New skin!

[bongosnotbombs]

Putting this new skin on my drum nearly killed me. It took every trick I knew and half the tools in my box, plus 3 hours of my life, but I got it on. I got it on. Whew!

[Mike]

BnB, why was it so difficult? I am just curious.
Usually the L&H skins are quite a pleasure as they are easy to mount.
Was it a very thick skin, not flexible around the hoop and rim?

Well, you DID it and it looks like one of those fabulous cow skins that
Michael at L&H has for offer.
Nice skin for a very nice Valje - a new match has been made...

[burke]

The L&H skin sent me for my GB's quinto was thick as hell and my experience was much like BSBs.

But it sounds great!

[bongosnotbombs]

Hey Mike, how is everything in groovy old Deutschland?

This drum is actually my Resolution quinto, though Resolution / Valje, tom ay toe, tom ah toe, right?

I think one, was the thickness, it didn't seem that thick, but then again I haven't had a thick skin in a long time. It kind of swelled up a lot in the soaking too, even though I only soaked it till it was pliable enough. Then it seemed to dry out quickly and become less pliable, so I would resoak it. A couple of times I put the whole head of the drum in the bath to get it soft enough for all the lugs to get on. I was making up techniques as I went along.

I also think the distinctive Valje/Resolution lug design is a contributor, because the lug has the characteristic "hook" which curves all the way over, the crown needs to go a bit lower for the lug to "hook" on it. But I don't remember my vintage Valje tumba being this much of a struggle.

I've put on 50-60 heads now, usually takes 30 minutes after soaking, but this skin was so difficult it reminded me of the first skin I ever put on. Another epic struggle...

Oh and all the LH skins I've had were great, well except I don't like mule or goat, but that's me, nothing on Mike, his skins are always top quality, so everyone go out and by skins from LH okay?

Nice to hear I'm not the only one Burke, I was wondering if I'd lost my touch. How is Halifax? Cold as hell? Or colder?

[rhythmrhyme]

I just mounted a couple L&H mule skin heads, they needed to soak for a loonnngggg time! Once they were adequately supple they went on with "relative" ease. The mule is a more difficult product to work with than steer; it seems to naturally be more rigid.

I always string heads like that nice and tight around the flesh hoop first prior to putting the crown around it. With heavier heads I find this saves me a lot of sweat and cursing. This was essential when mounting the mule skin!

I mounted a calf skin onto one of my bata’s last night. Man, that’s some nice material!! Super supple, easy to work with and stretchy. The fur on the little beast is soft like human hair, actually made me feel kinda sad for the little fella (I say fella cuz mostly the males get sent to slaughter for veal)

[Mike]

Hey Mike, how is everything in groovy old Deutschland?

This drum is actually my Resolution quinto, though Resolution / Valje, tom ay toe, tom ah toe, right?

I think one, was the thickness, it didn't seem that thick, but then again I haven't had a thick skin in a long time. It kind of swelled up a lot in the soaking too, even though I only soaked it till it was pliable enough. Then it seemed to dry out quickly and become less pliable, so I would resoak it. A couple of times I put the whole head of the drum in the bath to get it soft enough for all the lugs to get on. I was making up techniques as I went along.

I also think the distinctive Valje/Resolution lug design is a contributor, because the lug has the characteristic "hook" which curves all the way over, the crown needs to go a bit lower for the lug to "hook" on it. But I don't remember my vintage Valje tumba being this much of a struggle.

Hey Geordie, thanks, the grooves are fine here in the old world, the nice sunny spring weather lifts the mood!

Sorry I confused your Resolution with a Valje, what a blunder

From what you are writing I feel reminded of the first "wrestling-with-at-least-a-dozen-alligators" mood I had with the first skins that I mounted.
So it appears you have just had a similar kind of revival or time travel experience

Seriously, I am glad it turned out fine for you.
Yes, getting the skin far enough down for the first hooks can be devastating.strenous, especially when the skin loses its pliablility.

[bongosnotbombs]

Hey don't worry about it Mike, from that angle it's impossible to tell Valje / Resolution. Really you would need to see the label, or some other reference.

With this skin all 5 hooks were a struggle. Usually after the the second lug, the rest are easy, but not this time. So in this case 5 dozen alligators

[Mike]

It´s all good.
I have taken a look at your amazing array of pliers.
You defo needed those, especially with that 5-lugged beast...

I was very happy when I mounted a thick cow skin on my Delaporte
superquinto that the drum has got 6 lugs.

Well, anyway, you can sit down with a beer in your hand
and admire a real man´s work now!
(No offence to any female conguera here meant )

[burke]

Tatamagouche is where I live [What you've never heard of it ], but from Halifax.

To answer the question see picture taken 5 minutes ago [sadly I must go out soon to refill feeders lest the poor little buggers croak

[Mike]

Whoa, springtime looks still pretty far away at your place, Burke.

[burke]

To be honest this is just a spring storm, its been a mild winter and last week I had shorts on - no foolin.

[bongosnotbombs]

Well I've got this skin tuned up and it sound very nice. So far it has a bright and clear sound, very musical, almost like a bell. I am a little surprised because usually these thick skins have a more muted sound. Anyways, the skin I had on before was on the thin side and sounded tinny, so I am glad I changed it. It is not broken in yet though, so we'll see. I've got it sitting in the sun with some shea butter soaking in.

One little hiccup, with all the difficulty putting this skin on, the rim ended up about 1/8" of center, and there was nothing I could do to get it more on center, I tried, with screw drivers, a hammer....Oh well, I'm not going to let it bother me.

[Marcus]

Hey BnB,

12 inches rims lets say, x 8 = 96/8th's, and 1/8" off center. 1/96 x 100% = 1.04% error. Not bad at all!!!! Sounds like that is the way the drum wanted its new skin.

I have ordered some mules from LandH and can't wait to start my reheading project.

...marcus

[rhythmrhyme]

^^^ good call on the mule!

Be aware though, it has a different texture than cow or bull - more grainy. I've come to like it quite quickly, but not everyone who's laid hands on the drums got it right away.

I've had them on the Moperc's now for about a month and they are starting to settle in. With the great projection of the mopercs it honestly feels like all I need to do is touch the drum to produce a tone, flex my wrist a bit and CRACK - wicked slaps. I'm not sure if my SOS drums will handle a mule, but I'm thinking about it. I may try to talk Jay into building me a ash conga (I have oaks) with 6 lugs, I'm not sure the 5 lug version I have will have the stones to put enough tension on the mule. they are super tough heads that don't really stretch much. I really like the mule as a centre drum.

RR