When You Can't Find Your Harmonica: Carrot Flute

by Handmade Penguin

21K9914

Intro: When You Can't Find Your Harmonica: Carrot Flute

I've wanted to make vegetable instruments for some time.  I found a couple of links to a carrot flute and a carrot kazoo, but they did not have pictures.  So I tried a few different techniques.  Here's my recipe for Carrot Flute.  I'm providing this in multiple forms.  Instructable with pictures, short form instruction video, and long form experiences.

I recommend viewing the short form video, printing the instructable for your work time, then viewing the long form video (so that you can see what I did).

Short form video.



Long Form Videos: Part I  http://youtu.be/IJ4Lc_rjw1c
Part II http://youtu.be/CJCGWsbX71M

STEP 1: Gather Your Ingredients for the Flute

You will need:
A drill and bits to make a large and small hole. A 1/2" drill bit and a 15/64" bit worked for me.
Sharp knife
1 or more carrots
Cutting board
Long, narrow tools to take carrot debris out of the hole.  E.g. skewer or chopstick.

STEP 2: Cut the Leafy End Off of the Carrot.

Using the sharp knife, cut the carrot top off of the carrot.  This provides a flat surface that you will drill into.

STEP 3: Drill the Main Hole.

Using the 1/2" drill bit, drill a hole that starts at the flat surface of the carrot that you just made, and goes along the length of the carrot.  I went about 1/3 of the way into the carrot.

STEP 4: Clear the Hole of Debris.

Take out all of the carrot bits, as they will prevent the sound from being clear and sharp.  Use a skewer, chopstick, the bit, or anything you can find that will fit down the hole.  I used a pen.

STEP 5: Make the Smaller Hole.

Hold the carrot in front of you with the carrot top side facing up.  You will need to drill a hole, using the smaller bit, a bit down from the top of the carrot.  I chose a spot that ended up being about an inch down the side.  I've found that if you go too far down, the sound is not very good.

STEP 6: Clearing the Debris... Continued.

You may want to blow down the various holes and tap the carrot on the cutting board to ensure the debris is all removed.

STEP 7: Play Your Carrot Instrument.

Now you are ready to play!  Have fun, make more, have each person play one and see what sounds you get!

13 Comments

Ricardo Furioso 5 years ago

I love that you have to wear eye protection to play it. Thank you for sharing.

Yokel 6 years ago

I know what's going in the kids' lunchboxes tomorrow!

Great idea.

poofrabbit 10 years ago

Congratulations on your 2nd prize win in the play with you food contest!

Robot Melvis 10 years ago

How do I space the holes for an E major scale?

armstk180 10 years ago

Delicious idea !!!

Take care ... Mohammad

crjeea 10 years ago

Hmm,
maybe you could make one out of ice?
or a pumpkin ocarina? (:

Kiteman 10 years ago

Oh, yes, sorry, my bad.

Kiteman 10 years ago

Can we hear it?

(And can you find an "in focus" image for the introduction?)