A New Year’s Eve Celebration: Wrapping up 21 days of Drum December with a heart full of gratitude and a resonant new drum for 2026.
We did it. Let’s drum in the New Year!
Look 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 series. The golden translucent rawhide is like golden stained glass when it is backlit, a testament to the patient curing process and the beauty of the deer rawhide.
A Final Note on the Journey
As the final resonance of this drum rings out, I am struck by the power of community. What began as a kiln dried, white oak board and a dream of a New Year’s heartbeat has transformed into a sacred instrument, witnessed by thousands across the globe. Thank you for walking this 21-day path with me—from the first steam-bent curve to this final, triumphant pulse. May this drum’s voice carry our collective intentions for peace, healing, and creative connection into 2026.
The final sanding stages begin in the woodshop for Day 15.
Levelling the Joint: Precision Sanding in the Winter Workshop
Welcome back to the workshop! Today is all about the “Great Sanding.” The dust is flying as we move into the first and most critical stage of finishing: leveling that joint.
In today’s video, I’m at the drum sander, pink shop apron on, getting to work on the white oak frame. You’ll see me focusing on the seam where the wood overlaps.
“We are sanding the sharp edges off of the seam. We are using a RIDGID Oscillating Edge/Belt Spindle Sander so that the seam is really nice and even. Some of my competitors leave this inside edge. But you won’t find that here at Love Art By Po.”
The “Po” Difference
For me, the inside of the drum is just as important as the outside. By using the drum sander to level those sharp edges, I ensure the frame feels like one continuous, seamless piece of wood. It’s a small detail, but it’s what makes a Love Art By Po drum a professional piece of art.
The Holiday Schedule
We are moving fast to hit our December 27th stringing deadline! Here is what the next few days look like:
Day 16 (Tomorrow, Dec 24): I’ll be finishing the hand-sanding and moving straight into the custom staining process.
Christmas Day (Dec 25): The studio will be closed. I’ll be taking the day to celebrate with family while the first layers of our work cure.
Day 17 (Boxing Day, Dec 26): We hit the ground running with the first coats of varnish in the painting studio.
Come back tomorrow for Day 16 to see these frames finally get their colour!
See You Tomorrow for Day 16
Read more about my art and contact information at Love Art By Po and the many drums I make. To contact me directly, please use this email:
Stepping into the winter workshop for Day 14! The real-time race to New Year’s Eve begins.
From Summer Bends to New Year’s Song: The Real-Time Race to December 27
Welcome to Day 14! The seasons have shifted, and it is officially winter here at the Love Art By Po studio. As I toss this fresh Kingston snow into the air, I am inviting you to step out of the summer archives and follow along with the Drum December real-time videos from inside my workshop, where it is warm.
We have finally moved back into the winter wood shop to finish the frames that we have been working on throughout the first thirteen days of Drum December. Sitting here at my bench, surrounded by some of the cherry, maple white oak frames I crafted in the heat of the summer, the journey ahead feels both exciting and urgent. On New Year’s Eve, I plan to drum a drum made from one of these hardwood dry-bent drum frames.
It is December 22nd, and we are now in real-time. My goal is to transform this raw white oak frame into a finished work of art—much like this sanded, green-stained, and varnished maple frame beside me (featured in the video below).
The clock is ticking toward my December 27th deadline. We must have the frame ready to string by then so the rawhide has the time it needs to dry, allowing us to drum in the New Year together.
Between Christmas celebrations and family gatherings over the next four days, I will be balancing holiday joy with shop discipline. To transform these raw summer hoops into a finished masterpiece, I need to follow these specific steps:
The 8-Step Sprint to Stringing
Level the Joint: Using a drum sander, I’ll sand the joint edges. The goal is to make the overlapped ends appear as one continuous, seamless hoop.
Progressive Sanding: I’ll sand the entire frame using 80, 120, and then 220 grit papers. It is vital to start coarse and transition progressively to the finest grit.
Detail Work: Using a “mouse,” palm sander, or oscillating sander, I will delicately sand every inch until the wood is perfectly smooth and all scratch marks vanish.
The Hand-Finished Touch: I’ll complete the final sanding by hand for total control.PRO-TIP: Do NOT use 400+ grit sandpaper. If the wood is too “polished,” the stain cannot penetrate effectively to reveal the beautiful, natural woodgrain.
Custom Color: I’ll hand-mix a custom stain and apply it to the wood with a cloth to bring out its unique personality.
The First Coat: The frame moves to the painting studio for its first layer of varnish.
Refining the Finish: Once dry, I’ll lightly sand the varnished frame and wipe it down with a tack cloth to ensure it is dust-free.
The Final Glow: I’ll apply the remaining coats. While I hope for two, sometimes it takes three or four to reach the perfect luster.
Why the Frame Matters
I treat my drum frames like a standalone piece of art because I choose not to fully cover the outside edge with the rawhide. I want the wood to highlight and accent the rawhide head, not just support it.
Come back tomorrow for Day 15 for the full drum sanding tutorial. It is truly amazing how rough, unfinished wood can be transformed to look like opaque stained glass.
Love Art by Po 
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