Carving and Drying Cherry

[Guest]

Helloo fellow wood carvers

we are building a drum... have carved a 28'x13' green, cherry log hollow to within 2'' from the outside bark. we keep the wood from cracking by covering it with wet towels between carving sessions. we have accumulated the following questions:

1. should the bark be removed?
2. how thick should the edge of the finished drum be?
3. how do we keep it from cracking as it cures?
4. how, if at all, do we seal the finished product?

we are diligently searching the web as well as people in the know for any insight. we appreciate any insight you all might have!
thanks,
aaron and annie

[rick-in-seattle]

Re: Carving and Drying Cherry

The only person I ever saw make a drum from a hollow log was the nut from North Carolina; can't think of his name but he does the tv show the woodwright shop. You could probably get a tape of that particular show.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Re: Carving and Drying Cherry

Look up a company called "Mohave Drums" They are up north of here by Lake Mead and have quite a drum following, they make beautiful drums and they have a piece of property with a small theatre cut out of the hill and have shows etc...they sell them and make and think they could give you all kinds of pointers.