How To Make A Diy Drum Set

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The PVC pipage drum, likewise known as a tubulum, refers to a thongophone fabricated out of PVC pipes. Originally invented in Australia, the thongophone is a unique percussion instrument that looks kind of similar a large xylophone and sounds like a cantankerous between a hand drum and a saucepan pulsate. You brand the pipe drum past attaching PVC pipes of different lengths to a frame, and you play it past striking the opening at the acme to send vibrations downward the pipes. This is a fun instrument and children admittedly honey banging on information technology, just making a pipage drum can exist a difficult projection. Information technology involves cut lots of lumber and PVC pipes, and it can be kind of tricky to keep all of the pipes lined up correctly.

1. ane

   Purchase at least 75 ft (23 m) of 2 in (5.i cm) diameter PVC piping. Head over to your local construction store and purchase your PVC pipes. You'll cut each pipe to size, then it doesn't really matter how long the private pipes are so long every bit none of them are shorter than 140 inches (360 cm).^[ane]

   • This manner of pipe drum will ultimately expect similar a hurdle, or a large letter H with 2 pieces of wood connecting the sides past running beyond the middle. Your pipes will sit vertically in the middle of the frame y'all build and most of your pipes will extend at a ninety-degree angle at the bottom of the instrument. Overall, it will look kind of like a large, continuing pan flute.
   • Yous only need 75 ft (23 chiliad) of PVC pipage if you're using all 11 notes in the pianoforte calibration mentioned below. This measurement volition cover every pipe you need with some actress left over in instance you miscut a slice.
   • Y'all tin use wider or thinner PVC piping if you adopt. The width of the pipes will non change the pitch of each notation you cease up playing, but a wider pipe will make the sound louder and more than resonant. Pipes that are 2 inches (five.1 cm) thick tend to be a popular option because the volume is loud, just not overbearing.

2. 2

   Grab 11 elbow joints with two in (5.1 cm) wide openings to extend the pipes. PVC pipage drums are typically played in a standing position, simply the deeper notes require long pipes that are also tall to stand upwards vertically in one piece. You will cutting these longer pipes to rest at a certain height, but some of the pipe will extend away from you once they reach the ground. To extend these pipes, pick upwardly 11 elbow joints that match the thickness of your PVC pipes.^[two]

   • You practise not need whatsoever PVC glue to adhere the joints. They fit together past manus and PVC mucilage is designed to prevent leaks. Since you aren't running liquid through the pipes, yous don't need PVC mucilage.

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3. 3

   Measure out the lengths of the pipes for your notes and marking them off. The length of your pipe influences the note it will play when yous strike the top of the pipe. At that place's a complex formula to make up one's mind the lengths, but it's easier to just cut them based on the tried and truthful lengths for the notes on a piano calibration to get a wide range of sounds. Catch a measuring tape, measure each altitude on the piping, and mark information technology off with a permanent marker.^[3]

   • If y'all want to tune your notes to be perfect, cut each pipe a trivial long and sand the finish down slowly after playing each annotation to compare information technology with the notation on a tuner.

   Notes and Corresponding Pipe Lengths:
   

   G2 – 138.6 inches (352 cm)
   

   A2 – 123.6 inches (314 cm)
   

   B2 – 109.8 inches (279 cm)
   

   C3 – 103.ix inches (264 cm)
   

   D3 – 92.five inches (235 cm)
   

   E3 – 82.3 inches (209 cm)
   

   F3 – 78 inches (200 cm)
   

   G3 – 69.3 inches (176 cm)
   

   A3 – 61.viii inches (157 cm)
   

   B3 – 55.i inches (140 cm)
   

   C4 – 52.0 inches (132 cm)

4. 4

   Soften the PVC with a silicone-based lubricant to make cutting easier. Set your first cut mark down between ii saw horses. Then, spray a bead of silicone-based lubricant over the hash marker you fabricated for the first cutting. This softens the PVC and make it much easier to cut.^[4]

   • The silicone lubricant may wash some of the marker abroad, but you lot should even so be able to see the basic outline of your cut. Information technology's non the end of the world if your cuts are off by fractions of an inch (or centimeter).
   • WD-xl is the most popular product for this, but any silicone lubricant will piece of work. Yous tin also use cooking oil if you prefer.

5. v

   Cut the pipes to size with a PVC pipe cutter or handsaw. Put on a dust mask and protective eyewear. If you're using a handsaw, caryatid the pipe with your nondominant hand and drag the teeth on the bract dorsum and forth over the hash marking to cut the pipe to size. If you're using a PVC pipe cutter, wrap the jaws around the pipe, shut the handles, and move the handles upwards and downwards repeatedly to cut through the pipage.^[five]

   • Repeat this process with the lubricant and the cutter or handsaw for each pipe you need to cut.
   • It'southward easier to do this with PVC pipe cutters, but these are a specialty tool you may not have in your garage. At that place's nothing wrong with using a handsaw for this.

