That is strange?!?! The only powder coating I have seen, and used, comes out very smooth and glossy (they may have matt finishes as well). It would fill the threads more than what is on your drum. Do the nuts even screw onto the threads? It looks like they wouldn't move.

I think I got it ... they're Hot Dip Galvanized!

Asked a few Buds here at work, showed them the pix, 3 out of 5 say they're Hot Dip Galvanized bolts.

If that's the case, it's a plating, so let it go.

Clean them up and polish them as best as you can.

Enjoy!

If it is galvanizing, a galvanizing plant can remove it , right?

Jon

Maybe it was made that way?

Removing it? What's that going to cost?

Methinks you should leave it be.

Yes, leave it and polish it up.

thats not a drum we see everyday. i would clean and clean only until you know for sure that it was altered.

mike

There are "hammertone" finishes that some powder coaters can do. They would resemble the sandpaper feel finish your see and feel on your hardware if it's indeed coated. It much like the hammertone paint finish except much more durable and pronounced. There's also DIY powdercoating kits you can buy and use at home with a tag sale oven in the garage.

The pix make it kind of iffy but, it does look galvanized. Get a galvanized nail and compare. Typically w/ galvanized you see a little glopping here and there. A consistent "grit" may well be a textured p coating?

Thanks so much to everyone here for their feedback. And I apologize for my inabilities as a photographer!

I'm a strong advocate for preservation, not dramatic restoration. I'd prefer a drum in original, as found condition 10 out of 10 times, however decayed it may be - especially an obscurity like this. But this drum was severely altered by the well intentioned, albeit misguided previous owner.

I finally heard back from the seller who "cleaned up" the drum before I saw it. And get this: He "sandblasted the hardware the with a fine aluminus oxide"!!!!!!! :eek: Oh dear.....

When I had the drum disassembled, there was nickel plating left on the inner parts of the hardware not reached by the coating. But based on what I'm reading about this aluminum oxide stuff (it's very abrasive, durable stuff) my guess is that the original nickel plating underneath is totally shot and or comletely gone. DOH

I suppose that the good news is that considering what's been done already, going backwards can't make it all that much worse. So now the million dollar question is: Does anyone know how to remove "Aluminus Oxide Coating" from drum hardware?!?!?

Thanks!

-Lee

You said he blasted it with Aluminus Oxide? That's an abrasive (or filler, depending on application), so it's not a coating, insofar as I understand.

At this point I would just buff and clear coat the hardware. You won't improve on what's been done. Replating is costly and may be more than what the drum is worth.