Day 7: Po releases the clamps on the white oak drum frame — the moment of truth in the Drum December bending sequence.
Drum December, Day 7’s update brings you right into one of my favourite moments in the drum-making process — releasing the clamps after a full overnight bend (in this case, it took 48 hours to dry). There’s always a little suspense in the air: did the frame hold its curve? Did yesterday’s small white oak split stay contained? OR… Would I just get slapped in the face?
If you’re new to Drum December, I’m Portia “Po” Chapman — the artist behind these handmade drum frames. You can learn more about my artwork and workshops on my About & Contact page.
Checking the Strength and Integrity of the First Bend
With slow hands and hopeful curiosity, I began removing the clamps one by one. The wood felt settled and responsive, and despite yesterday’s unfortunate split, the frame held together beautifully. The bend set cleanly and the character of the wood showed itself the way only white oak could; it was strong and unpredictable.
This is one of the reasons I love teaching you about the process of drum-making. Every piece of wood has its own story; some bend effortlessly, while others challenge you and reveal their limits as you work. Day 7 reminds me that, some days, drum frame making is as much about bravery as it is about skill.
Come back tomorrow when we will compress the white oak to the size of drum that I want and proceed to draw the cut marks for length.
Day 6: A small white oak split appears after the first bend — an expected part of pushing hardwood to its limits.
Today marks the moment of truth for the first bend of the white oak drum frame. After spending the night under clamps, the wood finally revealed how it responded to yesterday’s bending session — and as always, the material had a story to tell.
If you’re new here and want to learn more about who I am and the work I do, you can visit my About & Contact page.
When I brought the frame into the studio this morning, the very first thing I did was check the inside curve. And there it was: a small split along the tightest part of the bend.
For many people, that might feel alarming. But for me, this isn’t unusual at all — especially with a dense hardwood like white oak. Pushing any wood to the minimum bend radius it can tolerate means you’re working right at the threshold where the fibres must stretch, compress, and adapt. Sometimes, a small split appears as part of that process.
What a Split Really Means in Drum Making
A split doesn’t automatically mean failure.
It’s a diagnostic clue.
It tells me:
how far the wood was willing to travel,
how much internal tension remains in the frame,
and whether the second bend — the glued dry-bend — will seat properly.
In this case, the split is shallow and controlled. That tells me the clamps did exactly what they were supposed to do: prevent the fibres from opening too far while still allowing the bend to hold.
This is why clamp placement is a true art form in drum making. You don’t just tighten clamps to tighten clamps. You tighten them in anticipation of how the wood is likely to react.
If you’d like to explore my handmade drums, see past builds, or learn about upcoming workshops, visit my Drum Page here.
White oak is expressive — and today, it expressed itself in a way that still sets us up for a strong final frame. As well, the location of the minor breakage will be cut off before gluing the final bend. I don’t sweat these things now, but when I first started bending drum frames, I was totally panicked when the first breakage happened. It was a learning experience – that is for sure!
Reading Tension, Relaxation, and “Feel”
Every wood species responds differently during the first bend. White oak? Well…It hums with a very particular kind of density.
When I picked up the bent frame today, I could feel subtle tension still living inside the curve. That’s not unexpected — in fact, with white oak, it’s quite normal. White oak, unlike red oak, doesn’t particularly like being bent.
The key for Day 6 is simply evaluating:
Did the bend hold its overall shape?
Is the curve even?
Is the split stable and non-progressive?
Does the wood want to spring open dramatically or gently?
All signs today point to a solid first bend. It was a success. PHEW!!!
Come back tomorrow, Day 7, to watch and read about the what happened when I released the clamps.
The next step — which comes tomorrow — is the careful release of the clamps. That’s where I discover how much reflex the wood has stored and whether it settles into the intended diameter or pushes back aggressively.
For now, the job is simply to observe, interpret, and prepare.
White oak may be challenging, but today’s results show that this drum frame is very much on track.
Po and her assistant share a moment of nervous laughter.
Today, Po takes the next brave step in her sun-steaming white oak experiment — the moment when softened hardwood meets human hands for its very first bend. And this time, the studio was full of laughter, nerves, and a little bit of chaos.
Preparing for the First Bend
After three days of solar steaming and fibre relaxation, the white oak was finally ready to move toward its circular drum shape. But white oak is known for being stubborn — unlike red oak or cherry, which tend to cooperate more easily. This was Po’s very first time attempting to bend white oak, and the air carried that charged mix of excitement and hesitation.
