How to Make Steel Drums

Steel drums, also called steelpans, originated from Trinidad. Although they can be made from flat sheets of steel, the traditional method is to use 55-gallon drums, similar to those used for oil. The process for making these drums is precise and requires years of apprenticeship to learn.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 55-gallon drum 40-pound sledgehammer Steel pan template Furnace Drill Pencil Paint or chrome Hammer Strobe tuner

1. Select a 55-gallon steel drum. Professionals base their selection on the quality of the steel. This affects the quality of the sound the steel drum will produce.

2. Use a sledgehammer to pound the bottom of the barrel. This process, called sinking the pan, is used to stretch the metal and shape it into a concave bowl. Although the hammer is heavy and the process is exhausting, it is important to pound the metal carefully to avoid tearing the rim. This process can take up to five hours.

3. Temper the steel. Burn the pan in a fire until it is red hot and then place it in water to cool off. This increases the resilience of the metal and makes it stronger. Trinidadians use a bonfire and the ocean for this process but you can substitute with a furnace and a container of appropriate size filled with water.

4. Mark the placement of the notes on the barrelhead. Use a template and a pencil to draw the lines that will mark the location of the notes.

5. Make a groove of the note's outline with a hammer and a punch. The grooves make the notes visible and distinguish each one from the rest.

6. Cut the barrel skirt to the appropriate length. Drill holes close to the rim of the barrelhead. These will be used for hanging the drum.

7. Use a hammer to punch the grooves of the notes up from beneath the drum. This will make the notes form bubbles on top of the drum.

8. Use a tuning tool, like a strobe tuner, to adjust the notes. Stretch and smooth each note by hammering the notes on top of the barrelhead.

9. Finish the steel drum. You may paint the drum or dip it in chrome for a shiny finish. If you choose chrome, you will have to tune the notes again.

10. Learn to play steel drums. "Pan Steel Drums: Basics for Beginners" by Harry Best teaches the basics in four sessions (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Tune each note in relation to the others so that the notes play correctly. There are other ways to finish a steel drum. Professionals also use hardening, nickel coating and powder coating processes.

Resources

• Learn to play steel drums with "Pan Steel Drums: Basics for Beginners" by Harry Best

[steelworkercoop]

on 7/21/2009 how do i get the template