Mar. 19, 2015 | By Simon
When it comes to DIY projects that involve 3D printing, instruments have been time and time again some of the best applications for showing how assemblies can come together and create real and functional products. Although some makers choose to create instruments more similar to how they are traditionally manufactured, what about the possibility of creating your own unique instrument design from scratch using 3D printing to make it real? For one inspired maker/musician, this is exactly what happened when he found an abandoned espresso portafilter that he decided to make a stringed instrument from.
Currently available on Instructables for anybody who wants to build their own, John Granzow’s Javalele project uses 3D printing to create an electroacoustic mini-instrument that can be plugged into an amplifier for control of gain or other desired effects through an number of pedals or other inputs.
Starting with the abandoned portafilter - which is a tool that professional baristas use to pack espresso grounds into when pulling an espresso shot - Granzow was inspired by the object’s natural form that represented a banjo frame. When turned over to reveal the ‘bowl side’ of the portafilter, the interior cavity is not unlike the resonant chambers seen in acoustic guitars to help amplify sound. Granzow, who is from Redwood City, California, was able to find his from an expired espresso machine.
Once a portafilter has been obtained, Granzow has provided users with all of the necessary STL files to print the extra components assuming that yours is the same size as his. Otherwise, they can be scaled to fit based on some additional file tuning.
“If you can find this model of portafilter you are in luck,” says Granzow. “Because the 3.5 mm from Philmore perfectly press fits into the coffee outlet. Sometimes there is luck!”
Regardless if you are able to find the same portafilter as Granzow or not, installing the additional components will likely take a little bit of extra work such as ensuring that the soundboard will fit snug over the filter cup and that the neck fixtures fit into the cavity of the back of the handle.
To create frets, Granzow used 7 A4 dowel pins whose location on the fretboard was pre-determined within the CAD program he was using and are based on the same equation used for other string instruments (remaining distance to saddle/18 for the next fret distance).
Once any adjustments have been made to the 3D model based on specific design features of a portafilter that may be different from Granzow’s, the piezo disc is ready to be attached to the audio jack inside the portafilter. From here, a microphone can be plugged into an amplifier to test the connection. If the connection sounds good, then the piezo can be glued behind the sound hole on the underside of the soundboard.
To create the bridge, you can use a piece of wood doweling - however it is possible to recreate the dowel using 3D printing if you want to keep as many components as possible 3D printed.
In order to ensure that the strings are held down securely, ¼ sized violin pegs are required. Granzow notes that two of these should be shortened so that their turning knobs do not make contact while turning. Additionally, alternate string holes must be drilled into the tuning pegs closer to the turning knob and the strings should be tightened while firmly applying pressure on the peg into its hole.
To ensure that the the strings are guided into their respective peg, Granzow created channels in his STL files to help with the stringing process.
Whether you have an old espresso machine laying around or just simply want to try a unique spin on a 3D printed instrument project, it’s hard to argue that creating a Javalele is among one of the best projects available.
Head over to the Javalele Instructables page for full-build instructions and the included STL files.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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