Comment

Comment by Ryan Rose on November 28, 2011 at 1:56pm

Ooh, good idea. Thanks for the tip.

Comment by Habanera Hal on November 28, 2011 at 12:50pm

Ryan, no need to cut a dowel in half.  If you don't want to just sand one side so it sits flat on the box, just go over to the wood trim aisle (may need to go to HD or Lowe's if Menard's doesn't have it) and get some half-round trim.  It might be carved (a rope pattern is typical) but it wood be unique and easy.

Comment by Ryan Rose on November 28, 2011 at 10:31am

I went to Menard's today to do some Christmas shopping, and got absolutely none done. I did get some new tools, however, and some supplies to try building a kalimba. I'm sure I'll have questions about  tuning it later, but I haven't even started building it yet, so i won't worry about that now. I am curious about Brent's plans a couple pages back. The grounding bar design I'm using is simpler, which is why I chose it, but the more traditional style in those plans looks better, which means I'll have to make one eventually. The question I have is, how do you cut a dowel rod in half? It's theoretically simple, but I know myself, and I can't imagine getting a straight cut.

Comment by Malcolm Haines on August 2, 2011 at 12:24am

Hi.

Found a Kalimba in an oddities shop. I didn't know what it was but I loved the sound. Its half a coconut, some wood and some tines.  Had to buy it. Then I find a group here dedicated to them. I even know it is called now!

Comment by Heidi Harris on July 22, 2011 at 3:08pm

Comment by Habanera Hal on July 15, 2011 at 11:04am

Hey Diane!  This is the best I can do on a close-up.  Sorry for the fuzzy. Go to the electrical department at Home Depot and ask for a "HomeLine Equipment Grounding Bar Kit".  The one I got is part #PK9GTA with 12 holes (I cut one off and redrilled a mounting hole) but they come in many different sizes.  The tines are made from some old bicycle spokes I had left over from a wheel repair.  I raised the bridge with a piece 1/4" maple shaped and stained.  Hope this helps!

PS - the other one (Gurkha box) is just made with 1/2" & 3/4" wood dowels.  Both are held to the boxes with 8-32 screws and T-nuts.  Be sure to super glue the nuts inside the box if you're going to seal it up.

Comment by Diane in Chicago on July 15, 2011 at 10:40am

Hey wow!! Love that tine bridge! can you post a close up and a parts list?

Comment by Habanera Hal on July 14, 2011 at 9:30am

Thanks Diane!  I've been too scared to drill into this one yet, but I have made two others so far.  Lots of fun!

Comment by Diane in Chicago on July 14, 2011 at 9:25am

I know this reply is really late in coming but -- you can put the sound hole wherever makes sense, and don't make it too big. the really nice ones made by Hugh Tracy in south Africa also have two wah wah holes on the back for your middle fingers which work really great. they are less than a half inch in diameter.

Comment by Habanera Hal on July 5, 2011 at 1:11pm

I just recently found out about kalimbas, had never heard one before, but now I love the sound. I'm always looking for interesting projects and think I'd get a kick out of making these.

I recently scored an incredible cigar box that's the wrong size and too pretty to do a guitar out of, and wonder if it would make a good kalimba.  I bought a rake to use for the tines along with a 10-position electricians grounding bar.  One question I have is:  Can the sound holes be placed in the sides of the box?  The lid of this is just too nice to cut a hole in.  How will that affect the sound?  BTW, I will probably put a piezo in it.

The box dimensions are 8"l x 7"w x 3-1/2"h

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