The Drum

• Though the steel pan began as an oil drum, today there is a more precise method to the making of the steel pan drum. Typically, steel pan drums are made out of either a 55-gallon drum comprised of 17 or 18-gauge steel or a large piece of sheet metal. Innovations have been made in the making of steel pans over the last decade, however, someone making her own pan will find it best to use these materials.
  
  

The Basic Tools

• A sledgehammer is the most basic and most important tool needed in creating the body of the steel pan. With the sledgehammer, you will be able to stretch out the metal, then pound out the dip in the center of the pan. Once the pan is shaped, use a markings kit to stencil the notes onto the pan with a piece of chalk or a pencil. The stencil kit is essential, because it will mark exactly where the notes will be made so the steel pan makes the proper sounds.
  
  

Creating the Sound

• The tools needed to pound the correct notes into the pan include a tuning hammer, a nail punch, a hammer and an electric saw. With the tuning hammer, you will follow the pattern laid out by the stencil to pound the notes into the pan. This is called counter-sinking. Then, you will make indentations on the note outlines with a nail punch that is struck by a hammer. This process is called grooving and prevents the sound of one note from overpowering another. Finally, use an electric saw to cut the skirt of the drum to the proper height.
  
  

Finishing

• Before the steel pan is ready to be played, there are a few more steps in the finishing process. A fire and cold water is required for the “burning” process, in which the pan is held face down over the fire until the metal turns blue, then cooled off with the water. This allows the drum to keep its tune for a longer period of time. Once the drum is dry, tuning hammers are used to tap each note of the drum to ensure that it is properly in tune. Finally, add a protective coat of chrome plating or powder coating to the drum to prevent rusting.