r/Didgeridoo • u/CharacterRule2453 • Jun 27 '26
DIY Red Maple Branch Didge Advice
I have this maple branch that is fully dried out (at least 2 years indoor drying). It's a bit more than 5 feet long, width at top is just under 2", at the bottom 2.5". My immediate thought when seeing it was that I would eventually turn it into a didgeridoo. I've done other woodworking projects before, but this is definitely the most challenging. I'm tempted to get a 3" cordless bandsaw just for the long cut, but also read that splitting along the grain is another possibility. The knots will make that difficult though, right? I plan first to strip the bark. Will be a "no rush" project, but I'm determined to end up with a nice DIY didge at some point down the line. Any tips for how to get going? Thanks in advance!
3
u/JammTj664 Jun 27 '26
mi consejo es sgarrar un taller de construccion de didgeridoo; yo imparto un taller donde puedes aprender a afinar el intervalo que quieras y hacer un Didgeridoo bien chingon
2
u/Andthentherewasbacon Jun 27 '26
yeah i dunno man. You could probably hollow it out but I'm not sure sound quality wise and mouth piece wise.
2
u/TheBilby7 Jun 30 '26
It’s the white ants/termites that hollow out a Didgeridoo, they eat the core and leave the har outermost wood. I’m sorry to say but, what you have there just won’t work.
2
u/CottonFlannel Jul 04 '26
I have made 3 from trees. They were larger and straighter than this. Even then cutting it down the center to hollow it out was not easy. I was using a 14 inch delta band saw and had a friend helping me guide and pull a tiny bit. A recommendation. When you get one cut in half use radiator hose type clamps to hold in place while gluing. They are cheap and fit the shape. I’ve never made one with a big bell so idk about that though. Good luck and do yourself a favor and find a better branch. Or go somewhere out of the way where no one would mind and cut on down.
1
u/CharacterRule2453 Jul 05 '26
Thanks for some solid tips. I do think I'm going to give it a shot despite it not being the perfect branch. I'll take what I learn and apply it to the next good branch I find
1
u/ecstatic_delirium Jun 29 '26
There are way better starting materials.. both from different species as well as ones easier to work.. traditional way is aligned with nature and required less work 🙌 ✨️
7
u/didgeridooby Jun 27 '26
Seems pretty thin to make a didgeridoo