Crafting Steel Pans: Secrets Revealed

Creating a steel pan is an art form that requires skill, patience, and practice. There are two main methods: the traditional method, which uses a 55-gallon metal drum as starting material, and a more modern approach that uses sheet metal. The process involves sinking the bottom of the drum into a smooth concave shape, marking the notes, backing and grooving, cutting the drum, tempering, tuning, and finishing. It is a complex and challenging process that demands a strong arm and, crucially, a good pair of earmuffs!

Choosing the right oil drum

When choosing the right oil drum to create a steel pan, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, it is important to decide on the type of steel pan you want to make, as this will determine the number and size of oil drums required. The standard is a 55-gallon oil drum made from 17 or 18-gauge steel, which can be sourced from oil refineries.

The thickness of the oil drum is a critical factor. Steel pans with lower pitches, such as bass steel pans, will require thicker oil drums. A thickness of 1.2mm is generally suitable for most steel pans, and the steel should be mild, not galvanized, to ensure optimal tonal quality. It is also important to avoid oil drums with sharp dents or deep rust. Sharp dents will hinder the creation of a smooth playing surface, and deep rust may cause the oil drum to burst during the shaping process.

The context in which you intend to use the steel pan will also influence your choice of oil drum. Consider whether you want to join a steel band, accompany other instruments in a classical formation, or play solo. This will help you determine if you need a chromatic or diatonic steel drum. Chromatic instruments contain all the tones of the scale and can reproduce all melodies and chords, while diatonic instruments contain only the notes of a chosen scale. Diatonic instruments, also known as "single pans," are typically built on a single drum and are ideal for teaching or for those who want a simpler learning curve. On the other hand, chromatic instruments offer more notes and technical complexity but require multiple drums, which may be less portable and suitable for small spaces.

The range of the steel pan is another important consideration. Steel drums come in various registers, each with its own unique sound and playing characteristics. The six-bass steel drum, for example, is equivalent to a double bass in an orchestra and has 18 notes distributed over six drums. The tenor bass steel drum has a slightly higher pitch and often doubles the bass lines in the higher octave. The cello steel drum, made up of three to four drums, offers a powerful and majestic sound. The guitar steel drum has a rhythmic function and typically consists of two drums in its chromatic version. The second steel drum is highly versatile, dedicated to both melody and accompaniment, and can be found in chromatic and diatonic versions. Finally, the tenor (soprano) steel drum is the most popular in the family, known for its comfortable chromatic range, ease of access, and small size.

Sinking the oil drum

Before sinking, you should check the oil drum for any dents or deep rust. Sharp dents will make it difficult to produce a steel pan with a smooth playing surface, and deep rust may cause the oil drum to burst during sinking. If there are any dents on the rim of the drum, hammer these out before proceeding.

To sink the oil drum, you will need gloves, a marker, a compass, and a 2.5 to 3kg sledgehammer. You will also want to wear earmuffs to protect your hearing. First, find the centre of the oil drum by measuring 26.6 cm from several points on the rim towards the centre. Use your compass and marker to draw two concentric circles with radii of 10cm and 20cm from the centre. This will divide the oil drum radius into three parts, making it easier to monitor the shape of the drum as you work.

Using your sledgehammer, strike the drum along the outer circle, working towards the centre in a spiral pattern. When you reach the centre, start again from the outer circle and repeat the process, moving slowly around the drum until you reach the required depth.

Marking the notes

First, you need to measure the length of the outer notes along the rim of the oil drum using a flexible ruler. This step is important as it ensures the correct placement of the notes. The sum of the note measures along the rim should equal the circumference of the drum. Mark the lengths of the outer notes in a clockwise direction, and then you can paste the measuring tape inside the rim before marking the notes.

Next, you will need to draw lines from these marks towards the centre of the oil drum. The inner border of the outer notes should be marked with a flexible ruler, and the inner notes should be elliptically shaped, pointing longitudinally towards the centre. It is crucial that the inner notes are at least 1 cm close to their corresponding outer notes and that adjacent inner notes are no closer than 1.5 cm to each other. This will ensure the independence of the notes.

Templates of the finished steel pan notes can be placed on the stretched surface of the drum and traced with a pencil or chalk to ensure consistent and accurate placement. These outlines will be indented later in the grooving process.

The marking of the notes is a critical step, as any mistakes in the placement of the notes cannot be corrected after the steel pan is completed. Therefore, it is essential to take your time and be precise when marking the notes on the oil drum.

After marking the notes, the next step is to use a backing hammer to lower the surface between the marked notes. This process gives the notes their convex shape, which will be further defined by grooving. The grooving process will involve using a punch to hit along the marked inner borders of the notes, creating a continuous line and joining the grooves of adjacent notes.

Backing and grooving

The backing and grooving stage of steel pan-making is a critical process that involves separating the note areas acoustically from each other and the rest of the surface. This process is done with a steel punch, creating a continuous line of punch marks along the note borders. The purpose of this stage is to confine the vibrations that produce each note's sound to their own sector of the drum surface. The groove's mechanical function is to loosen the metal and create a loose "joint", separating the physical conditions in the note area from the surrounding surface, allowing the note to vibrate freely.

The tools required for this stage are a metal punch, a backing sledgehammer, and a smoothing hammer with a plastic head. The punch should have a head diameter of 4-7mm, with a sharp edge to make distinct marks in the metal. The length of the punch should be around 10cm to allow for good control. The grooving hammer should be a familiar hammer, with the head tightly fastened to the handle for precision. The weight of this hammer should be approximately 0.5kg.

The backing hammer is used to lower the surface between the marked notes, leaving them with a convex shape. The punch is then used to hit along the marked inner borders of the outer notes, creating a continuous line and joining the grooves of adjacent outer notes. The grooves for the inner notes are done next but are not joined. For the inner notes, groove the straight part first.

The backing hammer is then used again to flatten the "swollen" areas between the grooved notes, restoring the oil drum's smooth concave shape. The notes should now appear as convex dents on the concave surface.

The grooving process is a delicate task, and it is better to groove too lightly than too hard. If the groove is too hard, the surface will become unnecessarily rough, requiring extra levelling work. If the groove is too soft, it may interfere with the tuning process. The indication of a proper groove is a visible score in the metal that does not break it. This score should be visible on both sides of the pan but not more than that.

Cutting the oil drum

Now that you have shaped the oil drum and marked the notes, it's time to cut it.

The first step is to draw a line around the oil drum's circumference at the desired distance from the rim. You want to cut the drum so that it is the right length for your type of steel pan. The cut length is called the "skirt". The various types of steel pan have different skirt lengths, so be sure to check what length you need before cutting. Once you have drawn the line, make a hole on it.

Now, take your electric jigsaw and cut along the line you have drawn. If you don't have an electric jigsaw, you can use an old cutlass and a hammer.

After cutting, place the steel pan over a log fire for about 10 minutes, supporting it with four large bricks. Then, either let it cool naturally or pour cold water over it to cool it down quickly.

Frequently asked questions