6. 6

   Measure out and mark each pipe longer than your desired height for the instrument. Fix your pipes down on a drop cloth in society from shortest to tallest. Then, cull a height for the pipes to sit when you lot play. For an average developed, 45–55 inches (110–140 cm) is platonic, although y'all tin can measure up to the role player'southward omphalus for a more than specific measurement. Measure downward from each pipe and put a hash marker on any pipage that's longer than your desired height.^[half-dozen]

   • Keep in heed, y'all need 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) of clearance underneath the elbow joint to business relationship for the floor.
   • To make certain the pipes sit vertically on the aforementioned level, you volition cut each pipe that's longer than your desired height and utilize 1 of your elbow joints to attach the rest of the piping. The elbow joints volition not impact the note or sound at all, then there's no harm in doing this if you're aiming for accurate notes.

7. 7

   Cutting any excessively long pipes with a handsaw or PVC pipe cutter. Cut each piping that's longer than your desired height with a PVC pipe cutter or handsaw the same style yous cut them earlier. For example, if you want the pipes to exist 50 in (130 cm) tall, trim every pipe fifty inches (130 cm) or longer forth the marks you made. Cut perpendicular into the PVC pipage with your round saw forth each marker yous made to turn your longer pipes into multiple pieces.^[vii]

   • Don't forget to tack on 2–four inches (5.1–10.2 cm) for the basis clearance.
   • Don't lose track of which length goes with which pipage. Go on your pieces laid out on the ground and put the 2 cut ends together to avoid getting mixed upward. If you do get mixed up, just rearrange your pipes from shortest to tallest.

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1. 1

   Put on some gloves, a dust mask, and protective eyewear. To build the vertical frame, y'all're going to cut some lumber. Put on some thick gloves, a dust mask, and protective eyewear to proceed yourself safe. Gear up 2 sawhorses up outside or in a well-ventilated area and bring your circular saw out to cut your lumber.^[eight]

   • You can always mountain the pipes on whatsoever apartment, vertical stand up for an easier option. Realistically, anything that holds the pipes upright is fine if y'all don't desire to build a frame.

2. 2

   Buy thirty ft (9.1 k) of 2 past 4 in (5.i by 10.ii cm) boards and cut them to size as yous work. For each lath you cut, set the board on peak of two saw horses and clamp them in identify with mitt clamps. To cut, continue both easily on the handle and pull the trigger to let the blade go up to speed. Slowly movement the saw forward and let the bract bulldoze through the wood.^[9]

   • The length you're cutting to depends entirely on personal preference and the peak y'all set for the instrument. If you want the pipes to exist fifty inches (130 cm) off of the floor and you're using 11 pipes, yous'll need 2 side boards that are 45–47 inches (110–120 cm) long, two railings that are 62 inches (160 cm) long, and 2 base of operations pieces that are anywhere from 24–48 inches (61–122 cm) long depending on your preference.
   • Become white boards if you desire the wood to match the color of your PVC pipes.
   • Whatsoever saw blade designed to cut wood will piece of work for this.

3. 3

   Measure off and cut ii boards to brand the sides of the frame. Set the height for the sides to exist 3–v inches (7.6–12.seven cm) shorter than the meridian y'all desire the pipes to residue so that the pipes stick out past the frame. Measure off two identical boards and use your circular saw to cut them to size. These 2 boards volition be the sides of the frame and they'll stand vertically, parallel to your pipes.^[ten]

   • For example, if you lot want the pipes to sit 40 inches (100 cm) off of the ground, cut your sides to exist 35–37 inches (89–94 cm) tall.
   • The sides volition residue with the wide sides facing in. Just go along this mind every bit you go frontwards with the frame.

4. 4

   Gear up the sides on the footing and spread your pipes out in between them. Identify your 2 sides parallel on the ground on a drop cloth and suit your pipes from brusk to tall in between these sides. Infinite your pipes out then that at that place are three–4 inches (vii.half-dozen–x.ii cm) of space between each pipe depending on your personal preference. Leave the same amount of infinite between the pipes on the ends and your sides.^[11]

   • You're going to use pipage straps as brackets for your PVC pipes. These straps take upwards roughly 1 in (2.5 cm) on each side equally they sit on the pipes, so 3 inches (7.6 cm) between pipes will requite yous enough space to mount your pipe straps on the same horizontal row.
   • Keeping a consistent distance between your pipes will make it much easier to play your pipe drum since you'll accept an easier fourth dimension committing the moves to memory.

