# Building a stave style drum.



## Blueglass

Kevin requested some info so I'll do what I can. I'll take it a little at a time.

I start with 4/4 lumber usually around 5 board feet is good. I plane the wood to thickness. I cut the staves just a little over 3" wide and the length 1/8 to 1/4" over my desired drum depth. 

I set the table saw angle 11.25 for a 16 stave or 9 for a 20 staves. The amount of staves is determined by how many (8 or 10) lugs are desired for head tension. To determine the width of the staves I refer to the chart on this site. 

http://pdgood.us/drumshed/staves.html

I actually stop a little short of and assemble the pieces in the giant hose clamps I'll use for glue up. I then take small rips, reassemble and measure the diameter. Working it down to 14" even (for a 14" drum, the overall diameter after turning is 13 7/8") I started doing this after figuring out for a 13" snare and having the staves come out to narrow. Crushing but I think the cocobolo stripes I added made it even sweeter. 

For the glue up I use a granite block to start nice and even. I assemble the staves in 2 giant hose clamps loosely. I then glue staves one at a time reassambling as I go. Tighten the clamps and wait.

To turn I made a Koko jig.


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## Blueglass

The outside jig has the shell sandwiched between 2 mdf discs on an axis. The inside jig has 4 casters the shell spins on. After these steps much sanding is done to get out tool marks. The bearing edges ( the angled edge the drum head sits on) is cut with a router table. I use a 45* inside and an 1/8" roundover outside. My first drum I did this with marks and a file.


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## Blueglass

This photo shows the inner and outer bearing edge routing at the bottom of the shell.


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## Blueglass

This shows a better angle but the work had more hand work.


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## Blueglass

The snare bed is the next step. I'll have to get pics tomorrow as well as explain what for.


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## woodtickgreg

Subscribed!


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## Blueglass

Be warned it is a bit addictive. I really like the way the arched surface makes the grain pop. Didn't get to the snare bed today. Had a great day with my 2 year old on the beach instead.


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## Blueglass

There is a forum called Ghostnote.net that is for drum making. They are a somewhat blunt/ rough around the edges crowd but usually in good fun. I have picked up a lot there.

While I'm thinking about it I sand the inside with a larger diameter pvc pipe section. I also use it to sand/ create the snare bed. When I do stripes I get my staves close (angle already cut) and leave the stripes too thick. I then glue them to the stave. Then trim the stripe to the size I want it. Then I final size it taking off the opposite side.

I'm remembering on the fly so passing it on while I remember.


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## Kevin

Those are the thickest shells I've ever seen for what would normally be typical for a jazz/rock snare range. Would love to hear how it sounds. I bet it doesn't need much muffling. Great thread.


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## Blueglass

The one with the rally stripe is about 3/8" thick. It sounds amazingly like the snare on Radar Love. Which was a metal drum? I recut the bearing edges because it had mare ring than I liked. I've yet to get it back together. I felt like I could get the finish better and I'm having the worst time getting the final coat I'm happy with.

The cherry piccolo shell is pretty darn thick. If I find the right 6/4 cherry I'll make the owner of that one an even thicker one.


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## Blueglass

The snare bed is an indention where the snare wires go across. Most of my research showed something 3/16" deep by 3 1/2" wide(semi-circle shaped). I got some wrinkling in the drum head so I think from now on I will go 1/8" deep. On this snare I will widen the spot and ease the shoulders of it more. I will get pictures but I let a drummer I know use the drum for the weekend to give me feedback. Maybe Monday or Tuesday.

I give my errors and fixes because I know it may help others. Although I find if I mess up I'm much less likely to repeat.


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## Blueglass

I got the drum finished up and let a drummer use it to give me feedback. I forgot to take the pic. I will get it done or is this a good excuse to start working another one into final shape?


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## Blueglass

I will be starting a drum build from the beginning tomorrow. It will be Red Eucalyptus unfortunately I will not be able to start the Acacia drum I wanted to tease Kevin into a trade with for another month or so. Those staves might still be a little too wet.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Blueglass

Made a gauge to set my angle. For 16 staves 11.25 degrees.

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## Blueglass

Cut one side of stave

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## Blueglass

Cut other side.

