Welcome to Day 2 of Drum December!
Today, Po begins the very first step in her innovative sun-steaming method — a sustainable process she personally developed to prepare kiln-dried hardwood for her premium drum frames and exposed stretchers.
Sun-steaming is a technique that Po pioneered to reduce the environmental impact of traditional wood steaming. Instead of soaking the kiln-dried wood for two days and then heating it with electricity, Po slides the carefully milled hardwood into a long black tube with ridges along its interior.
The ridges guide the wood as it slides in, producing a distinctive sound — the beginning of the transformation.
Once the hardwood is inside the tube, Po fills it with water and lets the sun do all the work. For three full days, the water naturally heats within the sealed tube, allowing the wood fibres to relax and prepare for bending.
An Energy-Conscious Method for Steaming the Wood:
- Removes the two-day soaking stage
- Uses no electricity
- Reduces water consumption
- Produces a more responsive bend
- Creates the smooth, elite-quality curves Po’s drum frames are known for
This is where Po’s craftsmanship begins — with innovation, patience, and the sun itself.
Tomorrow, we’ll continue documenting this process as Drum December unfolds, one beautifully authentic step at a time.
Tomorrow, Po continues the transformation as she assesses the wood to see whether it has relaxed enough to become bendy and ready for shaping.
Stay tuned for Day 3!
Love Art by Po 
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