DIY Cajon Kit incoming for Christmas

thecolourbox

So I got one of these in the Amazon black Friday promotions for £20

http://meinlpercussion.com/products/Product/show/622/619/

Which I've given to my mum to give me back for Christmas. Winner winner turkey dinner.

Anybody made one and encountered any problems? I've plenty of No Nails and the gun thing for accuracy, may need to look into the clamps but should be easy enough I think.

But the fun bit will be decorating it I think - I'd like to do some coloured wood dyes on it if possible (if it won't have too adverse an effect on the cajon itself. Maybe with a "go faster" stripe of a different colour, or a Divided by 13 triangle of lighter colour. Would I be better doing the colouring before assembling it? I presume after sanding to put it together and ensure everything fits, then apply colour, then stick it together.

Just gotta learn to play the thing then

thecolourbox

So the kit is now here and I'm wondering what colour and design to go for. I had a look in homebase but the only wood dyes they had were wood colour - I was hoping for some funky colours. I think I'd like to go for the Divided by 13 style triangle of light colour with the rest dark:
http://cdn.mos.musicradar.com/images/Product News/Guitar/Feb08/Divided by 13 13-29-1200-80.jpg

How would I go about doing that? I'm thinking Wudtone guitar dyes might be the best as I used that on a guitar and it was very easy

I'd also like to maybe stencil a lightning bolt onto the front - would that be best with spray paint if i made the stencil out of card or something? Or best to just get a wall sticker?

paulnb57

I dont think ypu will get crisp lines where colours meet using wood stain...if you want it like the amp, then I would use paint....

thecolourbox

Ahh right I see, I know very little about this kind of thing and made a right dogs ear when I made a kit guitar with the finishing of it.

I was foolishly hoping frog tape might do the trick. 

Do you mean brush on wood paint or spray paint?

Probably going to have to settle for one colour I think

paulnb57

Either type of paint, I guess whichever you are most confident with, however if going for just one colour then you could stain it and finish with varnish, or oil, or just oil.....

thecolourbox

Would painting it affect the sound and function of it do you reckon?

paulnb57

Gut feeling, if you lather on multiple thick coats of paint it might have an effect, a thin coat or two of varnish or oil, I doubt would make much difference, don't the destructions recommend a finish to use?
If you dilute a small amount of oil based varnish with the same amount of white spirit, you wipe it on with a piece of cloth, giving very thin coats....

usedtobe

Get some funky wood dyes, or inks, let them blur into each other. Get some psychedelic shizzle going on. That's what I would do.