DJEMBE-L FAQ Goat Skins

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Inhalation Anthrax from unprocessed skins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 23, 2006
(212) 788-5290

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATION OF INHALATION ANTHRAX CASE IN NYC RESIDENT

No Other Cases Reported; Three Additional Individuals Receiving Preventive
Antibiotics

NEW YORK CITY - February 23, 2006 - The Health Department is continuing to
work closely with the NYPD, FBI, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), Pennsylvania health officials, and several other City, state and federal
health and law enforcement agencies to investigate a case of inhalation anthrax
in a New York City resident. All information obtained to date continues to
indicate that this is a naturally occurring infection. Updates will continue as
more information becomes available. The follow updates the initial February 22
announcement made by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg:

The patient is still hospitalized. We remain in close contact with
Pennsylvania hospital officials. The patient remains in stable condition.

As of this morning, a total of 7 people exposed to the raw hides from the
patient's workspace have been started on preventive antibiotics as a precaution.

Out of an abundance of caution, health and safety officials are evaluating a
residence in Crown Heights, Brooklyn where three of the people placed on
antibiotics live because raw unprocessed hides from the DUMBO location were brought
into the residence and processed. The apartment where they live will be
evaluated for anthrax contamination.

Health and safety officials continue to monitor for any people who may have
been exposed. No other cases or suspected cases of anthrax have been reported.

This type of infection is extremely rare - the patient appears to have been
at risk because of the type of work he did with unprocessed hides in a confined
space. This work generated dust, known as aerosols, which could have spread
anthrax to those who worked directly with the hides.

In general, animal hides and pelts, which are frequently brought into the
City, are not considered to pose a risk for inhalational anthrax.

Drums do not pose a health risk, nor is there any risk for people who
attended performances or who had contact with the patient.

Evaluation of the storage facility, as well as the patient's van and
apartment are ongoing. Samples from the residence are currently at the Health
Department Laboratory and are being tested to determine if anthrax spores were
present.

The Brooklyn warehouse remains sealed while the investigation is ongoing.

The West Village building is open to all its residents. The only apartment
that's sealed is the patient's apartment.

The Health Department will continue to provide information at the apartment
buildings and the storage facility as needed.

DOHMH will continue to update doctors and ask them to report any suspect
cases of anthrax to the DOHMH.

Background Information on Feb 22 Announcement:

On February 22, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Health Commissioner Thomas R.
Frieden, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, FBI New York Field Office
Assistant Director Mark J. Mershon and other health and safety officials announced the
investigation of a case of inhalational anthrax in a 44-year-old Manhattan
man. The man did artistic work with unprocessed animal hides. As such, while a
full investigation will be conducted, the case is believed to be naturally
occurring and not terrorist related.

Other information announced included:

The 44-year-old man, a Manhattan resident, became ill and was hospitalized
while in Pennsylvania on February 16. Test results confirming anthrax were
received from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the CDC on February 22nd.

The man reportedly last worked on animal raw hides on February 15th in the
storage space.

The man works with African drums made with raw (unprocessed) animal hides. He
stocked and worked with unprocessed animal hides in a storage facility in
downtown Brooklyn. The storage facility and the man's vehicle are reportedly the
only places where the unprocessed hides were stored.

Anyone who has concerns about being ill and having worked with raw
(unprocessed) animal hides should contact their doctor.

Doctors should report any suspected cases of anthrax to the Health Department
immediately.

Information about Anthrax:

Anthrax is not known to spread from person-to-person. Anthrax is not passed
through casual contact, such as sharing office space with a person with anthrax
or living in the same building. Anthrax can be obtained by handling products
from infected animals and by breathing in anthrax spores from infected animal
products, such as wool and hides. Gastrointestinal anthrax can occur by eating
meat that is contaminated with the spores.

For skin (cutaneous) anthrax, the first symptom is a skin sore that form a
blister. The blister then develops into a skin ulcer with a black area in the
center. The sores, blisters, and ulcers are not painful.

