Easy Steps to Build Your Own Cajon Drum Box

The cajon drum is getting popular in fusion and pop music. If you want to own one, you can even build it yourself! This Buzzle article will give you simple step-by-step instructions to make your own cajon drum box from ordinary sheets of plywood.

Did You Know?

The largest cajon ensemble was achieved when 1,050 players played the instrument together on 11 April 2009 in Lima, Peru, according to the Guinness World Records.
A cajon drum box is a box-shaped percussion musical instrument that traces its roots to the early African slaves brought to Peru. The word 'cajon' means box or drum in Spanish. The story goes that, the slaves had all their drums snatched by their European masters with the intention of crushing their spirit. But the wily slaves fashioned a drum from simple wooden crates, which would go undetected when a search was conducted for any musical instruments. This is how the cajon came into being.

The cajon is played by sitting on the top surface and keeping the box slightly inclined. The player then slaps the front head, called the Tapa, with his bare hands. The back or the sides can also be slapped for additional sound effects. Also, certain objects like sticks can be used to play the instrument for varied beats.

The instrument is a six-sided box made from solid wood or plywood. The sides, top, and bottom surfaces are made of thicker material, while the tapa and the back are made of thin wooden sheets. There is a circular hole in the back surface to allow the air to escape and create an acoustic effect.

How to Build a Cajon Drum Box

Materials Needed

☞ Baltic birch plywood/solid wood sheets
☞ A power drill
☞ Wood screws
☞ Measuring tape
☞ Wood glue
☞ Jig saw
☞ Drum snares/guitar strings
☞ Wire cutter
☞ Wood clamps/belts
☞ Sandpaper/block plane
☞ Rubber feet, 2 pairs

Materials Needed

☞ Baltic birch plywood/solid wood sheets
☞ A power drill
☞ Wood screws
☞ Measuring tape
☞ Wood glue
☞ Jig saw
☞ Drum snares/guitar strings
☞ Wire cutter
☞ Wood clamps/belts
☞ Sandpaper/block plane
☞ Rubber feet, 2 pairs

Cut the Wood

▷ For the sides, cut two sheets of dimensions 12" × 18" × ½".
▷ For the top and bottom surfaces, cut two square sheets of 12" × 12" × ½".
▷ For the front surface, take a thinner sheet of ⅛" thickness.
▷ For the back surface, take a sheet of the ¼" thickness.