Glue the seam back down, white candle wax the edges, and make sure that the head don`t buckle those chips downward.

That should work? Im still waiting for my heads to get in, I think I'm just tripping myself out, I dug the way it sounded with beat heads so with new ones it should be fantastic.

Right now I'm in the process of cleaning everything, I mean everything! So please explain to me this candle wax thing you're talking about? I have heard tid bits about it but not a whole lot

Glad they tuned up and that you're happy with them! Sounds like the edges didn't need repair.

Would like to say, though, for lurkers and guests, that there is nothing wrong with having a pro check out the bearing edges on vintage drums and touching them up if need be. Be clear that you want the least amount of material removed and for the edges to have the same profile as the original.

The big thing for me is leveling. If there is a low or high spot, I will hear it and it will mess with my being able to tune the drum, because the head will not be making full contact in that spot. The head can vibrate against the lower spot like a low fret on a guitar and make oddball notes and harmonics. Tuning is hard enough for me without fighting that.

All of my Slingerlands and my WFL had high and low spots. Nothing huge, but about 1/16" in one direction or other, enough to affect tone and tuning.

Although I feel a duty not to desecrate fine old musical instruments, I buy my drums to play more than to keep them flawed for the next owner's delight. Original or repro hardware when available, DRILL NO HOLES, and restore rather than refinish (unless the wrap or lacquer is beyond hope).

But bearing edges, to me, are like playability adjustments on other acoustic instruments. If the bridge is too low on your 1930's Martin, you'd take it to a pro who would respect the instrument's history and character, and it's the same way with a bearing edge.

A pro can take off just the amount that needs to come off to make the edges level, then reform the bearing edges back to the original profile. It's not always about slapping it on the router table and cutting a modern 30/60 knife edge on it. After I leveled my shells, I was able to get the leveled edges back to the original profile with just some 180 sandpaper. No router bits, just some careful loving swipes with the sandpaper.

The leveled areas are now indistinguishable from the areas that were not touched (except perhaps by a collector with a loupe). We're talking about a part of the instrument that is not visible without disassembling it. If you go to sell them and the buyer wants to know, you can tell them that you had the edges leveled and restored to the original profile by a pro. If they don't want the drums, then they go to someone else.

Hi! I forgot to mention last time, it's a pleasure to meet another Avocado guy. We are kind of few and far between...

The Avocado Strata 14" FT is kind of rare, and as you will find, I hate the word 'rare'. I much prefer 'scarce' for items that were mass produced. The problem is, Avocado Strata just was not that popular when it came out. The worst to find, I think anyway, is Lemon Strata. That one is impossible nearly... kind of. Anyway A/S drums are not seen all that often. The rarest A/S drum you ask? Why, the 14" floor tom - which only came with the jazz sized kit - that took me around six years to find that kit in decent shape, and that happened just last March.

It was NOT inexpensive.

Not trying to put a damper on your searching... heck, you'll probably find one in mint condition at a yard sale for a buck. But I never did! :)

Have fun, I'll keep watching this as time is available.

Actually I didn't get them cut nor do I have heads on,yet, I'm waiting for them to come in.

I really don't know they aren't completely leveled but don't look TOO bad. I will have to just hear the sound, that one chewed up edge is sketching me out.

And as far as them being cut, Tom Schultz does fantastic work, he uses both hand and router and is not one of those cut the edged in 10 minutes guy, he pays attention to detail!!!

Fishwaltz, hopefully I will get one at a yard sale for a buck! I'll be looking! I'll post pictures once my kit is looking good again!

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She's all cleaned up and ready to go! Just waiting on the parts for the snare drum, hopefully this pictures aren't upside down, can anyone tell me how to fix that?

I think Starship Krupa has nailed it (or shall I say cut it?). This is exactly what Heuer Labs did in LA.

I measured the shells before they left and measured them when they returned. I could not measure a delta, but the edges were perfect and to the original Rogers profile. Only difference is that he finished them like Dynasonic edges. That will be the proof to anyone they are not factory original so there will be no deception!

He also buffed that which was already a really nice set of shells. However, after he did that, they were as if new from the box.

Worth every penny and I'd do it every time.

here ya go..

mike

Thanks man! It's normal on my ipad but then when I upload it, it turns it's upside down....

No question about it, Apple and Microsoft are 180 degrees out.