Delicious With Mayonnaise

March 28, 2009 5:28 PM

Secrets of a True Master : How To Make A Carrot Ocarina {slyt}

Metafilter never ceases to amaze me - people who make carrots into instruments have been discussed not once, not twice, but thrice in the past two years. (hope I didn't miss this hiding in one of the other threads)

posted by mannequito (15 comments total)

Back in the days of being a Cubmaster for the local cub scout pack, I spent an evening working with kids on their pinewood derby cars. While drilling out the bottom of a car in order to add some lead weights, I held the car in my left hand, and the drill in my right. Pine, being a soft wood, didn't provide much resistance to the drill bit...which went quickly though the wood and into the palm of my hand.... I drove myself to the hospital... And, yes, I was an idiot to drill like that...

When I got to the part of the video where he was drilling the carrot while holding it in his hand, I really didn't want to see what happened next.... and, yes, he's an idiot to drill like that... and you would be too if you try this.
posted by HuronBob at 5:45 PM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Aha, I love this guy. He will make an ocarina out of anything. This is my favorite.
posted by mmmleaf at 5:48 PM on March 28, 2009

Sugoi desu!
posted by darkstar at 5:49 PM on March 28, 2009

This guy's videos are the best thing I've seen on the internet in ages! Thanks for the post, mannequito.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:56 PM on March 28, 2009

See, this is what happens if you prevent a naturally talented person from smoking pot.
posted by mrzarquon at 6:14 PM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Nice idea. But it's much simpler to learn how to play the flute.
posted by LeLiLo at 6:16 PM on March 28, 2009

I tried to watch the whole video, I really wanted to like it...
posted by jester69 at 6:27 PM on March 28, 2009

This is charming. He really has a very emotive face, and is very wonderful.

I was thinking of My Neighbor Totoro the whole time too. Especially with the broccoli ocarina.
posted by kalessin at 6:51 PM on March 28, 2009

That's not a great way to drill, but it wasn't all that dangerous. It's not perpendicular to his hand and it's at a slow speed. And even if jammed and spun around, a carrot isn't sharp enough to cut him (he said, looking significantly at his own thumb which is still healing from a similar fate).
posted by DU at 7:22 PM on March 28, 2009

I followed his directions at work and made an ocarina, but out of steel.

He was right. The shavings with mayonnaise were delicious!
posted by digsrus at 7:45 PM on March 28, 2009 [3 favorites]

I remember doing something similar as a kid, but with willow branches. On the plus side, my ocarina lasted for ever. On the negative side, no tasty snack!
posted by bwanabetty at 7:58 PM on March 28, 2009

1.5 million people have watched that trumpet video.

1.5


million.
posted by graventy at 8:27 PM on March 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best use of occarina in movies ever
posted by lalochezia at 8:28 PM on March 28, 2009

Thank you Japan indeed. That guy is adorable! And I actually think the carrot produces a lovely sound. (The burdock's not bad either.)

I normally cringe at YouTube comments, but these were quite sweet:

The cutest part was when you were doing the high-detail work and then I heard munching in the background. Hungry? haha.

I had to laugh when I saw you pull out the tuner for your carrot.

posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:08 PM on March 28, 2009

I can't believe I watched a guy carve a carrot for ten minutes from now on.
posted by orme at 9:50 PM on March 28, 2009