DIY Electric Piano - Hammers - Episode 1

[@LuisFlores-xr5bu]

A true diy electric piano, the video I've waited for years

[@deancoyle]

Have you been tempted to create your own piano? I will try to deliver!

[@Seadogstudio]

I have been looking too

[@ShaperSoundChannel]

I got so inspired that I am trying to build my own

[@deancoyle]

I would love to hear how you get on!

[@ShaperSoundChannel]

​@@deancoyle I have started with the idea of building an electric Dulcitone. I have this friend that is a blacksmith so we have prototyped some tuning forks. I have also started to build a keyboard... but I am having problems with precision there :) But I like your approach on simplicity for the action mechanism. What do you think about repetition on the Rhodes and your design. You've mentioned once you prefer to play the Wurly because the Rhodes keys are rough.

[@lilfurything]

this is awesome, totally something i’ve been looking for and your approach at creating it in a cost effective and relatively simple way is right up my alley. looking forward to this series!

[@deancoyle]

I am glad you feel the same as me, let me know if you have any ideas

[@фло́рис-г9в]

i am also building an electric piano, I use the rhodes hammer action but wurlitzer 700 dampers so I have connecting rods from the hammer to the dampers. it feels great! The reeds I made from hacksaw blades and it sounds absolutely identical to a wurlitzer. i made all of my hammers from wood, but I was thinking of making a mold and pressing HDPE in to it to make the hammers for my next piano.

[@deancoyle]

This sounds very interesting, would love to see some photos or videos. Hacksaw blades is a good idea as these will be a hard steel.

[@фло́рис-г9в]

@@deancoyle I could mail.

[@kevingotkovsky5286]

I'm also building a loose copy of a Wurlitzer 200A with Rhodes-style pickups (I'm documenting the process on the ep-forum, the thread is called "Homemade electric piano"), and would also love to hear and see your design! I'd be glad to share my design as well, my email is displayed on my YT profile if you're interested. Cheers

[@deancoyle]

That would be great. My email address is in my about section. Thank you

[@myoldskool]

Now this is what I've been looking for 🙂. Currently rebuilding my Rhodes and often think about making one. Kind of obsessed with it all at the moment. Will stay tuned!

[@deancoyle]

Thank you, what Rhodes do you have?

[@myoldskool]

@@deancoyle I've got a MK1 and a MK2. Need a little work but both play well

[@YaliHazan-k8t]

can you put a copy of the 3d printed object? I'm trying to do one myself...(I mean a link to the model)

[@deancoyle]

This is not my design, but you could use this as a base. I plan to redesign mine, to make it easier to print and also use less plastic. www.printables.com/model/80936-rhodes-piano-hammer

[@SolomonDouglas]

I'm excited to see your next episode!

[@deancoyle]

Hopefully will have the next episode out in a week. That's the plan....

[@jimrees9538]

Hi Dean loving your DIY EP series i cant seem to find your ep11 and ep12 though any ideas?

[@deancoyle]

Apologies I counted all videos in the playlist. I will update that soon. Though those eps are just short updates.

[@MrKirchov]

I love your idea and your generosity in sharing the process. Fascinating. I’ve been interested in undertaking a similar task so this is abundantly helpful. Would you consider uploading the 3D models and such? Willing to pay whatever price you see fit

[@deancoyle]

Thank you Kirk! Yes hoping to share the 3d files, though will do that once the project is finished and everything is finalised.

[@grantpendragon]

Have you considered using a raspberry pi with elk audio os/ with high-if berry as the controller i have used it as a modeling amp for my guitar and the response time is 1ms round trip.

[@deancoyle]

I havent...until now. Do you have any more information on this? I will have a look.

[@CulinarySpy]

I see you've got for larger diameter centre pins in the flange. Good idea that, the Rhodes centre pins wear and get sloppy. I suspect the originals had a little slop in them when new as well!

[@deancoyle]

Yes that was part of the reason, and it is also easier to print larger features, win win!

[@CulinarySpy]

@@deancoyle can I ask what material you print hammers/flanges with? From what I understand the originals used a kind of plastic that was somewhat 'self lubricating', not sure where I heard that.

[@deancoyle]

@@CulinarySpy I have used PLA for the parts I have made. This is because they are easier to print and relatively safe. ABS filament is no more expensive to print with just needs an enclosure and ventilation. It would be interesting to try a ABS print to see if it works the same. The Fender Rhodes flanges are ABS with 15% Teflon according to the service manual. I am not sure if this applied to all designs over the years.

