Sometimes while making a banded horn a small band or two are needed, most times it is only one but there are none to be found. Solution; make one. This would be the last band made, the others already being fit and turned. Decide where the band will go on the horn. Estimate its finished outside size with a caliper based on how thick the other bands are and how big the hole in it will have to be where it will sit on the horn. Just make sure the piece of horn you use is larger than needed because you can fit it as you turn it later. Using a piece of solid tip horn, larger than the finished band, cut off a piece and drill a ¼” hole in it, mount it on a mandrel, once again a pen mandrel works well for this but you could make one up using threaded rod, nuts, washers and spacers. Put it on the lathe, square up the ends, turn it down to the right diameter and width. (You may want to taper the outside of the band to flow with the architecture of the horn and turn the design on it you used on the other bands. An option to this is to make a jam chuck and finish turn the outside after you have it fitting the horn.) Next mount it in a four jaw chuck and using the ¼ hole as a guide drill a larger hole in the center, not the finished size hole. Once you have the larger starting hole turn the inside down to fit your horn, remember it has to have a taper to it like the horn does. Go slow and test fit after taking off small amounts until it fits.
Hopefully the pictures will give a good understanding of the sequence of events. The last pic is not the best but you get the idea.
Tim C.
