Tambourine head replacemnet

Subject: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: GUEST,dodgyfolk
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 06:21 PM

Hi
I have two tambourines I bought in Kuwait. Both are great but the humidity in the UK makes the skins incredibly slack. The skins are fine I just need to remove them and re tack them on tighter. But how? Do I soak the skins (some kind of animal possibly goat) before stretching them?

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 07:47 PM

Try application of warm air from a hair drier ! If that doesnt do the trick ,its probably easier to buy another tambourine than try a retack !! And if its a skin , yes soaking is the way ! I have tried banjos , which are designed to be re skinned , and its a sod of a job if you've never done it before !!

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: Rumncoke
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 08:03 PM

Try oiling the skins to tighten them and keep out the moisture. The theory is that if they were taut when they were dry then driving out the moisture should restore them to their original state.

Olive oil should do, or baby oil or even hand cream at a pinch anything which is going to waterproof the skin. Just apply on both sides and leave, after a day or so apply more if the skin has soaked it all in, or wipe off the excess.

If that fails then take off the skins and wash them in warm soapy water- to counteract the oil, and they should go soft and stretchy. dry them off slightly between sheets of kitchen towel so they are easy to handle.

I would thread loops of cord through the original holes like the spokes of a wheel and draw them just taut on the open side of the tamborine using a tourniquet. Allow the skin to begin to dry out and slacken the cords if they pull the skin too tight - that would make them thin and tinny and likely to split.

When you are happy with how the head sounds you can put the tacks in and remove the cord.

Anne

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: open mike
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 12:49 AM

i hear (from a song) that ground hog skin works quite well
for banjos and shoe strings...

i have a bodhran...presumably goat skin...and always
have to carry either a hair dryer or a spray bottle
to counter act the weather's effect on the leather.

i did try to apply lanolin to the leather once -- it
was a disaster...tacky, stickyt for a long long time.

maybe a synthetic drum head would be less susceptible
to changes in weather...

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: erinmaidin
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 04:59 AM

I use lanolin twice a year on my bodhran. You should be warned that it takes only a wee bit, warmed in your hand and by the rubbing on the drum....again, and I can't stress this enough....a little goes a long way. What I'm saying is, it takes more time (elbow grease) than lanolin (er....sheep grease?)....and patience, much patience (no sweat at all?)

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: mooman
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 05:24 AM

Hi dodgyfolk,

As the tambourines were made in a dry environment they will always be slack even in the average 45% humidity of the UK (can be a lot more on occasion).

This is what I would do. Purchase some fine thin (c. 1cm) leather strip of a suitable colour from a haberdasher's suppliers. As you untack the heads, glue this over the tack holes with a flexible and compatible adhesive (a thin layer of animal glue would be best but Copydex would probably also work). Once removed, soak the skins for half an hour in warm water. While still damp, stretch them (not too tightly) over the frame and retack on through the leather strip). As they dry they will naturally tighten. Once dry, a sparing application of tallow, lanolin or neatfoot oil once a year will be advantageous in keeping the skin supple (water vapour will still affect the skin to a certain extent).

Note! There is a bit of an art to getting the tension right when stretching. However, I have repaired or adjusted several bodhrans like this (including my own ...damn! I've admitted owning one!) with good results.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: GUEST,dodgyfolk
Date: 21 Aug 05 - 03:59 PM

Hi to all.
Thank you for all your advice.
I aim to give this a go on Monday so I will let you know.

GLYN

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: DaveA
Date: 22 Aug 05 - 06:54 AM

Is this the right place to remark that anyone who "plays a tambourine" does need a head replacement?

Dave

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacement
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Aug 05 - 08:11 AM

Does anybody have suggestions for performing Tambourine Player Head Replacements?

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: mooman
Date: 22 Aug 05 - 09:58 AM

As before... no difference in technique required!

Soak carefully before stretching and tacking through a leather strip over a wooden frame! The occasional application of tallow, lanolin or neatsfoot oil will keep the head in good condition ready to be struck repeatedly with the heel of the hand.

Panderetas!

moo

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 01:16 AM

I would go with Moomans suggestion.

I am very wary about using any form of oil on the skin of a bodhran. If you get it wrong that will mean you end up with a slack skin, permanently.

I have only one non tunable drum now for the simple reason that the humidity here varies non only seasonaly but by the day too. Anything from 30% to 90%.

Even tunable drums need drying out so I slacken off the tensioning nuts and put them under the air-con when it is on a cool and de humidifying cycle. The dryer cool air will help remove moisture from the skin. Mine are fairly thick skinned {please no comments about thick skinned bodhran players ;-)} Otherwise believe it or not pop them in the fridge. Cool air will help dry them out, the alternative is the hair dryer on warm to evaporate the mositure out of the skin.

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: Janie
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 08:50 AM

After you soak the skin, it is not a bad idea to work and restretch it some before stretching and tacking it over the frame.

open mike--we used to pick up groundhog roadkills and skin them to use as drum heads on small drums. They are great!! Very thin but very, very tough.

Janie

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: GUEST,dodgyfolk
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 02:32 PM

Hi all.
Thanks again to everyone and I have performed the operation with much success (by their sound).
I'll be trying them out with the band later next month.

Cheers

GLYN

Subject: RE: Tambourine head restore/replace?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 04:29 PM

I've come into possession of a Paramount? Tambourine w/ skin head.
This is a 10" model No. 7770. It has been in its box inside another
box 30 to 50 years. To say it's dry is putting it mildy. The skin is taunt over roughly 50% and slack over the rest. There is evidence that the skin shrunk sometime in the past as it looks like it pulled out from under the tacks holding it. Several tacks were repositioned. The skin is also bunched up between some of the tacks. How do I restore this skin or should I replace it?

Ron

Subject: RE: Tambourine head replacemnet
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 19 Jun 12 - 06:21 PM

I don't know if it's applicable to drum/tambourine heads, but when the kid was in little league (~25 years ago) about the only instruction he got from the leadership was that neatsfoot oil should never be used on a baseball glove, because it encourages the leather to stretch and become "flabby."

In that case, a special "glove oil" was recommended, that was sold in the US under a trade name something like "Glovolium" (?).

Other "leather treatments" like "saddle soap" also were deprecated, for the same reason.

Maybe someone with a skinhead that's been a problem has tried something like this - or would like to - so they could tell us all whether it actually works any differently.

I can't really offer much of an evaluation, since I think the kid hocked his glove to buy a couple of drumsticks for his trap set before the glove had time to "age properly."

John