this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2023
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Woodworking

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A handmade home for woodworkers and admirers of woodworkers. Our community icon is a planter box made by @Captain Aggravated, the winner of our summer '24 woodworking contest. Congratulations!

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Was suggested to crosspost this here! Happy to see a woodworking community on Lemmy!

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[–] DavidP@toast.ooo 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wow! What are the resonation tubes made out of? Can you describe the process of tuning each key?

[–] bitsplease@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The resonators are simple PVC piping of various diameters! Tuning those was dead simple, just cut a section out, put a cap on one end then bang it with a hammer to produce a tone, then just chop a bit off to raise the pitch,

For the keys it was a bit more complicated, I typed out a comment giving the basics and linking to the blog I used to figure it out though!

https://lemmy.ml/comment/503333

[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for this. I have an old busted premier marimba with fiberglass keys and a few are cracked. Maybe I’ll make a new set because the frame and resonators and still in decent shape. Although I am sure the tuning process was a nightmare!

How did you finish the keys?

[–] bitsplease@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This old blog has all the info you'll need http://www.lafavre.us/tuning-marimba.htm

I used a bandsaw or router to cut out the rough arc, then a belt sander to fine tune

[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh thanks but I meant like did you stain them or use oil on them or whatever ha

[–] bitsplease@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Ah, I did a double coat of tung oil!

[–] Lem453@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wow, amazing build. How did you tune the notes? Did you just sand them down until they sounded right?

[–] UsernameLost@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Second this comment. Amazing work, and I'm also very interested in how you tuned the notes

[–] Crocrodile@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago
[–] christiannils@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

That is sick!

[–] jasparagus@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

This is phenomenal, and must have taken a ton(e) of effort... ba-dum-tss.

[–] mack7400@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

That's dope! Love it!

[–] tko@tkohhh.social 1 points 1 year ago

Gorgeous! How does it sound?

How difficult is tuning the keys?

[–] joherl@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Wow... what a project.