Handmade instruments at home

musical instruments you can make with your own hands

Music lessons can be fun even for the most restless children, if you find the right approach to the process. One of the most unusual ways is to make a musical instrument yourself, together with your child. All the more so that you can make your own whole orchestra. About 15 of the easiest instruments to make told the author of the section “Simple crafts for kids” on Red Ted Art.

Maggie, author of the “Simple Crafts for Kids” section on Red Ted Art:

“Music is what inspires me and what I try to share with my children. I recently started playing the piano again, just to set an example for my children. But one musical instrument did not seem to be enough, so I thought, why not make some more instruments together with the children. So far we’ve got 15, but I think that’s just the beginning.”.

Bells on a cardboard tube

Bells on a cardboard tube, a wonderful invention from the Mini Eco website. This is one of children’s favorite instruments. We all love bells, and these look great.

Bells on legs

If you love bells as much as we do, you can make cute foot bells that are also great for dancing to music.

Simple Drums

These are the simple tin can drums we made a few months ago at Red Ted Art. Add some duct tape and kids can draw geometric patterns or whatever they want on the drum themselves.

drums

Another simple and great idea on how to make drums out of a tin can and a balloon. It’s very quick to make and can be used as a tumbler or shaker. You can leave the jar unpainted, or you can fancy it. whatever you like.

Ocean Drum

I like the idea of this drum. This is a homemade instrument that can make two kinds of sounds. a drum sound and a sound similar to the sound of the sea or ocean. Incredible Kinder Art idea.

Water xylophone

A classic fun activity for kids, perfect for fun on a rainy day, the water xylophone from Little Page Terners. Of course, it doesn’t have to be all colors of the rainbow, regular water will do.

Castanets

Another musical instrument you can make with your own hands are these adorable little and simple castanets from Suite 101. Perfect for practicing with rhythm.

Crocodile Castanets

I have long been a fan of these adorable crocodiles. And they couldn’t be more perfect for this list. These crocodiles, which can make clicking sounds, can be used as castanets.

Rhythm sticks

I found these adorable sticks on the Skip to My Lou website. I think this musical instrument can even be made with a toddler: he can paint it however he wants.

Tambourine

How about a homemade tambourine from Family Fun? I think it’s genius! Better to use embroidery hoops and metal bottle caps to make.

Tambourine on a Stick

This beautiful split stick tambourine from Family Fun I love even more because it’s also a great way to recycle things.

Entire group

Delightful Learning made a whole set of musical instruments. And I don’t know which one I like better! The pencil xylophone is genius, and the banjo is hilarious. The tamtams are made very ingeniously, and I also love the horn. A wonderful resource that has a lot of instruments together.

Straw Straws Whistle

What wonderful sounds this simple whistle from Deceptively Educational makes. We’re going to try making it again because it’s insanely easy and we have lots of straw tubes.

Harmonica

I was just beginning to wonder how to make a harmonica for kids when I immediately came across this post on Mom 2 Two Posh Lil Diva’s site. Brilliant!

Bugle Horn

Another unexpected and inspiring musical instrument idea, which can be found here.

A home-made tool set the web alight

This video stirred up the community of invention enthusiasts on the World Wide Web. The master thought over the idea for years and finally presented a brilliantly simple and radically profitable idea to those who used to chisel away at walls with a potholder, realizing his tendencies of a woodpecker and a brilliant construction grinder, and now can make himself rich by working in a quiet workshop in the garage or even in a separate structure absolutely free of charge.

And he doesn’t have to spend any money and doesn’t have to take money out of his stash to buy beer. It’s all free master likes to show the whole world the useful things he comes up with.

CNC milling machines for wood and metal

When routing wooden materials, the software can greatly enhance the machine’s capabilities and quality of work. To form it, elements such as the LPT port and the CNC unit are installed. To make the copy block, you can use the carriages of an old dot matrix printer.

The assembly of the wood router is carried out in the following order:

  • Worktop is made of chipboard or plywood, at least 15mm thick.
  • Cutout for the cutter and its installation.
  • The drive, transmission and spindle of the machine tool are fastened.
  • Stops and stops are installed.