   Tip: While you're spacing the pipes out, note the overall shape of the frame. This is what your musical instrument will wait it—there are 2 sides boards and your pipes run parallel in between them. The 2 railings sit down perpendicular to the pipes and sides, and you lot're going to attach the pipes to the railings.

5. 5

   Cut 2 railings to size to mount your pipes on the frame. Measure the distance from the outside border of 1 side board to the outside edge of the other side lath. This is the minimum length for your railings. Cut two identical pieces of forest to make the railings that volition sit perpendicular to the sides and hold your pipes in place.^[12]

   • If y'all're using 11 pipes that are all two inches (5.1 cm) thick and you want 3 inches (7.six cm) between each pipe, your railings must be at least 62 inches (160 cm) long.

6. 6

   Screw the railings into the sides where they overlap on the edges. On a apartment surface, lay your railings downwards on superlative of your sides. Put your offset railing in the center between both sides like you lot're edifice an H-shape. Identify the 2nd railing 6–12 inches (fifteen–xxx cm) in a higher place the first railing so they both sit parallel to one some other. Double-bank check both railings to make certain they're perfectly perpendicular to the sides. Line the edges up on each railing so that they sit flush. And then, grab some 3 in (7.6 cm) wood screws. Drive at to the lowest degree ii screws through each railing to attach them to the sides.^[xiii]

   • Double-check the base of the sides before doing this to brand sure the sides are flush with 1 another. If they aren't, your frame may terminate up a little uneven when you stand information technology up to attach your pipes.

7. 7

   Stand up your sides up on a flat surface and brace the frame on the bottom. Lift your sides and railings up and set them down on a flat surface. Balance them a piddling then that they balance on the thin bottoms of each side. Then, grab some cinderblocks or bricks and set them down inside of each side to brace your frame and concord them in identify.^[14]

   • You're about to install the base for the frame. The sides must be resting vertically to ensure that the boards on the bottom are flush with the ground.

8. 8

   Lay down 2 symmetrical boards, perpendicular to each vertical side. Cut 2 boards to be two–four feet (0.61–i.22 yard) long depending on how broad you want the base to be. Place 1 of these boards on the outside of each side, flush confronting the next board and the footing, roughly in the middle of each base of operations board.^[15]

   • This should look like an upside-down T-shape on each side.

9. 9

   Drill the perpendicular boards to the sides to make your base. Catch three-5 forest screws that are roughly 3 in (7.vi cm) in length. Run the screws through the base of operations and into the side lath where the 2 pieces of wood overlap on each finish of the frame. Be conscientious while doing this, and enlist a friend to brace the base of operations boards if you can, since these demand to stay on the ground while y'all're drilling.^[16]

   • This should look similar a hurdle when you're done.

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1. 1

   Install your pipes from shortest to longest going right to left. Lay your pipes on the footing in front of your frame. Adapt them with the shortest pipes on your right and the longest pipes on your left. This way, your pipe drum will emulate the layout of a pianoforte. The higher pitched notes will rest on the right and the lowest notes will sit on your left.^[17]

   • You can arrange them the other mode if yous really prefer, only it'll be easier to memorize notes if y'all do information technology this way.

   Tip: Brand sure y'all lay your pipes downward so that the lengths you cut to extend off of an elbow joint are sticking on the same side. You merely install the top half of the pipes you cut and the short pipes directly on the frame. Those longer pieces you cut go along the lesser and stick out from elbow joints.

2. 2

   Concur your start pipage in place confronting the 2 railings. Have your first pipe and hold information technology up on the frame. Use a spirit level to line it up to residuum perfectly parallel to the sides. Use a measuring tape to ensure you continue your 3–4 inches (seven.vi–10.ii cm) of space between the side and the pipe. Double-check the elevation and brand adjustments so the opening of the pipage sits at your ideal pinnacle.^[18]

   • This is much easier if you have a friend or family unit member helping you out. 1 person can hold the pipe and the other can line it upwardly with the level and bank check the measurements.

3. 3

   Wrap a pipe strap around the PVC where it meets the top railing. Grab a pipe strap, which is a flexible metal bracket for hanging pipes, and wrap it effectually the pipe where information technology meets the peak railing in the heart of the lath. Shape the piping strap by manus and push the sides with the nail slots on them flush against the forest.^[nineteen]

   • Pipage straps are cheap and extremely easy to work with. You can shape them by hand, only they hold their shape one time yous're done adjusting them.
   • Pinch the back of the strap backside the pipe where it's shut to the wood. Each pipe strap yous install should have a circular shape around the pipe and 2 flat tabs sticking out against the woods.

