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yancypup - Posted - 10/05/2012: 07:24:22
I'm going to build a gourd banjo this winter. I have a thin rawhide, goat I think, that I was planning on using for the head. My question is, how tight do I install the wet rawhide? I'm worried that it might shrink so much as to collapse the gourd or pull out the tacks. I will be using the same hide, cut into strips, to attach the tailpiece. Any and all advice would be appreciated.
Fathand - Posted - 10/05/2012: 08:39:29
I don't know about rawhide but for a regular skin head, pull it as tight as you can by hand when wet. I think rawhide is a lot stretchier than a regular skin head and may wind up too loose.
yancypup - Posted - 10/09/2012: 07:01:33
Well, I had read that many skin heads are actually rawhide but I'm afraid to get things too tight.
steve j. - Posted - 10/09/2012: 07:41:32
How thin is thin? why dont you spend 5 bucks and get a goat skin or a calf skin,,,,,,,, if what you have is anything like "rawhide" Ive used for other projects,,, it will be too thick, you need a thin hide , like read a paper thru it thin when its wet ,,, get them at elderly or Black Bear Haversack for about 4 bucks apiece
blockader - Posted - 10/09/2012: 07:43:38
natural banjo heads are indeed rawhide, yancypup.
yancypup - Posted - 10/10/2012: 04:54:00
Thanks blockader. So I just stretch the rawhide as tight as I can get it, right?
yancypup - Posted - 10/10/2012: 04:59:25
quote:
Originally posted by steve j.
How thin is thin? why dont you spend 5 bucks and get a goat skin or a calf skin,,,,,,,, if what you have is anything like "rawhide" Ive used for other projects,,, it will be too thick, you need a thin hide , like read a paper thru it thin when its wet ,,, get them at elderly or Black Bear Haversack for about 4 bucks apiece
Really thin. I can see through it when it's dry!
Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 10/10/2012: 06:38:25
quote:
Originally posted by yancypup
quote:
Originally posted by steve j.
How thin is thin? why dont you spend 5 bucks and get a goat skin or a calf skin,,,,,,,, if what you have is anything like "rawhide" Ive used for other projects,,, it will be too thick, you need a thin hide , like read a paper thru it thin when its wet ,,, get them at elderly or Black Bear Haversack for about 4 bucks apiece
Really thin. I can see through it when it's dry!
To add a measurement to the discussion, I like my skin heads to be between .010 and .015. Between your fingers, they feel like about 3-4 sheets of paper.
yancypup - Posted - 10/10/2012: 17:45:36
Thanks Jason! That gives me a feeling for thickness. Is your measurement wet or dry?
jbalch - Posted - 10/11/2012: 08:37:04
I agree with Jason. For banjo heads I like them to be between .010 in and .015 in thick (dry).
I think for an application like yours something on the thinner side (say: 010-.013) might be ideal. You need it to be able to get it fairly tight initially (since you cant tighten in later after it dries.). A slightly thinner hide might work best for that.
When ordering goat or calf hides from Elderly or Mid-East, they offer three thickness categories: "Medium" is supposed to be .015in. In my experience those range between .009in and .016in. +/-.
The goat hides are mottled (in varying degrees) and off-white (brown-yellow) in color. Like these:
direct.hangoutstorage.com/banj...62012.jpg
direct.hangoutstorage.com/banj...62012.jpg
The Calf skins tend to be mostly translucent with small white spots. Some of the calf hides are almost completely clear. These hides also tend to be very stiff and might be harder to stretch on a gourd (not sure). The look like these:
direct.hangoutstorage.com/banj...92012.jpg
direct.hangoutstorage.com/banj...82012.jpg
I have a supply of Goat and Calf hides in a range of different thicknesses. I'd be happy to select something that has the look and thickness that you want. Contact me if you would like to pursue that. I can send photos of a few hides that meet your criteria for you to select.
I hope that helps.
