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Following information from a post to Djembe-L Mail List,   Rope Length by  jimms flexyy <littledean@riding-centre.fsnet.co.uk> Sunday, October 24, 1999.  If anyone has anyother information to add to this volume, please send to HappyShel, FAQ Webmaster.  Thank you.

 
> I have been making djembes for a while now, and have tried lots of different
> methods.  4-4.5 cm gap between crown ring loops seems sufficient, when you
> start rising above this number tensioning seems tricky, when you fall below
> this number looping, stringing, and tensioning the drum becomes tedious, and
> a little unnecessary, but lots of uprights does look nice! In my opinion!
> Not that I would though!
>   As far as formulas for rope length goes I have none.  After finishing the
> loops top and bottom of the djembe I have 26 loops. I hold the crown
> (top) ring at the top of the drum, hold a length of rope from the top to the
> bottom ring.  I put the end of the rope in between my thumb and index
> finger. By bending you're arm you can achieve the length of each upright by
> the distance between the palm and the elbow.  Then wrap around elbow and
> palm 26 times then once more for good luck and some tuning rope.  I realise
> this is not helpful if you want to string just one drum and don't want to
> buy a 50 or 100 metre roll of cord. 
>   I also have a query.  Have been around lots of shops in the uk.   Have seen
> many lovely AFRICAN Djembes and say 80% are supposedly newish drums which
> have tuning knots (diamonds) right the way up the drum, and the skins are
> often slack as well.  I find this strange.  Can people just not be bothered
> to rustle up strength for tension, and do it all on pulling diamonds?  Do
> people not have the right kit for tensioning?  Have these drums been around
> for years?.
>   I use a clam cleat (available from windsurfing shops), which can achieve
> wicked tension in an ergonomic and efficient way. It might sound like a plug
> but this is one of the most important bits of kit that I have.
>   Best wishes   Ash.
>

From: JTkatchsol@aol.com

I am new to this onelist - I just realized that some of my replies have been
going to individuals and some to the onelist. So I am re-sending this one to all.
This is a description of a machine and how to build it. It is a machine I have been using and improving for the last year. I feel it is now good enough to release to the world. I have worked hard on perfecting it , but I  am certain you will be able to add to it. Please let me know if you come up with any ideas. You may have heard about these machines before, but this one is only a week old in the public eye.

This is my Christmas gift to you.
And who are you? You are a member of the universe.
And that is good enough for me.
enjoy.

Basically, the machine is a chair on a piece of plywood with a 2X4 jetting out.
On the 2X4 is a boat winch.
The winch attaches to a clam cleat and away you go.
The following is a description (details) of how to build it yourself.

note: You can buy a winch at a boat/marine supply store.
Get a medium sized one that pulls about 1200 lbs of tension.
A smaller one will work as well. Do not buy a big one.
It will be too cumbersome and you will abuse the drum with it.
The price should be about 100 francs, 10pounds, or 25 US$.

note: The following applies USA units such as inches and feet.
2.5 inches = 1 cm.
1 foot = 0.3 meters

Build a little seat. I built a 4 legged (2X4s) plywood seat. The seat is about 1ft X 2ft. The legs are about 1 ft tall.

Cut a 2ft piece of 2X4. Put it under the seat jetting out in front of the chair. Drill 2 holes though it and the seat (lining up). Secure it with carriage bolts.

Now you should be sitting on a small diving board platform. Attach the winch on top of the diving board near the end of it. Basically, the winch should sit flush with the end of the 2X4 jetting out (the diving board).  You can use carriage bolts to attach it.
Put some nails in there as well to stop the winch from sliding left/right.

Use a strong bit of rope for the winch.
But not too thick. It must fit through the CLAM CLEAT hole.
I use a thicker rope and drill the CLAM CLEAT hole larger. I suggest you get a piece of the strongest (high tech) rope that fits in the hole. The rope must sustain a working load of 1200 lbs. A much stronger rope than that which is used for djembes.
There will be the greatest tenstion on that portion of the link.