Assembling the metal cutter requires a stronger base for the machine:

  • Mounting the column and the “U” shaped bed. Elements are made of steel channel bars. In the U-shaped design, the lintel forms the base of the tool itself.
  • The guide elements are made of a steel angle and are bolted to the column.
  • Guide consoles are made of a rectangular tube. A screw pin is inserted into them. Console movement is provided with the help of a car jack to the height of 12-15 cm.
  • The worktop is made of chipboard or plywood.
  • Vise, guides made of metal angle, pinned clamps are fixed on the table top.
  • The rotating part is installed so that the shaft is positioned vertically.

Budget drilling machines

In addition to cutting machines, various devices for drilling holes in metal are popular. Beginning from stationary drilling machines and ending with devices, in which an ordinary drill is fixed, like a “driller” of FORUMHOUSE user with the nickname g8o8r8.

g8o8r8 (FORUMHOUSE user):

When drilling many holes of the same type in thick metal, to relieve my hands, I made a simple device based on a clamp welded to a metal support, and a pair of clamps for rigid fixation of the drill. Drilling around an angle or channel is now much easier.

According to the user, to drill 1 hole with a diameter of 4-5 mm takes no more than 30 seconds. Having conceived to repeat such a construction, you should remember that the drill load considerably increases because of the increased amount of work. g8o8r8 I had my drill rebuilt twice already.

Also, the user, based on an electric motor, made a small “vertical” for drilling holes up to 4 mm in diameter in circuit boards.

g8o8r8 (FORUMHOUSE user):

Long spindle compensates for inaccurate recessing of the bearing ring. For amateur use such a machine is good enough. Drilling accuracy remains at an acceptable level.

If you don’t have a welding machine, you can assemble the fixture you need for your daily work with bolt joints.

Homemade machines and tools for the home workshop

Before selecting a set of homemade machines and attachments for the garage it is necessary to create optimal working conditions. In this case, the size of the room should be at least 6 sq. km. м. You can add an extra room to your garage or house. It is important to determine what types of work you will conduct, as well as to make a list of equipment and tools needed.

You can arrange a compact workshop in the garage room

Storage of some types of tools is more convenient to organize on the wall. It will save space. It is also convenient to use racks and shelves. To save useful space, it is worth making versatile devices that combine several functions. The table should be equipped with drawers and used as a workbench.

Ergonomically designed work table allows you to place the maximum number of items

When choosing homemade machines and devices for a home workshop, you can pick up mini equipment of different types. For working with metals, such options are used:

  • sharpening equipment is used for processing metal surfaces: grinding, polishing and sharpening. For its manufacture requires a minimum number of components and parts. The equipment includes sharpening stones and an electric motor. Mounting elements are used for the stability of the device;
  • milling machine is used for drilling holes. In the manufacture of a similar design of the lifting mechanism, a steering rack is used. In addition, it is possible to install and device for an angular milling machine.

Professional version of such a design

Various self-made tools and devices with their own hands are used for processing wood. Most often used types such as cutting, turning and sanding. With their help you can perform all kinds of work at home. Such equipment is used for woodworking:

  • cutting machines. The simplest device is an electric or chain saw. Such units can be disk, belt, or sawmill from a chainsaw. When making homemade equipment, it is worth considering the diameter of the disk, as well as the width of the cutting part;
  • sanding device. The simplest version is made of a stable table, a vertical grinding shaft and an electric motor. An abrasive belt is used, with which the ends of workpieces made of wood are processed.

Woodworking machines for the home workshop. Considerably simplifies the processing of blanks made of wood specialized equipment with an electric drive. But buying it involves a considerable investment. To solve such a problem successfully, you should study carefully the materials of this article.

Tool shelves with their own hands: popular designs and making

It is worth noting such options for tool storage:

Unusual shelves for arrangement of tools

Shield shelf under the tool with their own hands can be made as follows:

  • Saw out of plywood panel and make a marking of the places where the shelves will be installed;
  • Make shelves with side walls, the length of which should correspond to the length of the shield;
  • the shelves are fixed on the shield with self-tapping screws;
  • Mount the hooks, which are equipped with a special thread;
  • the brackets are installed on the back side of the shield.

This is how you can perform a simple panel construction, which will allow you to bring the workshop in perfect order

Impact screwdriver from the starter

There are situations when it is impossible to unscrew a rusted bolt or screw with an ordinary tool. The impact screwdriver does the job just fine. The tool is made with your own hands from parts of a car starter:

  • The shaft and sleeve are removed from the starter housing.
  • Part of the shaft is cut off, leaving the rod with splines.
  • A piece of pipe of the appropriate size is put on the sleeve.
  • A piece of bolt of equal diameter is welded to the end of the pipe.
  • The shaft end is turned into a square and the required socket size is mounted on it. For screws a bit is inserted in the head.

