Regarding ways of making musical instruments, I think a mudcateer told me about a site devoted solely to that topic, the Musicians and Instrument Makers Forum. You have to sign up before you can contribute. I did, and they only ever sent me one email, and yes, the denizens did give me helpful suggestions about how to make drums cheaply.

Here's a blurb from the one email they sent me...

The Forum has been re-organized, with a new "Electronics" section and the splitting-off of "Acoustic and Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars" from "Other Stringed Instruments." The mimf.com website has a new look, the links page at http://www.mimf.com/link.htm has been reorganized and greatly expanded. And we're celebrating our first birthday with a collaborative online instrument-designing project!