4. 4

   Drive wood screws through the slots on the strap to attach it. Catch some i–2 in (2.5–v.one cm) wood screws. Line the first woods screw upwardly with the opening on the pipage strap's tab and drill the screw into the wood to adhere the first tab. Repeat this process on the 2d tab on the reverse side to finish installing your first pipage strap.^[20]

5. 5

   Adhere an identical pipe strap on the second railing. With your first pipe strap in place, repeat this process on the railing below. Add a second pipe strap in the middle of the railing, wrap it effectually the PVC pipe, and bulldoze 2 screws into the pipe strap to go along in identify.^[21]

   • Using 2 pipe straps ensures your PVC pipes don't bounce to the side every fourth dimension you lot play them.
   • If you always need to replace a pipage, simply loosen the screws on each pipe strap and slide the pipage out.

6. 6

   Repeat this procedure for each PVC pipe y'all're installing. Take your next pipe and line information technology up then that's three–4 inches (vii.6–10.2 cm) away from your first pipage. Repeat the entire installation procedure by lining it upwardly with a spirit level, adjusting the peak so the opening sits level with the starting time pipe, and using ii pipe straps to agree it in identify on the railings. Practice this for every pipage in your pulsate set.^[22]

   • Line your pipe straps up so that they're level too. If they end up overlapping for some reason, merely stagger them as you lot install them then they create a kind of zigzag pattern on the railings.

7. 7

   Attach the elbow joints and slide the pipe extensions into place. On the bottom of each piping, slide an elbow joint over the end of the PVC piping. The joints will slide into identify and rest on the bottom. For the notes with extensions on the bottom, slide your pipes into the corresponding openings and let them stick out from the base of your pulsate.^[23]

   • If they're in the correct gild, the pipes on the bottom should get progressively longer as you become from the highest note to the lowest note.

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1. ane

   Hit the pinnacle of your pipes with open up palms for a simple way to play. The easiest way to play the drums is to simply hit each note with an open up hand. Strike the opening at the tiptop of the pipe with an open palm and then that your mitt hits each portion of the PVC at the same time to brand the sound. Keep in mind, your easily may go sore pretty quickly if you go this road.^[24]

   • When you lot strike the tiptop of the pipe, air moves through information technology and the pipage vibrates at the same frequency as the air moves. The longer the pipe, the farther this vibration travels. This triggers a audio on the other end of the pipage, kind of similar to a hand drum.
   • If you used a handsaw to cut your pipes, y'all must sand the opening at the meridian down if you lot're going to use your palms. Just get some 200-dust sandpaper and run it around the rim at the peak of the pipe to polish information technology down.

2. 2

   Grab a set of flip flops to make a elementary set of drumsticks. For a simple set of drumsticks, catch some foam or plastic flip flops. Hold each flip flop by the heel and swing the front half of the flip flop down on height of the pipes. This volition make your notes louder and yous can easily supervene upon the flip flops if they ever break.^[25]

   • If you want to prolong the lifespan of your flip flop drumsticks, wrap them in electrical tape.

   Tip: You can gum a small piece of wood to each flip bomb to give your drumsticks a stiffer sound.^[26]

3. iii

   Wrap some foam paper around stiff fly swatters for a smoother sound. Choice upwards 2 stiff fly swatters. Cut out some foam paper using pair of scissors to match the size of the fly swatter. Mucilage the cream paper to each side of the fly swatter and let information technology dry for 2-3 hours. To hitting the pipes with these sticks, hold the fly swatter by the handle and swing it down and then that the flat head of the fly swatter strikes the opening of the pipage.^[27]

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• This project makes for a fun science fair experiment if you desire to study how sound changes based on the distance it travels.^[28]

• This instrument was popularized by the performers in the Blue Man Group, who utilize a behemothic PVC piping pulsate in some of their shows.^[29]

Thank you for submitting a tip for review!

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• Continue your hands away from any cutting tools as you're using them. Ever habiliment your dust mask, protective eyewear, and gloves when operating a power saw.

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Things You lot'll Need

• PVC pipes
• Elbow joints
• Permanent marker
• Silicone-based lubricant
• PVC piping cutter or handsaw
• Measuring tape
• Sawhorses
• Lumber
• Circular saw
• Paw clamps
• Protective eyewear
• Dust mask
• Gloves
• Wood screws
• Spirit level
• Pipe straps
• Drop cloth
• Flip flops (optional)
• Scissors (optional)
• Electrical record (optional)
• Wood handle (optional)
• Fly swatter (optional)
• Foam paper (optional)

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