Feed the rope through the cleat and tie a simple knot on the part that comes through. I mean a knot unto itself. (Not 2 pieces tied together , just by itself.  That is the strongest knot in djembe rope usage.  It locks when pressure is applied to it.
Make sure the cleat is in the proper direction for tugging, they only grip against the teeth. 

Cut a  2 X 4.5 ft piece of plywood. Lay it down. Put the seat on it. Build   2inX4inX4.5ft rails for the side.  Attach the seat and rails ontop of the plywood.
The rails should be 4in high (the 2X4 lays high).  Build up some wood under the 2X4in diving board.  Basically you need a solid resistant surface for the djembe so it must have a face  as big as a djembe bottom.

At this point you should have a chair on a piece of plywood, with rails and a flat surface which is vertical and flush with the diving board end. The flat surface is supported by a lot of wood all the way back to the seat.

Build a little platform to sit the djembe bottom on.  You could just cut 1ft X 2ft piece of plywood and attach it on top of the rail. Place it flush with the diving board end,
so it extends 1 ft out from the diving board end away from where you sit. Build a another platform at the end of the plywood.

The djembe sits on the 2 platforms and should hang over the end.  Place the djembe on the platform right up against the vertical surface at the diving board end.
At about the point where the middle of the lower part of the djembe is, mark the plywood with an X or something.  Remove the djembe and drill a hole about 1/4 in. at the mark.  Put a strong piece of rope through the hole.  Knot the bottom of the plywood end of rope unto itself.  The other end of rope (on top the plywood)
should feed through a hook of some kind.  Put the djembe back on the platform.
Feed a really heavy duty thick rope through the hook and around the djembe ( it should be around the lower part of the drum).

Feed the CLAM CLEAT through the space between the rope around the djembe and the djembe.   Attach it to the vertical line to be pulled.  And begin.  The winch is attached to the clam cleat which grabs onto the vertical line.  It is fed through the space between the djembe and the thick rope around the djembe. As you crank the winch, tension will apply in an upward direction.  The more tension that is applied, the more the rope around the djembe will pull down attached to the hook under it.
That is important because othersie the djembe would rise and you would be forced to hold it down with a free hand.

The idea of the machine is to help people who are handicapped or weak. So if your machine is not functioning extremely easily, there is something wrong. Let me know.

Watch your back.  It seems harmless, but my back hurts after I do a drum.
It has something to do with machine design.  The machine promotes a bad posture.
If there are any TaiCHi masters out there , perhaps you can suggest a proper body alignment.

Put a small bit of rope through the free hole in the clam cleat. It will help you to release the cleat after each pull.  Pull the vertical , lock the top of it with vice grips,
and then release the cleat and go on to the next vertical.

Don't pull the drum tight in 1 shot. You can really pull hard with this machine.
Too hard and the rings will get unmatched. Or break. Just be patient. I go around the first time really conservatively, just to distribute the tension evenly around the drum.

The second time around the drum you will be attaching the cleat to pretty tight ropes.   After pulling the first vertical down,  the cleat will be stuck. Before yanking, attempt to align the cleat in the direction it naturally wants to come out. Then yank it hard.  After a few verticals you will get some slack.  Then the cleat should start releasing easier.

Always distribute the tension evenly throughout the vertical lines.  On a new skin, just make it tight enough to play.  Over a period of about a week, add 2 rows of horizontals.  Stop there.  Never go higher than 2 rows.
The third row is the beginning of danger for skin rippage.

After 2 rows, undo all of the horizontals. Then redo the verticals on the machine.
Perhaps at this point once around will be enough. How tight is tight enough?
Well, I usually pull a vertical until the vice grip start to erect. Use feel and experience and listen to the sounds. You will hear tension through the ropes and skin.
You will hear the wood creaking. All these sounds will teach you
how far you can go.  
enjoy
see ya
 
~~~~
(R)


Try a "Wire Grip" instead of the Clamcleat ...
http://www.maasdam.com/catalog/fencing/

They are available from 'Surplus Center' 800-488-3407
for $9.50 (item #14-1032)

Get a Djembe Puller for easy pulling of the verticals; works for djembe and dunduns  and any rope tuned drum.  Available from www.africa-alive.com

An EZ Tuner, from HappyDrums, makes pulling diamonds very EZ.