For lung (inhalational) anthrax, the first symptoms may resemble the common
cold. After several days, symptoms may progress to severe breathing
difficulties and pneumonia.

For gastrointestinal anthrax, the first symptoms are nausea, loss of
appetite, bloody diarrhea, and fever, followed by bad stomach pain.

Symptoms can appear within 7 days of coming in contact with the bacterium for
all three types of anthrax.

For more information about anthrax, visit
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdant.shtml.

CONTACT: (212) 788-5290; (212) 788-3058 (After Hours)
Sandra Mullin (smullin@health.nyc.gov/a>)
AAndrew Tucker (atucker@health.nyc.gov)

Michael Markus
Magbana Drum & Dance
118 North 11th Street, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, Ny 11211
(718) 486-3230
www.magbana.com

From: "Bongo Central" <bob@bongocentral.com>

Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 12:54 PM

To prep these skins for use on drums is simpler than prepping them for leather. First of all you need to get that salt out of there. Soak them in clean water until they are soft again and then throw out the water. Re soak them 3 - 4 times, throwing out the salty water between soakings. You can accomplish this in a day. Next, you really do not need to remove the membrane on the back for drumheads, just scrape away any loose flesh or fat and you are ready to go. Let them dry thoroughly in the sun. Since they have already been stretched you can just drape them lengthwise, hair side out, on a wire to let them dry. Once dry they will be folded along the spine this ay and are easy to store. Just keep them in a dry place and they will keep
for years.
An alternative which a lot of people would not want to try is to put the soaked, soft skins (after they have been scraped) into the clothes washer with just a little detergent. Detergent is alkaline and will begin the process of softening the hair follicles if you use too much. This will cause a lot of the hair to fall out during the washing as well as afterwards, so don't use more than a heaping tablespoon for a full load. Let it run through a cycle like regular laundry, cold water only! This will remove the salt and also clean the skins very nicely, taking all the smelly crap out but leaving enough oils in the hide for it to be in good drumhead condition. This makes a really nice clean skin. When done you will probably have to remove a little hair from the bottom of the tub, and you should probably run the machine once more empty, with detergent and a dab of bleach, before you put in a load of laundry. Do not put the skins in the drier! (you'd never get
the wrinkles out) Hang the washed skins on a wire in the sun to dry. Or pin them up on the clothesline and watch the neighbors go wild. :) Actually, they would twist into weird and awkward shapes if you pinned them to the clothesline.

Bob Fulbright
www.bongocentral.com/goatskins.htm

Two good resource books I have used prepping skins are :

"Deerskins into Buckskins" Matt Richards and
"Home Tanning & Leather Craft Simplified" by Kathy Kellogg

Note all you need to do is Make Raw hide and leave the hair on.
Wash clean get the salt out.
Some say it is easier if you don't salt the hides?
I cut off any material I will not need, so I only process what I need.
I use a 6" diameter piece of as pipe (bigger would be better?) around 8 feet long as a beam to scrap on and a long piece of hard Plexiglas or steel with a distinct edge to scrap with.
Stretch the hide on a frame to dry( if stretched with good tension the hide will come out white, with out much stretching off colored). Once dry store is in a dry area. If you can not complete the process when it
is wet it can be frozen. Hides rot quickly!!

I have yet to find a scrapper that makes this an easy task. It takes a lot of energy to scrap the hide. If any one knows an easier way let me know. I have toyed with the idea of getting a fleshing machine but they seem to cost in the $1000 range and I am not sure I do enough
to warrant this expense or if it makes the job that much easier?? I am make Djembe's, and Bodhrans and would like to find a wholesaler of heads "Goat skin" for these drums in Canada?
Kirk

From: "orida diabate" <omdiabate@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 12:33 PM

Hi Christina,

Djeli Lansana Dioubate, Djeli Moussa Diabate and myself will answer to your
questions about goats and antelopes.

