Drum Head

Create a Post
Kittyfaces

Kittyfaces

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Posts
359
Loc
Kennebunk, Maine
Has anyone who has ever framed a slightly opaque, white, synthetic drumhead ever been asked to "stuff foam" behind it to get rid of some of the puckering? I feel pretty certain that the only way to eliminate the puckering of the head is to stretch it on a drum. Stuffing it with batting looks awful because of the head's opacity and it makes the head look too contoured.

I think the light puckering looks good... makes it look like what it is... so I intend to recommend skipping the "stuffing" but I thought I'd run it by you fine folks to see if anyone knows of a successful way to acheive the "stretched look".

Thanks!
 
We have framed numerous drum heads, however, they always come in stretched on a metal drum head thing. I'm not at all musical, so I don't know what they are called.

I think you should take it to a music store and see if they can't stretch it on one of those things. Then it's just a matter of putting a spaced round opening mat on it and framing it.

John
 
erin there's a music store in the Five Points Mall, near where Staples used top be and Tune Town in Wells, just south of where 109 meets 9b. John's suggestion reminds me of a needlework hoop type thing. Not being a musician I don't know the name of what you want either.

I'd try TuneTown first. They have a recording studio and classrooms, so I'm more impressed with their operation than I am with the one in Biddeford.
 
Well, it's already on the metal hoop. All heads have slack until they're placed on a drum and stretched taut with tuning keys. So, it's on hoop, it's just not (pardon the pun) tight as a drum. The pucker is so mild that it surprises me that the client even wants to pay the extra labor to get rid of it.

(Bob... i LOVE Tune Town!)
 
Almost all of the drum heads that we have framed that were streched on the metal thing were very tight. If it is already streched on that and it has somer puckering, I would not mess with it.
 
If it is already on a hoop and is still a little loose then the only real way to tighten it would be to put a barrel head in the shadowbox and tighten it down with tuning keys!

engineering type of question. Since the head is pulled down onto the top of a drum wouldn't there naturally be a "lip" to it to fit the cylinder of the drum? Couldn't what the customer sees supposed to be there to accommodate the the drum head and slack taken out of it by the keys? If so then maybe instead of soft padding maybe my tongue in cheek smart ### comment may actually hold water! maybe Tune Town has a drum head storage kit that might consist of a mini inner hoop, kind of like a reverse tupperware, soft rubber plastic inner hoop and tension keys setup. I would think that if a drummer had extra heads that s/he wouldn't want them to get out of true. There may be something already out there that could work, a shipping thing or storage thing that Tune Town may know about.

Take this musical instrument suggestion from a guy who quit playing the violin due to being tone deaf for what it is worth!
 
Do yourself a favor, don't use foam to stuff the drum. Most foam changes in time, by yellowing, and drying out, which makes little crumblies. If you end up stuffing the drum, use Poly-fill. You can get it at a good fabric or craft store. It is a polyester fiber that is often used in making stuffed animals and pillows. It will stay white, and fluffy. If you are worried about it being lumpy, use the Batting instead. Batting is made from the same polyester fibers as Poly-fill, but it is in easy to use sheets.

Let us know how the project turns out!
 
Take it to the music it shop... if it is slack it is most likely due to heat, age and a couple of other things I would not like to think about. Most drum heads, even the older ones can be stretched/tuned if they are half decent. also, you could attatch it to a shallow resonator to give you more depth if you need it.
 
sounds like trip to tune town is in order! i thought i knew more about drum heads than i do. my husband plays a rope tension revolutionary war drum and those calf skin heads are always loose and puckery before he puts them on the drum. i guess we're talking about apples and oranges here.

off to the music shop! thanks for the input!
 
I'm a drummer - longer than I've been a framer...

Does the drumhead look like it has dimples and scuffmarks on it? If so - the drumhead is USED and the drum sticks hitting the head are what has dented the synthetic head... A new drumhead would be fine for framing, before its been hit. After I'm done using a drum head and take it off the drum, it's all messed up looking.

It sounds to me that you have a "used" drum head.

As previously said, the only other thing I can think of, and this would be pretty labor intensive, is to create a loop like a drum, adding the hardware that holds the drumhead to the drum (or in this case the loop), and tension fit it until flat. That's probably the only proper way to get it flat - but I'd recommend framing as-is (assuming it's a used head).
 
Hey, Chris, I play drums too. Your comments are right on. To avoid the engineered approach, I don't see anything wrong with trying some polyester batting under the head. It couldn't do any harm. If you don't like the look, just remove it before continuing.
They actually do make foam rings specifically sized for drum heads. These are used to muffle drumhead "ring" for a dry tone. I don't know what the composition of the foam is, but I would have to guess that "archival" is not among its features.
:cool: Rick
 
Again, making the assumption it's a "used" drumhead which is making the head rippled, I would explain to the customer that it's similar to framing a "used" guitar, or other used item, where the "used" look is part of the beauty of the object. ...and I'd "use" those exace words too. ;)
 
Create a Post
Back
Top