If you are thinking about making a flute out of a bone, you are actually taking part in a prehistory time! The idea or interest, whatever you want to call it, some will find quite eccentric.
To some, it can be totally disgusting too. Let’s talk about the history of a bone flute. You could find it wired, or you could find it nauseating, but did you know the bone flute is the oldest instrument of human history?
Archeologists found many bone flutes around the world. Obviously, they are kept in secure places like the museum. The prehistoric bone flute has a different variety. You can Google them if you want.
Anyway, if you have planned to make a bone flute, we genuinely appreciate your interest. And, we will help you out thoroughly to make one.
Also, if you are trying to make one, we are assuming you as a person, so it is not easily disgusted. Or, you at least can control yourself when you see something fairly revolting.
The reason for telling those, there are a few steps that might make you cringe. Okay, enough with the relative information.
Please go over the sections below to find the tools you need to make a bone flute. After that, you will find a foolproof step-by-step guide for performing a highly interesting project!
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What Do I Need To Make Bone Flute?
Obviously, you need some sort of bone. We will suggest the keep the turkey legs after finishing dinner.
Some people use cow and buffalo bones. But, turkey legs are readily available. Anyhow, let’s look at the list of essential tools with the bones.
- Turkey leg bones
- Rotary tool
- Precision knife
- Paring knife
- Facemask
- Circular saw bit
- Routing bit
- Acne remover kit
Let’s with the bone flute-making process now!
Step 1
When you have the bones in your hand, select one that is around 8 inches long. We hope the turkey you have was big enough for the length of the bones.
After selecting one, take out the residual meat from it with a paring knife. You don’t want to hold an eaten turkey leg with meat on it, do you? Do it as carefully as possible, so you don’t end up peeling your hand somehow.
The reason we are asking to use a paring knife is that they have a slimmer head-end. As a result, it will be easier for you to plunge the knife into the dents and notches of the bone to get rid of the remainder of the meat.
Also, don’t put too much pressure—the knife slips on your hand. The bone can get damaged too. And, you want the bones and your hand in health for the project.
Step 2
Next, you need to boil the bone. It will remove the slimness from the bone completely. But, you are supposed to put the bone in a pot with some water and wait until the water is boiling.
You have to drop the bone in boiling water. So, boil some water first. Then, put the bone in the water. Leave it to boil for 5-7 minutes.
After boiling the bone for the required amount of time, take out the bone from the water. And set it aside to cool down. Once the bone reaches the normal temperature, you can start the next steps.
Step 3
Now, you will start working for the bone to make a flute. You will be sawing off the epiphyses of the bone. Epiphyses are the edges of the bone.
To cut off the epiphyses of the bone, install the circular saw bit into the rotary tool. Before you start cutting off the ends of the bone with the rotary machine, we request you cover your mouth with a mask.
Any dust from the bone with cause trouble with your breathing. And it can cause infection in the lungs as well. So, don’t forget about the mask for this project.
Step 4
When you are done sawing off the ends of the bone, you will get the see bone marrow from both ends. You need to take those out and make the inside of the bone fully hollow.
To clean the bone marrow, you need to boil the bone once again. To do that, first, boil some water. Next, throw the bone into the water. Boil the bone, for 7 to 10 minutes now.
After boiling the water, take it out from the pan and let the bone cool down. Next, you have to install a routing bit on the rotary machine. You should pick a routing bit that will freely move into the edge of the bone.
With the help of the routing bit, remove the bone marrow in the starting portion of both edges. You can’t take out the bone marrow entirely with the routing bit.
Also, for the bone marrow at the front, the routing bit is the best choice. The marrow will be strongly stuck into the ends.
It will be harder for you to remove the bone marrow without the routing bit. So, try to reach the depth as much as you can from both ends.
Next, you need to take out the rest of the bone marrow. For that, you need to use the acne removal kit. You poke the inside of the bone and take the bone marrow out with those kits.
Then, spray water into the bone to wash off the bone marrow. You must try to make the bone inside of the bone as clean as possible.
Step 5
If you have cleaned the bone marrow properly, you will be able to see through the bone front to back. Now, it’s time to start making the mouthing are. The placement of the area is little for the bone flute in our guide. You will be making a mouthing area by the very end-line of one of the suitable edges.
Choose the thinner and plain edge of the bone, and mark the mouthing hole. You have to use one of the acne removal kits with a needle end on it to mark the area for mouthing.
Then, use the routing bit to curve the mouthing hole. After the curving, the bone should have a smooth, wide-open notch by one of the ends.
Step 6
Next, you need to make finger holes. To make those, install the drilling bit of 3-centimeter diameter into the rotary tool.
Have a look at the length of the bone, and make 3-4 small holes in it. The holes will let the flute make play different tones when you blow in it.
The process of bone flute making ends here.
Final Thoughts
We hope to get to make a nice bone flute with the help of our guide. The ideas are interesting and exciting, even if they might make you cringe in the bone marrow-removing steps.
And, the entire process can be nauseating for some people. However, it’s a great way of appreciating our history from billions of years ago. Have fun making and playing the bone flute!
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