- in most of Africa there is usually prayers before slaughtering or hunting
animals .
In Muslims areas, we ask God for permission to kill for our needs and the
slaughtering is done in the same tradition as it is done in Judaism. Yeah!
One world. Therefore we are supposed to use every single part of the animal
including organ meat (our delicacy), bones and skin.
There is also a ceremony for cutting trees with the same principle.

- Female goats have a thinner skin which is good for small hands and
beginners or intermediate drummers. It stretches more.
- Male skins are thicker and better for advanced drummers.
You could obtain the same sound depending on how you tune your djembe.
Lansana and Moussa use both skins.

The goat skins of goat, bred out of Africa, could be good if it is the same
variety, except if their diet is different and they accumulate fat. That will
definitely make them too thick for Djembe.
Antelope is usually not use for djembe. It is too thick and may hurt your
hand.

I hope this answers your question.

Take good care.

Orida

-----Original Message-----
From: RonCross <oriondrm@wcl.on.ca>
Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 6:09 PM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment

>Hi all, a taxidermist [you know those people who stuff dead animals in life like action poses to simulate that there having a good time forever] told me they use borax lightly shaken in a bag with damp hide to make the fur stay on and the skin oh so soft and durable for ever.
>go figure....[and eliminates any odor, so I'm trying it now]stay tuned.
>peace. Ron
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-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Olson <brian@sirius.com>
Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: Do USA goats have weak skin?

>J. Wilcox asked a lot of good questions about skins for djembes. I haven't used American skins, but the African drummers I know here in Oakland consistently say that African skins are better. The general reason given is that American goats have too much fat in their hides while the African goats are leaner. I've used many Pakistani skins, and they were fine. But the absolute best skin I've ever had is on my drum now. It's from Guinea and I got it from Karamba Dembakate. It sounds great and has lasted far longer than I ever expected. It came hair-off and in a heavier weight than the Pakistani skins I had previously used. Other African hides that I have used have been (subjectively) better than the Pakistani hides, but not as good as the Guinea skin. They came from Senegal and had been treated differently. They had a very fine layer of a sandy material on them, which leads me to suspect that they were possibly dried in a mixture of absorbent
earthen material. One of them on another drum blew out last night while I was sleeping. It sounded like a gunshot in the next room and got me straight out of bed. I'll be replacing it with one of Karamba's skins.
The Pakistani hides are consistent and quite good. They come already cut in rounds of various diameters. You can specify thickness: light, medium, heavy. Companies like West Cliff Percussion use them. You can easily order them from Mid-East Mfg, Inc in West Melbourne, Florida (407) 724-1477. The last time I dealt with them they had a $100 minimum (at least for "wholesale" prices) and the skins were only about $15 each. Be sure to tell them that you want "spine center," so that the midline of the hide will be centered over the drum.
Also, I just spoke with Karamba (while I was typing this) and he told me that he's expecting a shipment this week from his brother in Guinea which will include many goat and cow skins, and several balafones. His goat skins cost $30, plus any shipping.

Best regards,
Brian Olson
_____________________________________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: rulatir@free.polbox.pl <rulatir@free.polbox.pl>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 12:22 AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment - here's lookin'at you,

On 20 Jun 98 at 21:52, Robert Feuer <rfeuer@bcn.net>
wrote:

> oils. Although the idea of using a little musk oil or other pleasant scent has its appeal. What do you >suggest?

Try patchouli. It's a very "sticky" scent so you can always tell who played your drum when you were out ;-)
DJ Embe
Szczepan Artur Holyszewski
rulatir@free.polbox.pl
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-----Original Message-----
From: Annalise Friend <af16@uow.edu.au>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Sunday, June 21, 1998 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: Do USA goats have weak skin?

