Mallet Pattern and Didgeridoo building

[Gabby]

Hey Steve your pattern is very timely, my old Alder mallet I turned on my lathe years ago is finally disintegrating and I'll need one soon.
I'll be making mine from oak because that is what I have available. Great Job! 
Thanks Steve,
Gabby 

Since I wrote this my other PC fried the hard drive, so I'll have to find the pattern in the blog spot.
Gy

[pddesertrat]

I have a home made mallet and use it a lot, but at time I wish I had a little smaller one.  I will have it as soon as I get it made using Steve's pattern.

[BilltheDiver]

Who do you plan on thunking with that mallet Gabby?

[Merlin]

Hey Gabby, if n when you cut that mallet in oak let me or us know with what size blade please.
I tried to cut an old oak board from a cabinet the other day and a #9 never looked like it wood cut it in 9 hours.
So ended up cutting on the band saw a bit difficult on the in side cuts of Steve's vase patterns.

***Merlin***

[jerry1939]

Hi Merlin,

Re: You had a problem trying to scroll an old oak board.

When you put the blade in the saw, have the teeth facing toward you.                       

All you nice folks on this site don't need to know why I am aware of that!!   

jerry

[Merlin]

Thanks for that Jerry...I was aware of that..But which way do the teeth face on a spiral...Towards you or the left or mybe to the right and just for a change one could place them facing towards the rear.
But I think if they are down side up you may be in strife...

***Merlin***

[Gabby]

Who do you plan on thunking with that mallet Gabby?

Not who, What!
I'm into making Didgeridoos now and the hollowing process requires a lot of banging on a modified gouge now a curved chisel, I'll have to upload some photos when I get them.
I'm in the finishing stages on a really cool one, just glued it back together last night,
and am in the process of final sanding and shaping where needed. I blew a test toot on it and I think it's going to sound just great.

A quick "for me" explanation of the process, first select a suitable log, (I've been using standing dead cedar trees of a manageable size (6 to 8' long and about 4 to 8" on the large end), seems to work best. Remove bark then split lengthwise. Use whatever tools available (I'm using a sawzall for splitting & plunge router with a rotary rasp for the rough work, then the chisel) to remove wood leaving a shell about 1/2" thick, once you have all the unwanted wood removed, smooth it up on the inside, make sure both halves will mate well, apply glue to one half and join using large hose/ pipe clamps that you can tighten with a cordless drill with nut driver attached, let cure and commence finishing to your satisfaction. Then blow to your hearts content. LOL
 That's the quick and dirty explanation.
Gabby

[pddesertrat]

I can not wait to see yours.  Sounds like something fun to make.  I love making musical things.  Have ever tried Native American flutes?

[Gabby]

Hey Gabby, if n when you cut that mallet in oak let me or us know with what size blade please.
I tried to cut an old oak board from a cabinet the other day and a #9 never looked like it wood cut it in 9 hours.
So ended up cutting on the band saw a bit difficult on the in side cuts of Steve's vase patterns.

***Merlin***

Merlin believe it or not the largest blade I used was one of Mikes FD-4 SR it cut it just fine. You just have to cut a little slower, that's what I used on several projects including a couple trivets and the sewing machine plaque I made for my wife. I think they are still in the gallery. They are cut from full 3/4" thick seasoned oak board.
Gabby

[Gabby]

I can not wait to see yours.  Sounds like something fun to make.  I love making musical things.  Have ever tried Native American flutes?

This latest one (#2 of my "real Didges") is going to be a beauty I think once it's done, I've glued it up and tooted on it and it sounds great to me and I'm behind the sound I can only guess how it sounds out front. I tooted it for my wife and she said some of the sounds I made sounded like the lions in the Great Cats park about a mile away from our house. Too cool!
When I seal the inside that may "harden or sharpen" the sound some, we'll have to see.
I still have a ton of sanding to do before I can even think of finishing it. Yes it is fun to make but at this point for me until I get one of those circular chain saw blades for my hand grinder its been a slow laborious  job!

I've tried my hand at "Indian" 5 and 6 hole flutes following Charlie Matotoyela's instructions. Search for him on you tube. I tried to make them from bamboo with rather mixed results. The bamboo I worked with had nodes too close together for accurate hole positioning. I may try making one from cedar, but that is on the back burner for now.

One nice thing about the Didge is it doesn't have to be "in tune" unless you are going to be playing with a group, then you have to trim it from the bell end in order to tune it. Shortening tends to raise the pitch some so mine won't be shortened unless there is a bad crack I have to get rid of.
So there you have my update for now.
Gabby