NEED HELP RESTORING A 1920 VEGA ARTIST BANJO

[gary schattl]

I am restoring a tenor banjo that has had a hole drilled in it for a 5th string peg and other issues.How do I post pictures in posts to show in the discussions?

[gary schattl]

I am not sure how this discussion thing works as this is the first time I have been on so a little guidenca is probably in order for me as far as the posts and stuff

[Greg Mirken]

Boy, that tear-out is ugly. Don't suppose you have the chip from that, do you? I would make a tapered plug from maple with appropriate grain direction to fill the hole. Address the chip, stain the plug to match the neck, and French polish.

[gary schattl]

Do you know of any instructional posts that show this type of repair?I don't have the chip so I have to make one that will fit the damaged chip?The finish on the neck is pretty bad.should I leave it as is or refinish it?.Same for the resonator?

[Greg Mirken]

Leave the neck and resonator as they are. Please. The wear is part of this antique object now; you do the banjo a disservice by changing that.

[Jim Bancroft]

Pretty much like Greg says. Basically plug the hole with a tapered plug and replace the chipped out piece. To make it blend the best possible, you need to try and match the grain of the neck with the plug and chip. Finish touchup is not needed. Just polish out the wood plug to match the old neck.
Do you have a missing inlay?

Jim

[gary schattl]

Yes there are 2 pieces of inlay missing .I will need to find someone to duplicate them also.I can cut out the inlay but I have never engraved before.

[Frank Ford]

What's the rim in the third photo? Hard to see much in the photo, but it doesn't look like a Tubaphone. Do you have the original shell? The serial numbers would match.

[gary schattl]

Yes it is a 1920 vega artist vegaphone tenor that someone has drilled a hole in to use a 5th string peg.I want to restore it to original.

[Jerry Ryan]

This razor balde technique is good for chip repair. I like the result and with a little practice, not too difficult and the grain matches.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/Spruce...