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Step 2Bamboo Flute: End-blown Shakuhachi
The Shakuhachi is an ancient, end-blown flute from japan. It is fabled to have developed from an earlier version called the hitoyogiri that was brought from China to Japan around the time Buddhism was introduced. The Shakuhachi was originally played by Fuke Zen Buddhist priests known as the Komuso, or the "priests of nothingness". They would carry their instruments strapped to their sides wherever they went, playing "Honkyoku" pieces to gain enlightenment and as the practice of Blowing Zen. The Komuso wear large woven baskets over their heads to indicate their lack of vanity and ego, not removing them even to play the Shakuhachi. These Zen priests still exist today, taking great care and passion the playing of the Shakuhachi. The Shakuhachi itself is known for being made from the root end of the bamboo plant, usually thought to be an ornament, yet it is likely the dense root section was used in place of a weapon to protect the Zen priests.
Root End:
Traditionally, the Shakuhachi is made from a piece of bamboo which includes it's roots. This is partly ornamental, yet it does also provide a piece of bamboo with a thinner bore. For some, root-end bamboo is only available through order, though the piece I used was simply a stalk I had ripped out of the ground. It covered in dirt and little shoots and runners, all of which we need to remove (fig.1,2). Begin by giving your root a thorough rinse-down (fig.3,4). Then remove any excess root so that only two "Root-nodes" are at the base of the flute (fig.5,6). Dry off your piece and bring it into the shop (fig.7,8). Cut of all the runners and roots using the cutting wheel on your rotary tool (fig.9). Leave only a ring of roots about 3mm high (fig.10). Then, place a sanding bit on your rotary tool and smooth out the ring of roots so they are all in an even circle (fig.11,12). It would be a good idea to now sand down the actual end of the bamboo, which is rough from the previous cut. I first used my sander (fig.13,14), and then the sanding bit on my rotary too to achieve a rounded, smooth end to the flute (fig.15,16).
Making the Cut:
Measure out 54.5 centimeters from the end of your flute and mark it with pencil (fig.17,18). I marked 5 centimeters beyond that to ensure I didn't cut into the place the future blowing edge would go. Saw here with a hacksaw, keeping in mind to beware of splinters and cracks (fig.19). So far, your Shakuhachi should sound like figure 20
Drilling nodes:
The bamboo will be without a doubt riddled with nodes. Lets work on the non-root-nodes first. Find a drill bit around 1.5 centimeters in diameter, or whatever fits loosely in your flute (fig.21). Pull the bamboo back upon the drill, and the bit should tear open the node. If you lack a drill bit long enough, get a skinny piece of rebar (fig.22) and stuff it into your bamboo (fig.23). Use a sledgehammer or some other weight to carefully tap out the nodes (fig.24). This must be done EXTREMELY carefully, as the nodes may split if excess force is exerted. Now, let's move to the root section of the bamboo, which is naturally more dense. Find a drill bit that is about the size of the hole that is already in the bamboo (fig.25). Simply drill through the existing hole as far as you can (fig.26,27). Then, gradually use larger drill bits until you have opened the end of the flute to a diameter of 1.8 centimeters. I used a sanding bit on my rotary tool to clean up the cuts (fig.28). To make sure the entire Shakuhachi has been drilled open, I held it to a light to see through to the other side (fig.29). I also could push the entire piece of rebar through.
Drilling Holes:
The Shakuhachi has 5 holes, 4 finger holes and one thumb hole. Before drilling them, you must measure out their distances from the end of the flute (fig.30) . The bottom hole is 12.1 Centimeters from the base, the second is 17.5, the third 22.7, the fourth 28.3, and the thumb hole is 31.9. Mark each with pencil, and for the thumb hole, make sure it is exactly on the opposite side of the other holes. Drill in the same manner as the other flutes, using progressivley bigger drill bits to widen the holes to their proper diameter (fig.31-39). Those diameters are, for holes 1,2,4 and 5, 1.1 centimeters, and for hole 3, 1 centimeter. Beware of cracks and splinters. Now all your holes are complete (fig.10,11)!
The Blowing Edge:
At this point, the blowing end of the flute should be 2 centimeters in diameter (fig.42). If you added an extra 5 millimeters to the blowing end, saw this off now (fig.43). Along the line that the finger holes run, mark with pencil either 2, 1.5 or 1 centimeters down from the blowing edge (fig.44). A 2cm long blowing edge will be very easy to play, but may be finicky to make. a 1.5cm blowing edge is more traditional, yet will be of medium difficulty to play. A 1cm long blowing edge will be the hardest to play, yet more durable and more traditional. I opted for around 1.5 long blowing edge. After I made the mark, I used a knife to begin carving the edge (fig.45). Every once and a while, I would use the sanding bit on my rotary tool to carve down the edge into a greater slope (fig.46). It should be around 30 degrees when complete. I continued to carve (fig.47,48) until I created a U shape at the top of the edge that was 1.5 cm wide and 4mm deep. I used my sanding bit on the rotary tool to even the U out to those proper dimensions (fig.49, 50).
The Blowing Edge Part 2:
Make a mark in pencil 1 centimeter from the edge on the opposite side of the blowing edge (fig.51). I chose to gradually sand down the rim of the bamboo until it is a slope reaching all the way from the blowing edge to the 1cm mark I made earlier, this will help direct your breath over the blowing edge. I sanded this slope into a smooth, round, and comfy edge (fig.52).
