Andy Chase

I decided to re-make the dowel stick in maple... The mystery dowel wood was just too soft, and the more I looked at it the more I noticed that I had sanded a slight curve into the taper.

It was definitely the right decision... I still have a bit more sanding to do, but the maple feels infinitely more sturdy than the other wood, and it will finish consistently with the neck.

Observations

While there is no substitute for real live experience, the internet is a remarkable means of knowledge transfer... When I asked my original question about dowel stick dimensions to the Yahoo! Banjo makers group I received five replies within a couple of days, including one from Dave Ball, whose three-part banjo making series on DIY Network's Handmade Music got me off my behind and working on the neck of my dormant first project last fall. Twenty years ago it would have been a lot harder to find an answer.