This tutorial covers how to construct a hank drum, an instrument invented by Dennis Havlena that imitates the extremely expensive and difficult to obtain Hang Drum. This instrument can be built for $27 if one has all the necessary tools. A bargain considering one of these propane tank drums recently sold on ebay for over $10,000. The original instructions for this project can be found on Dennis Havlena's site at http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/for-webpage-lp-hang.htm
This tutorial can be watched or read depending on your preference:
This tutorial can be watched or read depending on your preference:
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Signing UpStep 1: Preparing for construction
The construction process is quite simple and only requires a few supplies.
You'll need an empty propane tank. Try and find a new one that has never been filled to avoid horrific injury. I found my at Wal-Mart in the camping section for $27.
A drill or dremel, a saber, jig, or similar electric saw, hack-saw blade, wrench, file, and electric tuner. If you do not have a tuner, you can use one of several tuner programs that install onto your computer and use a microphone. Try checking http://www.mymusictools.com/download/tuner-software/ for one of these programs.
You'll need an empty propane tank. Try and find a new one that has never been filled to avoid horrific injury. I found my at Wal-Mart in the camping section for $27.
A drill or dremel, a saber, jig, or similar electric saw, hack-saw blade, wrench, file, and electric tuner. If you do not have a tuner, you can use one of several tuner programs that install onto your computer and use a microphone. Try checking http://www.mymusictools.com/download/tuner-software/ for one of these programs.
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he is no longer at CMU, I guess
Thank you very much!
the steel is really tough. i'll bet you'd go through quite a few blades cutting this.
I've made a second one with a different pentatonic tuning. Both are from recycled tanks.
Anyone have tips on removing the methyl mercaptan smell? I soaked mine in a bleach/water solution which did the trick, but causes instant rust all over. Makes me worry what it's doing to the inside of the tank.
R2D2?
Btw great instructable!!
A new hank should be tuned 25 cent sharp (or more if you want to paint it as this will lower the pitch of the tongues) and played for a month or so. Every week or so tune the instrument with itself to keep it playable but always leave it a bit sharp. This will let the stresses work themselves out and you will gradually approach concert pitch. I think most kinds of finish coatings take on or give up moisture as the relative humidity changes. This changes the pitch of the tongues. There may also be some rusting underneath the tongues that contributes to out of tuneness.
Check out the "how to make a hank" pics on my MySpace: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=95889223&albumId=1691856
Check out my YouTube for some poor quality (sorry) hank vids. There's lots of hang and hank vids on my playlists and favorites too: http://www.youtube.com/user/rptalk2me
thanks
sparkie
There's lots of good info shared in the hankdrum collective. Check it out and if you cannot join send me your email and I'll send you and invite:
Click here:
http://hankdrum.collectivex.com/discussion/forums
Cheers,
RP
1) you want to do this before paintingafter cutting, 2) you can demagnitise the magnet but not if you keep it from touching. As the thing gets close to that level it will begin to nt be attracted to the steel. I was told this method by a black smith inthe foundry at Colonial Wiliamsburg, and by a local smithie here on LI.
3) professionally made hangs have a hole in them, either top or bottom quite large actually so you could use a metal hole saw to make a hole then beat it with a shot put, (as is done when making steel pans). That hole allows you to coat the inside of the drum. I am getting a few used tanks on monday to do one.
I already made a simple ships bell from 1 pound prope can. I removed both valves and then ust tapped it with a finger. Sounds just like a ships brass bell. By cuttng it down (get a few of them) you can make a scale. If youcan find the right fitting youcan use the screw n threaded nipple as a mounting point, since it rings wonderfully even when holding it by that nipple. ttfn for now. Oh yes I fergit,I bought the dvd that Dennis Havlena offers, worth every pennyof the mere 10 0r soschadoles he asks for. The links shown here are no good anymore, but the tmplates are available. And he has one for side cutting the drumand a fat squat 1 pound bottle version.
sparkie
if you go to steel pans site < http://hotpans.se/pan/tuning/preface.php#history > you can see how to do this. Hang(k) drums are varients of steel drums or tubular bells, but kinda close to a gong (to me, scientifically who knows). I think they sound better, but steel drums are neat as well. And If someone ever chucked one out on the street by me (I have seen 2 full drum kits tossed by me) I would snag it instantly.
Perhaps that which makes them akin to so many other things also makes them unique so they are what they are.
Also, according to the pages when you burn the thing and quench it, you will strip away all paint and rust, but you must buff it out immediately and paint it. You could still make final adjustments on the thing, but after hardening it is harder.
last, if you want the bottom to remain untempered(hardened), get fireclay or hydrated lime (warning WARNING WARNING WARNING use masks and gloves it is
CAUSTIC CEMENT,
DANGEROUS TO BREATH,
DO NOT GET ON SKIN AARRGGHH), or use fire clay, ya still need to use mask and goggles, but less of a caustic issue.
Put a 1/4 inch thick layer of cement on the part you need to keep unhardened, allow to dry and proceed.
The coating will keep the steel from getting as hot as the rest and it should say a bit on the soft side. Additionally when you drench it stop at the clay line or just before it. This what gives SAmurai swords their bounce. The sword is hardened after sharpening on the edge all the way back to about a 1/4 of the spine then it is clay coated (but not in a perfect line) then it is fired and queunched.
Nasty Nasty Warning, ............................................................................................................since you are heating up steel and plunging it into ice water, you get a superheated steam for a second or two , very dsangerous you need to do it in a safe manner,
but
adding the clay or cement layer will add the possibility that the cement or clay can shatter and fly off at you like a gun shot.
Tis would be like going to a festival where they make Zeppoli in a big deep fryer and your kid goofing off chuckes a big fat ice cube into the oil (from behind you of course)
don't burn off anything important
sparkie
http://www.dagiardino.it/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=bombola+propano&x=0&y=0
What can i do??
I just found some american tanks so i built one out of them.. it sounds awsome!!!!
Zircon
Im very interessted in making a hank drum. my Problem is im living in Switzerland and we dont have the same sizes of propan tanks as you can see here: http://www.vitogaz.ch/gas-flaschen.html
Now can i use one of these??? they are not soo cheap thats why im asking. Dont wanna try to build one if i have no change???
Thy Julian