Help Needed...Tongue Drum Questions

[cpowell]

My son was given a school project yesterday to make a wooden musical instrument.

I fashioned a tongue drum box with maple sides and a cherry top. The sound is actually okay. I just glued it up and will spray lacquer tomorrow afternoon. It is due Friday.

Two questions:

How did you glue the ball (small "superball" in my case) to the dowel rod? Yellow glue?

Did you make a hole in the side and if so, what diameter?

Chuck

 

[clowman]

I took a 1/4 dowel rod and cut it down to the desired length. Then I drilled a 1/4 hold in the side of the ball using my drill press. I used medium CA glue (superglue) to glue the rod into the ball hole. I found that the super glue didn't like to adhere to the rubber and the ball soon came out. I reglued it, and it's sticking firmly the 2nd time.

 

[DaveO]

I did the same as Clay but used a clear silicon caulk adhesive. Ain't come off yet, and they have been put through their paces :-D

Dave

 

[jglord]

After getting the ball attached, you can use it to test the tone(s) of each tongue. A little judicious filing to shorten or narrow a tongue can yield great sound - may be the difference between a B and an A.;-)

 

[Joe Scharle]

I used gorrilla glue