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Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:48 pm**

The Following will show and explain you how to build a Gwoka from scratch. Many of the techniques used here can be complemented or replace by any other that work.

To make your own Gwoka, you will need:

-A wine or liquor barrel (You can also use any other thing such as PVC pipes, metal drums etc… But your drum won’t be a Gwoka anymore).

-A reel of hemp style string.

-Pre-stretched rope (The kind you use for sailing or climbing). The length you will need depends on the size of the barrel. Make a rough calculation and add a few meters.

-2 construction steel rods of about one meter (one yard) each.

-Varnish or paint.

-2 drum sticks (or pieces of hard wood).

-A skin.

-Wood glue.

-A razor blade and/or a sharp knife.

-A sander or just sand paper.

-A basic toolbox.

this picture shows you the first step...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 533-01.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:50 pm**

this is the comment of the first picture in the previous post:

Here is an old wine barrel I bought in Provence (France) for 5 Euros.
As you can see it is in pretty bad shape. It’s been stored for years and it is extremely dry (which is what we want anyway).
It is actually so dry that the body of the barrel shrunk and the rings are falling down. On this picture, I already got rid of the top ring (where the skin will be set).

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:51 pm**

Using any suitable tool (here a file), and a hammer, I re-set the rings. They have to go further down than their original place since the barrel shrunk. Push them down as much as you can. They have to firmly stay in place alone.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 706-02.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:52 pm**

I start by applying glue on the top part of the barrel. I use regular white wood glue that I generously spread over the whole area with my fingers. Make sure that the glue goes in between the wood pieces, in all the cracks and into the gap between the rings and the body of the barrel.
Don’t be shy, use a lot of glue. The barrel will be sanded later and any excess of glue will disappear.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 773-03.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:54 pm**

Repeat the previous step to the whole outside of the barrel. Once again, use a lot of glue. When the glue dries out, it shrinks and gaps will still show. Add some glue if necessary and let it dry completely one more time.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 850-04.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:55 pm**

Once the barrel is secure, it is time to remove the two ends. These parts are set into a grove. You will have to break them using a screwdriver and a hammer. Go slowly at first by hitting the joints. Once you have an opening, you’ll be able to remove the pieces easily.
Don’t try to remove the ends before gluing the body of the barrel otherwise it will collapse.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 936-05.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:56 pm**

Apply glue in the grove and between the slates on the inside of the barrel.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 014-06.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:58 pm**

This picture shows the inside ready and drying out.
It also shows the plug I put in the hole. Most barrels have a hole in their body. Use anything suitable to plug that hole. It can be a piece of wood, a cork etc… I used some mastic paste.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 087-07.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:59 pm**

When the glue is dry, it is time to sand the barrel. My advice is to sand everything, including the rings. Remove as much rust as you can from the rings and any excess of glue you can find. Sand also the top edge of the barbell (where the skin will be) to make it round.
For this drum (we can start to call it a drum now), I used rough and medium sand paper.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 158-08.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:00 pm**

This is the drum once sanded. You can already see a big difference with the first picture.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 236-09.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:01 pm**

At this stage, you have to drill 4 sets of 2 wholes in the bottom part of the drum. Divide the drum in 4 even sections to find the best spots. These holes will be used to make loops with a piece of rope.
Make sure the rope fits into the holes.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 304-10.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:02 pm**

This picture shows where to drill the holes. You have to drill one hole in one slate and one in the next. Avoid drilling in between slates.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 371-11.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:04 pm**

It is time to give the finishing look to the drum. Here, you get to choose what you prefer: Paint, varnish etc… Any decoration is possible at this point, so be creative.
I like to use satin varnish on my drums that I apply with a clean dry cloth.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 451-12.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:05 pm**

Here is the drum varnished and the two construction steel rods I will use to make the rings to hold the skin.
You can by these rods in most of the hardware stores. They usually come in one meter (or one yard) length. Use a diameter that corresponds to the size of the drum (thinner for smaller drums and thicker for bigger drums).

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 547-13.jpg

Posted: **Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:07 pm**

This is one way to make perfect rings. My first drum teacher taught me this about 15 years ago and I find it really easy and it gives you a complete control over the bending of the rod.
Use a vise and open it as much as you can. Put one end of the rod on it. Hold the rod with one hand and a hammer on the other.
Now here is the trick: Hit the center of the rod’s section that sits on the vise with the hammer (gently at first to gain confidence). Then move the rod slightly (here to the right) and hit again. Repeat this until you reach the end of the rod.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 652-14.jpg

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Make your own gwoka. - Step by step explanation.