Djembe construction: How to clamp off verticals during the dry pull

This snippet shows how you can clamp the verticals during the dry pull with locking pliers. The important points are to set the pliers as close as parallel to the verticals as possible so, as they they tilt out when you let go of the cleat, they don't tear the skin flap.

The other important point is to first apply some pull on the next vertical before you unclamp the pliers from the previous vertical. If you don't do that, as you unclamp, the tension on the top will cause it to pull through the jaws of the pliers, potentially damaging the sheath.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Djembe construction
• dry pull
• locking pliers

[coolmanj]

clamp... great tip. i think The Clamp you used on Video are very simple and usally. wow great. please let me know infomation of The Clamp for my pitiful hands.

[MichiHenning]

@coolmanj Locking pliers are available at most hardware stores for a few dollars. Or if you mean the cleat that I use to pull down on the verticals, these are available at marine shops. The brand I use is Clamcleat.

[MichiHenning]

How well it works depends in part on the individual skin. Some skins, especially thicker ones, are harder to get on without any folds. One thing that helps is to, before you fold the skin flap down, to stretch it hard over the crown ring, pull out, up, and sideways to make the skin a bit more flexible and pre-shape it to the crown ring. Also, leave a little over 10cm of skin flap to pull down on.

[MichiHenning]

You will get some folds near the threaded rope but, near the top, there will be fewer. Then make sure to apply rope wrap all the way to the top, to just below the crown ring. Any remaining wrinkles will be flattened out by the rope wrap.

[djembeweaver]

@MichiHenning Great tips. Thanks. The one I've just finished is pretty good, but even the tiniest fold makes it less than perfect. I didn't pre-shave this one either and I know that makes it much harder to get all the wrinkles out. Mind you, I know people who get it perfect with or without hair.

[djembeweaver]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing your methods. I've been adopting lots of these techniques - like the rope threaded through the slits to keep the skin tight and free of folds and the use of mole grips - and am getting much more professional results. I'm still finding a few small folds after removing the rope wrap, which is annoying as it means the skin flap is not quite shrink-wrapped tightly enough around the head. Any tips?

[Nebrox]

Very nice finishing around the skin edge!