Well I tried it under one lug and it worked ok. I put it under another one and it ate through to the bare wood. I deceided to do it the old fasioned way and now my arm is killing me!! So far the results have been good and the shell is just beautiful. It's just gonna take awhile to do it right...Pateince truely is a virture. The drum in question is an original 70's 3-Ply Ludwig 14x26 Natural Maple Thermogloss Bass Drum. Here are a couple of pics:

[IMG]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk298/stramm8/Ludwig%20Thermogloss/IMG_0595.jpg[/IMG]

Can you believe some damn fool painted this shell?

[IMG]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk298/stramm8/IMG_0596.jpg[/IMG]

That's the original thermogloss finish still intact!

[IMG]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk298/stramm8/IMG_0599.jpg[/IMG]

That's as far as I could take it today.

If that was my project, I would strip it down to the bare wood, then sand it with a vibrating sander and restain, or reclear it. I'd use the toxic stripper and get er done!

The thought crossed my mind but I am a guitar player too. I've been fooling around with old/vintage guitars almost as long as I have been messing with drums and in that community, the original finish no matter how trashed, is always more desireable than a refin. I guess drummers have yet to fall in line as far as that's concerned. I'm guilty of having drums re-wrapped too but at some point I have to belive the trend will change. Especially as values continue to rise. Just my .02.

ON this project, it looks to me like the only option you have, is to reproduce the original finish. If you can strip the paint off of that, and preserve the original natural finish without re staining or re clearing, then you are a wizzard! IMHO

Well I think you could do lot ! It will be a lot cooler than a re-finish job! And you are right about re-wrapping de-valuing a set.

Well the goal isn't to have it look brand spanking new. The goal was to remove the paint and not damage the original finish. Based on what it looks like so far, when it's done it should look like a 35+ year-old drum which is what I'm going for. Didn't you spend a considerable amount of time restoring a 60's wmp floor tom? Why didn't you just re-wrap the shell? Based on your logic that's what you would have done. You were able to get the paint off and shine it up real well and it's nice, but it still looks like an old, yellowed wmp floor tom...

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I think it's gonna look cool too. The original finish is in pretty good shape. The color has turned and it's a little weather checked but that what an old nitro finsh does. That's the beauty of it too.

Your right I did, I spend one afternoon stripping the paint off of the original wrap. I finally got all my lugs polished and may actually finish that floor tom today. I enjoy experimenting and seeing the outcome. Please keep us posted to your progress!