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Having completed the mouthpiece and bell I may also adjust the sound by thinning the walls. Every stage I check the sound until I am happy with the results. Hopefully this happens very little as the work gone into the didgeridoo so far has produced a decent instrument that just needs finishing off. I use the same sanding disc I used to remove the bead of glue to do this.
The quality standard and indeed look of the finished instrument is a matter of choice and again what one person likes, another will not. It is a very individual thing. I have written what and how I sand, seal and finish, firstly so that you can see what has been put into the building/making process of the didgeridoo’s I sell, but also, I hope have some useful information for those intrepid individuals desiring to create their own didgeridoo.
Sanding
With the bead of glue removed and the whole surface rough sanded with a sanding disc on an angle grinder (see glue and clamp). The didgeridoo is ready to be sanded down. Working with the grain, I start with a rough abrasive paper first (40 or 60 grit), then work down through ever finer grades of paper: 80, 120, 240, and 320 grit. This can be a prolonged process, especially with larger instruments (but is well worth the elbow grease and effort). Don’t be tempted to skip grades of paper, it does not get the job done quicker (I’ve tried).
With didgeridoo’s, I stop at 320 grade for the instruments I plan to paint or coat with resin, varnish etc. Didgeridoo’s I plan to finish with a natural finish (plain or Danish oil), I continue sanding using 400, 600, and 1,000 grade progressively and depended on the type of wood (though rarely 1,000). For example, Yew wood sands smooth very easily, however Meranti hardwood has extremely coarse grain and it is difficult to obtain a smooth finish (without using grain fillers and such like).
Where possible I use electric sanders as this speed’s the process up significantly. I predominantly use a ½ sheet orbital sander and a detail sander. Where needed, I’d delicate areas, and difficult to reach areas I sand by hand.
Finishing
I use a range of finishes from plain natural wood coated with Danish oil, painted didgeridoo’s (assorted media), didgeridoo’s coated with epoxy resin, and the list goes on. It’s a personal choice thing. Some people like decorated didgeridoo’s, whereas others like plain wood. Some people have also told me they are sceptical of a didgeridoo that has been painted as it can cover up defects in the wood. It’s a shame that some didgeridoo sellers are unscrupulous because it sends out the wrong message.
In fact one of the didgeridoo’s I purchased when I started out had two bands painted round it and I was told it was not hiding anything. I wanted to redo the finish, and low and behold, two great big holes that had been filled. Luckily the gaps were filled ok and does not lose and air so its ok, however I still feel upset that I was misled. Needles to say, I don’t follow such practices. If I paint a didgeridoo and it does cover any work such as a filled knot, I will photo the area before I decorate so that I can show any prospective customer.
I like variety. I like didgeridoo’s with spectacular artwork, subtle artwork, no artwork where the grain is shown to its full potential. I like choice, not being stuck in a creative rut saying ‘that is how it must be done’, or ‘that is how it should be done’.
So some of my didgeridoo’s are finished one way, and some another, at all times I am striving to achieve a high quality and standard of finish. Here are some of the finishes I use, how I use them and why I use them.
Danish Oil
I use Danish oil on just about all my didgeridoo’s in one way or another. I like using it because it provides a hard protective layer against moisture by soaking into the wood. The finish is smooth and gives wood a slightly deeper colour, with a soft sheen that can be ‘glossed’ up by polishing. When dry, Danish oil can be painted over easily etc. Even if I am planning to use epoxy resin (i.e. a clear finish), I will apply a couple of layers of Danish oil first as it gives the wood extra depth and substance. Where I use pyrography I will do the burning before applying anything else as I do not wish to breath in fumes from burning oil!
Applying the oil is quick and simple on the outside of the wood. I place the didgeridoo on a stand, then using an old rag, liberally apply the oil. Once the didgeridoo is completely coated, the excess will be wiped off with a paper towel. The didgeridoo is allowed to dry for a number of hours (dependant on the temperature), then the process repeated. If a didgeridoo is to be painted or coated with epoxy resin, I apply 2 coats of oil, if the wood is to be left with a natural finish, then 4-6 coats applied.
