A friend of mine got a kalimba recently, and I was inspired to make one after finding an online kit.
Design
I purchased a simple kit off Amazon & got to work drawing a simple profile to cut out.
After selecting a profile, I taped it onto a bit of spare cherry & used a scrollsaw to cut out the profile.
I finished the body by sanding off the rough edges & using some Rubio Monocoat. After that, I just had to bolt on the kit & tune the keys.
This was a fun project & makes a great gift for a musically inclined person. The body being made of solid wood creates a great sound profile & the simple shape allows for some personality in the final product.