Project Information
I was chatting with a fellow at work, and discovered that he is also a musician, albeit more serious than I am, and he learned that I am a woodworker, also more serious than most people, and the conversation turned to cajones, (A drum made entirely of wood - originally from Peru, according to Wikipedia, made from boxes) Relatively recent versions include an octagon bongo-like cajon. Traditionally, they've been a box you sit on and drum on the front surface, but I've been thinking of how to have one and not have to bend over.
So, he wondered if I could make him a round one. I agreed to try and as usual for me, I started with a prototype made of cheap scrap. It was, as the saying goes "a learning experience". But having learned from the experience, I went ahead and spent several weeks of free time producing the one in the first picture.
It's made of 30 pieces of 3/4" Birch, beveled, glued and sanded to a nice cylinder, with a 3 3/4" sound hole and top and bottom made of 3 mm birch plywood.
For the final glue up, I cut a circle of plywood fitted and strapped around the center (picture 4) to make sure that it really WAS a cylinder. Then I used many of my smaller clamps to make sure that the alignment of all the staves on each end. More on how I cut the circle on another project post.
It's finished smooth, inside and out, and he loved it. This might be a lousy business model since I didn't charge him anywhere near the amount of time it took for me to learn how to make it, but on the positive side, I got to play with the concepts, materials and skills on somebody else's nickel, so I view it as a win-win.
I'll be posting the second one later today.
Bob
So, he wondered if I could make him a round one. I agreed to try and as usual for me, I started with a prototype made of cheap scrap. It was, as the saying goes "a learning experience". But having learned from the experience, I went ahead and spent several weeks of free time producing the one in the first picture.
It's made of 30 pieces of 3/4" Birch, beveled, glued and sanded to a nice cylinder, with a 3 3/4" sound hole and top and bottom made of 3 mm birch plywood.
For the final glue up, I cut a circle of plywood fitted and strapped around the center (picture 4) to make sure that it really WAS a cylinder. Then I used many of my smaller clamps to make sure that the alignment of all the staves on each end. More on how I cut the circle on another project post.
It's finished smooth, inside and out, and he loved it. This might be a lousy business model since I didn't charge him anywhere near the amount of time it took for me to learn how to make it, but on the positive side, I got to play with the concepts, materials and skills on somebody else's nickel, so I view it as a win-win.
I'll be posting the second one later today.
Bob