Plans for Building a Steel Drum
Steel pans or drums are more than just some dents in a can. Crafting professional steel drums calls for advanced skills, taking years of training to hone. For those less crafty, there is another steel drum that anyone can create called a "dudup" -- named after the particular sound it makes when struck. The dudup is a two-note drum, simple enough for children to construct and intriguing enough to hold an adult's attention. A dudup sounds good in any key.
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Things You'll Need
- Large coffee can, olive oil can or 25-gallon steel barrel
- Small hammer or ball-peen hammer
- 6 inches of a 1/2-inch dowel
- Rubber bands
- Rubber bouncing ball
- 8 inches of a 1/2-inch wooden dowel
- Epoxy glue
- Scissors or knife
- Chalk or pen
Instructions
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Dudup Sticks
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1
Make dudup sticks. For children or a small stick, take 6 inches of a 1/2-inch dowel and wrap rubber bands at both ends.
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2
Cut a rubber ball in half and glue one half to an 8-inch wooden dowel for an adult or larger dudup stick.
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3
Make a hole through the middle of the rubber ball and add more glue at the hole to better secure the ball.
Sound the Drum
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4
Rest the can or barrel on a flat surface that is firm and solid.
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5
Draw a line slightly off center across the top of the can or barrel. The line should divide the round area of the can into two slightly different sizes.
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6
Pound a hammer up and down the drawn line, making a valley along the line. The valley stretches the two areas, making them tight and resonant.
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7
Test the drum periodically to make sure each side is producing a different sound. As the tension increases the different sounds will become more apparent.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The small hammer is for the coffee or olive can (child's drum) and the ball-peen hammer is for the 25-gallon steel barrel (adult's drum).
If the valley is not taking shape properly it may be beneficial to hammer up instead of down.
The dudup is ready when each side is making a nice ringing sound, different in tone and about a fourth or fifth apart.
Ensure the floor will not be ruined from pounding the hammer.
Do not hit the can or barrel too hard when pounding the line.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit drum image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
