How to Make Wooden Musical Spoons

Use wooden spoons and a clothespin to make a musical spoon instrument.

Musical spoons are a classic American folk instrument. Originally improvised by gripping two spoons between the fingers, a musical spoon instrument attaches the spoon to a handle and allows the player greater freedom in playing without the need to carefully grip. While most musical spoon instruments are made with metal spoons, there are certain musical settings that call for the more subdued and particular "clack" of a set of wooden spoons.

Things You'll Need

• 2 wooden spoons of the same size and shape
• Old-fashioned clothespin
• Rotary cutter with grinding bit
• Wood glue
• Clear tape
• Miniature cork
• Rubber band

Instructions

1. Mark the handles of the spoons according to the length of the clothespin's legs. Hold up the clothespin against the bottom of each spoon and mark the spot on the spoon where the leg ends. This will help you know how much of each spoon to re-shape before gluing.

2. Use a rotary cutter attachment to grind down the sides of the spoon handles to fit the shape of the clothespin. Up to the spots you've marked, round and hollow the bottoms of the spoons' handles on the same sides as the round bottoms of the spoons' cups. This will allow you to glue the spoons to the curved outsides of the clothespin to get a bitter fit.

3. Attach the spoons to the clothespin using wood glue. Position the round bottoms of the spoons to face inward toward each other. Use rubber bands or tape to secure the spoons to the clothespin while the glue is drying.

4. Insert the miniature cork between the legs of the clothespin. Push the cork down between the clothespin's legs just far enough to put a little distance between the spoon heads, enough that they'll clack when you shake and tap the instrument to play it.

5. Wrap a rubber band around the outside of the clothespin legs around the point where the cork is inserted. This will keep the cork from flying out but allow the instrument to have enough give and bounce to be played.