New skins

[Adam]

Hello everybody.

I've just finished fitting my first ever skin and I have to agree that it IS like wrestling a couple of angry alligators! I left it to dry for a couple of days and I am blown away by how nice the drum sounds now I've tuned it up!
I got the drum 2nd hand of ebay in the UK for about £25 which is pretty good - the head on it was horrible though - I wanted to replace the head with a good bit of steer hide but it's ridiculously expensive and no one in the UK sells it (well not cheaply anyway!)
BUT - I found a great place in the states called Stern Tanning Co who sold me a skin for 35 dollars!!!! It cost $15 on top for airmail but that's still only $50 - everywhere else I've ever looked charges around 60 - 70 dollars and that doesn't include delivery......
Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you all - if you fancy getting some nice cow hides for your drums you should give them a try.

[windhorse]

Congrats Adam!!!

a trial I've yet to accomplish! ???

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
I hope that you are both well and in an abundance of blessings!

I have had the less than somewhat pleasure of mounting skins over time, most recently some mule skins. Let me tell you that I wound up soaking the skins for the better part of 8 hours, I placed them in a tub of what started out to be warm water, went to work and by that evening the skins were like paper (flimsy and pliable) so much easier to mount. None the less it's quite a bit of work to mount the heads if you aren't familiar with it, as Windhorse says............"Congrats Adam" It is a great feeling to have conquered this task!

Ache!
Onile!

[ABAKUA]

Ah yes, good old "Operation Mount Skin"

Been there many a time!! I remember all the shit I went through the first time I tried to do it on my own around 15 years ago!
As the others have said,
Congrats, its a good feeling.

[onile]

Alafia Abakua!
Espero que estes bien mi amigo!
Haven't seen you around the forum in a while, glad to see you posting again!

Ache!
Onile



Edited By onile on 1127229916

[ABAKUA]

Alafia Abakua!
Espero que estes bien mi amigo!
Haven't seen you around the forum in a while, glad to see you posting again!

Ache!
Onile

Hey bro, thanks, yes Im well, I hadnt been posting cause I just got back from a 5 day vacation in another state, we went up for Australias largest drag racing event, it was its 15th year this year, was awesome... And the ladies... dayeeeem! hehehehe we stayed in these apartments oppositte the beach in Surfers Paradise, Queensland. Very nice. Drank like a fish, partied like no one was watching and shagged like no one was home! :laugh:

[onile]

You're too much brother!
Glad you're back and in good spirits!

Many blessings!
Onile

[rumbaman]

Hey guys whats' up . Hey man , by that was'''' up can't you all tell im 40 somethin' . Hey , you guys gave me an idea right now , i live close to hialeah , fla . I grew up there , to make this short i know a matadero i wonder if i could get the skins there . Abakua how are you my friend . Wondering if i could do this for myself , but how do i prepare a fresh skin ????

rumbaman

[onile]

Alafia Rumbaman!
Disculpa, ¿estas hablando de curando un cuero de vaca/mula/bufalo?
Are you asking how to cure a fresh skin right off of the cow/mule/buffalo?

I’m afraid that’s definitely out of my league, anybody else know how to?

Ache!
Onile!



Edited By onile on 1127501139

[ABAKUA]

Oh yeh, now this I like, we getting back to Africa here.

If you are going to do this, go all out, pick out the animal yourself, humanely kill it, drain its blood, take the skin off you will use, make a nice fire and coal, cook a mother of a bbq with your family and friends.
If you are up for it and have the stomach to take it, then why not!!
Once skin is removed from the mule/calf/cow etc
Obtain the skin from the belly. (This is normally the thickest)

Get a good size, skins often shrink a little as they dry.
You will need to shave the skin, against the grain of the hair.
You may need to shave it more than once and the hair may still grow a little after the skin has been cut.
Let it dry and harden. Then normal steps to mount the skin, soak in water, cut down to usable shape, mount inner ring, etc etc..

All the best!




Edited By ABAKUA on 1127532047

[JohnnyConga]

Good luck "hunting" down a cow or mule.....I plan on "showing" how a skin is to be mounted on my New DVD..start shooting this monday....can't wait...."JC" Johnny Conga....

[rumbaman]

Hey good morning to all . Thanks again guys for responding my post . I am going to go there ,the slaughter house this weekend and will try to buy the skin off one of the processed cows . One question , where do i get the ring , the head rim .

Thanks rumbaman