From are long lost friend on here jonnistix

http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=37190

Jeff! I'm not done yet no! lol!

Thanks for all the suggestions! As I say the process of adding glitter to the shell and then multiple coats of lacquer and then buffing is a brilliant approach. This deal with the Dura Lar though will allow me to make some wrap for others and ship it, just in case anyone ever wants any :) I'd be keeping the cost as low as possible without ticking off the better half [heh], maybe around $100 to $150 for a 4 piece, plus shipping.

Bartw of course! Paper on a roll! [forehead slap] I went back to the art store after your suggestion and looked at simple craft paper at $20 a roll.

Glenn makes a good point about plastic backing, it would be more robust. However I think with a good thick coating of gel on the craft paper, to stick it on the top sheet, and then another coat on the back, and it should be pretty good.

What I'm thinking of is how a lot of the WMP MIJ kits had very thin white paper behind the wrap to give it the white colour [wrap is actually clear pearl]. This paper held up for decades, the only glitch being if water got behind it and it would stain. This wrap I'm making would strictly be for MIJ rescues or maybe the odd orphan from one of the Big Four.

It's all moot though until I get on the darn testing! Tonight I test.....!

Mitch

Well, were waiting. Cmon man, show us some pics!

About paper: acid free paper is a bit more expensive but will surely last and last and will not yellow.

Yes, the construction paper is acid free and that was a factor when I bought the two sheets for testing....then I forgot all about it when looking at the craft paper! So, thanks again and yes I think I'll go with the construction paper. It's thicker too. And has the base colour built in...

I was worried that if there were seams in the base they might form creases when I rolled some wrap up for shipping. But first of all that may never happen and anyway alls I have to do is roll it up around a cardboard tube to prevent creases. The sheets of construction paper are about 24" long so there would only be one or two seams per shell, three on a bass drum I guess. They are $1.85 per sheet which is fine but I will look into getting a roll of it as well.

Lot of back and forth on this while I work it out in my head, before sacrificing any glitter to the test[s]. Thank you for your patience...:)

Mitch

Mitch, yo know that Im just messin with ya right. I think this is cool and I am very interested in what you are doing with these materials. Sorry I have no advice to give, this sort of project is just so different then what I know. Good luck, and oh, ya we do want pics.

I know it like I know my own name Jeff. I'm thinkin of heading over to your veneer thread and dropping a pretty good one on ya...

No pics yet. Gel is drying [or, not really drying], test patch is just milky white. Whatever it looks like when it finally dries, I didn't like working with the gel. Too thick, hard to apply as evenly as needed, even over the small patch area. Can't imagine a bass drum section. The base sheet construction paper and top sheet are not easy to marry, would need to be evenly weighted/pressed during [looong] drying period.

Bartw is once again on the money. Thin cotton or similar backing. At this point it looks like I'm back to starting with Krylon Triple Thick Glaze on the back of the top sheet, add glitter, let dry, shake off excess, paint "exposed" glitter [back of top sheet]. Then for the backing I'm imagining actually soaking some fabric in a fast-drying adhesive and just laying it relatively sopping on the top sheet. Just let the added weight of the adhesive + gravity affix the fabric to the top sheet.

So that's where I'm at now....:)

Mitch

If you're going the way of krylon...

Why not use laquer in a can? Spraycans will make the job pretty expensive, you'll need a whole lot of them. In europe (and I'm sure in US too) there's alkyd-resin clear laquer that has higher than normal filling capacity.

here's what I'd do:

I'd apply that on the back of the clear sheet

sprinckle glitter.

allow to dry

shake of excess glitter

apply a very thick coat of laquer (because everything is lying flat you don't have do be afraid of paint drips)

allow to dry a bit but let is remain soft and a little sticky.

drench fabrick into the same laquer (possible thin the laquer a bit with white spirit). gently lay it over the glitter.

gently roll it with a dough-roller or something like that.

All of these ideas sound good. I would be careful with pouring on thick layers of lacquer though, too thick and it it will crack sometime down the road.

I have always thought of using Mylar it come in rolls at the draft supply then using a agitator pot and a medium to spray the flake with but that's just me Jeff your thoughts?