Home >> Toys >> Childrens Toys

How to Make a Tiny Xylophone

A xylophone is a simple, percussive instrument that uses different bars or tubes to produce a range of different notes. They can be very large, with a great range of notes available, or they can be very small and easily portable. You can make one yourself using some bits of scrap material. It's a nice project to do with children and can be accomplished in about half an hour.

Things You'll Need

1/2-inch diameter metal pipe
Hacksaw
Small old picture frame
Screws
Screw driver
Rubber bands
Polyurethane foam
Scalpel
White glue
Teaspoon
Metal file
Computer
Piano

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the metal pipe into six lengths with a hacksaw. Make the first just long enough to span the width of the of the picture frame, then increase the lengths of each successive length in increments of half an inch.
- 2
  Cut two strips of foam and glue them along the long edges of the picture frame. Bang nails gently through the foam and into the picture frame. Position the nails three-fourths of an inch apart.
- 3
  Lay the pipes in ascending order of size between the nails. Twist the ends of each of the pipes three times in rubber bands, and hook the loops at the ends of the bands over the heads of the nails.
- 4
  Wrap a teaspoon tightly in rubber band and tie the band in place. Use this as your beater. Experiment with this and other implements to see which produces the best sound.
- 5
  File down the pipes if you want to tune the instrument. Use a piano or virtual piano to help you see if the notes are in tune. File the tubes down to make them higher pitched. Replace the tubes with slightly longer ones if the notes are too low.

Childrens Toys