How to Make a Foot Stomp Box
A foot stomp box, also called an acoustic stomp box, is a musical instrument that musicians tap with their feet or dance on to create percussive rhythms. It typically consists of a wooden box or a thick piece of wood and a contact microphone. The most versatile stomp boxes are made from boxes with flat tops. This allows you to use them while standing and sitting.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood
- Saw
- Drill
- Flat wood bit (optional)
- Rag
- Wood glue
- Bar clamp
- Piezo contact microphone
- Sand paper
- Rubber feet or adhesive rubber pads or sheets
Instructions
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1
Determine the size of the stomp box. If you play music standing up, your stompbox should have a short height, so you don't trip. If you sit, you can consider taller heights. Also, think about whether you will be traveling with it and if it needs to fit inside a gig bag. If you dance, your stomp box should accommodate the size of your feet.
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2
Determine which type of wood sounds best. Experiment by tapping different types of wooden boxes with your foot and listening to the sound. Use boxes of different sizes and thicknesses, if possible, and take notes on which types you like best.
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3
Cut four side pieces from your wood with a saw, such as a hacksaw or circular saw. The dimensions of the side pieces with the shortest lengths are equal to the height and width of the box. The dimensions of the longer side pieces are equal to the box's height and its length minus the thicknesses of the two shorter side pieces.
For example, if you are creating a box that is 3 inches tall, 4 inches wide and 12 inches long from 1-inch thick wood, use the following dimensions:
Two shorter side pieces = box height by box width = 3 inches by 4 inches each
Two longer side pieces = box height by (box length minus wood thickness of shorter side pieces) = 3 inches by 12 inches - (1 inch x 2) = 3 inches by 10 inches each -
4
Drill a hole in the center of one of the shorter side pieces. Use a drill bit that can create a hole large enough to accommodate your microphone's cable. For large holes — used for sound holes, rather than cables — use a flat wood bit. Sound holes allow you to capture sound with an external microphone.
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Cut the top and bottom pieces. Their dimensions are equal to the length and width of the box. For example, if you are creating a box that is 3 inches tall, 4 inches wide and 12 inches long from 1-inch thick wood, each piece is 4 inches by 12 inches.
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6
Wipe all of the wood pieces with a rag to remove dust and debris.
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7
Place the bottom piece on a flat surface.
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8
Put small beads of wood glue along the top, right and left sides of one of the shorter side pieces -- these are the joints that connect to the other pieces. Align the piece with the edge of the bottom piece, and firmly press it onto the bottom piece with the glued side down.
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Put small beads of wood glue along the top, right and left sides of one of the longer side pieces -- these are the joints that connect to the other pieces. Align the piece with the edges of the bottom piece and the shorter side piece you glued, and firmly press it onto the bottom piece with the glued side down. Repeat this process to glue the other long side piece.
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10
Put small beads of wood glue along the top, bottom and sides of one of the shorter side pieces -- these are the joints that connect to the other pieces. Align the piece with the edges of the bottom piece and the two longer side pieces, and firmly press it down with the glued side down.
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11
Adjust the locations of the side pieces with your hands before the glue dries to properly align them if necessary.
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12
Clamp the pieces together using a bar clamp.
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13
Wait for the glue to dry. Remove the bar clamp.
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14
Wipe off excess glue with a rag.
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15
Put a piezo contact microphone inside the box. Secure it to the box according to the microphone's instructions. You may need screws, tape or some other adhesive. Pull the microphone's cable through the round hole you drilled in the side.
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16
Put small beads of wood glue along the top of the assembled box pieces. Align the top piece with the assembled pieces and place it on top.
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17
Clamp the top piece to the box.
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18
Wait for the glue to dry. Remove excess glue with a rag.
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19
Sand down the box's exterior with sand paper until smooth.
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20
Screw rubber feet to the bottom of the box. Alternatively, apply adhesive rubber pads or sheets to the box's bottom.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't want to build an entire box, attach rubber feet and a contact microphone to a tonal piece of wood, such as maple or mahogany.
If you can't cut wood at home, some hardware stores can cut wood for you.
If the glue dries and the edges don't align as well as you'd like, sand down the excess wood.
Screw the top or bottom of the box, instead of using glue, if you want to use different types of contact microphones.
Decorate your box with paint or a wood finish.
Your box may not hold its shape if you don't clamp it while the glue dries.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
