Discover the Secret to Crafting Your Own Handpan

  • Learn from an Expert

    Taught by David Beery, who has been building handpans since 2010, this course will guide you through the process

  • Unlock Your Creativity

    Get the basic skills and knowledge needed so you can experiment on your own to create a handpan drum from pre-fab shells

  • Save Time and Money

    Tried to figure out the handpan-making process on your own? Get expertise to build a handpan quickly and efficiently

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to How to Build a Nitrided Handpan!

    • A message from David Beery
  • 2

    Let's Get Started

    • Tools & Procedures
  • 3

    Prepping Notes

    • Hammering & Prepping Notes Part 1

    • Hammering & Prepping Notes Part 2

    • Hammering & Prepping Notes Part 3

    • Hammering & Prepping Notes Part 4

    • Shaping & Prepping Close Up

    • Dimpling Tools

    • Prepping Completed
  • 4

    Burning

    • Prepping for Burning

    • Propane Torch Tool

    • Burning Propane Bottom

    • Bubbling Notes

    • Burning Propane Top

    • Polishing Ding
  • 5

    First Tuning

    • Prepping for Tuning

    • Tuning the Ding Note

    • Tuning A3

    • Tuning C4

    • Tuning D4

    • Tuning E4

    • Tuning F4

    • Tuning G4

    • Tuning A4

    • Tuning C5

    • Tuning Pre-Glue Blend

    • Tuning Finishing Options
  • 6

    Powder Coating

    • Powder Coating Prep

    • Powder Coating Pick Up

    • Powder Coating Discussion

    • Powder Coating Rim Prep
  • 7

    Gluing

    • Gluing Part 1

    • Gluing Part 2
  • 8

    Second Tuning

    • Tuning the D3 Ding

    • Tuning A3

    • Tuning C4

    • Tuning D4

    • Tuning E4

    • Tuning F4

    • Tuning G4

    • Tuning A4

    • Tuning C5

    • Tuning Cleanup Part 1

    • Tuning Cleanup Part 2
  • 9

    Finishing

    • Removing Hammer Marks Part 1

    • Removing Hammer Marks Part 2

    • Removing Hammer Marks Part 3
  • 10

    Fine Tuning

    • Fine Tuning Part 1

    • Fine Tuning Part 2

    • Fine Tuning Part 3

    • Fine Tuning Part 4

    • Fine Tuning Part 5

    • Final Steps

    • Final Tuning
  • 11

    Handpan Building Tools

    • An Introduction to Tools Dave Uses to Make a Handpan

    • Making a Handpan Tuning Hammer

    • Air Compressors

    • Note Press

    • Note Dies

    • Note Templates

    • Scale Templates

    • Work Table Rings

    • Safety Items

    • Safety Message

    • Note Die Mounts

    • Dimpling Dies + Brackets + Accessories

    • Kiln

    • Torch + Propane

    • Kiln Shell Stand Temperature Variations

    • Welding Machine

    • Plasma Cutter

    • Scale Note Diagram + Sheet Magnet Templates

    • Pneumatic Air Hammers

    • Hole Saw

    • Types of Steel

    • Tuning Mallet

    • Glue Epoxy

Your Instructor

David Beery

Meet David Beery - a true music enthusiast with over twenty-five years of professional musical experience. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in percussion from California State University, Long Beach, David's passion for music led him to perform for over a decade with Dr. Michael Carney's professional steel drum band, Pandemonium. Under Dr. Carney's direction, David learned the art of making and tuning steel drums, and later he applied this knowledge to making handpans. David's teaching style is all about promoting music in a fun and inviting way, unlocking each student's unique musical perspective. With his experience as a steel drum and handpan manufacturer, music educator, performer, recording musician, and composer/arranger, David has continued to teach students the joy of learning how to play a variety of musical instruments as well as how to make handpans and steel drums. His diverse background allows him to offer high-quality, motivational, and engaging teaching that inspires his students to create their own unique music.

Want to Buy Pre-fab Shells?

Grab a set of 20″ pre-fab steel shells from Dii—perfect for shaping, tuning, and finishing your own handpan. Pair them with our step-by-step online course to bring your instrument to life!

Buy Now

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is this course about?

    This course teaches you how to build a nitrided handpan using pre-fabricated shells. From prepping and hammering to tuning, burning, powder coating, gluing, and finishing, expert builder David Beery walks you through each step with clear, bite-sized video lessons.

  • What topics are covered in the course?

    The course includes over 60 step-by-step videos, broken into focused modules: Tools & Prep, Hammering, Burning & Tuning, Powder Coating, Gluing, Final Finishing & Tuning, and In-depth Tool Demos. Each video focuses on a specific step, technique, or tool, making it easy to follow along at your own pace.

  • Does the course include tuning instruction?

    Yes! The tuning process is included as part of the handpan-building journey. Dave shows how to achieve accurate tuning, including blending harmonics within accuracy. You don’t need to purchase our separate How to Tune a Handpan course.

  • Will I get personal help if I have questions?

    While Dave doesn’t offer one-on-one sessions, you can email video samples of your work or specific questions. Dave will provide feedback, possible solutions, or direct you to relevant parts of the course that address your concerns.

  • Are tools and materials included?

    No. You will need to purchase your own tools, such as tuning rings and hammers. However, raw plain steel 20” diameter handpan shells designed for use with this video series are available for purchase on the Dii website.

  • Do I need a kiln or nitriding setup?

    No! This course is designed for pre-nitrided shells or shells you purchase already nitrided. We do include information on burning techniques using propane, but you won’t need to run a full nitriding oven.

  • What kind of shells does this course use?

    David uses pre-fabricated nitrided steel shells, which are widely available from handpan shell suppliers. Raw plain steel 20” diameter handpan shells designed for use with this video series are available for purchase on the Dii website.

  • What if I only want to learn how to tune a handpan?

    If you’re solely interested in tuning and not in the full building process, we recommend our separate course, "How to Tune a Handpan." This course focuses exclusively on tuning techniques, including: Achieving fundamental, octave, and fifth harmonics Tuning for overtone balance and accuracy Troubleshooting common tuning challenges It’s perfect for those who already have handpans or shells and want to master the art of tuning.

Ready to learn?

Enroll in our How to Make a Handpan course today and start your journey towards becoming a skilled and confident handpan maker.

Let's Do It