How to Make a Cookie Tin Ukulele
You don't casually buy a musical instrument, you make an investment. For example, a new piano will cost a minimum of $2,500, and a not-so-good violin will set you back at least $200. For that reason, many would-be musicians are now making their own rather than spending big money for a new one. Start easy by making a ukulele out of a cookie tin. It has four strings; and if you follow the instructions, you'll end up with one that will compete with instruments costing hundreds.
Things You'll Need
- Cookie tin
- 3-foot piece of wood
- Electric drill
- Frets or marker
- Tin snips
- Bridge
- Nut
- 4 tuners
- Wood glue
Instructions
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Find a cookie tin that's at least 10 inches across and with a lid. Many cookie tins that are out today are made of lighter gauge tin or aluminum, so look around for an older one that will probably be sturdier.
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Find a piece of wood that's about 3 feet long, about 1½ inches wide and about 1¼ inches deep, although those figure can vary some. That is for the ukulele's neck that will have to be altered slightly to accommodate the four tuners at the top of the head. To do that, drill four holes through the wood at the top of the head, using the drill bit called for in the instructions with the tuners. The first two should be across from one another, about ½ inch from the sides and about 2 inches from the top. The second two should be drilled about 2 inches down the head from the first holes you drilled.
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3
Get fancy with your ukulele and add frets, or simply draw them on the neck. Frets are spaced about 3/4 inch from each other, and you should have about 10 of them.
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Assemble your ukulele. First, the lid of the cookie tin should face out with its underside nearest your body. Measure your piece of wood and draw those dimensions as close to the bottom edge as you can. To avoid reverberation, make the hole with tin snips as tight as possible as the head is inserted. Run the head to the backside of the cookie tin so that it abuts the edge. Finally, drill a screw through the backside of the cookie tin and the head to secure them.
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5
Install the bridge, the nut or spreader, and the tuners for which you have already drilled holes. Music stores have bridges and nuts to finish your ukulele for a few dollars. Otherwise, take them off an existing instrument. A little wood glue is all you need to install the bridge and the nut, and attach the tuners according to the directions.
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