The EXTERNAL SUPPORT ENCASEMENT SYSTEM (ES²)combines the best traditions with the best innovations.
Traditionally drums were made from hollowed out logs. They sound warm, powerful, & posses the lowest fundamental pitch for their size & species because they have been hollowed from a log rather than manipulated into shape. Solid hollowed log drum shells are rare because finding the right log that is the correct species, size, location...without checks or cracks while getting it shaped & dried without warping can be challenging... but it can be done.
HEARTWOOD DRUMS is doing it!
Unsatisfied with the industries hardware we developed the EXTERNAL SUPPORT ENCASEMENT SYSTEM (ES²) which suspends the shell between aircraft aluminum bearing edges where all lugs, snare hardware & mounting hardware are machined in the solid aluminum or affixed. This removes all hardware from being mounted on the shell allowing the drum shell to resonate freely . knocking on the fully assembled shell sounds the same as the shell alone. While the precisely machined bearing edges on the ES² make perfect contact with the drum head & the drum shell is captured in a shallow channel in the aluminum rim keeping it perfectly cylindrical.
Heartwood Drums has found the perfect marriage of old school warmth & new school technology.
This 9 piece Heartwood Drums set carved concentrically from a solid Siberian Elm log 25" tall and 32" in diameter consists of:
20"x24" bass drum
4"x10" snare
6"x10" tom
5"x12" snare
8"x12" tom
4"x15" snare
11"x15" tom
4"x12" timbale
4"x15" timbale
The 10" and 12" toms were assembled by DW Drums after sharing with them my patented process I allowed them to experiment with these two shells. They cut there own bearing edges and provided there beautiful hardware and skins. They did a great job. The drums look sharp a sound perfect making it truly a one of a kind set!
Testimonials A testimonial from Gabor Joe in Hungary with his snare drum:
“I am literally speechless. This drum is a true beauty, no doubt about that. This is a truly superior, first-class drum in every way. This goes for the craftsmanship and the way you liaise with your customers. This drum is so unique as it was built with a single log, making it seamless black walnut shell. The satin finish contributes to the overall beauty of this piece of art. This is a piece of art, which also happens to be one of the best and greatest snare drums in the world.
Rich, once again, thanks a million for this great drum. You must be really proud of your work and I can tell you that you belong, without a doubt, with the world’s greatest drum builders.”
A testimonial from Kevin Atkinson in Arkansas with his set of 7 drums:
“I have to keep a towel with me at all times….I have drummers, singers, and bass players drooling all over these things when they see them and even worse when they hear them.”
Billy Flynns custom 10x6 Heartwood Drums snare
These 6 solid black walnut drums were all cut concentrically from 1 log that was 25"wide x27"high! The djun djuns are 20"x 22", 17"x 22", 15"x26", 11"x10", 14"x14" and the djembe' is 13"x26". When you play them you know they are all one. Stand and suspension hardware included.
13" & 14" Timbales made from a solid black walnut log cut concentrically, one inside another, with chrome hardware and clear one ply heads. Comes with stand, bell mount, and bell!
Black Walnut Snare Drum 4 3/4" x 14" . This drum has an amazing sound. Aquarian heads, chrome vintage tube lugs, & triple flange hoops. A meaty 9/16" thick shell with counter sunk lug bolt holes that tuck the bolts clear out of the way. 45 degree bearing edges with 1/16" rim and 1/8" deep snare bed. This drum rocks.
This set of West African style djun djuns is one-of-a-kind. The first set made with the patent pending process. This 27" x 18" djun, 12" x 11" samba, and 14" x 10" kenkeni are a thundering set. Carved from a single solid Monterey pine log with a black walnut stain applied. Nice lighter weight with lots of resonance.
West African style djembe carved from a solid black walnut burl stump. Skinned with goat and lashed with 5mm nylon rope. Hand carved giraffes, rhinos, and a leopard in a tree with it's fresh kill.
This Hawaiian pahu hula drum and temple pahu make a well matched set or can be sold separately. They are carved from solid coconut palm, skinned with deer, and lashed with hemp rope. Both have custom carving and sound great!
This steel pan (Low "D" 4ths & 5ths) was pounded out of the bottom of a 55-gallon steel drum, tempered in fire, dipped in nickel, and tuned to perfection!
Hawaiian Pahu Hula and Pahu Temple drums - 9 1/2"x19", 11"x26" carved by hand with a mallet and a chisel
Solid Black Walnut logs cut concentrically @ 1 1/2" thick then kiln dried to 6-8% and ready to finish to tolerance.
Solid hallow lathed Paradox Walnut shells on the left with Black Walnut on the right
Paradox Walnut Dun's set with stand
Clamps hold drums to stand by the rings only allowing resonant skin to vibrate freely
This combination Drum, Stand, and sticks were all carved from a single Siberian Elm tree. The Drum is a huge 28" dia. x 19" deep solid cylinder with Jersey Cow hides on both sides, one thinner and one thicker for different tones, and lashed with nylon rope. The bass is like thunder! The stand was slabbed out of a branch of the very same tree. With the bark left on, the slabs were bolted together to make a unique and sturdy stand. The sticks were lathed out of the very same tree and complement the drum perfectly. What an amazing set!
This White oak wine barrel Tiako drum is 24" dia. x 35" long. The staves have been disassembled and glued back together so the shell will resonate as a solid body. The inside has been thinned with a gouge to remove the toasted wine soaked surface,aid in resonance, and make the drum lighter in weight. A chiseled surface redirects sound waves allowing for a warmer, less hallow sound produced from a flat machined surface. A medium thick cow hide is used on each side for a thundering base. The black walnut stand was slabbed out of a solid log and brings the drum to a perfect playing height. Non-marring locking roller casters make it easy to move around on flat surfaces. Two pairs of oak sticks complete this great set.
14" x 26" Black Walnut Djembe with hairless goat-skin head, black nylon rope, hand-oiled finish, and custom unicorn carving on the base make this a one-of-a-kind drum.
I make these drums from a variety of fine woods, skins, and rope. From djembes to djun djuns, from Hawaiian pahus to drum kits ....you'll find your beat with Heartwood Drums!
I use an inventive technique that allows me to carve concentric cylinders one drum inside another, creating sets of drums from a single log. Matching grain is shared by all the drums in the set to make it a one-of-a-kind relationship!
West African style black walnut burled djun djuns - (From left to right) 10 1/2" x 18", 13 1/2" x 22", 17 1/2" x 27", 20" x 32"
