I’ve slipped over here from Breaktime with a question more suited to you guys who know how to read the small marks on the tape measure.
Looking for some basic guidelines to build a marimba or tone board or whatever for kiddies to pound on. I have seen them before, and it is not much more than a 1×6 with slots cut in it to make different length fingers. When tapped/smacked with a wooden mallet, different tones are produced. All I remember is that a dense wood is needed, and I have several scraps of 5″ brazilian cherry flooring that should work well.
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Replies
There's some examples on this forum of what I think you're looking for:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=21111
Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?
Ed..that is exactly what i was getting at. Those are way cool examples.
Not hard at all after ya make a few. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Iffin ya cain't spell it, don't eat it
Ed, What are you trying to do, drown me? I blew a little sip of coffee out of my nose when I read your opening remark. If you think those guys are bad, I was ordering glass shelves for a rosewood cabinet last week. The class company quotes tolerances of + 1/8" - 1/4". OK 3/8" How do they get away with this?
I have never made one of these, but if I were to, I think I would be tempted to dovetail the top into nice thick ends. I think this would help lengthen the resonance of the tines by anchoring them to a large mass, then I would thin the sides somewhat like a guitar body and back if you wanted to increase the volume.
Tolerances? Why do you think sheetrock joint tape is 2" wide? But at least we know what the black diamond near 19" is for. (Go visit Breaktime if you don't know the answer.)
The first answer had a link to Saw Mill Creek and a very nice discussion about tongue drums. Someone there noted that these are descendents of African drums, and that what I'm looking for ... something a bit rustic that you wouldn't mind giving to a bunch of 3rd graders to play with ... seriously. The stuff in the link is almost jewelry box quality.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
I tried this several years ago, used 1" cherry, band-sawed six tongues of random length, mounted it on a sounding-box with holes drilled in it. Using a grinder on the under side I tuned the tongues. It has been pounded on by five grand- children for years with much enjowment. I advise rubber tipped mallets from a music store for the playing.
Tom, are the fingers separate pieces? The ones I have seen are scroll sawn out of one piece. Your way would be easier. And someone mentioned glueing small superballs to dowels for the mallets.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Ed, I bored four holes at each end of the board, then cut into it with a narrow band-saw blade, then using the bored holes as turning places , cut the tongues. The whole board remained in one piece. Super balls on sticks sounds ideal. Using a scroll-saw one wouldn't need the entry cut.
My tongues were 1 1/8" wide, and from 4 1/2 to 9 1/2" long. The holes were 1/2". I had no plan, and can't claim that my method wes good. It worked.
Tom
How thick is the top? I would imagine that the thicknes is critical for the tone.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Ed, my top was 1 1/4" thick, only because that is what I had on hand.
Tom
I tried making a Xylophone for my grandbabies... BIG MISTAKE... Their father is REALLY into music..... He said well.. It looks NICE!
EDIT:: He was serious.. But a GREAT DAD!
Edited 7/7/2005 2:25 pm ET by Will George
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