Soaking the head:
The skin needs to be soaked next. Put the head into a container large
enough to hold the skin and enough water to cover the skin completely.
The skin will be stiff initially, it will soak up the water and become
more flexible, thus falling under about 3 inches of water in a regular
ice chest. You need to change water a couple of times and rinse the skin
well with water when changing the water.
Putting the head on the flesh hoop:
I take the skin after it has soaked for a couple of hours or longer and lay it hair side up. I place the flesh ring in the center of the skin keeping the spine in the center.
I cut the skin and leave about 5 inches or more (it can be smaller then 5 inches but it is recommended) outside the flesh ring.
I then take a sharp pointed knife and cut holes all the way around the skin close to edge (1/2 inch) in the skin about 2 inches apart. I make sure there is a hole inline with the spine and half way up the spine.
I take the skin and folder it over from the side of the spine to the center. You need to keep in mind where the spine (center) is at all times.
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IMPORTANT This paragraph needs to be read before proceeding to next step: when you tighten the sinew (or whatever you are using) be sure not to tighten too much, it is at this point that you are regulating how far the rings will come down on the drum. To tight and they will not come down very far and too loose they will come down to far. So far I have had some feedback that they have tighten to much so be careful. I do not have a gauge as to tell you how tight but basically all you are trying to do is get the majority of folds out of the skins along the edge and make it easier to tighten the head after you start pulling the verticals. Remember you are not trying to make a hoop drum out of this process, so do not over tighten. |
Proceed After having read the paragraph above:
I then use artificial sinew and tie it so that the spine will stay in
the center.
I then use a long piece of sinew after I tie the sides (keeping the spine in the center). I use the end of the sinew and go to the end of the spine and loop through and go to the other end of the spine pulling it snug.
I then weave the sinew back and forth trying to keep weaving the sinew directly across from one hole to another keep it snug and some what loose.
Partially complete
Complete
View of bottom
When finished doing the weave and you have all the wrinkles out of the folds you are ready to put the head on the drum. If there are more wrinkles (folds) you can always add more sinew to pull them out or just pull them out by hand once you have the head on the drum (recommended). You can also take a piece of sinew and tie the weaves together in the center pulling the skin tighter once you have started the head on the drum if you feel as if the rings will go to low.
Next Step: Putting the head on the drum