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Kazoo Body Construction

   

NEW Making Wooden Kazoos  NEW




These are the same links as other parts of the site (probably), but are grouped by construction method. 

These wooden kazoos are made by the subtractive method. Take a solid piece of wood and remove parts to form the body.   This can include the use of a lathe.

Square or Rectangular

http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/7346/how-to-make-a-kazoo/
This is one of the easiest to make. It doesn't take much in the way of woodworking skills for the basic design, but then you can change it quite a bit. You can use different woods and finish them with a clear protective coating oil, wax, shellac, acrylic, etc. to let the natural beauty of the wood show.  You can stain them to alter the color but still have the grain visible. They can be painted solid colors or with designs.  
                                                           ***WARNING***                                                              
You should make sure that anything you apply to your kazoo is safe to put in your mouth. Many paints, stains and wood finishes are made of substances that may not be dangerous to handle when the object is finished with them, but are not safe internally, even if it is just putting it to your lips. Some materials that are safe may have additives that are not safe to be taken internally.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                



 These kazoo makers use the same principles, but the sizes or shapes may be changed.


These are like the Boy Scout one, but with the corners near the mouth hole cut off and one contrasting strip of wood for the membrane cover and another matching strip on the other side.
http://www.noteworthyjohn.com/kazoo.htm 
I can't tell if he has done it this way, but you could drill the membrane hole all the way through and have both dark strips be membrane covers. Two diaphragms will make it a lot louder.


Doc Kazoo makes his about the same height as width and reduces the cover piece down to a minimum.
 http://aswegohomestead.com/KAZOOS.html
Neither of the two right above have their screw hole countersunk as far as the Boy Scout one.

http://cozykazoo.wix.com/kazoo These are made by an AAK member, who learned to make kazoos from Doc Kazoo, but his have their own distictive look because of the shape and part of the bark is sometimes left on. Since he is in Israel, he has access to some more exotic hard woods. They have nice color and grain, but are harder to work.
Doc makes a lot of his from softer woods like pine and cedar which are a lot easier to work. He sometimes uses hard wood for the cover.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/66553 These are very similar to the first maker, but the bodys are made of strips of contrasting colored wood laminated together.
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http://www.woodstockwoodenkazoo.com/woodstockwoodenkazoos  These are a bit more complicated to make, because the mouth hole is rectangular, not drilled.    (You can click on some of the pictures for an enlargment.)  It looks to me like they are made of at least three pieces., two for the bottom, which may be pine and easier to work and a hardwood top. I can't tell where the air exit hole is. It might be that hole in the back side, but I think that is a hole for a thong or lanyard. I also can't tell how they are attached.  The wavy look could be used on the on the above type kazoos.

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Native American Flute Technique
Split your wood in half lengthwise, hollow out the middle using a gouge, glue it back together, shape the outside, make holes for mouth, membrane and air exit.

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These Kazoos
are made of bamboo,
 which is basically a premade wooden tube, or an Elder branch, which can be made into a tube by removing the pith.


HAGAMOS UN MIRLITON DE CARRIZO Navachiste 2009
YouTube Video showing making mirlitons from bamboo in South America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO0H3Fz0ocU

Jamboree Freedom in Education 
Make a kazoo from an elder branch or bamboo
http://www.jamboree.freedom-in-education.co.uk/w%27s%20craft%20corner/kazoo.htm

More Bamboo Kazoo  plans later.



Contact me at:  

 kazoologist@kazoologist.org