Nice project... that's going to be a special round badge kit. Nice to have your hands in it for sure.

I wish I could keep projects moving at that pace.

Keeps those pics coming... maybe crank out a step by step when you do those heads.

I have a Krupa Deluxe Ensemble I've been thinking about trying calf skins on. I'm sure I won't get that done in the next year but I'd love to follow it through with somebody before I try.

Thanks - yes - it's keeping me busy.

A Krupa Deluxe Ensemble! That sounds very niceD' Drummer. Any photos?

You can send me a personal email with photos of that kit if you have lots and don't want to post them all here. I'd love to see them.

TUCKING CALF HIDE HEADS:

I ordered ($10) a little booklet that comes with a DVD on how to tuck a calf head.

Bottom of the page here:

http://www.rebeats.com/store/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=0563fb4a0601ec0b1c799a402e5757e7

The booklet has some history on drum heads in the USA - pretty interesting. In the back of the book it lists who makes all the natural heads, where to order them and where to get the flesh hoops - good info.

Those drums look sweet! I was curious if you could tell me what paint you used to re-paint the hoops...if you used any that is.

I ordered that calf skin "Cook" book... thanks for the tip!

Attached a couple pics of the my Krupa kit ... it was a bit of a project as well.. all interiors painted black and it was covered in blue contact paper (Long thread a while ago).

It would be really neat to re-load it with calf skins.

Hey I got one of those!!! Killer kit!!! Nice Job..

And the Gretsch is looking sweet too!

Jim & GoneDrumming - NICE KITS ! Good work Jim - natural heads would look great on those.

I used MOHAWK (ordered from Industrial Pastics) Black Gloss Nitro Celulose Lacquer in a spray can - half a dozen light coats, rubbed the little bits here and there off with 0000 steel wool between spraying and they turned out nice. I'm still spraying one hoop - just one more coat to go and I'll place the inlay that I salvaged from the "hooped" bd hoop that came with the kit. - see below.......it was bad - lots of rot. Ray Ayotte says (and I believe him) it is fixible - but lots of work. The second photo is the hoop separated (3ply 58 Gretsch 20" hoop). I think you'd have to be a pretty good carpenter to fix that one. I'll try later - in the meantime I bought an eBay hoop.......the one I'm painting now.

I made some headway today.

I put some used heads on the drums - ones I've replaced off my regular kit. This is just temporary though.

Today:

[LIST]

[*]snare t-rods & hoops with temp heads

[*]bass drum Jimmy Pratt mute restored & mounted

[*]finished painting the second hoop - still needs inlay installed

[*]installed the Walberg&Auge bd tom rail

[/LIST]

I've cleaned and repaired the bd cymbal arm but still needs mounting. I'm still waiting for the bd 2009 (10 oclock) Gretsch Logo Ebony head and the t-rods-n-claws. I may install the tom mount plate - just because I want to complete the restore, but I will remove it later and play it mounted on a snare stand - better resonating qualities that way. I didn't install the snares yet.

Tomorrow I order Calf hide heads un-tucked and un-mounted for the toms (reso & batter) and snare batter. If I like - I will order the bd same later.

Lookin' good Gary! Keep these updates coming! And doing hide all around? In BC? How are yu gonna keep them in tune?Cool Dude

I lived in AZ for a number of years, and teched for my brother. One of his sets we put hides on and the only time we had trouble with tuning was during monsoon season. Other than that, they stayed tuned up because of the relative humidity stays about -84% year round...actually about 7-10%...

Good question re: the tuning and humidity. I don't really know, but I'm willing to give it a try. The drums are staying in the "drum room" in my house and I have some control over the weather in there - haha. The thing I'm looking forward to is making my own custom flesh hoops - just like in Rob Cook's Calf hide video. The heads will fit perfectly - the tuning is another issue. The drums will look great - if I do a good job, I'll take my time.