Double Loop Djembe Crown

[cobra]

Hey All,

First of all, I want to say thank you for the great advise I've gotten here in the past. Second of all, I want to ask for some more advise.

I've searched the archives here and haven't been able to find any specific info on how to tie double loops on a djembe crown. Can anyone point me in the right direction or offer detailed instructions on how to do this?

Thanks again,
cobra

[michi]

I posted about this here last year. To tie the hitch, just do it like you would tie a normal cow hitch, but go around the ring twice instead of once. Make sure that the strands that run across to the next hitch come from the inner pair of the hitch, not the outside strands.

Of course, if you buy a copy of my brand-new eBook Djembe Construction, you'll learn how to tie this knot as well as others (with close-up shots) and how to tie off the crown and bottom ring without getting uneven spacing of the verticals at the tie-off point. Plus lots of other tips on djembe repair, reskinning, djembe tuning, and more

Cheers,

Michi.

[cobra]

Thanks Michi. Maybe by paying close attention to the image you provide, I can replicate that hitch.

I'm not sure, but I think I had a different technique in mind.

My concern is to reduce the chance of slippage while adding strength, so your idea should work.

Thanks again,
cobra

[alifaa]

Of course, if you buy a copy of my brand-new eBook Djembe Construction

Two from two Michi. Shameless plugs a plenty, wot?

Keep up the good work!!

[michi]

Two from two Michi. Shameless plugs a plenty, wot?

Keep up the good work!!

Yes, I know. I'm afraid it's all about search rankings. If I don't mention "Djembe Construction: A Comprehensive Guide" every chance I get, and fail to mention that you will learn everything about djembe repair, reskinning, maintenance, and tuning, Mr Google won't take any notice of me…

But don't worry: it's a good book so it's worth mentioning, and I'll settle down soon, I'm sure

Michi.

[cobra]

I feel so.........................so..............................................cheap.

[michi]

I feel so.........................so..............................................cheap.

My apologies for upsetting your emotional balance

Michi.

[cobra]

My apologies for upsetting your emotional balance

I guess I'll live.

Best of luck with your new book "Djembe Construction: A Comprehensive Guide". I'm sure many readers will find "Djembe Construction: A Comprehensive Guide" an invaluable resource and a wonderful addition to their personal libraries.

I'm logging out now and rushing to get my copy of "Djembe Construction: A Comprehensive Guide" before it sells out.

cobra

[michi]

I'm logging out now and rushing to get my copy of "Djembe Construction: A Comprehensive Guide" before it sells out.

I think that's a really good idea. You want to get your copy before Apple run out of bits…

Michi.

[cobra]

Check it out guys. I googled around and found a really cool and easy way to double up the crown loops. It's on The Drum Doctor website.

Here's where they actually show you how it's done and what it looks like: http://drumdr.com/drum-repair-histories.html#african-djembe-drum-repair.

I tried it and it works like a charm!

cobra

[gr3vans]

michi... you're drums are pretty.

[michi]

Here's where they actually show you how it's done and what it looks like: http://drumdr.com/drum-repair-histories.html#african-djembe-drum-repair.

I tried it and it works like a charm!

I've seen this technique used before. The advantage is that, by effectively running two sets of knots in separate "rings", you don't get the bulking up you get when you tie an ordinary cow hitch with a double strand. The disadvantage is visible in this image:

http://drumdr.com/Images/djembe-twin-crown-clsp.jpg

As you can see there, the verticals, where they go over a loop, are still only supported by a single strand. This means that the friction points are just as small as with a an ordinary single-strand cow hitch in a single "ring". (In fact, there is more friction with the approach in the photo because the vertical rubs against the second loop that goes below the one the vertical passes over as well.)

Realistically, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. What matters more than anything is the number of friction points between the skin and the flesh ring. All three designs (the two I linked to earlier and the one you pointed out) achieve that.

Pick the one you think looks best With a Guinea-style fold-over, it doesn't matter, because you can't see the crown ring anyway. (The double-strand version makes bulkier knots though. For people with small hands, that can be inconvenient because you need to space your thumb away a little bit more when playing.)

Cheers,

Michi.

[rachelnguyen]

The double strand is something I have seen commonly in Mali. It has the advantage, I think, because it has two layers of rope supporting the verticals in addition to the double knots preventing skin slippage. Plus it looks bad ass.

[drtom]

Realistically, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. What matters more than anything is the number of friction points between the skin and the flesh ring. All three designs (the two I linked to earlier and the one you pointed out) achieve that.

As usual, I agree with you michi. Increasing the number of pressure points between the crown and the skin is a great benefit of the double loop crown.

I have to add, though, that it's just as important to me that the strength of the crown is greatly increased. I use rope on the crowns that's considerably thinner than the rope I use on the verticles (imagine 5mm+ on the crown - imagine the knots!), so it eases my mind greatly to double it up. Plus, it looks great!

By the way michi, I actually thought I'd come up with this version of the double loop myself. Where have you seen it before?

drtom

[michi]

I have to add, though, that it's just as important to me that the strength of the crown is greatly increased. I use rope on the crowns that's considerably thinner than the rope I use on the verticles (imagine 5mm+ on the crown - imagine the knots!), so it eases my mind greatly to double it up. Plus, it looks great!

I normally use 4 mm rope for the loops, and 4.5-5 mm for the verticals. It depends also on the size of the shell and the manufacturer. There is considerable variation from different manufacturers for ropes that are nominally the same diameter. The rope construction also makes a difference. Depending on how tightly the core is packed into the sheath, you get a different final diameter once the rope is under tension.

I have seen crown loops break occasionally, but it is very rare, even with 4 mm single-strand crown loops. 4 mm rope has a breaking strength between 400 and 800 kg, which is plenty strong enough. To me, the double-strand version of the crown ring loops is more about creating a larger friction area for the verticals (to minimize wear) than it is about breaking strength.

By the way michi, I actually thought I'd come up with this version of the double loop myself. Where have you seen it before?

I saw this on a drum in Bamako in 2008. I have no idea who made it though. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this knotting technique has been invented several times over by different people.

Here is another example of threading the verticals through more than one loop:

Bottom loops on Mamady's djembe

IMG_0060.JPG (79.8 KiB) Viewed 505 times

I took this photo at the Mini-Guinea in San Diego in 2009. These are the bottom loops on one of Mamady's djembes. I'm sure this technique is used for decoration more than strength (although I expect it to be stronger as well).

Cheers,

Michi.