Because the frame pieces were long, Po called in an assistant during this stage. Today, she chose DAD.
Before the camera was rolling, Po looked at her assistant with a theatrical seriousness and joked:
“If it breaks, you can be the one to blame! I don’t want to be the one who snaps it.”
That set the tone. The wood was ready. We… were getting there.
The Moment Before the Bend
As her assistant stood there, holding one end of the hot, hopefully flexible, board trying to work up the courage for the first bend, Po stepped beside her trusty assistant to offer support — and then they immediately broke into laughter. She tucked herself halfway behind his arm, peeking out like someone about to watch a suspenseful scene in a movie.
The cameraperson had already begun losing patience with how long it was taking and insisted that they stop laughing and get serious. She wanted to get the shot. Then she started laughing.
This is the real life of drum frame bending at Po’s Kingston Art Studio — part process, part comedy, all family, ALL ART. Drum making is a beautiful, love-filled-art, and this short video illustrates the joy that cheers out with exuberance of Love Art By Po.
Nervous Laughter, Real Art
In today’s short video, you can witness the exact moment when nervous laughter gives way to determination. Po, her assistant and cameraperson take their positions, breathe through the tension, and finally begin the first coaxing bend of the white oak.
It’s only a small curve — a gentle start — but it marks the beginning of the transformation, from plank to drum. And as simple as it looks, this step matters: the first bend dictates how the wood will behave when the full circular frame is shaped and clamped.
A Family Moment in the Making of a Drum
What the video doesn’t capture — but what filled the studio — is the feeling of teamwork. Making drums in this space has always been infused with love, humour, and family togetherness. Today was no exception.
Drum-making is not simply about shaping wood at Love Art By Po; it’s about beautiful, shaping moments — that make everyone stronger.
Making drums has taught Po an incredible life lesson – a circle of wood is like a circle of loved-ones, when you push on them – they get stronger as they find their harmonious tune.
Join us again for Day 5, where Po continues shaping the wood — and the shared moments — that make every drum a circle of strength and love.
The Bendy Test — Po checks the flexibility of her sun-steamed hardwood before shaping it into a drum frame.
Today, Po reveals the next step in her innovative sun-steaming process — the moment when three days of sunlight, water, and patient preparation finally transform kiln-dried hardwood into a material that is ready to bend.
Testing the Wood After Three Days of Sun-Steaming
Today marks the moment when Po checks the results of the full three-day sun-steaming cycle. In yesterday’s post, we watched her begin this method by sliding the hardwood into the long ridged tube and filling it with water to let the sun do the work. By this morning, the fibres within the wood had warmed, expanded, and begun to relax. Now it was time to see whether the wood had softened enough to become flexible — or whether it needed more time in the sun.
After pouring out the steaming water, Po slid the hardwood out of the tube and laid it gently on the grass. The board emerges from the tube hot, ridged, and stiff — the opposite of what you might expect from a piece of wood that will soon become a circular drum frame. But this is where Po’s ingenuity comes in.
Still too hot to handle with bare hands, Po begins a technique she discovered through experimentation: walking on the wood. Wearing proper shoes, she carefully steps along the length of the board, back and forth, allowing her weight to massage the fibres into motion. The grass protects the surface from dents and provides the perfect soft foundation for the wood to ease into its new flexibility.
For about five minutes, she continues this rhythmic movement — a sculptor’s touch expressed through her feet rather than her hands. And then comes the test.
With one foot still grounding the board, Po gently lifts the opposite end.
In today’s video, you can see the moment the wood answers.
It bends — cleanly, smoothly, willingly.
This once rigid hardwood is now supple enough to be shaped into the elegant circular frame of a drum. What seemed impossible only days before becomes possible through Po’s blend of patience, innovation, and the natural power of the sun.
Tomorrow, Po will continue the transformation as she prepares the wood for its first bends toward the circle it is destined to become.
Drum December unfolds one authentic, beautiful step at a time.
[…] how beautiful the Drum December drum turned out. This where we started with Drum December. You can learn exactly how we crafted this instrument by visiting the previous 20 days of the […]
Day 2: Po begins her sun-steaming process for crafting hardwood drum frames.
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.
Let Me Know What You Think! Start or Join the Convesation