viking! He gets bored easily so not sure when we'll get it finished but I'm letting him do as much of the work as possible.

Just been left up 'shit creek' by a customer who thoughtfully let me know he could no longer afford the banjo he commissioned 3-4 weeks  prior to the finish date! 
I'll be putting this on the back burner for the time being so I can concentrate on banjos for paying customers, unless someone would like to take over the commission. The 1st two photos show  where it's at, the last photo shows  what it will end up looking like, except with Ebony instead of Rosewood and 18 hooks instead of 10. There is also the chance to add things like a scoop, fingerboard markers, geared tuners etc. If anyone is interested give me a shout, it can be completed within 4 weeks.

Should Have Rainier's tackhead ready for oiling by the end of next week, Tom's Tubaphone shouldn't be too far behind.

Just to prove I haven't been slacking too much, here's what I've been working on:
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​John's 'Ashborn' pot is ready for sticking on the lathe and the neck is all glued ready to start work on.

Tom's flamed Maple rim is glued ready for fitting the Tubaphone tone ring and Rocklite rim cap.
Should have the truss rod and Rocklite fingerboard/peghead overlays glued on sometime next week. I haven't played a Tubaphone banjo for around 10 years, so I'm looking forward to finishing this one.

Rainier's Ash block rim is also heading for the lathe next week, should get the neck roughed out too.