iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

I've noticed a crack developing in the top part of the Djalu Yidaki I've recently received~
It's fairly small about 4 inches long and not wide at all in fact so thin I thought it was hair. I do think it goes all the way through because when I play there is noticable difference in pressure~not a great difference just noticable. so now my quandry is how to repair it? My first thought is to use tape but glue paint is my second thought to kepp the aesthetics as close to original. finding the same color paint might be difficult....

Any way what would you do if it was your stick?

If it was my stick... I'd leave it like this for the time being.
I like these "noticeable differences in pressure"... seems like the stick's soul : gotta play it a bit to get it moisty so that the wood would expand a bit and the gap would close.
Then, if I'd see it evolving (getting longer and/or wider), I'd use ducktape.
Only my view though and it's not my stick

if the crack is near the mouthpiece and you can reach it inside with your finger, I would fix it with a little bit of pva glue from the inside. Most instruments have some glue inside the mouthpiece anyway.
You can mark the end of a crack with a small small pencil stroke. So you can see if it is getting any longer.

I'd suck on the hairline to test for air leakage, same goes for any marks, knot holes and cracks that looks superficial. Do you know how old the instrument is? FInd out about the instrument's history, whether it has been treated before in the bore with oils or anything else. Also has the outside been treated any further after Djalu made the instrument? Knowing these two things will give you a better understanding of the best options you have. You're welcome to take a pic of the suspect area and upload here too, pictures tell a thousand words and we'd be able to advice more

Guan

Hi Guan,

The person who gifted this stick to me says he believes it was made in the late 1990's (according to the dealer he got it from). It has not been sealed or finished with anything other than the external paint...I posted a picture of the crack in another thread.
The man who gave me this instrument said he purchased a mago from you made by a woman ~ do you remember him? Just kiddin about remembering him

Got me guessing and thinking now Hawk... there's a few Yolngu and Bininj women who make instruments.

With no oil in the bore, the options are much larger so its your decision really what you wish to use, I still think a flexible adhesive is best, like PVA glue. If the crack is new and in good condition, you don't need to do more to it, if its older there may be "contaminants" like oil from your hands and particles in the crack which need removing so as to provide a clean 'sticky' surface for the adhesive.

Anyway, should be an easy job, is there anyone living nearby to you who is also a didgeridoo player who could help?

Guan

I reckon the aforementioned woman made mago was a Banyawarra Malibirr stick.

my friend has just repaired his djalu with the same problem,he used an e-poxy resin to allow for contraction and expansion while playing, it seems to have done the trick
touch wood lol
if you wish to stay traditional then use beeswax.
good luck