Ash congas

[congalou]

I just put my hardware and my skins,

Here is the photos !!!

[congalou]

Others,

With little plastics for nuts for protect the shells.

I will tell if it's interesting, I will maybe drill it and glue to the nut.

Now it's drying..... so long.......

Galou.

[Dicemanb]

They are looking great Lou, love that organic rustic look.

Dice

[GuruPimpi]

Having a nice breakfast... Thank you Congalou! Great job!

[roberthelpus]

The final product looks great. Let us know how they sound, of course.

[congalou]

One photo outside and the other with black back and light for see the real look of the drums.

Cheers !

Congalou.

[Dicemanb]

Galou,

Fantastic look, you have started a new look. How do they sound?

Dice

[jorge]

Congalou,
Beautiful looking drums, congratulations. I really like the natural looking finish on the ash. What kind of finish did you use on the wood? How many coats? Do they slip when you play them sitting and lift one up with your knees?
I have an ash SOS tumbadora that is very yellow and in need of refinishing after I fixed a bunch of cracks, and I have considered refinishing it in a more natural color. I also put brown bull hide on mine and it sounds nice.

[congalou]

Hey Dice,

They are not well dry for the moment, I can't bow them yet... I will tell you.

Jorge,

It's the barrel maker who varnish it on his lathe for me. I havent seen the brand of the varnish. And they stay well in between the legs. For other wood congas I made from A to Z I put P.U. mat varnish. That's the same result.

You know, Ash is pretty yellow naturally... but you could try linseed oil with turpentine (very nice) or bee's wax (very nice too) But with this natural products, you maybe have to refinish them every 2 years. A good P.U. varnish could be a better protection.

As usual, the better is to try on a little piece !!!

You could make a topic with that !

Galou.

[jorge]

Thanks Congalou. On my computer monitor they don't look yellow at all, the wood has a very nice natural color. I think the polyurethane matte (satin) finish would give the wood a very slight yellow tinge, but not as yellow as the current finish. Watco natural oil would look similar to your drums, but would not protect the wood as well against humidity changes as polyurethane and, as you say, would require frequent touching up. Great congas, it would be outstanding if you could record them once the skins are dry, and post the recordings. But please don't fiberglass the insides, it would sound much better if you leave the wood inside rough and unfinished.

[roberthelpus]

One photo outside and the other with black back and light for see the real look of the drums.

Cheers !

Congalou.

Now that looks great. I need to source some of those longer nuts that you have on there. That would be a better solution than making spacers for my Gon Bops.

[congalou]

You can find that in construction stores, It's usually use for join 2 "threadbars"

Gaël.

[roberthelpus]

You can find that in construction stores, It's usually use for join 2 "threadbars"

Gaël.

Aaha, or what we would call all-thread in the U.S. I am sure that I can find them at one of the fastener dealers around here.

[congalou]

OK,

Here it is !!!!

They are just wonderfull !!!!! The sound is F...ing great, pretty old school, deep, hot, fat, no bad overtones at all, we hear well the wood. Very natural.

It's a pleasure to play with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGu7xCSRgjs

I will make a quinto !!!!!

Congalou.

[KING CONGA]

congalou congratulations on a job well done. The drums look and sound great. Im sure youl do as good a job with your quinto, hey how about a requinto