# How to level the top and bottom?



## KevinBrown (Mar 5, 2009)

Ok, so I build hand drums, and am always confused with how to level the top and bottom of the shell. (imported drums I get also have to be leveled) In the past I have used rasps and stuck heavy grit sand paper to a flat surface and just rotated the drum on it... of course this doesn't make the top and bottom parallel... but I get it close with the rasp, then make the rim level to itself with the sandpaper method. I get them level enough.... but not perfect and it takes so much time. Anyone have suggestions on jigs, or techniques for doing this? Ideally I'll have the top and bottom parrell and each level and smooth. Drums have a roundover on the top edge, but that's not a problem once I get the edge level. I'm not doing these in a production line or anything, but I'd like a way to do it faster and more accurate than using rasps.

Any suggestions, jigs, or tools?


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## KevinBrown (Mar 5, 2009)

I thought a picture would help here... Both of these are really close to level, but not quite perfect.





















again, my main concern is that the top and bottom are parallel, and are also level.... with taking away as little material as possible. The drums in the picture are very close and would probably just need to be leveled a tad... but some I get/build don't start out so nice and need a lot of work.

Any help would be great!


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## CivilEngineer13 (Aug 29, 2008)

Maybe make some sort of jig with a MDF top that allows you to move a router around the top making the drum perfectly level to the MDF after the router passes. 

Just the first thought that came to mind. I really havent thought it through, or have any idea what the jig would look like.


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## scribbles (Mar 2, 2009)

A router frame is what I would use, I have no idea how to explain how to build one though...Esentially a plate that is in a frame with a hole in it, the frame holds the drum by a common reference point, say the middle, and you run the router on the plate above the face to be leveled. The flip and repeat. Does that help at all?


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## Willie T (Feb 1, 2009)

Fine looking drums! Djembes?


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

How bout building a sort of v-block setup (like a truing stand for a crankshaft). The v-s could be different sizes to coincide with the two different ends of the drum. Mount a router perpendicular to the axis of the v-block and put a wooden stop on the edge to roll the edge of the drum against. The stop should be even with the edge of the router bit, so once you rolled the drum around once or twice, it should be flat on top with the bit no longer cutting. 
Mike Hawkins
PS, after looking at the pics again, are the drums too big to just chuck up on a lathe and true up the ends? A couple of cone-shaped jamb chucks ought to do it.


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## KevinBrown (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. And yes these are djembes. Both are from Mali, and the brownish one is Hare' (Khadi) wood and the other a rare coloring for Lenke.

I took your ideas to woodcraft hoping they'd give me a more visual approach, and they did. I'm building a frame this weekend with a router sled thingy on top. It wont be adjustable for smaller drums (I'm making it a bit bigger than than I anticipate using), but I just figure I can get some squares of MDF to put under the drum to raise it to where it needs to be.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to hold the drum steady in the frame. They're pretty heavy, but I'd feel much more comfortable knowing they weren't going to budge. The frame is pretty much a box with a level top.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Holding them should be easy enough. Get two cargo straps with the ratcheting binders from the nearest Walmart or auto parts store. Secure the hooked ends to the jig, wrap the straps around the drum and tighten them in place. I'd bolt one hook permanently to the jig and make provision for the other hook to catch in a hole on the opposite side of the jig after wrapping around the drum. Make sure that the jig is secure and have at it.


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