what date code did you find Jeff? That's pretty cool it was under the white paint. Amazing the paint was removed and left the P and date behind. I'm not that lucky/skilled.

Glenn, it looks like OCT 65 and the letter P, what does the P mean? I should know this but I dont.

Pearl, as in Wrap. I think. N was Natural. I think again....That`s never happened in a row like that.

Here is a pic of the stamp. The inside will clean up nice but the outside has some adhesive on it that is not softening up with lacquer thinner so I might just grind the crud away and veneer it with maple.

The floor tom is another issue, look how beautiful it looks even with adhesive all over it. There is no way I will veneer that shell, gonna have to find a maple one now.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Doesn't the "P" mean for plastic wrapped?

Sweet looking floor tom shell Jeff! It seems the original adhesive seeps into the grain pores of the wood. My mahogany floor tom shell has the same thing. But it's getting wrapped so no biggie in my case. Isn't maple a tighter grain wood? Think you stand a better chance getting some of it out. On my 13" I'm re wrapping that's a maple exterior drum I wrapped a few years ago. Didn't like the wrap color so doing it over. And doing the 20" tom to match. That cinistrip stuff worked well with a green scotch brite pad to get the adhesive off. Real nice job saving the ink stamps inside the snare!

Pops, I have not had time to look at my Slingerland book and see what the P is for, but I will try tonight.

Glenn, thanks, yes the mahogany grain is much more course and deeper pores than the maple. Hard maple is my choice for paint finishes on cabinets because it so smooth. I bought a gallon of lacquer thinner (cheap Lowes Stuff) to get the adhesive off, if that dont work I will try your idea, thanks!

P=pearl/glitter/sparkle wrap covering. M=maple/natural/painted finish.

I'm sure you'll get that adhesive off no problem.

Thanks Glenn,

by the way the snare bed measures 3/16" deep. I made the one on my KOA snare 1/8" and it sounds great to me and Amosguy who owns it now. Would it be terrible if I sanded the shell down 1/16" or so and touch up the edges?

Well, got fed up with strippers and got out the Festool sander to remove all that super hard adhesive on the snare shell. The finish on the other drums was pretty hard as well so they got the same treatment. With the red interiors on the drums Im thinking I might just finish them in red dye. I did a match for a guy a few years ago (see pic) and liked that color, and I think it is fairly close to the original. I sanded through the veneer on the snare shell but Im not worried, a heavy dose of that red dye will hide it pretty good. I am on the lookout for a 16" maple shell, I cant use the mahogany one.