The Drums

I have made quite a few drums and often reskin and repair them for people as well. I find that when the drum shell rims are round, flat, smooth inside and evenly rounded at the edge you get marked improvement in tone, tunability and volume and this is also a good time to feed the wood some linseed oil to preserve it. Matching the shell to the right skin is also crucial as is the first tightening down before drying; making sure it is even tension and the rings level. Here is a little rooskin one I skinned up and sold recently for $225;

I skinned the following recently; a batan, which has skins on both ends and is tied round the waist, and a kiga, a shorter squatter bugarabu, and  which both sounded great with a very thick cow skin. These originate from the Ivory Coast and are made from Euroka wood.

I made seven of these little djembes which sounded surprisingly big and full and sold them for around $170 and swapped this one with the other shown here (which I found broken at a garage sale and restored) for the 32 inch Premier I will use for the next Double-bass- banjo with the lovely folks at Billy Hydes Drumcraft. 

I have started making some bendy bass bongos from a Boer war snare and a 44 gallon drum cut 1/3 of the way along and with Weber barbecue lids welded on the bottom which will be fitted with pedals operating hinged valves to alter the resonant frequency something like when you shove your fist up the end of a djembe and the bass tone drops. I plan to mount my roto-toms on it too so with a couple of big fluffy beaters I can play percussion basslines. I might even make some bass marimbas too. I reckon I'll have a ball! I restored these nice bongo's  after finding the rims nine years ago and broken shells recently, then made the adjusters from bolts but I can't bring myself to part with them.

I really love the feeling of playing percussion instruments more than anything I have tried, although sax is great fun too but you have to think and feel. 

Making drums doesn't give much financial reward though so I end up keeping most. 

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