It happened.... Sh....!!! - Severe flaw when mounting mule skin

[Mike]

I´m not the emotional type, but: Arrrrrggghhhhhhhh!

I´ve just finished mounting the mule skin I ordered from Isaac on my Giovanni quinto, and when cutting away the excess skin at the end, it happened: A split second of not 1000% attention, a slip of the cutter and zip - I nicked the skin!!!!!!!
Is there something I can do? I guess not, except cursing the whole place down, wallowing in self-pity (bad idea) or drowning my woe in some beers (How about a pint, mates?)... Ach, I´m really desperate.

WHAT I´D LIKE TO KNOW AFTER MY FOOLISH F*€%ing up of the mule skin - the cut is about 1,2mm deep!!!! -
IS: WhAT CAN HAPPEN NOW?
After a few days, when I start to tune up the quinto, will the marred part of the skin tear even further?

Should I go for a new skin? Gee, $$$

Any advice from you conga brothers?

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... th_cut.JPG

[Mike]

I forgot to say: THe cut is about 2cm long and 1-1.5mm deep with the mounted skin thickness of 4mm. Will the mule head resist the pull when the skin has has dried is all I wonder about. Hope I can sleep tonight. It´s such a nuisance!
Otherwise the mule skin looks promising...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... h_mule.JPG

[gilbert]

it happened to me once on my djembe
try to put some glue

but if its very deep it will break when you put more tension

[Mike]

Thanks! I contacted Isaac at JCR and he has just suggested the same, but only after the skin is completely dry.

Now let´s wait and see - and hopefully play as well after some time...

[ozrivera]

Saludos Hermanos

Mike, dont worry brother, if the glue doesnt work you can still use the mule on your Bongos.
Mule skin is pretty tough. if anything, youll get some playing time on that skin until it stretches later on.
tighten the lug closest to the rip last, that way it has the least amount of tension.

good luck

oz

[jorge]

Hi Mike,
Usually you can fix a cut like that with patience and good epoxy glue. It has worked for me in the past, the skin lasted years and finally died of dullness without ripping. Last I heard it worked for one of the other members here, how to glue it is described in this thread:

http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....19;st=0

Bingobongo, if you are out there, how is your skin doing now that a few months have gone by since you glued the cut on your muleskin?

Mike, if you decide to glue it, make sure to let the skin dry tnoroughly before applying the glue, degrease the cut with lacquer thinner first, rough up inside the cut with a knife or file, work the glue well into the rough surface in the cut, and let the glue cure thoroughly before playing.

[bongosnotbombs]

degrease the cut with lacquer thinner first, rough up inside the cut with a knife or file,

this is sound advice, however I don't think you need laquer
thinner, that is really strong serious stuff, you can use something much milder,
(like dishwashing soap, just rinse rinse rinse ok?)

after the glue then put some get some oil back into it,
like rubbing your greasy hands, or lotion on it....

Sandpaper is also better to use than a knife for roughing up..
Hey no need to risk another cut again!

[jorge]

By all means work carefully and safely, but I would not use dishwashing soap to degrease, it will leave residues that reduce the grip of the glue. Use a solvent with no oils in it, like acetone, xylene, lacquer thinner, or even rubbing alcohol, but not soap, detergent, or turpentine-like solvents which contain oils. Use the solvent outside or in a very well ventilated area, and you only need a few drops. You want to remove all the natural oils from the surface of the skin that is inside the cut. The cut is probably too narrow to fit sandpaper inside to roughen it up. You can use anything sharp to rough up inside the cut, but just be careful. You don't want to make the cut deeper or wider, just roughen the cut edges so the glue can seep into the fibers better. Use a slow-curing epoxy glue.

[Mike]

Thanks for the sound advice, Jorge, I´ll do that. It´s very good to have the conga community around.
As far as I see it, the place where the glue should be applied must be really free from grease, so a tiny drop of laquer thinner should do the job.
What I´m not really sure about is the type of glue, Jorge: I don´t really know what epoxy glue, I touhg of using superglue (which is called "Atomkleber" in German). Maybe I´ll take a look at the ingredients.
But thank you anyway for the information so far. I´ll have to wait till Monday before I can start fixing my blunder.

[Congadelica]

Hi Mike sorry to hear about your bluder
This is the glue you want to buy
[url=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epoxy-resin-glue-Super-strong-30m-set-jewellery-craft_W0QQitemZ280115458840QQihZ018QQcateg
oryZ30923QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epoxy-r....iewItem[/url]

marco

[Mike]

Thanks, Marco, I´m going to get it. Now I know what type of glue I must look for in Germany.
I´ve been wondering what kind of glue would withstand the pull (and also the different tension degrees) on the conga skin, but I guess what is good for boats might do the job with mules.

Thanks again and greetings to Manchester!

[bingobongo]

Hi Mike,
Usually you can fix a cut like that with patience and good epoxy glue. It has worked for me in the past, the skin lasted years and finally died of dullness without ripping. Last I heard it worked for one of the other members here, how to glue it is described in this thread:

http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....19;st=0

Bingobongo, if you are out there, how is your skin doing now that a few months have gone by since you glued the cut on your muleskin?

I'm feelin your pain Mike. The same thing happened to me about 6 - 7 months ago. The advice from Jorge was brilliant and ultimately saved the skin. My conga sounds great now and the epoxy glue stopped the nic from tearing any further. Mule skin is real tough so it should be fine.

Good luck!!

[CongaTick]

Oy Vey, Mike.

I too feel your pain. However, though it hasn't happened to me, I am confident that the advice given by these pros will stand you in good stead. I am sure that once the skin is thoroughly dried and with the proper application of epoxy and its curing-- your head will last for years. Just alter your tensioning as suggested using the remaining lugs to take up the slack. Hang in, bro. It will be okay.

[Mike]

Thanks, Congatick for the comfort, the day after looks much better indeed - thanks to your input
I just have to wait now till the skin has dried. It´s very humid around here now, so I expect at least 4 days.

I´m really grateful for the solidarity and expertise I could share on the forum here - great help!
Fat thanks to ISAAC, too, your quick responses brightened me up again!

I pray and hope for a long life of the mule skin... May it be as stubborn as the former animal....

Mike

[zwar]

hi mike

do not use any cyanoacrylat glue. most of the superglues are based on that. it is not flexible enough. what you need is epoxid 2komponenten kleber.
conrad elektronik

greets

zwar