I have a request for an African Djembe Drum and I don't know how to go about the basic construction. It looks rather top heavy, so do you think an RKT base would hold a cake on the top? Is there some secret stability trick that might work?

really simple

will need a large round base -- should be at least 4 inches wider than the top of the drum.

will need a plate to go between support of drum and drum head.

will need two sections of PVC

will need 3 flanges: one screws to base, one to each side of plate

assemble base, bottom flange and bottom section of PVC.

if this section is cake -- lower the needed number of layers over the pipe and carve to shape -- if it is to be RKT add cakes support plate first and then shape the drum support.

add plate with flanges and then last piece of PVC

again, lower appropriate number of layers over to get height needed. -- treat like any multi-tier cake in terms of internal supports. carve to shape

detail out.

Wow, Doug. Wow! Thank you so much! Now, when you say:

I think it makes the most sense to use RKT for the bottom. But what do you mean by internal supports for multi tier? I'm imagining I will be sliding each layer of the top drum cake down over the dowel, but would I need any more internal supports? I'm thinking there will be 4 - 6 2-inch layers. Should I stick straws in each layer?

yep --internals supports every 4" (2 layers) of cake just like making a multi-tiered cake.

except in this case the tiers are all the same size to start and then get carved into the shape.

use any support you feel safe with: SPS (1st choice), bubble tea straws, plastic columns, dowels (boo)

Thanks, Doug.