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How to Make Your Own Gramophone

Gramophones play records by means of a needle, which traces around grooves in a record, and a cone that amplifies the sound of the needle's vibrations. Although the look and sound quality of professionally built gramophones is difficult to replicate at home, you can build your own functional version with materials you have lying around the house. You can finish this project in a few minutes and use it to impress your friends and family.

Things You'll Need

Construction paper
Tape
Metal needle
Record
Turntable or spindle

Instructions

- 1
  Roll a piece of construction paper of any length into a cone. The cone should form a secure point at one end.
- 2
  Tape your cone along the seam of the construction paper so that the paper does not move when handled.
- 3
  Secure a metal needle to the end of your paper cone with the tape. Pull on the needle gently to ensure that it won't come off easily.
- 4
  Place a record on a turntable. If you don't have a turntable, place a spindle that will securely fit the hole of your record on a flat surface, and place the record on the spindle. Rotate the record to make sure it doesn't drag along the surface. The record should not touch anything but the spindle itself.
- 5
  Hold the cone over your record so that the needle falls into one of the records grooves. Turn the record with your hand to play the music. Alter the speed of rotation to speed up or slow down the sound.

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