BUILDING A DRAGON DRUM PG 5
When I painted the drum I used a brush. I first applied a layer of flat black latex enamel, then applied a gloss latex enamel. I brushed it with the grain. The water base flat black raised the grain on the oak so I had to give it a light sanding with 220 grit paper and wipe down with a damp cloth before applying the gloss. I was pleased with the results.
I forgot to take a picture of the resonator springs before I put the head on. I decided to make a single headed drum like the Lion drum so, in go the springs. I made them from 18 gauge wire straight off a roll from the hardware store. The wire is galvanized ( no rust). The wire is a little softer than the wire in my Lion drum but the minute I tapped the side of the drum "before" I put the head on I heard them ring.
Finally I got the drumhead on. The head itself is 24 inches across, the apron on the side is 3 3/4 inches down, the square is measuring 2 3/4 to the center of the screws. The rawhide head is a total of 36 inches in diameter. After I got it mounted and dried, I used tin snips to trim the hide, couldn't find any thing else that would cut it. The method I used for stretching the rawhide over the drum is the same one I used for the Lion Drum. I got excited and in a hurry and forgot to take the pictures of tightening the the head. Notice the light areas of the skin, that is my clue to stop. When the skin changes from translucent to hazy I stop stretching. Most of the time you wont see that on the top. The screws are 3/4X8 phillips. The washers are standard washers, I used a ball peen hammer to round them.
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