As I am trying to only utilise UK Grown timbers on this banjo build, what to use for the wooden tone ring presented a number difficulties. Normally varying rosewoods are used for a wooden tone ring, but unfortunately this was not an option. I therefore decided to use Laburnum being one of the UK’s densest woods and also providing a nice contrast to the sycamore.

As with the rest of the ring, 8 bocks with 22.5 degree sides were glued up and then roughly cut to shape on the band saw.

The tone ring and the bottom cap were then glued up before being routed flush with the rest of the rim. Finally a 45 degree chamfer was routed around the tone ring.