A pic of what you`re try`n to do would be nice !!

Yeah, it would be nice to be able to post pics.

Rack tom: Was COMPLETELY covered in paint (I mean, like, dipped and re-dipped 7 times...). I used Dad's Easy Spray on it, because it was highly recommended. It worked really well, except there is a bunch of paint that won't come off/out of the wood, almost as if the wood is stained by the paint. Also, the paint is down inside every little possible grain and scratch of the wood. I'm trying to get the paint out of the grains/scratches without taking a whole ply off by sanding. I'm assuming the only way to get out the paint that has "stained" the wood is by sanding it, but I want to handle the stuff in the grains first.

Bass drum: There are 3 layers I needed to get off the wood...the glue, the "backing" of the satin flame wrap, and the plastic "top" of the satin flame wrap. The plastic outer wrap came right off. The "backing" of the satin flame wrap is left, as well as the glue underneath, obviously. I can't get it off. Despite the offerings of chemicals to remove it, I haven't gotten anything to work yet.

...I'm trying to get both shells down to a natural maple to match the floor tom.

Oil paint with lead in it will stain the wood, that`s why lead paint was good, it bonds to wood well and covers well. You can get a stain to go right through the first and into the second ply. Especially oil. Have you tried 5F5 stripper ?

The glue and backing of the wrap is more than likely rubberized, it wont react to acid based or alcohol based or even citrus based solvents. Contact cements are thinned with contact cement because the by products are still in them. It`s not easy for people to get these by products because they are toxic to the enviorment and controlled.

I use commercial Trichlorethelyne to remove all kinds of adhesives from wood but we are licenced to use and purchase it. It wont hurt the wood but will go into the edges and if you don`t tape them off with vinyl tape it will start separateing the plies.

Try the 5F5 on the paint and BD. Talk to the hardware store paint section on how best to use it. If he don`t tell ya, I will !!

Like Kev. said, it may be time for you to go commercial stripping !!

Trico. is a known cell cancer product and should only be used with type A protection !!

5F5 is water solable !! Safe for enviorment and almost oder free !!

Before you try the 5F5, on the wrap, weaken it with gasoline !! Apply it with a rag and no smoke`n !!

The gasoline WILL stain the ply all the way through into the layers,... Wipe only a few time so as not to go all the way through the backing and glue !!

Hey again. I'm the most frustrated person in the world when it comes to this "simple" project. I finally got the satin flame backing and glue off the bass drum (by sanding, sanding, and more sanding). The shell looks good except for what looks like little burnt streaks. It looks like somebody put a coat hanger on the stove and branded the drum, but it's IN the wood. Is this normal? Sure doesn't look normal to me, and I'd like to get rid of these random anomalies if possible.

As for the 12" tom that was painted, I asked around and found a commercial-grade paint-stripping gel. The guy at the paint store said, "if this doesn't get the paint off the shell, nothing will!" Well, evidently nothing will ever get the paint off. It was supposed to sit on the paint for 15 minutes, then be removed with mineral spirits. I applied it for 15 minutes, tried it again for 30, and a final time I glopped it on super thick for an hour. Nothing. The paint was supposed to "bubble up" and magically lift from the grain for easy removal. Didn't happen. Plus, the wood is now discolored. UGH!!!

I'm sooo close, but can't get the paint in the grain out. I even tried using a needle to scrape the paint out of the grains, but that doesn't even work, and it would widen the grain holes anyways. Any more ideas? Any magical paint-removing chemicals? I'm almost to the point of wrapping the kit. Crap.

There is a method to using the Xylene, and I can assure you it will work, but too late now, I guess.

Had I known you were going to try it, I could have walked you through it on the phone.

I wouldn't have just pulled the product out of the sky and recommended it unless I knew from experience.

Bummer about all the sanding, it musta been a pain.

It was a bit of a pain. Took about 6 hours total. It looks really good now, except for the dark "burn" spots.

Thanks for the advice and potential support. :)

Would you consider veneering over them with new stock ?