PROJECTS: CHLADNI PLATE
makezine.com/16/chladni
5. PREPARE THE METAL SHEET(S)
5a. Take the metal sheet and cut a clean square about 24" on a side. Lay a straightedge across each
diagonal pair of corners and draw an X through the center with a thick marker. Use a knife to make a finely
scribed X in the dark ink.
5b. Use an awl or nail to dent the
precise center of the X, then drill a
¼" (or so) hole through the plate.
5c. (Optional) If you have enough
metal, you can mark and cut a disk,
a violin shape, or any other shape.
5d. (Optional) Paint the Chladni
plate black, and then un-sticky the
surface with “the poor man’s Teflon”
by rubbing graphite powder into
the dried paint.
TIP: To find the center of balance of a flat shape, hold any point along
the perimeter with a plumb bob hanging down, mark along the plumb
line, then rotate the shape and repeat at another perimeter point.
Where the lines cross is the center. You can also simply find where
the shape balances flat on 1 fingertip.
5e. Using a nylon #10-24 bolt, fasten the plate to the driver.
5f. Connect your signal source to
one of your amplifier’s inputs and the
speaker wires to an output.
5g. Finally, gently settle the driver into
the magnet, down to the stop ring.
That’s it!
FINISH X
130 Make: Volume
16
NOW GO USE IT »
