Some experiences from building a vibraphone.
To make the fan we used a 4l can of olive oil (Spanish, naturalmente). Make sure you finish the oil first.
One 4l can had plenty of material to make all the fans. Also looks coo to see the olives going around.
To shape the fans I didn't use the method in the instructions. I got two blocks of wood and drilled a 6mm hole through the join, so when you separate them there is a groove on the top of the block that fits the fan axle. You then place a fan blank over the groove, push on small piece of 6mm steel rod, then bend the wings back flat with the wood.
I don't know if the surface density of the steel is more or less than the aluminium sheet Jim uses, but the tremolo effect it gives is deep enough that my kid says it sounds like a vibraphone (I myself have never even seen one before - the kid is the percussionist)
George