I have an interesting ethical position with relation to skins: I am a vegan, I (try) to consume no animal products whatsoever, don't purchase products tested on animals etc etc
However, my drum has a goat skin, I lust after the *sound* of traditional djembes, and am purchasing one:
yet my entire ethical system (excepting drums) does not allowing animal parts... anyone else have thoughts on this issue...i heard rumblings 'bout the 'animalistic' spirituality of traditional djembe use... and *for me* the fiberskyn is not the sound i'm after.... what is the killing process of the goats used? does anyone know? i suppose one solution would be for me (the drummer, consumer of the drum) to be on
hand when the slaughter takes place, to ensure the 'humanity' (but here is my problem, in all other spheres i'm completely opposed to this)
i know 'ethic's are something one has to work out but wondering if any drummers have thought 'bout this..? _____________________________________________________________________

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Tauber <Alan@drumconnection.com>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 12:38 PM
Subject: Re: Do USA goats have weak skin?

It's odd to hear someone say that the Pakistan hide is good; We usually hear that the skins from the African continent are better. I have had mixed experiences. My main drum these days has a Pakistan goat skin and is pulled real tight. It is my favorite drum at the moment. It doesn't give me any odd tones as the thickness of the skin is very even. Even in humid conditions the drum sings and gives me back everything I ask. So the next time I rehead a drum I would not shy away from these skins; the way I used to think.

Alan

PS- It's a great feeling to actually get to find out what you need by asking someone who knows, isn't it? Thanks for your report.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: J T Wilcox <fortytil5@juno.com>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Sunday, June 21, 1998 12:23 PM
Subject: Do USA goats have weak skin?

     Last Sunday during a drummer' gathering in Portland I ran into this guy drumming, who had one of the tightest drums I had ever heard. You could hear that the drum skin sounded thick and tight. The tones.....the notes.............. I was amazed! I waited and waited to talk with him. He started to get up and leave after a few hours. I had seen my chance, I couldn't hold back, I had to find out why my Djembe sounded different than his.
     I introduced myself to this guy named Tom and popped the question that I had been so patiently waiting to ask, "How is it that your drum sounds so good???" I said. He replies, "Believe it or not, It is all in the skin!". I asked, "What is the difference between your skin and mine?". He explained that his skin came from Pakistan, and the one I was playing on was probably from the USA. He further explained that the breed of goat there have a thicker hair and a thicker skin than ones raised here, and add for a healthier stretch when you re-skin. He had also said that he puts a little more time into the stretching and drying process than most.

     What do you Djembe players out there use for skins? Do any of you have contacts with any Pakistan goat breeders? (he-he) ;O)

     Is thicker really better? If so, what kind of animals have real tough thick skins?

Peace,
J. Wilcox
Ridgefield, WA
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-----Original Message-----
From: Adamrugo@aol.com <Adamrugo@aol.com>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 3:22 PM
Subject: Goat skin treatment

Hi,

I came across a recipe for a depilatory (hair removing) solution that I've used successfully. You can use either caustic lye or wood ashes (!). After you soak a skin in the solution, the hair tears away in big handfuls, no problem. No degradation of the skin, either. I don't remember the
proportions. You don't need much caustic lime, though. And you need to avoid breathing the powder or getting ANY of it on you, because it burns. I believe you need a healthy slug of ashes to make the water solution sufficiently (alkaline?), enough to destroy the hair roots. If I get a
chance, I'll check the book from our library that has the recipe.

I built stretchers out of 1"x3" plain pine boards. I just had some extras lying around, so the size isn't critical. I nailed 4 of them into a frame a little larger than each hide. Then, using twine and a sail repair needle (you can get them at any Walgreens), I sewed each hide onto a frame and
stretched them taut. Put them out in the sun and let them dry. Checked them periodically to make sure no pests were attacking them. Oh yeah, I also trim away any flesh and scrape them first. Any meaty substance on them will start to rot immediately. Another tip: If you can get the hides immediately after slaughter, put them in a bag and put that bag in a larger bag full of ice to
cool them off. Helps retard rot until you can clean and stretch 'em.

I haven't used salt on hides, but I understand that the purpose of salting is to dehydrate the skin, which retards rotting. I'm not sure if Africans salt their hides destined for djembes, but I suspect not. This may be total nonsense, but I get the impression that salted hides (like the pakistani ones
we get here) have a more "brittle" sound, not so warm as either African hides or the fresh ones I've cured.

