I like original stuff because it's original and I will look hi and low for original parts but I don't think the originals were anything that special from a manufacturing standpoint. In fact, some of the old old stuff was just crappy cast pot metal that's really hard to work with now.

I have been feeling the same way. I thought about getting one repro lug and doing a comparison.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]What sizes were the tri-toms ? I have done that a few times...gotten a few sets of 14/16/18's. They made great small kits...I used the 18's and 16's as bass drums (despite the 10" depth, they make nice bass drums...really, they do !), the 14's as the low toms, and then I added a 12" orphan Slingy re-wrapped to match the rest as the rack tom.

...here's the shells upon completion, the last one's I did were original WMP in decent shape, the 12" was rewrapped in the antique/aged WMP from precisiondrum.com. 2 bass drums, the 16 in the foreground.

The repro lugs are really NOT such heavy duty lugs...they are OK, I mean...as far as hole specification and appearnace, they really DO look like the originals and fit the factory holes perfectly, but they aren't anywhere near as beefy and substantial.

Also, given that they cost about as much as originals off of eFlay, I tend to go with originals even if they are scuffed up a bit in comparison.[/COLOR]

WOW! Those little kicks are totally cool. Nice work!!!Keep on PlClapping Happy2

Are those metal hoops on the bass drums?

The concert toms are "normal" sizes of 8x12, 9x13 and 10x14. I plan on matching them up with a 14x22 and a 16x16, most likely both double headed- did slingerland make a 16x16 single head tom or was the 14x16 the only single headed floor tom?

The shells have a very faded wrap, and are 5 ply late 70's models with the metal ring on the bottom. I plan on wrapping them in some sort of Satin Flame, luckily I live in NYC so I can visit Canal Plastic in person. Leaning towards an orange, but may go with red.

Now I just have to be patient and wait for the set-o-matic plates to pop up on EBAY for a reasonable price.

Jaye, I should have qualified my comment...I was talking about 30's 40's lugs.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Lucky...I think they were powder-coated metal on both, yes.

GD, so the pre-Soundking style ones (the beavertails and such) ? Yes, a lot of those original ones don't show up in very good condition....

El...sorry, I misunderstood...you did write concert toms...I thought you meant marching toms...anyway, sounds like a good plan. Be careful with the adhesive you use for the satin flame, the regularly available stuff (3M and DAP) doesn't take to it very well....[/COLOR]

From my understanding, plain Elmer's white glue is the preferred adhesive- is that correct? I remember from an old Precision sample packet I got in the 90's, that Elmer's white glue was what they spec'ed to be used with Satin Flame.

Jaye, you seem pretty knowledgeable- have you seen an original Tangerine Satin Flame kit? I am trying to figure out if the orange/red material or the straight orange replicates it closely. I have been unable to locate a picture of a drum covered in original Tangerine Flame, just the small swatch on this site which does little in the way of letting one see the finish.

I dropped $40 on a set of 12 original Slingerland lugs on the bay, including shipping. Now I just have to wait for set-o-matic mounts and proper rims to pop up. After that I need to locate a 5 ply bass and floor tom.