Wrap them as is and then take a file to blend in the edges….

The instructions provided with material coming from Precision drum prescribes the use of scissors for that step. They anticipate the extension of the wrap beyond the edge of the shell during the initial effort to wrap the drum.

Once the bulk of the excess material is trimmed with scissors, they recommend a file be used to blend it to the shell just below the bearing edge. Action of the file is to be at an angle. Files are generally used in the forward stroke only, not back and forth. This allows for better control.

I think it is likely that shells were wrapped in advance of cutting the bearing edges for factory work. Someone else may know if this is accurate or not, but the effort to file the wrap to the shell is rather time consuming if you are doing it carefully and so as not to damage the bearing edges. Therefore, I'm guessing that the cost of labor to sit there with a file would have been prohibitive and therefore the router table was the means of final trimming.

My experience has been that you need to be sure the wrap is fully adhered all the way up the flat portion of the shell. Otherwise, as you start to cut with the scissors to remove the excess, the wrap will pull away from the shell and leave gaps. All wrap wants to be very tight to the shell so as not to create any unwarranted vibrations.

How about a new sharp blade in a utility knife? Lay the blade flat on the bearing edge as a guide? (Don't let it dig into the edge.) Might be better than scissors if the excess to be trimmed is small. Then file to smooth the cut.

I always have Jammin' Sam cut the wrap about 1/4" narrower than the drum. No trimming necessary.

I have been letting it overlap.

The first kit I did I stuck the wrap with the shell upright on it's butt on a big flat table.

It came out good but it was scarey.

I only had to trim one side.

Now I seem to have taken to wrapping them on their side and centering the shell in the wrap and letting it hang off both sides.

I think there is a greater margin of error doing it this way.

I may have to trim both sides but at least the wrap can wander a little bit without showing wood.

I also have been using both scissors and sharp razor to trim.

Then use the file to bevel and get it just right.

Then finish it off with a piece of 320 or something just to polish it a bit.

Practice makes perfect.

Have fun. :D

if you can access a dremel, you can rig it in the same way as cutting a bearing edge, but pick your depth of cut

Those wheels are cool.

Are their some in line skates missing wheels?

Or a tool product.

Nice set-up.

scott

they're poly-something wheels from Lee Valley, about $3 each, and are slightly soft, so the idea behind that rig is to use the wheels to keep the shell and cut wheel at tangents, then lightly "pull" the shell toward you as you rotate it

wrap is usually between 1-2mm thick, so just kissing the outside does the job... it also allows you to compensate for thicker wraps or small-ish heads, and is repeatable to get the same amount removed for both edges

DZL...clever idea and great setup! Thanks!

I place a head on the drum and mark a line along the bottom of the collar all the way around the drum. Do that to both top and bottom, measure the distance between the lines and then using a 6 foot straight edge and a box cutter I just cut the wrap down to that width. When you tighten the heads down, they will just cover the edges of the wrap.

I've been working a lot lately with these flexible sparkle wraps, you can trim them by hand with an exacto knife or a box cutter before or after installing.