THUNDERDRUM MEMBRANE

8.5" x 11" MATTE FINISH, HEAT SHRINKABLE MEMBRANE FOR GOURD THUNDER DRUMS. INSTRUCIONS FOR PREPARING THE GOURD AND MEMBRANRE FOR A THUNDER DRUM LAY THE MEMBRANE ON YOUR GOURD WHERE YOU INTEND TO CUT AN OPENING AND DECIDE HOW LARGE YOU WANT THE OPENING TO BE. CUT THE OPENING IN YOUR GOURD SO THAT THE CUT SURFACE IS PERFECTLY PLANE (FLAT). FASTEN 4 SHEETS OFCOARSE SANDPAPER (80 GRIT) TO A CLEAN PIECE OF PLYWOOD 24"X24" WITH STAPLES. PLACE THE OPENING OF THE GOURD OVER THE SAND PAPER COVERED PLYWOOD, AND RUB THE GOURD IN A CIRCULAR MOTION OVER THE SANDPAPER TO REMOVE ANY HIGH SPOTS ON THE RIM. THE OBJECT IS TO MAKE THE RIM AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE. IF YOUR HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKE THE RIM PLAIN, COLOR THE RIM WITH INK AND THEN GRIND THE RIM AGAINST THE SAND PAPER UNTIL ALL OF THE COLOR IS REMOVED. ONCE THE RIM IS PERFECTLY PLANE, APPLY A FAST DRYING GLUE TO THE RIM AN SET THE MEMBRANE ON TOP OF THE RIM AND SQUEEZE THE MEMBRANE AGAINST THE FRESHLY APPLIED GLUE ON THE RIM. USE RUBBER BANDS OR BLUE PAINTERS TAPE TO HOLD THE TWO SURFACES TOGETHER OVER NIGHT. WAIT FOR THE TIME PERIOD THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS FOR THE GLUE TO COMPLETELY SET. ONCE THE GLUE HAS SET, FIND THE CENTER OF THE MEMBRANE AND USE THE TIP OF AN AWL OR T-PIN TO MAKE A VERY SMALL HOLE FOR THE SPRING. USUALLY, THE TENSION OF THE MEMBRANE IS SUFFICIENT FROM JUST GLUING IT TO THE GOURD. IF YOU WANT THE PITCH TO BE HIGHER, A VERY SLIGHT HEATING FROM A DISTANCE WITH A HAIR DRYER WILL INCREASE THE SURFACE TENSION OF THE MEMBRANE. MORE INFORMATION UNDER "SPRING."