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## Blueglass

I cut them wide to check and make sure my angle results in tight joints and then work tem down to the desired diameter. This varies depending on how much tear out I see as I'm working the wood. The Osage tears out worst than the Eucalyptus so I left more more to play when rounding it off.

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## Blueglass

What I did today. I lost track of time and am in the dog house! On the upside I also passed an interview and got a new job in addition to my current one today.

Reactions: Like 5


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## Blueglass

The drums actually turn down 1/8" further than what they are called so a 14" snare is actually 13 7/8". a 16 Stave drum the angles are 11.25 degrees. 20 Staves 9 degrees. I cut my staves out to out 3" and then work down to the desired total diameter.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Blueglass

Kevin said:


> Those are the thickest shells I've ever seen for what would normally be typical for a jazz/rock snare range. Would love to hear how it sounds. I bet it doesn't need much muffling. Great thread.


Was going back through this and saw this. Staves are somewhat thicker on average but supposedly the sound waves travel faster with the grain than across it. I think this may be why they can still be pretty resonant. The Willow Bustic rally stripe drum is a tad too resonant for my taste. I want to try either cast rims or a different top head to muffle it a bit more. I think Diecasts would look even better as well.

Oh and the spalted citrus drum is going to be pretty thin 1/4" maybe even 3/16" thick. No room for error.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Blueglass

The Red Euc drum on top is all glued up The Osage and Purple heart is in the giant hose clamps. The hose clamps work better than strap clamps. The mechanism on strap clamps throws everything out of wack.

Reactions: Like 4


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## Kevin

Blueglass said:


> The hose clamps work better than strap clamps. The mechanism on strap clamps throws everything out of wack.



Les, have you considered making a couple of clam shell caul clamps for your shells? It wouldn't matter how you clamped it then. They would have to be made from material that cannot be glued or else if made from wood, you'd have to have a material between the cauls and the shell that wouldn't allow the glue to set them together. But if the hose clamps work fine I guess there's no need. It's just that hose clamps cannot be tightened to the degree strap clamps can.


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## Blueglass

Kevin said:


> Les, have you considered making a couple of clam shell caul clamps for your shells? It wouldn't matter how you clamped it then. They would have to be made from material that cannot be glued or else if made from wood, you'd have to have a material between the cauls and the shell that wouldn't allow the glue to set them together. But if the hose clamps work fine I guess there's no need. It's just that hose clamps cannot be tightened to the degree strap clamps can.



With 2 or 3 I get them plenty tight enough for what I need. I think I may have squeezed too much glue out once? I will look into the clam Shem caul clamps though. I'm always up to learn and / or make my life easier.


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## Blueglass

I'd like to thank @Brink for the inspiration. I have 20 black/ white/ black stripes cut for the citrus drum and i'm thinking to myself what is the best way to thickness them and get the sawmarks out? Thinking of saws and planers. Then it dawned on me, handplanes! So I spent some time earlier and got 15 out of 20 most of the way to where I want them. Tomorrow... more of the same. 

Also had a very cool thing happen on my route for my new job. Last time I ran this route one of my customers told me he was a retired concert percussionist. Naturally this week I brought the rally stripe drum over. He really tuned it up and then played on it about 45 minutes off and on eyeballing it and then playing. He said that he was very impressed and that is not easily done. The guy has played on Broadway and in orchestras. He said that after having cancer he hadn't played in 7 years. Suddenly he decided he wants to start teaching again as well as playing. That might be the best compliment I could receive.

Reactions: Way Cool 4 | +Karma 2


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## Blueglass

Couple views of my future attempt at a master piece.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 2


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## hobbit-hut

Yeah, I'm liking that quite a bit.


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## Blueglass

Truing the edges on a "granite" block. Mine is not actually granite but works. I just get a rhythm going and keep working in circle until everything is nice and even top and bottom.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Sprung

Looks like that'll be a sweet looking drum when it's done! Nice work! What's the wood?


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## Blueglass

Texas Ebony. It is going to be really pretty! Not tooting my own horn the wood deserves the credit. I've got a few coats of finish on it now. Not too far from finishing. The hardware I'm after is going to be expensive though. I'm getting Old nickel over brass that is well worn with some brass showing through. The vintage stuff costs too much but this one deserves it!

Reactions: Like 2


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