The final coat is applied with plastic washing up ‘scrunchy’ thing as this gives a lovely smooth finish. The excess is still removed with the paper towel.
If the oil is to be covered with another substance I will leave the didgeridoo for at least a week to ensue that the oil has totally dried.
Epoxy Resin
By this stage most of my didgeridoo’s have already had epoxy resin applied to the mouthpiece and bell (se: ‘mouthpiece, bell and tuning’), for comfort, hygiene and preventative against cracks, splits and scuff marks etc. However I also coat the exterior of some of my instruments with epoxy resin, and do so for several reasons. For the softer woods like Silver Birch I like to add extra strength to the body of the didgeridoo to improve its longevity. As the resin is such an effective barrier against moisture, any didgeridoo I plan to take out and about and may end up being subject to significant changes in moisture, gets a coat.
Resin, in its own right, is completely transparent and can give a smooth finish like that of glass. Personally, I feel this looks too much like clear plastic (which is what it is), so I will always apply two layers of Danish oil first. I find this gives the wood just a little extra depth and takes away that plastic look.
To apply the resin, the didgeridoo is placed on a stand. Then wearing protective gloves the resin is applied to the surface of the wood. Working with my hands, I gently massage the resin around the didgeridoo until the coating is even. I check for any drips or areas where the resin will accumulate and also any areas I may have missed. There may also be air bubbles on the surface. I use a hairdryer to gently warm the area, the resin warms up, thins, and the bubbles burst.
Do make sure the resin is applied in as dust free an environment as possible. When coating several didgeridoo’s one day, a friend decided to open the garage door just as I finish and before the resin had hardened. The gust of wind as the door opened blew dust into the air and I had some very rough finished didgeridoo’s. I could do nothing about it as the uncured resin is harmful.
Resin can also be sanded and cut as if it part of the wood. The first didgeridoo I coated with resin went a tad wrong. The resin started to set before I could cover the whole didgeridoo and ended up being done in several stages with an extremely bumpy finish. I started to file it smooth, then sanding it to get rid of the marks left by the file. Working through the grades of sandpaper, I stopped when using 600 grade wet and dry. To my surprise the resin now had a vinyl sheen to it, which set the wood off perfectly. The resin was given a very fine layer of beeswax polish and looked (if I say so myself) gorgeous.
Indeed this can be taken further. If there are small blemishes in the resin such as small spots of dust that make the surface bumpy, they can be smoothed using 1,000 – 2,000 grade wet and dry, though do be careful and practice first as it is easy to overdo.
Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint is as the name suggests plastic. It has become ever more popular over the years as it is water based, yet waterproof when dry, has good colour retention in the sun, is cheap, plentiful, and easily available. It is also quick drying. Being plastic it will expand and contract with heat so when painted on a didgeridoo will flex with the wood. The paint is very opaque and covers well i.e. light over dark colours. I have used it to paint on wood, metal, plastic, leather, other textiles, paper, card, and so on. I have used it to paint murals on motorbike petrol tanks and for shop signs. It bonds well to most surfaces.
By using acrylic paint, the didgeridoo is given a layer of protection against the elements. However this layer is thin so I often brush one two layers of thinned (10:1) water to PVA to prevent scuff marks on the paint work and cover any parts of the wood that have not been previously covered.
PVA
Good old PVA again. I use PVA on the outside of the didgeridoo when I want to add a layer of protection to partially covered wood, and to protect paintwork against scuff marks from carrying the instrument around and playing it. It dries clear with a soft sheen depending on its thickness. As stated above, I normally use a mixture of ten parts water to one part PVA. I do not always use PVA, only when I feel it is needed, and avoid the mouthpiece and bell as they have already been protected with epoxy resin.
Pyrography
Pyrography is simply the art of burning into wood. I only really came across it when I experienced the didgeridoo. I have been practising with this tool ever since and having looked up some examples of different work on the internet (see links pages), some of which I find amazing. The burner is like (in appearance) a powerful soldering iron with different tips that can be used to achieve different textures and lines. Done well it is a beautiful way to adorn wood with artwork. I hope to produce some good examples in the near future.
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