westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  14:05:53

Howdy,

Can someone point me in the direction of a place where I can get just enough hide for a mountain banjo head?  I know that I can go through Elderly or another music store, but I was hoping that there might be a place (or person) that might sell me just enough for my head.

Thanks,

Ryan

beegee - Posted - 04/14/2015:  14:12:04

What size do you need? I have a couple of old torn heads that my be large enough for a small-head mountain banjo.

mike gregory - Posted - 04/14/2015:  14:26:55

There's a no-cost way to get free possum hide for an authentic mountain banjo.

It's a program provided by the Government.

Lots of people call it I-43 or I-94, but the official title is "Free Way To Get A Possum Hide To Build An Authentic Banjo".

Which is a rather long title, so most of us just refer to it as the FreeWay.

 

Possums are distributed at random times and in random places along the FreeWay.

Scrape 'em up, take 'em home, skin 'em out, and get that banjo made!

Jonnycake White - Posted - 04/14/2015:  14:29:22

The 12" goat skin drum cover from Leather Unlimited was the smallest thing I could find.  I just used one to re-head a half a bongo (about 6.5" diameter).  I used a larger one for a minstrel banjo once, but I wasn't really happy with it compared to a better quality head such as Elderly sells.  

You might want to consider getting a piece big enough to cut two heads from so you'll have a spare.  Elderly's 18 inch heads aren't that much more than their smallest (14") heads, and if  you need a 9" circle for a 6" mountain banjo, that might be the way to go.  Just in case...

leatherunltd.com/leather/rawhi...hide.html

P.S. - it's far better to overestimate the diameter you'll need than to underestimate it.

Edited by - Jonnycake White on 04/14/2015 14:31:41

Bill H - Posted - 04/14/2015:  14:52:03

Mike, I must have passed 20 dead ground hogs this week. Just wondering if ground hog will do or does possum produce a superior tone.

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  15:44:42

quote:

---

Originally posted by beegee

What size do you need? I have a couple of old torn heads that my be large enough for a small-head mountain banjo.

 

---

Now that I actually looked it over I am thinking that I might need more than I originally thought.  I am now thinking that I might need around 11"?  

I just came up with another idea that I am going to look into just a moment.

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  15:53:42

quote:

---

Originally posted by mike gregory

There's a no-cost way to get free possum hide for an authentic mountain banjo.

It's a program provided by the Government.

Lots of people call it I-43 or I-94, but the official title is "Free Way To Get A Possum Hide To Build An Authentic Banjo".

Which is a rather long title, so most of us just refer to it as the FreeWay.

 

Possums are distributed at random times and in random places along the FreeWay.

Scrape 'em up, take 'em home, skin 'em out, and get that banjo made!

---

LOL!  I can't say I have ever skinned a possum before, but I do believe that I may have a Foxfire guide that might explain how to do that as well!

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  15:54:28

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill H

Mike, I must have passed 20 dead ground hogs this week. Just wondering if ground hog will do or does possum produce a superior tone.

---

I am thinking that groundhog might have a supperior tone!

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  16:01:38

While measuring things I came up with an idea. When I was younger, a couple of times a year I'd jam with this band the Herman's Hermits.  One of these times they gave me a skin head tambourine that they signed.  It has just sat in a box in my basement and dried out.  I was thinking that I could cannibalize the head and tacks off of it.  I believe that I would have about 11" of skin which I think might just be enough for my 6" hoop with 1-3/8" walls.

Do you think that this (what looks like goat skin) might hold up to supporting a banjo bridge?  

I am think that it might.  I just hope that I can hide that CP logo!

Edited by - westsideryan on 04/14/2015 16:03:18

Jim D - Posted - 04/14/2015:  16:19:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill H

Mike, I must have passed 20 dead ground hogs this week. Just wondering if ground hog will do or does possum produce a superior tone.

---

Here in North Carolina, groundhog is the standard. See FOxfire 3 (I think.) Any leftovers makes darn good boot laces.

Jim

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  18:58:19

Well the tambourine seems to have worked out!  I just hope that I didn't make it too tight!  

I'll check Foxfire 3 for the next one!  

Thanks to everyone for the help!

Edited by - westsideryan on 04/14/2015 19:09:43

mike gregory - Posted - 04/14/2015:  20:10:58

Are you telling us that you jammed with the PETER NOONE "Herman's Hermits"?
If so, that tambourine would be worth more than a dozen rawhide heads.

maneckep - Posted - 04/14/2015:  20:13:48

I am no Herman's Hermits expert but I would have thought that you could have sold that tamborine on ebay to some Hermits fan and made enough to buy 2 or 3 of the goat skin heads from Elderly - maybe more. Too late now but I would have preserved that old tambo.

westsideryan - Posted - 04/14/2015:  20:59:38

The Herman's Hermits came into town at least once a year for a bunch of years (I think that they were playing state fairs or something like that).  This was about 15-20 years ago.  They would always swing into a music shop that I worked at and we would always have a little impromptu jam.  Anyway, I doubt that I would have gotten much for it. Peter Noone autographs aren't even selling at $19.  Plus, this one had my name on it which would make it worth even less.  And, I actually don't know if Peter was there when I got that one. I actually don't see his name on it. I am happy using it as a banjo head!

BobJJ - Posted - 04/15/2015:  12:09:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by mike gregory

There's a no-cost way to get free possum hide for an authentic mountain banjo.

It's a program provided by the Government.

Lots of people call it I-43 or I-94, but the official title is "Free Way To Get A Possum Hide To Build An Authentic Banjo".

Which is a rather long title, so most of us just refer to it as the FreeWay.

 

 

Possums are distributed at random times and in random places along the FreeWay.

Scrape 'em up, take 'em home, skin 'em out, and get that banjo made!

---

It is not very difficult to do.  Rawhide is a lot less work than tanning.  It is easier to do while it is still warm.

Scrape the inside of a fresh hide to remove the fat and membrane.  You should see the membrane below the fat layer.  After you scrape away the membrane you will see tiny little hairs.

Wash it with with a little dish soap and water.

Put it in a bucket with a slurry of wood ashes and water for 2 days.  One day might be long enough. (wear rubber gloves)

Rinse it off.

Pull all the fur out that you can by hand. Most of it should easily pull out.

Scrape the rest of the fur off.

Wash it in soap and water.

Stretch it out as much as you can by hand on a board with tacks and let it dry.

Bob

jsmith407 - Posted - 04/16/2015:  08:05:13

I've used the rawhide drum skins from Leather Unlimited: leatherunltd.com/leather/rawhi...hide.html