I wanted to share this with this community, since I have learned so much from you guys and built 3 electronic kits over the years with your help. Thank you
I know there are versions of this and people are using special strong screen and thread. This is just with common off the shelf stuff and it works great!
Keep your old heads!
1.Cut the center out with a utility knife all around up against the head rim.
2. Sand any sharp edges
3. Pick up some black window screen from the hardware store
4. Get 1 yard of cheap woven polyester black fabric and string black thread from a fabric store.
5. Cut out two squares of screen and one square of fabric about 4-5 inches larger than the rim.
6. Lay down one square of screen, rotate the second square of screen 45 degrees so that it is diagonal to the the first screen, now place it down on the first screen. Place the fabric down on that. You will have three layers 1st screen, diagonal screen and fabric. We will call this the mesh head.
7. Place your head rim in the center. With a piece of chalk or silver sharpie, draw a circle about 2 inches larger than the rim. I like to use some straight sewing pins and pin the mesh head together in about 8 spots just inside the the rim so the layers do not shift. Cut along the circle you drew.
8. Put a bottle cap under the mesh head in the center, this will prevent you from making the head too tight, on a large head use a deck of cards or wooden block. Fold the mesh head over the rim and pin along the inner circumference. Do not worry if it bunches up a little you with cut most of that off later.
9. With the strong black thread, sew along the inner circumference of the rim, two times around.
10. Trim off the excess but not too much!
You now have a really cool, strong, black mesh head that feels better than any of the ones I have purchased and I have purchased allot!
I have made 8 inch to 22 inch heads this way and they are fantastic!
I do use a kick drum beater patch on the kick
The cost per head is a few dollars and your time, I make them while watching movies. If you have a sewing machine and know how to use it, it would be much faster than hand sewing like I do.
Note: I have replaced my purchased heads a few times, I have not had to replace my homemade heads yet this year