I would very much like to make a cajon drum for my son. What kind
of wood is best? Thickness? Size of the sound hole? Overall dimensions?
Do I have to have the strings? I am a tone deaf woodworker, so I need
more of the mechanics of it than anything.


Thank you.

Jim

I would very much like to make a cajon drum for my son. What kind
of wood is best? Thickness? Size of the sound hole? Overall dimensions?
Do I have to have the strings? I am a tone deaf woodworker, so I need
more of the mechanics of it than anything.


Thank you.

Jim

bigdaddydeaton

Jim,
I did some research about a year ago. Here is what I found. (Many
thanks to Steve Tierra)

If I am breaking a rule of etiquete with this posting, I apologize in
advance. Please let me know what I should have done.

How to build a Cajon
From: Steve Tierra
The caja I ended up being most satisfied with was made of 1/4"
mahogany ply with light pine framing. I made it as a thinner
rectangle...about 18" high (comfortable enough to sit on while playing
a conga) - with a 24" face and about 8 " deep. I found that a second
layer of ply glued to the INSIDE of one large face gave me a great bass
tone, while leaving the other sides thin and light. I cut my opening at
the bottom and elevated the caja on wood strips about 1" off the
floor). If you want better info drop me line and I'll go into more
detail.

AND......
Here is some old info I had lying about. Mostly useful , though my own
approach has changed a bit. You learn a lot just by making them...

Here's what follow up information I can offer on measurements for
cajones.

Most cajas (bass cajones) I've seen are large enough to sit on
comfortably and essentially rectangular ie. made of straight sides and
90 degree angles. They are a box with all six sides, including the
bottom! I recently had occasion to play one (briefly) that was
'tapered' (side to side) and used two playing faces. Measurements
for that caja are:

22" wide across the face
17 ¾ " high
15 ¾" wide right side (bass side)
13" wide on the left side
(that creates a taper from right to left)
Sound hole was a crescent (running top to bottom) cut in the rear of
the
smaller side, 16 ¾" long to a max depth of 3 5/8"

Considering the following info you might want to serious consider your
own body configuration in designing a caja. Measure the height of drum
throne when you are sitting comfortably and consider that for the
height....then mock up how wide the caja should be for your arm length.
etc. The sound will obviously vary but I suspect that he caja police
will not come get you in the middle of the night.

I understand that many of the cajas currently for sale are based on the
Peruvian model, played on the front face with a round sound hole in the
back panel.


Two smaller cajones (cajitas) in quinto sizes and range that I've had
a chance to play are both made for ½"ply with 1/8" door skin for
the top surface.
(following measurements are all O.D.)

One with ALL sides and faces glued is 10x10" on top, tapering to 4
3/8 x 4 3/8". The sides are 13 ¼ long.

Another with a 'rattle top" (two countersunk screws one each top
edge - corners left un attached) is also 10x10" but tapers to 5
¼" with 12" long sides.

I have seen 'conga range' cajones in larger proportions than the
'quinto'
version but have not had a chance to measure one. -looked something
like
20-24" high with a 12x12" top and tapered side panels. You can get
a good idea of what these look like from the pictures on the liners
notes to the new Conjunto Clave y Guaguanco CD "Dejala en la
Puntica". These are the height of a standard conga, taper to an
(apparent) open bottom with palying surfaces that seem about 12x12".
One conguero appears to be playing a full height cajita (quinto) with a
smaller top. These look much like the units that Barky just
built.....painted and all.!

________

Here is some additional info I received from Luis Nunez (ex?) list
member:

Just saw the discussion in the archives.
Went to see Poncho (Quinto) yesterday. The set up was this:
Poncho sitting on a cajon 4'x18"x18" lying horizontal. Base (buzz) on
right. Buzz is given by leaving @ 1/4 of the box face unattached.
Tight
(high) on left. In front he had a tumba and conga which he
sometimes played with spoons. On right he had three batas piled
into a pyramid (played large heads only). Bell by his left foot that
he
played with the spoons.

Guy playing caja 24"x18"x18" tapering to 8"x8" with bells attached to a
cloth strip tacked along the front top edge.

Guy playing quinto 12"x8"x8" tapering to 6"x6"

Material was spruce plywood 1/8" for faces 1/2" for sides of cajon.
1/8"
spruce ply for face 1/2" for sides of caja. 1/8" face and 1/4" sides
for
quinto.

I do have a little quinto that's nothing but a 10"x10"x6" box. The 10"
faces are 1/8" ply. The sides are 1/2" ply.

Motto: always carry a little tape measure.


Also, I have some PDF plans I will email you. If anybody else wants
copies, please let me know.

seventeenus

Hey thank for the great info would love to see your plans
Tyrone seventeenmobile@yahoo.com

This is very interesting stuff! A wood worker I know built a cajon and
he made a simple rectangular box out of 1/2" wood (not plywood) with a
1/8" birch plywood playing side. He put the hole on the side rather
than the back. I find the idea of thin wood and a frame interesting.
But I notice that a thicker panel was added to the inside to give more
bass.

I've seen the commercial tube cajones but the ones I've played were not
all that impressive to me compared to the rectangular ones. I also find
these descriptions of very long sideways boxes interesting. I've not
seen these. And I've not seen the tapered ones either. Does the taper
give a purer sound? I know builders of speaker cabinets say a
rectangular box is the worst design for sound though most speakers are
built that way.

I would love to get your plans too!
You can email me at: benjac at mrk-inc.com

benj

czavier

Dear BDD,
If it's not to much of a hassle, could you please send me the pdf plans
also. My email is gxmc1@hotmail.com.
Thanks,
Cza

ah5ive

Hi,
I am interest to know how to build it too! Can I have the pdf plans?

thks
jason

chr15cox

I would also love to have those plans

Chris@mtpleasantchurch.com

Thanks

cjg

Finally found some one with useful info on cajon drums. If you could send
me the PDF plans it would be great. chris_gate@hotmail.com

colbert1000

Hi there,
i have come across a couple of pine wine boxes i ws thinking about trying
to convert them into cajons. thanks for the info...i love the somplicity
of instrument for great sounds. i would also like a pdf of plans to chew
over if thats still possible.`
i haven't heard anyone mention guitar strings built inside for "snare"(?)
effect? does anyone have any thoughts? as far as i have been told a couple
of old strings are attached (not sure how) loosely to the inside...i have
realy only heard the sound & was quite impressed...
thanks
colbert