Seldom Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) have been trying to try and learn the art of finding and making my own didj, it would be an understatement to say it's a rediculously difficult enterprise. The closest i have gotten so far is but the hollowing is too extensive, it's useless just to be clear it's illegal to harvest stems in most places they're likely to be found except for private land. this isn't a thread that has anything to do with locations any experiences ? Edited September 21, 2011 by bulls on parade Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zaka Posted July 1, 2011 Irie, I've knocked-up a few didj's, mostly out of bamboo! But the mouth piece I make out of bees wax, moulded to desired shape & form. Termites are a way of life, here...The bastards just trashed a hostilis in my yard... Time to get the pickaxe out in the morning!! Respect, Z Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted July 2, 2011 i think there are certain areas where a lot of dige trees naturaly occure. some timbers i remeber which make good diges are, the boxwoods, salmon gum, strigy bark, forgot the other names at the moment. i thought of creating digeridoo farms. i bought a lot of raw sticks from different sources, and it seems that some places just grow excellent diges. what i mean is there are places where a lot of gums display bells or others just a perfect progression of the shape of the whole dige. maybe i can add some pics of my diges to explain this further, but it would take me time. once you spotted a good stick, you just hit the base of the tree / sapling to hear if it's hollow. diges grow at areas, which temporarily flood. sometimes areas with rocky ground seem to produce nice sticks aswell, but one aboriginal told me, "never to cut a dige from a rock outcrop", i guess those places are all sacred, but could be used to harverest super didgeridoo wood seeds. than one could grow out those seeds under similar conditions as found in nature... if the hole in the centre is too big, thanit's no good. have a look online to get an idea what a good dige looks like. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeadStar Posted July 2, 2011 Ive had the same interest in making my own didge and have made some from pcv, bamboo and have one I got given as a wedding present from the wife. Without having to find a hollowed out tree. I have been looking for a fallen branch that would be long enough without any cracks or knots. That I could saw in half lenghth ways and then hollow it out with a chisel. Then glue the two hollowed out halves together with wood glue and fine sawdust. Or there was some blank hollowed out trunks available online from the top end that I come across, that you have to calve to the shape you want and all the other processes but that cost money and I'm a tightarse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted July 8, 2011 (edited) thanks planthelper i appreciate the info i wen tout yesterday to my parents farm, searched and searched but to no avail. termite activity was there, but just not enough of the right trees. a friend sent me some photos of what to look for, she says Mallee Eucalypts are the most likely source, underground lignotubers are a response to a variety of environmental stressors, including termites. ultimately i think it's just location location, as with most flora Edited July 8, 2011 by humanzee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted April 28, 2014 good call on the stringy bark planthelper .. check it out! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted May 11, 2014 not all ethnobotany involves the 4th dimension ;) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paradox Posted May 11, 2014 nice work dude, looking good on those last few. i was gonna mention the mallee. i watched this show on NITV the other month with this bloke & his old uncle out west, this old bloke would walk around in the bush & tap on the trunks of likely candidate trees, from just few taps he could tell exactly what it looked like on the inside, even what key he he'd like to make that didge based on the resonant qualities. mad skills. my ex girlfriend gave me a present around when i first met her, it was a didge made out of mallee made by a really talented indigenous bloke who traded it to her for one of her paintings. it really was the best present i have ever received, it was a truly beautiful instrument that just resonated with my body in such a way as to be intoxicating. unfortunately a little later on down the track this ex-girlfriend, in a psychotic bi-polar episode chopped it up into about 20 pieces with a drop saw. was a sad day. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted May 11, 2014 daamn, that sounds really heavy .. there's no better lover than a lunatic, and you can learn a lot by being with a fierce woman, but when it turns, . well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paradox Posted May 12, 2014 yeah she was into some dark magick, she couldn't help it & yep, holy shit did i learn a lot in those 6 years. a love to end all loves.. almost., not quite. luckily i had my own not quite as dark & twisted techniques to counteract hers. that day though i knew she had cursed our relationship. sorry to bring that heavy shit up though man.. sheesh all that aside, i'm looking forward to seeing how those turn out, they look very promising! & very much dark sorceress free! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted October 30, 2014 recently finished didj made from agave Americana 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted October 30, 2014 progress shot of the middle stick in post 8, unfortunately the hollowing in the other two was too extensive, but this one should be the magnum opus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psylocaria Posted October 30, 2014 This thread inspired me to go collect agave shoots this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites