Taiko Building - From Wine Barrel to Japanese Drum
Stretching the Skin
The stretching dais is a disc of plywood set on top of four
hydraulic car jacks.
Put the drum on the stretching dais, and place the skin over
the end. Wrap rope around the ends of the dowels and the stretching dais,
then raise the dais by cranking the four jacks. In the process,
the rope gets tighter. This needs to be done evenly in a coordinated
fashion, so it is just like a taiko drill --
Ichi, ni, san!
|
After checking that
the skin is evenly positioned, tuck in the edges of the skin,
and leave the skin for a few days to stretch and conform to the
shape of the drumhead as it dries. This is the first stretch.
After the skin has dried, take the it off the drum and rewet it.
Then place the skin back on the drum for the second stretch.
As was done the first time, secure the skin with rope, but to get
a tighter fit, this time get somebody to stand on the drum and bounce
on the skin while the the ropes are tightened. Again, leave the skin
to stretch as it dries for a few days.
| Discuss this topic on the Runker Room Discussion Board |