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Comment by turtlehead on April 29, 2016 at 6:39am

Thanks Janis.  Hard to believe the Elmer's works so well, but I'm excited to give it a try.  Will keep you updated.

Comment by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 27, 2016 at 3:43am

Turtle, sorry I've been off for a while. I think the Elmer's will work. My drums heads are just as solid now as they were right after the glue dried. Leave the area of the ceramic where you want to glue the skin free of glaze so that the glue can bond with the clay. Let me know how it goes! Sounds very exciting. :)

Comment by turtlehead on April 26, 2016 at 4:09pm

Thanks Dave, we came up with a plan tonight and moving forward!

Comment by Dave Lynas on April 25, 2016 at 9:38pm

I think it would work. Be sure your ceramic is strong. Thick rim for strength and a shape that is even walled and a thick footring. I'm going to try one with a wood body using this glue technique. I broke ribs 7 weeks ago and can't throw pots on my wheel yet. I'll try wood for now.

Comment by turtlehead on April 25, 2016 at 4:46pm

Janis, that drum making series is great.  My mom's a potter and we were talking about doing something like this in banjo form.  Something like your chugger with a skin head.  Question for you and/or Dave - How do you think the glue only technique would hold up under string pressure?  I'd probably keep it to 3 light strings at most.  After watching your vids, I'm thinking the old Elmer's might actually be up to the task..

Comment by Dave Lynas on April 25, 2016 at 3:55pm

Janet, please do. I think you will like the book.

Comment by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 25, 2016 at 9:27am

Dave, not to get all sappy, but I'm touched by your kindness & sharing. I'll send you a message. 

Comment by Dave Lynas on April 24, 2016 at 11:15pm

Watched your gluing on demo. Wonderful! Thanks for your courage. I have found you don't need to stretch the head by hand much. It will do it itself in shrinkage. I have done a dozen or more banjo repairs and made several tack head banjos as well. I have found that just pulling out the folds and wrinkles is all that is needed. The skin gets almost noodle soft so pulling can tear it easily. I've cut the skin just tacking it withe the edge of the tack cutting the hide. Now I gently tack and do minimal stretching. Loved yor video tutorial. Janis you are the best. THANKS! .. Dave

Comment by Dave Lynas on April 24, 2016 at 10:46pm

Wow Janis, thank you so much for your info and long letter. I have not made a clay didgeridoo for a Long time, but I still have several that I made. I extruded them using the spider system in our Baily. I make two tubes and finish each one separately. When fired they are glued together using Marine Tex epoxy. It is a wonderful glue for ceramists. White, water proof, heat resistant up to 300 degrees f. And you can clean up your seam with a damp rag. They sound great. Like a ships horn coming into port. Very deep and mellow. I quit smoking cigarets by playing the didgeridoo. Great breathing exercise. I learned circular breathing and love it's magic. I'm an old guy and owe my age to music and art. Now, I do only what my heart tells me to. If you would like it I will send you a book of my own work in clay. It reveals all of my techniques in drawings. Just message me your address in private and I'll post one to you.

Comment by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 24, 2016 at 3:59pm

Dave, your time with Susan sounds like it was wonderful. Her flutes are amazing! I have never played a didge myself, but one of my buddies is into them and used to make wooden ones. Do you still make & play ceramic ones? I bet you could whip up a drum pretty easily if you wanted to. 

The first instrument I made was an ocarina, and I learned how just to make one for my nephew. And when I made the first one 'sing' it was just magical to me! I think making instruments is wonderful. It's a great feeling playing something you made yourself. I know everybody around here shares that. 

For the drums with the glued on heads, you are right on. I used the method you described (which is the method laid out in Mud to Music). I was really skeptical that regular old Elmer's Glue would work, but it absolutely does. I had a heck of a time finding much info on gluing heads on ceramic drums. I made a video series showing the process I used to help my potter friends. A few of them said that there were going to make one, but only my didge buddy has as far as I know. I think drums are a great instrument to make because everybody can have fun banging on a drum without really needing training. I haven't made any to sell, but I've made 4 for myself. If you're curious how the drum sounds, here's a link to the playlist for my drum making process (video 1 shows making the ceramic drum body, 2 shows stretching and gluing the head on, 3 shows finishing the edge of the head). There's a demo of how the drum sounds at the end of each video, & you can just skip to the end if you want. Throwing, gluing a head on, & finishing a clay bass drum

I also made a ceramic djembe with a traditional rope & rings attachment system. I followed the regular process used for wooden djembe drums. That heading process was a crushing amount of work, but the sucker's got a big deep thump! Here's a super sped up time lapse of how that was made if you are curious or bored. My playing at the end of this one may be a little uninspiring, though.  ;) Time lapse ceramic djembe

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