When you hit the head of the bolt with a hammer, the shaft slides beveled splines inside the sleeve, making a rotary movement. The harder the blow, the harder the shaft is turned.

Hi! Today I’m going to show you how I made a mini lathe from what I had in the garage. The lathe was made suddenly and not planned because I found an old 60W motor. Next had to

There are situations when it is impossible to unscrew a rusted bolt or screw using conventional tools. Impact screwdriver with this case perfectly copes. The tool is made with their own hands from parts of a car starter:

How to make Musical Instruments for Kids | D.I.Y 5 Musical Instruments for Kids

  • The shaft and sleeve are removed from the starter housing.
  • Part of the shaft is cut off, leaving the rod with slits.
  • On the sleeve put a piece of pipe, the right size.
  • A piece of bolt of equal diameter is welded to the end of the tube.
  • The end of the shaft is turned into a square shape, on which the heads of the desired size are put. For screws you put a bit in the head.

When you hit the head of the bolt with a hammer, the shaft slides with the beveled splines inside the sleeve, making a rotary movement. The harder the blow, the harder the shaft rotates.

Vise from a piece of pipe

The industrial vise is a fairly simple design from an engineering point of view, and the manufacturing technique is not complicated either. But companies sell them at a fairly high price, the only real explanation for this situation is the desire for maximum profit.

We will tell you how you can make a functional tool at home with minimal loss of time.

In terms of materials, the vast majority can be found at scrap dealers. The same bars must be put on both sides.

Step 1. clamp a piece of thick-wall tube (thickness not less than 4 mm, diameter of 150 mm and length of 100 mm) and with an angle grinder with a disk on the metal cut it into two different halves.

A little later in this article we will tell you how to make the simplest device to find the center of round workpieces. This is a very important point for the vise we make, if it is not done, there will be additional stress during use. They reduce the clamping force and increase the risk of mechanical breakage.

Step 2. Prepare the reinforced curtains. When the jaws are closed, they are subjected to great force, such solid models are not available in the stores. The curtains are made in several steps.

    Cut a metal tube, its length should be equal to the length of the cut large. Diameter of the tube at least 10 mm, wall thickness ≥ 1 mm.

At the beginning you have to fix the vice on each side one by one, the seams must be very strong, check the quality, fix the gaps.

Seams must be placed on both sides. After the first weld, remove the workpiece, open it up, and fasten the sleeves on the back side.

Step 3. Fabricate the jaws. To do this, you need to cut elements of appropriate size from a piece of sheet steel.

Steel thickness at least 10 mm. the jaws must have sufficient strength. To reduce the slip coefficient, cut a grid of strips into them with tire iron.

Step 4. Make two hinges for the vice jaws. Why you need them? The fact is that in industrial tees, the jaws move in a straight line. their planes are always parallel, but in this case one of them moves in an arc when tightening, so the angle between them changes depending on the position of the screwdriver and the full closure. In order for the jaws to always lie parallel when closing, one of them must be able to adjust axially (float). The joints are made in the following way.

  • Select a sheet metal strip with a thickness of approx. 1 mm, length approx. 50 mm, width approx. 20 mm.
  • Set the metal shaft Ø 5 mm in the center and the same bars on both sides.
  • Place them in the vice and grip them as far as they will go. The sheet will be bent in this way.
  • Cut the strip in half and cut two hinges.

Step 5. Attach the hinges to one of the jaws. First weld on both sides of the axis around the circumference of the circle. Grind the welds. Then place the axes on the jaws of the vice and weld the flattened pads to it. Again, remove the sheet metal and cut off the excess lengths of sheet metal. Assemble all parts and check their performance.

This completes the preparation of the sliding jaws, then the clamping mechanism.

Finishing off the clamping mechanism

This assembly is much more complex than the one described above. The fixture is made from a sheet with a thickness of ≈ 5 mm, length 170 mm, width 130 mm.

Step 1. Mark two drilling points on the plate for accessory parts.

They are located along the axis of symmetry, one at a distance of 70 mm from the edge, the second 25 mm. Take your time, mark as accurately as possible, every mistake is considered critical and cannot be corrected. You will have to redo the base for the mechanism completely.

