Recently I have grown attached to the concept of playing a wooden flute… possibly because my son has recently taken up the saxophone as well as a piano, and I’m feeling like a need a musical outlet. Having tried (and learning from failing) at making a bamboo flute, I happened across Ocarinas… and from there Zelda and the Ocarina of Time. I’ve since purchased an ocarina from STL Ocarina, and went looking for something beginner friendly to start with.
Thank you very much Mikolas Zuza for your 12-hole playable Ocarina model on Printables.
A 12-hole Ocarina in the key of C. 3D printed from a model on Printables, and painted by hand.
Having access to an old 3D printer from work, I made this on an old Prusa Mk3 with some random PLA that came with it. Printed very nicely, although I’m not sure how it managed to print some parts of it without supports. The bottom will need some sanding. I did see a comment that it might be better to print it upside down; perhaps this is why. It has a very pleasing heft to it, printing it with the recommended 100% infill.
I decided to take the opportunity to experience sanding and painting mine. I almost stopped after sanding; the sanded black PLA has a nice basalt-like quality to it, which I quite liked.
I did some very light re-tuning, making some of the holes ever-so-slightly larger, after learning more about how the ocarina makes its sounds and what the function of all the holes are for. Different air conditions (temp, pressure, humidity) will cause the tuning to naturally drift, so you can’t expect any model to be pitch perfect.
As someone who had never used an ocarina before, I would just like to point out that the ‘A’ is the third hole from the left (left ring finger), and not the fourth (left pinky); so do refer to the very helpful fingering chart provided with the plan.
This was my first time painting PLA… I’ve never seen primer dry so very fast; you may want to thin it; I just used the same primer/undercoat I use for wood. Paints used were a mix of regular green, translucent white, peridot (metallic greenish gold) with a black wash to adjust the final colour. Highlights in bronze. I would consider this a fun beginner-friendly painting project. Apply thinned paint in numerous layers for a nice stone-like effect. A hair-dryer on low will help to a degree, but you’ll still need to layers dry so you don’t end up removing paint while you add another layer. When properly dried, I sealed it with some Mod Podge (Hard), and will apply another coat yet. I could have instead used a matt varnish, but I think Mod Podge has a more stone-like feel to it. Just be careful not to add much paint to the inside of the finger-holes or you will lower the pitch of the notes (by making the holes smaller)
Learning ‘Song of Time’ tonight and I’m very pleased with the result… it even passed the wife test (in the next room). I almost regret forking out for a good ceramic from STL which should arrive… in a couple of months.
This will be a great thing to do at lunch-times in work (outside).
Super pleased I tried this. Thanks! Certainly a great option for a crafted gift.