mallets, and first bar

yesterday a few days ago I wrapped the first pair of mallets. it was easier than I thought it would be, so I think i will make a second pair of mallets with harder cores. as well, I tuned the first bar of the marimba, C6. over the last couple of days I borrowed a planer from a member of my grandpa's carving club, and with his assistance at first, used it:

the dial on the side will make the internal blades raise or lower.

Grandpa hands me an unplaned key, and I feed them through. note the extreme amount of dust; it is impossible to breathe without the mask.

before planing

after planing

drilling a hole in a rubber ball, the first part of making a mallet

the ball next to a bar for size reference

rubber bouncyballs are 1.25 for 12 at the dollar store.

everything else I need to make mallets

two completed mallets

the bar tuning testing station

seven bars; one days work.

15 bars; the rest of the whole tones

it looks messier than it is. this is the workshop that I have been spending my holiday in.

this is the reason I have not yet drowned in red dust.

more roughly tuned bars. 

sanding.

crowning a mallet; the red ones are with rubber cores, and the blue ones are with wooden balls.

sanding on the spindle.