YOUR SHAKUHACHI IS COMPLETE! Now go play some beautiful, relaxing music! (fig.53)
Root End:
Traditionally, the Shakuhachi is made from a piece of bamboo which includes it's roots. This is partly ornamental, yet it does also provide a piece of bamboo with a thinner bore. For some, root-end bamboo is only available through order, though the piece I used was simply a stalk I had ripped out of the ground. It covered in dirt and little shoots and runners, all of which we need to remove (fig.1,2). Begin by giving your root a thorough rinse-down (fig.3,4). Then remove any excess root so that only two "Root-nodes" are at the base of the flute (fig.5,6). Dry off your piece and bring it into the shop (fig.7,8). Cut of all the runners and roots using the cutting wheel on your rotary tool (fig.9). Leave only a ring of roots about 3mm high (fig.10). Then, place a sanding bit on your rotary tool and smooth out the ring of roots so they are all in an even circle (fig.11,12). It would be a good idea to now sand down the actual end of the bamboo, which is rough from the previous cut. I first used my sander (fig.13,14), and then the sanding bit on my rotary too to achieve a rounded, smooth end to the flute (fig.15,16).
Making the Cut:
Measure out 54.5 centimeters from the end of your flute and mark it with pencil (fig.17,18). I marked 5 centimeters beyond that to ensure I didn't cut into the place the future blowing edge would go. Saw here with a hacksaw, keeping in mind to beware of splinters and cracks (fig.19). So far, your Shakuhachi should sound like figure 20
Drilling nodes:
The bamboo will be without a doubt riddled with nodes. Lets work on the non-root-nodes first. Find a drill bit around 1.5 centimeters in diameter, or whatever fits loosely in your flute (fig.21). Pull the bamboo back upon the drill, and the bit should tear open the node. If you lack a drill bit long enough, get a skinny piece of rebar (fig.22) and stuff it into your bamboo (fig.23). Use a sledgehammer or some other weight to carefully tap out the nodes (fig.24). This must be done EXTREMELY carefully, as the nodes may split if excess force is exerted. Now, let's move to the root section of the bamboo, which is naturally more dense. Find a drill bit that is about the size of the hole that is already in the bamboo (fig.25). Simply drill through the existing hole as far as you can (fig.26,27). Then, gradually use larger drill bits until you have opened the end of the flute to a diameter of 1.8 centimeters. I used a sanding bit on my rotary tool to clean up the cuts (fig.28). To make sure the entire Shakuhachi has been drilled open, I held it to a light to see through to the other side (fig.29). I also could push the entire piece of rebar through.
Drilling Holes:
The Shakuhachi has 5 holes, 4 finger holes and one thumb hole. Before drilling them, you must measure out their distances from the end of the flute (fig.30) . The bottom hole is 12.1 Centimeters from the base, the second is 17.5, the third 22.7, the fourth 28.3, and the thumb hole is 31.9. Mark each with pencil, and for the thumb hole, make sure it is exactly on the opposite side of the other holes. Drill in the same manner as the other flutes, using progressivley bigger drill bits to widen the holes to their proper diameter (fig.31-39). Those diameters are, for holes 1,2,4 and 5, 1.1 centimeters, and for hole 3, 1 centimeter. Beware of cracks and splinters. Now all your holes are complete (fig.10,11)!
The Blowing Edge:
At this point, the blowing end of the flute should be 2 centimeters in diameter (fig.42). If you added an extra 5 millimeters to the blowing end, saw this off now (fig.43). Along the line that the finger holes run, mark with pencil either 2, 1.5 or 1 centimeters down from the blowing edge (fig.44). A 2cm long blowing edge will be very easy to play, but may be finicky to make. a 1.5cm blowing edge is more traditional, yet will be of medium difficulty to play. A 1cm long blowing edge will be the hardest to play, yet more durable and more traditional. I opted for around 1.5 long blowing edge. After I made the mark, I used a knife to begin carving the edge (fig.45). Every once and a while, I would use the sanding bit on my rotary tool to carve down the edge into a greater slope (fig.46). It should be around 30 degrees when complete. I continued to carve (fig.47,48) until I created a U shape at the top of the edge that was 1.5 cm wide and 4mm deep. I used my sanding bit on the rotary tool to even the U out to those proper dimensions (fig.49, 50).
The Blowing Edge Part 2:
Make a mark in pencil 1 centimeter from the edge on the opposite side of the blowing edge (fig.51). I chose to gradually sand down the rim of the bamboo until it is a slope reaching all the way from the blowing edge to the 1cm mark I made earlier, this will help direct your breath over the blowing edge. I sanded this slope into a smooth, round, and comfy edge (fig.52).
YOUR SHAKUHACHI IS COMPLETE! Now go play some beautiful, relaxing music! (fig.53)
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O_O
That can't be good!
I'll ask the Instructables Crew what it's all about, although I could probably retrieve anything using the "Way Back Machine" and bringing back the text. That'll be a last resort thing, and I'm pretty sure I can get the text back for you. Thanks for showing such interest!
Yes, to increase the strength and protect the "Boo" against cracking, it can be cured and oiled. Information on how to do this has been added in the "Post Script: Extra thoughts about the project." step. I didn't add this originally to bog down an otherwise very simple approach.
Finding bamboo varies from person to person. All of my bamboo was completely free and "found". I have neighbors that use the local forest behind their house as a dump for all their compost and garden clippings. A short hike from the trail brings me right to their stash, which is full of bamboo of all shaped ans sizes. Another place I found it is growing by the roadside though out my neighborhood and beyond. Again, it only took a short hike to commandeer some perfect bamboo. I live in relatively temperate Pennsylvania, and have seen it growing everywhere. It can grow outdoors as far north as Minnesota, but may not be quite up to "flute standard". I know that various hardware stores carry various sizes of cured bamboo, but since I am not privy to your location, I can't really offer much more insight. It would be nice to be able to give another maker some, but I doubt that would work out :).
Thank You for such a nice comment!
~Skyfinity