Use a hardwood like rosewood to make a slit drum out of bowls.
A tongue drum, or slit drum, is simply a box with slits cut into it to produce differing resonating sounds. You can use a variety of woods to make this kind of drum. Use a hardwood for the top side of the drum with any other type of wood as the base, although you can use the same type of wooden bowls for this project. The key to the tongue drum is varying the lengths and widths of the slits in the wood. You can decide how many slits you want to make in a tongue drum with two wooden bowls.
Instructions
1. Set one bowl with the open side up. This will be the base of the tongue drum.
2. Position the other bowl upside down on top of the first bowl so that the bottom of the bowl is facing up. This is the top of the drum.
3. Draw six 1/2-inch-long-by-1/2-inch-wide horseshoe-shaped markings around the edge of the bottom of the top bowl. Leave 1/4-inch of space between each horseshoe shape. Use the marking gauge to mark the lines to prepare for cutting.
4. Make straight cuts along the lines you made with the marking gauge with the 1/4-inch straight bit on the router saw. The bowl will to have six tongues cut into the bottom of the bowl.
5. Apply wood glue to the rim of the base bowl. Turn the slit bowl over and place the rim of that bowl directly on top of the rim of the base bowl.
6. Attach the clamp to the bowls. Allow the glue to dry overnight.
7. Drill a hole 1/3-inch deep in each super ball-bouncing ball with a 1/8-inch drill bit.
8. Stick the wooden dowels into the holes in the bouncing balls.
9. Remove the clamp from the bowls. Sand the edges to meld the two bowls evenly together. Wipe away any grit from the sander.
Tags: bottom bowl, tongue drum, base bowl, marking gauge, slit drum