How to build a Cajon Drum.
jtp...@gmail.com
of wood is best? Thickness? Size of the sound hole? Overall dimensions?
Do I have to have the strings? I am a tone deaf woodworker, so I need
more of the mechanics of it than anything.
Thank you.
Jim
jtp...@gmail.com
BigDaddyDeaton
I did some research about a year ago. Here is what I found. (Many
thanks to Steve Tierra)
If I am breaking a rule of etiquete with this posting, I apologize in
advance. Please let me know what I should have done.
How to build a Cajon
From: Steve Tierra
The caja I ended up being most satisfied with was made of 1/4"
mahogany ply with light pine framing. I made it as a thinner
rectangle...about 18" high (comfortable enough to sit on while playing
a conga) - with a 24" face and about 8 " deep. I found that a second
layer of ply glued to the INSIDE of one large face gave me a great bass
tone, while leaving the other sides thin and light. I cut my opening at
the bottom and elevated the caja on wood strips about 1" off the
floor). If you want better info drop me line and I'll go into more
detail.
AND......
Here is some old info I had lying about. Mostly useful , though my own
approach has changed a bit. You learn a lot just by making them...
Here's what follow up information I can offer on measurements for
cajones.
Most cajas (bass cajones) I've seen are large enough to sit on
comfortably and essentially rectangular ie. made of straight sides and
90 degree angles. They are a box with all six sides, including the
bottom! I recently had occasion to play one (briefly) that was
'tapered' (side to side) and used two playing faces. Measurements
for that caja are:
22" wide across the face
17 ¾ " high
15 ¾" wide right side (bass side)
13" wide on the left side
(that creates a taper from right to left)
Sound hole was a crescent (running top to bottom) cut in the rear of
the
smaller side, 16 ¾" long to a max depth of 3 5/8"
Considering the following info you might want to serious consider your
own body configuration in designing a caja. Measure the height of drum
throne when you are sitting comfortably and consider that for the
height....then mock up how wide the caja should be for your arm length.
etc. The sound will obviously vary but I suspect that he caja police
will not come get you in the middle of the night.
I understand that many of the cajas currently for sale are based on the
Peruvian model, played on the front face with a round sound hole in the
back panel.
Two smaller cajones (cajitas) in quinto sizes and range that I've had
a chance to play are both made for ½"ply with 1/8" door skin for
the top surface.
(following measurements are all O.D.)
One with ALL sides and faces glued is 10x10" on top, tapering to 4
3/8 x 4 3/8". The sides are 13 ¼ long.
Another with a 'rattle top" (two countersunk screws one each top
edge - corners left un attached) is also 10x10" but tapers to 5
¼" with 12" long sides.
I have seen 'conga range' cajones in larger proportions than the
'quinto'
version but have not had a chance to measure one. -looked something
like
20-24" high with a 12x12" top and tapered side panels. You can get
a good idea of what these look like from the pictures on the liners
notes to the new Conjunto Clave y Guaguanco CD "Dejala en la
Puntica". These are the height of a standard conga, taper to an
(apparent) open bottom with palying surfaces that seem about 12x12".
One conguero appears to be playing a full height cajita (quinto) with a
smaller top. These look much like the units that Barky just
built.....painted and all.!
________
Here is some additional info I received from Luis Nunez (ex?) list
member:
Just saw the discussion in the archives.
Went to see Poncho (Quinto) yesterday. The set up was this:
Poncho sitting on a cajon 4'x18"x18" lying horizontal. Base (buzz) on
right. Buzz is given by leaving @ 1/4 of the box face unattached.
Tight
(high) on left. In front he had a tumba and conga which he
sometimes played with spoons. On right he had three batas piled
into a pyramid (played large heads only). Bell by his left foot that
he
played with the spoons.
Guy playing caja 24"x18"x18" tapering to 8"x8" with bells attached to a
cloth strip tacked along the front top edge.
Guy playing quinto 12"x8"x8" tapering to 6"x6"
Material was spruce plywood 1/8" for faces 1/2" for sides of cajon.
1/8"
spruce ply for face 1/2" for sides of caja. 1/8" face and 1/4" sides
for
quinto.
I do have a little quinto that's nothing but a 10"x10"x6" box. The 10"
faces are 1/8" ply. The sides are 1/2" ply.
Motto: always carry a little tape measure.
Also, I have some PDF plans I will email you. If anybody else wants
copies, please let me know.
Seventeenus
Tyrone sevente...@yahoo.com
bja...@iwaynet.net
he made a simple rectangular box out of 1/2" wood (not plywood) with a
1/8" birch plywood playing side. He put the hole on the side rather
than the back. I find the idea of thin wood and a frame interesting.
