Leslie R - Posted - 06/13/2017:  05:38:42

I have a couple of old skin heads, that I think could be reused.  They are still intact in the original hoop.  Neither can be tightened quite enough to be useable, but they come close.

One came off of an Orpheum pot.  It has an emblem on it, a crown with a small cross on the top.  There is some lettering but it is faded.  The first letters could be "DR", the last letters are "HEAD".

Neither are torn or show visible signs or deterioration.  I think they are stretched just a tad.  

I don't know enough about skin heads to make a call if they can be tightened enough to reuse.  I've never even mounted a skin head.

I had the thought of soaking in water, then pulling the ends up a little in the original hoop, and trimming the top after it dries.  I have no idea if this could work or not.

Maybe there is an easier way.

Mirwa - Posted - 06/13/2017:  06:01:57

Don't soak and attempt to try and pull the skin around further, it's a recipe for disaster, I say this because pulling a natural skin into place to start with requires extra material to grip onto, without this extra material you have no way of really gripping and stretching the skin, likely it will unroll and you will never be able to use it again.



Skins dont have to be super tight to be able to give a good tone, but, a skin can only be stretched so much.



A natural skin you can get on places like eBay for around 15 dollars usd plus postage, locally (Australia) I sell them to other luthiers for 30 dollars Australian, typically I use a kangaroo skin, how Aussie is that, occasionally I will use deer / calf or goat.



Steve



 

Edited by - Mirwa on 06/13/2017 06:03:58

Leslie R - Posted - 06/13/2017:  06:20:13

Kangaroo skin head ?

I had never thought of that.  That's gotta be good.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 06/13/2017:  07:04:44

You can save them for making banjo-ukes, pony banjos, etc.  An 11" head has plenty of extra material if you mount it on an 8" rim.

revellfa - Posted - 06/13/2017:  07:14:00

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonnycake White

 

You can save them for making banjo-ukes, pony banjos, etc.  An 11" head has plenty of extra material if you mount it on an 8" rim.

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That's what I do.  Banjo Ukes, mountain banjos, etc.

Leslie R - Posted - 06/13/2017:  07:23:32

One is from an 11 & 13/16 rim.  Maybe that would work for an 11 inch rim ?

old engraver - Posted - 06/13/2017:  08:41:57

You can use an extra hoop . Put the head on , than put on an extra hoop, then the tension ring. 

Charlie

Edited by - old engraver on 06/13/2017 08:45:58

Culloden - Posted - 06/13/2017:  10:04:56

quote:

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Originally posted by Leslie R

 

One is from an 11 & 13/16 rim.  Maybe that would work for an 11 inch rim ?

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Probably not. That would probably be cutting it just a little too close.

banjonz - Posted - 06/13/2017:  13:12:24

quote:

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Originally posted by Leslie R

 

Kangaroo skin head ?

I had never thought of that.  That's gotta be good.

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Using a head like that, the notes would just jump out at ya!

5strings3picks1banjo - Posted - 06/14/2017:  02:12:03

Yes indeed you can reuse if you have enough to work with. I cut damp before it dries.