Glad to hear it John. Now you just need to cut some pcs. of rags, squirt 'em with blaster and run them in and out of the tubes to remove that nice mixture of rust and blaster! After cleaning up this mess a gunked up Speed King will be a breeze.:D:D

Your input is always greatly appreciated.

Mick - I was going to use a coat hanger wire with rags and clean it like a rifle barrel! There's going to be a lot of muck in there!

The 16"

This drum set is proving to be endlessly fascinating for me. I have had so many 'firsts' with this kit it's making my head spin. I really have never seen anything like this drum kit.

I opened up the 16" and started working on it by removing the torn tacked head. I'm in the process of removing tacks. There's a lot of them... 100 to 150 tacks, easy, possibly more. I used 90 tacks on the 14", the 16" will take a lot more. I'm going to document how I re-skin the tacked tom. It's an interesting process. Tedious work, but interesting nonetheless.

I told you this kit is full of 'firsts.' On top of everything else, the shell of the 16" floor tom has -FOUR- (count em') internal reinforcement rings! I have never seen another drum built like this before. (see photos of drum interior)

Amazing! There are re-rings on each end at the bearing edges, then two more internal rings, one under the lugs and the other reinforcing the bottom section of the drum. Don't ask me why four rings, I honestly haven't got a clue. I have never seen anything like these drums. Built to last 1000 years! No BS.

More as I progress.

John

+1 to what Glen is saying. Don`t waste your time with WD 40.

Just a guess [obviously!], but it looks like the wider one [#2] is for the lugs like you say, and then if they didn't put ring #3 in there, it would seem like too much un-reinforced shell area between #2 and #4, a perceived "weak spot".

Whatever the reason, pretty amazing and built to last like you said...

The drum is most certainly over-built. I don't think this drum will go out of round for another 500 years with all that reinforcement inside! Amazing design. I'd really like to know more about who designed the kit and why it was done the way it was done. I'll bet there's a lot of interesting thought and innovation that went into it.

Still removing tacks... I'll be starting the tacked head later today. Hopefully! Tack pulling is tedious.

John

Progress report:

I cut down the snare stand for the 14" floor tom. It came out great! It's even adjustable by 5" of height! The way I have the height set, the top of the 14" will sit level with its neighbor the 16". I'm ready to rock 2-down! I used a good primer and silver metallic paint and now the stand looks new and like it was made for the job it is doing. I'm very happy with it. I'll post photos tomorrow.

I'm still pulling tacks! They never end, it's like every time I look around the drum to see how many are left... there are more there than the last time I looked! LOL It's going slow, but it's going.

Tacking A Calf Head:

I want to turn the next few pages of the thread into a tutorial in case someone ever wants to attempt this kind of restoration for themselves. Sooner or later somebody is going to stop by VDF to ask how to tack a calf head. This tutorial will be in the archives for them.

Here we go... you'll need the following tools: (see all illustrations at bottom of post)

Tack hammer - A tack hammer has a slightly concave head so that it will not damage round head tacks. Have the right tool for the right job. It just makes things go easier.

Tack puller - This is a screw-driver type tool with a 'V' cut into the tip so you can slip it around the post of the tack before pulling up.

Pliers - regular, or needle nose: For pulling the post of tacks that had their heads snap off during attempt at removal.

Utility knife/Exacto knife: Either cutter will do. For trimming and prep.

A sharp Punch tool: You'll see how I use it as work progresses.

A black permanent marker (Sharpie) Needed during prep.

Ready? Off we go... mind you, I'll be doing this in 'real-time' so it's going to take a couple of days to get from A to Z. Be patient, check back, follow along.

Step 1:

Strip the drum down to the shell. *I'm leaving the lugs on the shell while I do this one because I will be using them to help me do the job. It'll become clear soon.

2. With an Exacto knife cut out the central portion of the tacked head that is to be replaced so as to open the drum so you can work on the re-ring.

3. From the inside of the drum, using the tack hammer, tap -LIGHTLY- on the pointy ends of the tacks that are sticking out slightly higher than the surface. This operation will raise the heads of the tacks on the surface of the drum making it easier to slip the end of the tack puller under the head of the tack. Prying it from the front side without performing this loosening procedure will make it almost impossible to get the puller under the head of the tacks. It's tedious, slow work, but necessary.

4. Prep the calf head: Using the punch tool, starting at about 1/2" in from the edge of the skin, start making a series of holes about 2" apart all around the perimeter of the skin.

5. Attach long lengths of strong nylon cord to each of the holes (I will provide an illustration later in the thread.) You are going to use these cords to pull down on the head evenly as you stretch it over the drum and they will remain tied in-place while the skin cures/dries. The cords are not removed until the head has been tacked in position.

* I created a 'rig' using the wood hoop from the 16" and the lugs on top, so I have someplace to tie off the strings after I tension the head. I covered the wood hoop in a couple layers of blue painters tape to protect it. I will slide it onto the drum when I'm ready to start tying off the strings and the hoop will rest on the lugs. (see photo)

All of this will make more sense when you see everything mounted and ready to go. I have to clean the shell before I can start tacking on the new skin because I won't be able to clean the part under the skin afterwards.

Stay tuned... much more to come.

Same Bat-time, same, Bat-channel! :p

John

Nice cabinets

Came with the shack... :D

John

oh, nice drum too. Lol

I'm -still- pulling tacks! I'll get to mounting the head shortly.

Hang in there.

John