Good luck!
Adam.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Lewis <mclewis@cyberramp.net>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 11:02 AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment - here's lookin'at you, kid!

Salting the hides is also a method I have used. I had some success with it. Although I found it to be really messy and it still took a long time to dry and the skins stunk up the whole neighbor hood and my neighbors complained and I started turning green at the gills every time I had to get
near them. What I would like to find is a way to cure the skins and not have them stink or the hair fall out before I am ready to scrape it off myself.

Mid East mfg., sells a head that doesn't stink. It smells like insecticide but it doesn't have a foul oder about it.

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-----Original Message-----
From: M. Moore <mandm@hooked.net>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Friday, May 22, 1998 7:08 AM
Subject: re: goatskin prep

>>What type of drum are you going to use the goat skin for ?

I have a dumbek, a djembe, and of course there is the old feta cheese barrel that was my first drum. (I made it myself and was hooked immediately!)

These skins are not from a slaughterhouse. I was present when the animals were killed and skinned, so they need scraping on both sides, I'm sure. Someone recommended stretching on a board while drying them covered with ash and salt, but he wasn't a drummer.
Live and learn, or you don't live long.
Matt
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-----Original Message-----
From: ocean@iol.ie <ocean@iol.ie>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 11:19 AM
Subject: Female skins

Hi
the thing about female skins is that they are lighter and higher pitched than male. In fact a skin from a female with a VERY high pitch is a sign that she had a lot of intercourse !

Peace

John Barron

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-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Olson <brian@sirius.com>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: Female skins

John Barron wrote:

the thing about female skins is that they are lighter and higher pitched than male. In fact a skin from a female with a VERY high pitch is a sign that she had a lot of intercourse !

>I replied:
>
>>John, would you be willing to tell us just where that "fact" came from?
>
>And John responds:
>
>>Hi
>> I take it you don't believe me, well I was told this by a Senegalese tutor, DEMBA SOW, and also by an african woman from Mali whose name I can't think of.
>
>My turn to solo:
>
>John, it's not a question of believing you personally. I'm questioning your use of the word "fact" to describe something that sounds folkloric and rather farfetched as well. It may well be true, but I doubt it. The citing of two West African sources doesn't move this story from the realm of
>folklore and into that of fact.
>
>Perhaps djembe-l could sponsor a study. We could get major scientists from major universities to chart and graph the intercourse frequencies of girlgoats. Their graduate assistants could skin the animals. Using techniques recently discussed on djembe-l the hides could be mounted on
>drums carved in Africa by Africans (out of trees grown in African soil, of course), and the folks who study and write about the physics of the djembe could set up the instrumentation to measure the frequency response of the various hides relative to the libidinousness of their former owners.
>Perhaps the Summer Djembe Institute could help with the funding. Maybe it's time for a new djembe-l pin to raise some cold cash. For design: how about goats humping atop a large djembe? I can almost see it. I can almost smell it. I think it's in 6/8.
>
>In case you were wondering, John and friends, I love folklore as much as I love fact. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, but either without the other is as silent and dead as a drum without its head. Good story, John. Thanks.
>
>Best regards,
>Brian Olson
>
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-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Feuer <rfeuer@bcn.net>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <
Date: Saturday, June 20, 1998 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment - here's lookin'at you, kid!

>LR wrote:
>>
>> My advice is, don't use any chemical treatment, including salt, on skins intended for drums. SNIP>
>> Note that male goat skins are very smelly, something to do with pheromones I suppose SNIP>
>
>Lynzz,
>
> Thanks for the lessons on preparing skins. I just got a new djembe with a damp goat skin on it and the verticals threaded. From what you say, this skin must be male. One piece of advise I was offered, to relieve the strong "goaty" smell, was to use a little scented oil on the
>skin. The advisor said that male goat smell can take up to six months to go away. As the skin has been drying the intensity of the aroma is diminishing to some extent. I am leery to treat a new skin with any oils. Although the idea of using a little musk oil or other pleasant scent has its appeal. What do you suggest?
>
>Bob.
>
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-----Original Message-----
From: MR ROBERT M PALMER <
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion
Date: Sunday, June 21, 1998 6:08 AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment

