Posted by Habanera Hal on January 22, 2012 at 6:53pm
Decided to kick out some kalimbas today. All made with small cigar boxes I had laying around. I used various woods for the bridges and tine covers (eliminates possibility of getting poked or cut with the tine end), electrical grounding bars from Lowe's and stainless steel bicycle spokes for tines. Tuned to C Major, some 8-note, some 10-note. Boxes glued shut to eliminate any buzzing.
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And he's already responded: the shop has thousands of used spokes you could take for a tiny donation. I see what I get and could maybe send you some too.
Glad you like 'em! It's a great way to use boxes that are too small for guitars or amps. I had to order the spokes from e-bay for the quantity - local bike shop wanted $2.50 PER SPOKE!!!!! I paid $22 for 75 spokes.
Fantastic. My wife suggested recently that I should make these with the smaller boxes. I certainly will now, and I have a friend with a bike shop, so the bicycle spokes should be easily available for me.
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Wow! Lots of Kalimbas to be made!
And he's already responded: the shop has thousands of used spokes you could take for a tiny donation. I see what I get and could maybe send you some too.
Glad you like 'em! It's a great way to use boxes that are too small for guitars or amps. I had to order the spokes from e-bay for the quantity - local bike shop wanted $2.50 PER SPOKE!!!!! I paid $22 for 75 spokes.
Fantastic. My wife suggested recently that I should make these with the smaller boxes. I certainly will now, and I have a friend with a bike shop, so the bicycle spokes should be easily available for me.