How to Repair Your Djembe Drum

Small cracks in the djembe shell can be fixed with glue.

The djembe is an African drum in which the shell is primarily made of wood and the head from stretched goat or cow skin. Your djembe shell and top can crack and split, and the head hoops can become dented if you bump the drum or drop it on a hard surface. The djembe will also sustain wear and tear over the life of the drum, and the parts will need to be repaired or replaced.

Things You'll Need

• White glue
• Sawdust
• Dish
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Super strength epoxy
• Goat or cow skin
• Leather shears
• Hammer
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Parachute cord
• Climbing carabiner

Instructions

Shell Cracks

1. Mix about 1/2 cup of white glue with just a little less than 1/2 cup of sawdust in a bowl.

2. Use your fingers to fill in the djembe shell cracks with the glue and sawdust mixture. Let the mixture dry.

3. Sand the filled-in crack with fine-grit sandpaper.

4. Roll the cracked part of the djembe shell back and forth between your hands to test the strength of the repair. The hardened mixture should not move and should remain within the crack.

5. Sit down and place the djembe between your knees. Try some rim hits and center head slaps with your hands while watching the repaired crack for signs of spreading.

Head and Cord Repair

1. Fill in any pin holes or translucent spots on the djembe head with a super-strength epoxy. Let the epoxy dry. Test the drum head with a few center head slaps, and check the head for splitting or cracking.

2. Remove the head to replace it entirely by first drawing a diagram of how the drum is strung. Unknot the cotton or parachute cord used to string the drum, and unlace it from the head and body rims and shell.

3. Pull up to remove the upper head rim. Spread out the damaged head and remove the lower rim. Use a hammer to smooth out any dents in the head rims. Remove the damaged head from the djembe.

4. Stretch the new djembe skin over the drum's top opening. Replace the lower head rim over the skin and top of the drum. Fold the remaining skin back over the rim on the drum. Push the upper rim over this fold to hold the skin in place. Trim the skin with leather shears if necessary.

5. Cut out any worn places in the cord, and replace it with new parachute cord. Or measure the entire cord, and replace it with a new length of parachute cord. Restring the drum according to the diagram you made. Wrap the loose end around a climbing carabiner, and use it as a handle to pull the cord tight as you restring the drum. Knot the final loose end through the cord on the djembe shell.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase a climbing carabiner and parachute cord at any outdoor or sporting goods store. You can also buy a drum skin from a leather or drum shop.

• Dropping a djembe after repairing a shell crack can reopen the crack and cause it to widen. This will change the sound of the djembe.

References

• African Music Safari: Djembe Repair, Tuning & Care
• African Music Safari: Djembe Repair Instructions