A quick guide to making a loud vuvuzela from an abandoned traffic cone in under 10 mins using a pipe or similar and some gaffa tape. My first instructible so hope you enjoy :)

Me and a friend spent the day last sunday trying to make somthing "musical" out of the junk sitting on my drive and this the best of the results. We inserted a small copper pipe (about 20cm, 1" diamiter) into the top of a traffic cone and played it in the same fashion you would a cornet for all the neibourhood to hear.

Step 1: Adopt a Traffic Cone.

Keep an eye out for an abandoned traffic cone and when you get the chance give it a home. Ours had been forgotten by a neibours builder. There's always plenty about knocked over at the sides of buisy roads. I advise taking one that isn't serving a crucial purpose for obvious reasons.

Other Materials: A piece of copper pipe roughly an inch in diameter (or something similar), Gaffa tape/Duct tape, scrap of cardboard (optional).

Step 2: Removing the Weighted Bottom of the Cone.

The best way to remove the weighted bottom of the cone is to give the cone a tight hug so it folds inward allowing you or somebody else to yank off the bottom ring. You can also try standing on the bottom of the cone and yanking it upward. It isn't essential to remove the weight but it makes it allot easier to lift your horn for playing.

Bellow is a picture of the cone with it's weight attached incase you didn't understand what I meant.

Step 3: Attaching the Mouthpeice.

I do apologies for the lack of useful photos as I'm not the best at descriptions but here it goes.

Duct tape over the top of the traffic cone so there is no hole. Then proceed to slice a slit into the tape into which insert the pipe. Test how far into the cone the pipe makes the clearest toot. Tape around the pipe and cone to secure. You can add scraps of card as you tape for stability of the pipe.

Step 4: Playing.

Hold your creation aloft and place your lips on the pipe and blow asif it were a trumpet. I couldn't do this until I'd had afew attempts but a friend who played a brass instrument picked it up straight away.

I'll add a video or better description later if requested :)

Ours is decorated with spraypaint but I belive it looked better beforehand.
Please comment with any recomendations/improvments.

Cheers -Ell/JasperCat