Step 2. Carefully drill the holes, drill bit diameter 4 mm.

Saw a straight groove between them. Its width should be slightly greater than the thickness of the plate that will later slide into it.

Step 3. Drill two holes in the square, between them you also need to saw a groove, the length corresponds to the width of the plate to be inserted. Two of these are needed.

Step 4. Put all the elements together.

Put a square on a flat surface, put the base of the clamping device on it and a second square on top. In the slots place the prepared plate with a hole at the top end. Weld them together, then invert them in a vice, and firmly weld the hole plate to the lower square.

Turn the construction over again and weld on this side. You should have a mobile unit: two squares sliding on the base plate of the mechanism, with a part with a hole welded to it.

Grind the seams thoroughly with a circular grinder, reinforce weak points if necessary.

instruments, home

Step 5. Prepare one more part, the so-called thrust plate. Length equal to the base width of the clamping mechanism, width about 3 cm. Make a hole in the center for the clamping bolt. Now assemble the assembly.

    Install a thrust plate on the base, insert a clamping bolt in its hole and put a sleeve on it, it is made from a tube of a suitable diameter. You can use improvised materials as templates for setting the right angle.

Step 6. Prepare two ears with holes, length 25 mm each, hole diameter 8 mm.

Install them on the moving plate of the mechanism on both sides and connect them with a bolt. Do not tighten the nut too much, the elements should be able to swing around.

Step 7. Fit the sliding jaws against the parts and weld the assemblies together.

Make sure that all axes are parallel or perpendicular, depending on the purpose and location of the elements. You have to know how a vice works, this will help you choose the right positions for each piece. Weld the parts firmly. After deburring the seams, reassemble the vise to the bolt, again do not overtighten.

instruments, home

Step 8. Now start making the vise stationary unit. You will need a few parts for this one:

The thickness of the metal is 2mm, and the diameter of the hole is chosen according to the size of the bolt, in this case 6mm.

Make a welding seam by placing the short eyelet on the bolt first, then the two long ones, and then the short one.

Step 9. Place the long ears at the edge of the clamping mechanism, exactly in line with the axis of symmetry. Weld them on firmly.

Step 10. Mark the place where the vise halves are secured to the short ears. Clamp the elements, take the vice apart, and reinforce all welds.

Step 11. Make a thrust platform for the screw. It is recommended to use a nut of appropriate thickness for this purpose. This is welded to the moving square from the rear side. The weld is as it always is. Apply all around the perimeter of the parts. Check the working ability and smoothness of movement, the movement of the parts should be light and without various jams when tightening / loosening the screw. If there is a problem. then we need to find and eliminate the cause. It could be burrs, metal leaks, small nerves.

The vise is completely finished. Paint their surfaces with special metal paint and after it dries you can use your hand-made tool.

Popular brands of portable welding machines

Tool for digging holes (not a drill).

Hand tool for digging post holes (not a drill)

At the end of the 80s I had to put up a fence on a newly bought property, and I hastily concocted (by welding and sheet bending) a tool to dig holes for posts, which was very useful and completely solved the problem, even in spite of the clay soil on the site.

I made it at the plant, where I worked at the time, literally for half an hour from the production waste. Use it until now, just today have cut through the two holes to a depth of 1.1m (deeper was not necessary). About 15 minutes. of unhurried work for one hole. The effort required is much less than when drilling with a hand drill. When drilling a hole the soil is filled between the tool flanks, the tool is pulled out of the hole and the soil is extracted from it by tapping on the flanks with a rebar, or just with a boot if the soil is loose.

It consists of two parts of the tool itself and a rod of water and gas pipe with nominal bore 20 (outside diameter 26.8 mm), fastened with a bolt. It was conditioned by the convenience of taking the tool itself out of the factory (I had the tube). It is therefore advisable to simplify the construction and weld the ribs directly to the rod.

Homemade milling machine from an angle grinder with your own hands.

Often milling work is required to build a machine or fixture, but many of these can be done with a simple homemade machine from an angle grinder. Steel parts no longer a problem. In the following video I will show making different parts out of steel.

Wood lathe from a drill.

Review of a homemade hobby lathe from a drill, with improved center and faceplate, which allows it to compete in quality with good industrial models.

Homemade wood lathe with copy router.

A tripod for digital camera with their own hands.