This is one of my first musical instrument projects that I have attempted hence the small amount of pics. I wanted to learn how to play a banjo but wasn’t willing to pay the deniro for one, so I decided to make my own.

I looked at many web sites and blog postings and came across the cigar box banjos and decided to work off this format.

I was in my local super market around Christmas time and they were selling novelty biscuit tins. The one I chose was quirky it had a union jack flag on a radio. So after devouring the biscuits I started my project.

Step 1: Biscuit Tin Banjo

A lot of people who take on these projects either make their own necks or put an already built one onto their projects. I came across a neck for sale on e-bay for £14 and whipped it up.

I made the biscuit tin sturdy my using African Jelutong wood. I boxed the tin out by using lap joints and braced the centre. I ensured that I had a 30mm dia hole through the centre of the tin.

This neck did not have any tuning pegs or a resonator rod. I turned my own resonator rod at 30 mm dia, but NOT using a lathe I used a band saw which was an idea I got from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLa-mOnB-qs.

After attaching the neck. I went on eBay got a bridge, tuning pegs and string attached those bad boys and now have a red neck, blue grass sounding banjo!