[COLOR="Navy"]Actually...I just grabbed an 18" chrome, 8-hole tom-tom hoop I had kickin' around....slapped a head on the undrilled shell, slapped the hoop on that....and using a square and resting the drum edge on a flat surface, I marked off the lug spacing using that chrome hoop.

Jonni...interesting 16" bass....probably a converted FT, I would assume, but I'd be interested in knowing more. I find 16x16's to not make the greatest bass drums...the proportions are too deep. I usually go 14x16 when I can find one. Problem is, with those old re-ringed shells....you cannot really cut 'em down or you lose one ring (but then again, now I can always add that ring back via this method...although it wouldn't be a perfect match).

Funny, I am about to whip up a Jungle kit with a 16" bass next week...but the shells are 8-ply Keller, no re-rings required.

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[COLOR="Brown"]This was actually a custom kit for someone...he came and picked 'em up last night. Dammit...I only got to play if for about a half-day......

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I like the 19 clamps pic shot, that's great. It's suprising when your carpentry skills can go a long way, but it really takes GUTS Mister T to cut into a drum and lop inches off a shell! I spend more time in the wood shop than I do playing drums these days. Hey Jaye, that's great that you could find ways to revamp the old drum shells, especially when you have open-minded customers who let you run with it.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]90% of the stuff that leaves this place isn't really altered all that much besides new wraps and a fair amount of hole patching.

I have to recut maybe 20% of edges, particularly on the shells which were concert toms....

The way I figure it...if the shell isn't in good original shape to begin with, it's OK to alter it. I try to alter according to the vintage spec, give or take. And I never misrepresent these as being factory-original. That's not the clientele I deal with.....

Occasionally I get surprises...shells or singles which come in and they are in such good condition that rather than break 'em down and unwrap...I just use it as the basis for a kit unto itself, and match the rest of the rehab to the pristine old vintage drum. But that happens seldom....maybe I have done that a half-dozen times, tops.

Guts is right....trying to build a re-ringed shell is something I've been avoiding for over 5 years (probably couldn't have done it half-correctly back then, anyway).....but the market has gotten so wacky regarding particular sizes that it has almost become a requirement.

I had another guy here, a NY Jazz cat...who really wanted a Rogers kit...20/12/14. I told him, seriously, that the 20 and 12 would be no problem but the 14 all by itself (not even including any rewrap or work on it) would run $600 just to even acquire one....that's crazy. 18" basses aren't that bad...but...when someone wants a small kit and you tell 'em acquiring the bass drum alone will run over $200....building your own starts making some sense. Plus, Aitwood has pretty good prices on Kellers.

Still plenty 'o nice oldie vintage shells to go around, and I will stick w/ 'em whenever I can because I'd much rather recycle....I have no desire to start building new-shell kits all over the place. But when the sizes call for it, at least I now know I can slip in a new drum for something approaching a reasonable price.....[/COLOR]

Jaye you are the man! I love looking at your work. I go to school on it everytime I see it.

Cya,

Mike

Jaye, like I said before, this is where I'm at with this Leedy kit I'm assembling from orphans for myself. I've been looking for a 16x18 Conn-era floor tom for the better part of a year now. I know they offered them in the catalog, but have yet to find one on ebay or else where, let alone actually see one! So, this is where I'm at too....making my own to complete the kit. It will look and sound like a Leedy but will not be represented as a Leedy. The last of the parts arrived today, so now I have to order a shell from Anderson. Funny as I live about 20 minutes away from Keller, but they will not sell to the public, unless you buy in quantity. So I have to get one from Anderson. Follow me with this....shell is made in NH, shipped to Anderson in California, so I can buy it and have it shipped back to NH. Does that make any sense?? Cool Dude

Couldn't you buy it from Anderson and get a p.o. and then pick it up yourself? I know shipping charges from Anderson are not cheap.

Thats a possibility. I may call Keller again when I'm ready to order and see if they are willing to make an exception.....

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Good idea. I'd think they'd be willing to do that, at least on the Anderson end of things. Just ask 'em if you can have a drop-shipment from Keller....

Anderson is in LA, I am in SF, so $hipping is negligible for me over here.....[/COLOR]

Hi Jaye,

Just question on routing bearing edges...

Do you use a regular hand-held shop router and just go around the edge witht the appropriate bit?

I have a Sears "Craftsman" router but never thought of using it for bearing edges to re-cut damaged vintage shells if necessary.

Cheers!

-kellyj