My first Coffin Case.

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

Needed a coffin Case for  my new sweet Banjo from Jay Moschella. it sounds sooo sweet. I have a reenactment event this weekend at Ft Tejon, Lebec CA.

 http://www.pinemountainclubrealestate.com/Local-Area/FORT-TEJON/for...

 Figured I could make my own. Took me 4 days, made a couple measurement errors...nothing that the belt Sander could not fix. This was my first...and I had an idea what I wanted. Learned quiet a few things along the way.

Gonna start one for my fiddle.

[Steve Jeter]

 that is very nice work ! I want to make one eventually

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

Thanks Steve!..I have the bug to build more. I made a few measuring mistakes...only minor but thank god for Ye Ol' Belt sander. I'm gonna do one next week for my Fiddle. 

[Strumelia]

So fun....love the pennies!

[Charles Edward Lee]

Thanks, Strumelia, for noting the pennies! I missed that detail. Very cool! In fact, I'm going to steal... errr, borrow that idea from Mr Bechtel for the cases I need to make. If I might act as if I could improve on that idea, a young lady of my acquaintance now casts reproductions of a copper 1848 Liberty cap large cent - the sort of coin used by the so-called Copperheads of the Civil War as a symbol of their Southern sympathies. I'll use those, in place of modern pennies. Thanks for being observant, Strumelia!

Mr Bechtel, that looks like a fine case! Thanks for sharing that with us all!

Chuck Lee
Elder Lee of Roscoe, Lee & Abadie

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

Thank you, Strumelia and thank you Charles,... have at it,..that would be cool with the reproduction 1848 pennies. I used Wheat Back pennies. The leather for the handle is thick belt leather, and has held up pretty well. That case is pretty tough, and I went the extra mile with putting the foam and crushed velvet and the gold braid just to sweeten it. Actually the crushed Velvet was the most expensive part. But man its sturdy... has been to many a reenactments. Look forward to seeing your Charles. Cheers!