• Music
  • Album Reviews
• Lists
• Cigars
• About
  • Contact

Hank Drum

Jon’s Summer Project ’08:  The “Hank Drum” (or “Why I Love the Internet):

Not long after Al Gore invented the internet, I stumbled upon a strange musical instrument called a Hang drum, and I wanted one. They’re unbelievably cool. See? Unfortunately, they’re unbelievably expensive. The makers only make a handful every year, and you have to go to Switzerland to get it. Dumb.

So anywho, many years passed, until just recently the spirit of the internets blessed me once again. On another one of my favorite websites www.instructables.com, I found out that kindred spirit, David Havlena, had wanted a Hang drum bad enough that he did what anyone in his or her right mind should do. He invented one of his own. Okay, so it’s not as great as a real Hang, but the propane tank hang or “Hank drum” for short, is a pretty good facsimile for one kazillionth of the price.This wonderful man not only invented a poor man’s hang, but he made the instructions available for free! See?!

As you may or may not have noticed on the instructions, David Havlena, or “Saint Dave” as I like to call him, makes if very clear that you should only ever use a new, never-been-filled propane tank. His reasoning is this: propane + sparks from cutting into metal = emergency room visits. What he doesn’t realize is that I’m immune to explosions. So I was thinking to myself “So when has something I’ve built not blown up? And what’s a summertime project without some risk to life and limb?”

Just as soon as the grill went cold, I set out cutting, grinding, tuning, painting, etc. This is the result. And guess what! I still have all ten fingers and both eyebrows. Bonus! Maybe I’m losing my aptness to a’sploding. I hope I haven’t lost my immunity.

If you like what you see/hear, make one of your own. Or if you’d rather leave it up to the “professional,” let me know and I’ll make one to your own specifications.  email: minuswelby@hotmail.com

And finally, me playing my “hank” drum… enjoy!