>i once had a goat skin that had that awful smell. i lightly sprayed the head with oil and then sprinkled with baking soda. cleaned it well after it dried and and let the sun do the rest, it worked for me.
>shorty palmer
>cape coral fl usa
> djembe@prodigy.net
>http://pages.prodigy.com/djembe/djembe.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Lewis
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 3:56 PM
Subject: Re: Query regarding goat skin treatment - here's lookin'at you, kid!

>
>Kempe, James Wrote:
>
>>A person I know who raises and occasionally slaughters goats has promised to
>>give me the hides next time they become available. I told him I want to use
>>the skin for the head of a drum about 12" to 14" in diameter, and while I'm
>>completely ignorant of the process for transforming a freshly killed goat's
>>skin into a drum head, I would do some research and get back to him.
>>
>>Even if I am unable to use the skin immediately, surely there is some
>>preservation process available that would allow it to be used at a later
>>date.
>>
>> I seek suggestions from the list readers. What shall I ask him to do with
>>the skin once it is separated from the rest of the goat? Some treatment
>>must be in order beyond tossing the bloody skin into a trash bag and then
>>dropping the bag on my desk. Salt water soaking? (I'll need a recipe: "half
>>a pound of table salt in 5 gallons of tap water. Stir until dissolved. Add
>>one tablespoon of cayenne pepper if afro-cuban rhythms will be attempted.
>>Soak goat skin for 24 hours. Then use briney solution to kill the weeds in
>>your gravel driveway.")
>>
>>I live in rural Ohio. Some items items found in larger metropolitan areas
>>may be unavailable here. I am most likely to be able to use techniques that
>>require stuff that is common here (pickling, table, or rock salt rather
>>than Eastern Mediterranean fine crush Sea Salt, or common vegetable oils like
>>corn, peanut, safflower, olive or canola).
>>
>>The goat skins from this source are currently being discarded. This seems a
>>waste to me. My efforts may or may not result in a playable drum head, but
>>I'll learn a lot from trying.
>>
>>Jim
>>
>>
>>Curing your own hides can be a messy business and I haven't found the best
>>solution yet.
>The first thing I would recommend is freezing the raw skins in freezer bags
>until you are ready to process them. This has worked for me so far.
>Another important thing is to make sure the skin has been scraped clean of
>all fat and meat before you begin to cure the skin. Also you will need to
>make some wooden frames to dry the skins on. As far as soaking the skin in
>a solution I not sure what the best method is. I am experimenting with a
>weak solution of boric acid. Just make sure you don't use anything that
>will tan the hide.
>
>Any help I can get in finding a better way to produce skins would be a help.

>

-----Original Message-----
From: Dream Cell <DreamCell@aol.com>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion <>
Date: Thursday, May 21, 1998 10:48 AM
Subject: Re: goatskin prep

>What type of drum are you going to use the goat skin for ......i have replaced several Doumbec heads with goatskin .... they still had hair on them but all i did was soak them for about 1 hr .... or until they become very flexible .... put the head over the drum .... took the ring out of the old head & put it down over the new head ... it is pretty self explanatory after that point ..... i hope that is what you needed ....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: ocean@iol.ie <ocean@iol.ie>
To: Djembe drumming/hand percussion
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 11:19 AM
Subject: Female skins

Hi
the thing about female skins is that they are lighter and higher pitched
than male. In fact a skin from a female with a VERY high pitch is a sign
that she had a lot of intercourse !

Peace

John Barron
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: Alan Tauber <AlanTauber@drumconnection.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 17, 1998 12:16 AM
Subject: Re: How to protect skin against humidity ?

Favorite method: place an absorbent towel flat on drumhead. Wait two hours. There ya go. Try using
one of those special (and expensive) hair towels which are extremely absorbent.