But I notice that a thicker panel was added to the inside to give more
bass.
I've seen the commercial tube cajones but the ones I've played were not
all that impressive to me compared to the rectangular ones. I also find
these descriptions of very long sideways boxes interesting. I've not
seen these. And I've not seen the tapered ones either. Does the taper
give a purer sound? I know builders of speaker cabinets say a
rectangular box is the worst design for sound though most speakers are
built that way.
I would love to get your plans too!
You can email me at: benjac at mrk-inc.com
benj
czavier
If it's not to much of a hassle, could you please send me the pdf plans
also. My email is gx...@hotmail.com.
Thanks,
Cza
ah5ive
I am interest to know how to build it too! Can I have the pdf plans?
thks
jason
CHR15COX
Thanks
cjg
me the PDF plans it would be great. chris...@hotmail.com
colbert1000
i have come across a couple of pine wine boxes i ws thinking about trying
to convert them into cajons. thanks for the info...i love the somplicity
of instrument for great sounds. i would also like a pdf of plans to chew
over if thats still possible.`
i haven't heard anyone mention guitar strings built inside for "snare"(?)
effect? does anyone have any thoughts? as far as i have been told a couple
of old strings are attached (not sure how) loosely to the inside...i have
realy only heard the sound & was quite impressed...
thanks
colbert
jtp...@gmail.com
Christmas. Did any of you ever build one? What was your experience?
-Jim
Jall2...@aol.com
Hello all you Cajon Player, I am looking to build a Cajon and need
plans . I see that CJG wrote that he has PDF plans . Could any one
please send me a copy. I play Drums in a Band, we were invited to a Jam
session and there was a young boy sitting on a Box then started to
play. my band was so excited about it and want me to try it out, now
we are all so crazy about having one. You have to think I live in
Germany and this Instument is not so Popular here yet like back home in
the states.
Would realy appreciate it if I could get plan and tips. even with the
snare sound would be great.
Thanks,
Jimmy A.
c0ugar
I want to build one for acoustic-sessions or small gigs.
Many thanks!
Volker
matt_
I'd love to build a cajon box drum too, and I'd be really greatful if u
were to email those pdf plans to me.
Thanks a lot
Matthew
matt_h...@hotmail.com
BigDaddyDeaton
my butt and built my first cajon this weekend. It is not a sit-on top.
You hold and play it like a conga. Here are the dimensions and
materials:
The top (head) is 15"x15" 3mm (3ply) birch plywood I bought at my local
hardwood store. ~$4
The sides are 1/2" birch faced plywood I got at my local builing supply
store (Menards) ~7.00
The side panels are 25" tall. 15" at the top tapering to 4.5" at the
bottom. I don't think you could make the cuts without a tablesaw.
I glued it up with Titebond II (no metal fasteners) and rounded all of
the corners by hand with a palm sander
Total cost = $11.00
Total time = About 2.5 hours spread over a weekend
Results:
It's really light - maybe 5 lbs
It has good volume and passible tone seperation with a light touch
(jamming in the kitchen volume). Deep bass, OK tone, The slap is
distinct, but not too crisp.
Playing it harder adversely effects the tone seperation. The bass
doesn't get louder, only slappier. The tone gets louder and slappier,
the slaps get better, but they still don't really pop.
The head seems kind of flabby. If it were a skin head, it would
need tightening.
What I'm planning to do next:
Add some stylish legs to it. Screw them to the sides.
Add a couple ~5" slap pads on the corners.
Make another cajon with identical body dimensions but use 1/4" 5
ply for the top and see if it "tightens it up" a little.
Any thoughts/comments/suggestions? Please send them my way.
FranzFelipe
thank you very much for the information.. it would be much easier and more
accurate to construct the drum if there are pictures and procedures how to
go about it. if you a have copy of such, please extend your generosity
by providing me with a copy. thank you very much and God Bless!
Franz Felipe
bja...@iwaynet.net
Here is a secret.
The plans that Big Daddy sent me that you seek, (were in Dutch and
Spanish) that I partially translated into English can be found on my
website.
Go to my website: www.drbengenius.com
When you get there you'll notice that the above address is really just
an alias and the true URL will appear (www.mrk-inc.com etc.)
now add the following to THAT address: /Cajon.zip/
Only one / between things.
Note that ONLY the C in cajon is upper case. Case IS important!
Then use that whole new address to access the website and your computer
should then try to download that file. Just download it and there you
go! Good luck!
Benj