[@dan-h2g]

The Teflon is more around the pins and links for self lube. @@deancoyle

[@GIUSEPPE_NOCELLA]

Do you have a video of the full work?

[@deancoyle]

Not yet, there are still some bits to sort.

[@mattiasfagerlund]

Cool stuff - but the video list seems to be a bit out of order?

[@deancoyle]

I believe I have fixed it. I need to add ep number to the end of some videos. Thank you for letting me know - I am still figuring youtube out! haha

[@mattiasfagerlund]

@@deancoyle Great, you deserve many more viewers and I hope you receive them!

[@Judesmood118]

This is really cool man! I really want to try this :)

[@deancoyle]

I am still working out a few issues, but it will be done! Thank you!

[@Oliver_Lingard]

Do you have a link to the 3d printed design for me to borrow? I am interested in attempting to make a piano

[@Seadogstudio]

I have an idea for pickups. Rhodes is like a single slug single one coil per key right? How about a Lace Alumitone type of pickup. That design seem to be easier to leghten to cover every key. Look at their 8 strings guitar pickup or bass pickup design. Maybe one small neodymium per tines.

[@deancoyle]

I had no idea about this pickup design, thank you for the comment! That would be an interesting pickup to use as I would expect that is could lighten the piano also.

[@Seadogstudio]

@@deancoyle i am happy to supply you with KZbin video that helps I am a fan of this pickup. I have been looking at many DIYer too.

[@Seadogstudio]

@@deancoyle Here are a playlist that I made for you it is a combination of explanation of the working principle and also how some of the DIYer make theirs. kzbin.info/aero/PLevu0VhZRKbYL4u8fJPg-ip95FwemhRRE

[@deancoyle]

really interesting stuff, thank you!

[@cristiancornejo]

Great idea.. I was thinking maybe make them 1% bigger... cast them and make them in resin... is gonna be cheaper than print 73 of them..

[@deancoyle]

Interesting idea, it doesn't cost too much to print them, about 20p each, though it takes about an hour.

[@tomcampbell343]

love this as a mk1 owner

[@deancoyle]

Thank you Tom!

[@eugenekelley5348]

This is so cool.

[@deancoyle]

Thank you Eugene! Hopefully the end product is this cool!

[@TomE1248]

How does you hammer compare to a fender in terms of center of gravity? I think the wood in the original could be there to add mass (therefore momentum) as well as be more easily adjustable that the plastic of the original

[@deancoyle]

Hi TomE1248, Yes I agree with the hybrid hammers I believe the wood is there to add mass at the end of the hammer and offset the COG. Yes I could change the level of infill when printing the hammer so that that its more dense in the hammer head. Though I didn't do that, with my design I have been trying to improve the action of the piano. I suspect that not offsetting the COG will decrease the likely hood of double strikes and allow for a smoother and lighter action. As there is less distance between the COG and the point force is applied to the hammer. the hammer will require less force to get to the same speed. There are a couple of other differences not included in the video such as the cam shape is different, my design has a S profile compared to a C. All these changes may help, though some may not.

[@Andronicus2007]

What happened to this project? Did it get stuck? It's definitely mega hard, I have dreamt of doing this but when I thought through it, it was just too daunting, lol!

[@deancoyle]

It is still happening, I am just trying a few options, I should post an update soon.

[@jonathanscott01]

Great work, I’d love to emulate what you’ve done. Will you be sharing the 3D files for those of us who don’t have the original items to measure and copy.?

[@deancoyle]

Cheers Jonathan, my plan is to complete the piano and once everything is working, think of a way best to share this. Have you 3d printed any musical instruments?

[@ahava-re4zo]

could you send me a copy of the cad and 3d print files?

[@ahava-re4zo]

or could you sell the files to me?🙏

[@deancoyle]

Coming very soon, though drop me an email of you want them sooner.

[@ahava-re4zo]

youtube will delete my email@@deancoyle

[@ahava-re4zo]

the mail was sent to your mail

[@ahava-re4zo]

my mail could be written here, but youtube will delete it, could you give me a URL to download it?

[@carlosmonzon4655]

could you pass the cad file please? 🙏

[@deancoyle]

I plan on making some optimizations but if you really want a copy, drop me an email.

[@carlosmonzon4655]

​@@deancoyle how is your email?

[@ahava-re4zo]

Could you send me the CAD files and the 3DP file?🙏