Alan Tauber
Harvard University
8 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
781-862-6675

drum head has a tear in it a
The rip is about an inch long with a gap of like 1/8" at the worst part. The ring is about 2" from the rim of the drum and the tear is just above the ring so it's well below the rim. I made this drum myself using
the thickest piece of leather I could find. I'd hate to rehead it. It's a djembe, BTW.

lots of snips in above

I'd say you've got a couple of choices.

The only reason you'd not rehead is for the sentimental value. In its current state, it will probably blow as soon the weather heats up and dries out sufficiently.

This procedure can buy you some time, though:

1) Pull the head...hopefully it won't buckle too much when it comes off. A humid day probably wouldn't be the best time to do the procedure.

2) You'll need some fiberglass resin and a small square of fiberglass cloth. This is often sold as a muffler repair kit in automotive stores. Also available in larger quantities as automotive body repair. Get a couple of throwaway paint brushes, called chip brushes, that are made out of hog bristle. Any paint store will know what a chip brush is...

3) Cut a piece of the fiberglass cloth about 1" wider than the shape of the tear. cut another piece about 2" wider than the tear and longer than the first piece top and bottom.

4) Place the head, playing side DOWN, in a VERY well ventilated area (outdoors) on top of a piece of waxed paper. Secure it with weights so the area of the tear is held flat, and the wind won't run off with it.

5) Mix the fiberglass resin. You'll need a couple of ounces at least. Better to mix too much...it will just harden into a blob. Wear gloves. Don't sniff it.

6) QUICK...you only have a few minutes. brush a bit of the resin around the tear. Easy does it...be quick but precise, and get enough on to hold the cloth. Don't put so much on as to go through the crack and get on the playing side of the head.

7) Place the smaller piece of fiberglass cloth over the tear onto the resin you just brushed. Use your brush and a little more resin to smooth it down.

8) Place the second, larger piece of fiberglass cloth over the first.

9) Use the brush to apply enough of the resin to smooth out the patch.

10) it will "go off" in 15 to 20 minutes, hardening into a permanent patch. Using 150-180 grit sandpaper, feather out any rough spots, being careful not to go too deeply into the dried resin. You don't want to snag and rough up the glass cloth too much.

Remount the head, and you're set. Sand off any resin that "oozed" through the crack to leave a smooth repair.

It's a pain in the ass to do this repair, but it will buy you more time on that head if it's really important to you. It's certainly not very organic, either, but unfortunately you know all too well the enormous forces a djembe brings to the table. Elmer's and duct tape isn't going to cut it...haha.

That's all I know to tell you. I guess the bottom line is the sentimental value placed on the cool head, and whether this would even be worth the trouble. It will be a relatively invisible repair from the playing surface if you're neat with the materials.

Good luck.
____________________

Bruce A. Richardson
Purple Iguana Productions
bandmaster@sprynet.com

-----Original Message-----
From: paTRICK heSTER
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 10:00 AM
Subject: [TexasDrums] mending a torn head

Hi Mark,

    You wrote, "Moonbear, regarding the treatment, what issues precisely are you talking about? I want to ensure that I am treating my drum's head with nothing short of complete respect and nurturance that will sustain it's "life" as long as possible."

    Mark, by treating the drum head well, I mean (for example) some little Djembe commandments:

* Thou shall not play your drum while wearing finger rings or other such jewelry.
* Thou shall not chronically overplay thy drum (either too loud or too hard).
* Thou shall not bump or bang thy drum into solid surfaces.
* Thou shall not play thy drum with sticks.
* Thou shall keep they drum protected when not playing by placing it in a protective covering (at least thy drum head).
* Thou shall apply no foreign substance to thy drum head (oils or lotions).
* Thou shall not leave thy drum sitting in a car when the outside temperature has reached 110 degrees.

    Seriously, what comes out of your djembe (sound, music, spirit, energy) is produced by a combination of the interaction of three things: the drum head, the drum shell and the player. Change any one of those three elements and you change the end result. And you MUST also consider the sacrifice of
life that has gone into your drum. Take a long look at your drum and consider the following:

    The shell is from a tree. That tree is dead now so that you can have this drum.

