I'm glad you found it useful - even if just to see that you don't need to be perfect to make something of value. Good luck with your first drum! I hope you find it rewarding and that the sound of the drum will make many people happy!

Thank you! I have used tacks from the taiko manufacturers Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten (look for kaDON for US based affiliate) and from Asano Taiko. The tacks are called “byo” in Japanese if it helps with searching. It’s kind of a folk knowledge among taiko makers in the US that the most expensive part of the drum are actually the tacks. I’ve found this to be generally true in terms of raw cost. However, I think when you take into account treatment and time, the barrel itself may be more expensive. There are “furniture tacks” that people have historically used in the US, too, especially when it was not as easy to get the byo. These can be bought from hardware suppliers. They are often not black but can be painted black. These are sometimes cheaper options, but quality can vary. I’ve used these before, too, and they’ve work well but are often noticeable as a bit off. Best of luck with your project! There is a Facebook group called “Taiko Builders” that are pretty responsive to questions, too.

cow - sapi