How do you re-skin a drum?

Subject: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Lemming
Date: 29 Apr 03 - 06:11 PM

My partner has a side drum, which unfortunately (due to a slight accident with a drum stick) needs a new skin. We've got a new skin for it, but can't get it to go on right. Any ideas/help greatfully received.

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 29 Apr 03 - 09:28 PM

I make ceramic dumbeks with laced on goatskin heads as part of my pottery business. I don't know how my experience translates to your drum, but here's what I know in a nutshell:

The key to mounting any natural skin drumhead is to soak the new head in warm water for a couple of hours before installing. When lacing it on (or whatever attachment method your particular drum uses), you only want the wet skin to be moderately tight. The skin will shrink considerably and tighten itself up naturally. Be sure to monitor how tight it is getting as it dries and if it seems to be getting too tight, take it off, re-wet it and re-apply more loosely. An over-tight head can wreck a drum frame. If it's not tight enough after it's dried for a couple of days, take it back off, wet it again and go a little tighter.

It is also helpful in lacing to fabricate some kind of temporary rig (like bungie cords with hooks on them) that allows you to secure 2 points directly across from each other first, then 2 more at 90 degrees to those and so forth until you have at least 8 equidistant points secured. If you try to just lace the loose head on you may wind up with less than uniform tension and a sloppy looking lacing job.

Bruce

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 03:46 AM

First catch your goat.....

RtS

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 04:42 AM

First, skin a drummer ...

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: open mike
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 10:46 AM

is a side drum the same as a bodhran?
if so the skin would be attached using
tacks rather than latigo.
i suggest more that one row of tacks,
to minimize the tension at each tack.
good luck!

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Janie
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 11:03 AM

Much depends on the type of drum and the mechanism for attachment. Is it a tunable drum? Is it laced, tacked, or held with a single or double ring? We used to make and sell ashikos, djembas, djun-djuns and frame drums. If you want to pm me with with more details I may be able to help.

Janie

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Gypsy
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 02:11 PM

you wait until the skin grows back a second time.........

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: fiddler
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 02:19 PM

Try asking Gerhard Kress

Gerhard Kress Drum and Bodhran maker

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: GUEST,JeZeBeL
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 03:54 PM

If it's a side drum like what you get in a drum kit, then it should have screws down the sides which you unscrew and take the rim off, take the old skin off and replace the new one on it with the rim on top of that and re screw it. If it's a bodhran, I suggest going to a music shop of a drum specialist who can do it professionally and reliably, I know I wouldn't let anyone near my bodhran with a knife!! :)

Emma

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: vectis
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 07:52 PM

A feather pillow is the favourite round my way.

Only joking. duck. dive for cover
:-))

Subject: RE: How do you re-skin a drum?
From: Bearheart
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 08:10 PM

Take it to a drum maker. You run the risk of ruining both the hide and the drum (if it's a frame drum) if you don't know what you are doing. Also they call it "re-heading" the drum.