My daughter, Rachel made a Didgeridoo for her friend’s birthday. It was fun, and it looks fantastic!
A homemade Didgeridoo
Materials
- 5.5 feet of wide PVC pipe
- 1 can white plastic primer spray paint
- sand paper
- 2 cans black matte spray paint
- 1 can bold blue spray paint semigloss
- assorted colors of acrylic paint
- reposition-able spray adhesive
- painter’s tape
- artist’s paint brushes
- foam brush
- matte varnish
- 1 block bee’s wax (get this at a craft store or online)
- stainless steel pot for melting wax
Directions
- Have the hardware store cut you a piece of PVC pipe anywhere between 4 and 6 feet long.
- Sand the ends so they are not rough. Use an orbit sander if you have one.
- Spray paint the pipe with the primer. Use the entire can. Shake it well and spray it in fast, short sprays so it does not drip. Practice on something else first so you get a feel for it. You don’t want it to drip down the pipe.
- After it dries, spray paint the entire pipe with the black paint, or whatever color you choose. Do 2-3 coats.
- Make a (thick) paper design as a stencil. Rachel made a lizard with a wrap around tail.
- Spray a light coast of the spray adhesive on the back of the stencil. LET IT DRY COMPLETLY or it will not come off the pipe.
- Tape off the top and bottom 18 inches of the pipe.
- Place your stencil in the center section of the pipe, making sure you press all the edges down frmly so paint does not get under it.
- Spray paint the center section blue, right over the stencil. As soon as you are sure you have good coverage immediately pick off the stencil.
- After it is dry, add more designs freehand with the acrylic paint.
- Let is dry completely. This may take a while depending on the humidity.
- Seal with matte varnish using a foam brush.
- When it is completely dry, you are ready to make the mouthpiece using bee’s wax. Use a heavy stainless steel pot. Pour hot water in it and let the wax sit for 15 minutes. Start working it with your fingers to shape it into a ring the size of the PVC pipe opening. Bee’s wax is flammable so beware! Do not spill it over onto your cooktop.
- When you have finished the ring, melt some of the leftover wax in the pot on low with no water.
- Dip the mouthpiece end of the pipe into the pot of wax, twirling it to coat about 2 inches of the pipe with wax.
- Then pop the wax ring into the microwave in a glass bowl. Nuke it for about 45 seconds to soften it. Quickly shape it over the pipe opening that has been dipped in wax.
- Then dip the entire mouthpiece end of the pipe back into the melted beeswax to seal completely.
Melting a block of bee’s wax is messy!
Shaping the mouthpiece into a ring from the wax
Then you’re done! It’s more difficult to play the didgeridoo than you may think- here’s a brief tutorial on how to play the instrument: http://www.didgeridoostore.com/howtoplay.html
Have fun trying to play the thing!
You won’t be sitting down when you play this!
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