Makin A Gourd Hand Drum! Help?

Hey Best Beloveds!I tripped over this video yesterday on how to make a Gourd Hand Drum - and since I have both gourds and deer hides, I decided to give it a whack.I have everything done, and now all i need to do is cut out the drum head and the lacings...Here is where I am in trouble.I can't find a good site that describes HOW to properly lace the thing up..and I know there must be a method.Im sure I can figure it out, but I have limited hide at the moment and dont wanna waste anything.Anyone have experience with creating traditional drums?Cheers!
updated by @eva-deva: 01/13/15 08:48:12PM

are there rings involved or not i know how to do a djimbe but that uses metal rings if no rings u can use a lace


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

im about to go pick up a metal ring, and lace the head to the ring. i didnt want to go that route, but i dont think i will have enough hide to go all lacing...this is my first project, and i am getting more hide and gourds in soon, so then i'll go all out!!! any wisdom and advice you can share is totally appreciated!! thanks!!

soaringeagle said:

are there rings involved or not i know how to do a djimbe but that uses metal rings if no rings u can use a lace

but umm ok 1st u do the up n down v shaped pulling it tight as u can with the hide wert so it stretchesthen let it dry slowly and tighten if u need to tighten more after that u go around over 1 then back unfder 2 and pull so they pop into a criss cross patern.. it takes some strength to do especialy as its getting tighter or wait .. lemme think no its over 1 then under the 1 u went over back over then under the 1 before thaty then pull sokmething like that soits hard to describe i guessmost hand drummeers could show u tho


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

thats the bummer about it i dont have any friends here who are in to this sort of thing. hahaanyways - after running all over town to find a friggin RING!!! i finally found one. and I've since laced up the drum head as best I could under your instructions and while lookin at pictures online.My drum is pretty small...the opening is prolly only like 10 inches wide, MAYBE...but i was just doing this for a test before I go and find a BIG gourd!! I think this method works best the bigger you go...I had Eight Lace points on the drum head...and laced it to make the Big V's you were talkin bout...Then I read down and saw your comment that the laces need to overlap and make X's...So i made eight more connection points and laced it up some more...I think that the drum head fits down more snuggly now, but since the gourd is on the smallish side, the laces look like they're totally overtaking the gourd. Looks a bit like a kids craft hour project.. lol...but, its mine, and i did it...and NEXT time, i have some ideas on how to make it better.I cut my sinew laces too thick, for one, because I was worried about the strength of the hide. Now i know how ridiculously strong deer skin is, and how much it an stretch!!Now i just need to learn how to play a drum!!! : Di'll take pics when its done drying. thank you for the support, brother!

soaringeagle said:

but umm ok 1st u do the up n down v shaped pulling it tight as u can with the hide wert so it stretches
then let it dry slowly and tighten if u need to tighten more after that u go around over 1 then back unfder 2 and pull so they pop into a criss cross patern.. it takes some strength to do especialy as its getting tighter or wait .. lemme think no its over 1 then under the 1 u went over back over then under the 1 before thaty then pull sokmething like that so
its hard to describe i guess
most hand drummeers could show u tho