    The hide for the drum head is from a goat. That goat is dead now so that you can have this drum.

    And so, you can see that you have a great obligation to respect your drum. There are certainly many other reasons for having respect for the drum, but this immense sacrifice of life alone is enough. Once you have realized the depth of this sacrifice, then you may begin to consider how you will honor those lives that have given themselves so that you may have your drum.

    It all comes down to respect. Respect yourself . . . respect others . . . respect the sacrifices that have been made for you. Play your drum well, be a blessing on your community and make a joyful sound!
                        - Michael Moon Bear
                            moonbear@msn.com

Link to Reskinning a Djembe, a web page for everybody, who wants to know how to re-skin a jembe: All about rings, what cord to use, how to make the loops around the rings,
how to make those diamonds etc.... all in all 6 pages "What you ever wanted to know about tuning hand drums but were afraid to ask" - submitted by Johannes Schya

Make Said:

<<<<< I have never heard of moon gel what is it? Sounds
> gooey. so do I need to tighten again with the elk
> skin. and can I go tighter cuzz it's thicker. can it
> take the stress?
> walk in truth
> mike >>>>>

Hi Mike, Moon Gel can be purchased at music stores that sell trap drum
sets. It can be put on the skin to dampen ringing overtones. I am told
that it will work on natural skins, too. As for your elk skin, I see no
reason why it wouldn't take as much tightening as a goat, even more
probably, since it is thicker.
I bought an Elk skin by mail order a couple years ago. I thought that
it would come to me full thickness, but I got a uniform thickness split
top-grain skin. That is the hair side, with additional thickness split
away. When they do that in the leather industry with cow, you then have
top grain leather, and suede, respectively, after tanning of course. I am
told that full elk skin is very thick and good for the Native American style
drums I make, so I was kind of dissappointed when I got my thinner elk skin.
It is about the same as the deer skins I have on hand, which I process from
hunter-donations each fall. I put a deer skin on a djembe one time, and
the result is a drum with a very nice bass, unusually full and warm tones,
but the slaps just don't get much higher than a tone. So I am suggesting
that pulling your elk skin super-tight may not get you the higher notes you
seem to be hoping for. Best of Luck!

Peace, Chris Bittner
www.drumworksbychris.com

Rick C [musicbook1@yahoo.com]
Re: Moongel

Re Jim's comment: Moongels DO work on natural heads,
though not as quickly as on synthetic heads.

Cut a moongel in half and wet it. Then shake off the
excess water. Stick the moongel to the underside of
the head about 1/2" from the rim. Leave it there with
the drum upside down for a few hours so it can bond
with the head. It still removes easily but won't fall
out prematurely. In the unlikely event that you need
more dampening, mount another on the opposite side of
the first moongel.

Rick C.

> Some of the solutions to that include
> lining the shell with
> something rough like crumpled up paper, or putting
> something like a
> piece of Moon Gel on the skin, which is often done
> on Remos. I don't
> know if Moon Gel will work with natural skins,
> though.

Hi lynzz
i would put my 2 cents in on this thread but you said it all.
shorty
www.goatskins.com

Lynzz said:
If the drum is well laced, ie, not lopsided then it's OK to put
diamonds in part way round. I've done it for years without dramas.
Purists might argue that even tension all the way around is ideal - and
I won't argue against that - but in reality the system, ie, the
drum/sound/music has a tolerance for asymmetry.

Too much tension may break the skin, cord, rings and maybe even the
drum, but you won't know how much is too much until you reach that
point, however, work on the notion that the weakest link is the skin.
If you have a quality drum - and that means the skin too - you can put
amazing amounts of tension into it before the skin breaks. It will
eventually anyway whatever you do!

If you want that authentic Guinean lead sound then the skin has to be
tightened past the ringing stage to the point where the tension chokes
the harmonics to give a loud but 'dry' timbre.