HowTo: Hand Re-Cut Bearing Edge and Snare Beds

[jonnistix]

In the first pic, you will see the original "contour" of this snares' bearing edges, and check out the really cool re-rings on this baby!. This is a "matching" drum for the other kit we are working on. The second will show mid-cut of the new contour, and progressing toward the finished product. I let each shell giude my hand as each one starts with it's own AOC(Approximate Original Contour: an egineering term used in strip mining) , I have an AS in Mining Technology as well as two others. Anyway, watch as it comes from almost flat to a correct, nicely formed edge. I only suggest you do this if you are very comfortable with woodworking and know how to speak the woods' language. Yes, I am the "wood whisperer".....
And some nicely cleaned screws courtesy of the screw gun.

[OsakaBop]

I love it, those are great snare beds- that is what I`m talking about. That does look like a nice little drum. Now, one that thing is all put together it will be so much more sensitive and crisp. These companies just didn`t take the time do this fine tuning as they were mass marketed. I am really happy to see somebody right on the same page regarding this work.

[jonnistix]

I just got around to putting it on the formica countertop to check for continuity and level. When I started. it had a couple of areas of concern, a little more than 2 mm out of level on both sides. I did not bother to mark these areas, either, just got the sandpaper and got after it. Now, you have to realize I did this completely by hand, no power tools, no other devices, nothing to measure my progress. I laid it on the same spot and found that one side is now almost perfectly level, the other, less than 1 mm from level, in one area, about 3 inches long. Now I ask--should I try to rework that spot, as it is not just a little bump, or leave it and see how the head seats once I put it all back together?

[drumhack]

Hi Jonni,

Is the screwgun and the steel wool for mounting a screw on the driver, wrapping the screw with steel wool and cutting the drill loose while squeezing the wool over the screw? I looked at the picture and kind of surmised this scenario. Well, if that is what you do that is an excellent idea!! If not I take full credit for that idea!!! (joke).

I am probably a week away from completing my attic/drum room project and was planning on taking another shot at shinin' up my kit once I get them up there. This will be a big help as the screws didnt get much TLC on the first go 'round.

Shoot, I have to have a square drive somewhere in the garage I could chuck up somehow and get all the tension rods too.

Good pictures!!


have a wonderful evening

drumhack

[OsakaBop]

Jonni, I don`t think a little bit of variability in the snare beds will affect the bonus of putting them in.

[jonnistix]

Search the last 2 pages, I have put up 4 videos showing some of my techniques. And yes. I hold the screws in the steel wool and let 'er rip. Works amazingly well. I will re-do the one on the t-rods because I did not do it clearly.

Originally Posted by drumhack

Hi Jonni,

Is the screwgun and the steel wool for mounting a screw on the driver, wrapping the screw with steel wool and cutting the drill loose while squeezing the wool over the screw? I looked at the picture and kind of surmised this scenario. Well, if that is what you do that is an excellent idea!! If not I take full credit for that idea!!! (joke).

I am probably a week away from completing my attic/drum room project and was planning on taking another shot at shinin' up my kit once I get them up there. This will be a big help as the screws didnt get much TLC on the first go 'round.

Shoot, I have to have a square drive somewhere in the garage I could chuck up somehow and get all the tension rods too.

Good pictures!!


have a wonderful evening

drumhack

[drumhack]

I found it. I thought the video was pretty well explained. Don't know how I missed it when you posted it but I guess I can't claim that idea after all.... I dont think I will be attempting any bearing edge stuff though. I think you either "got it" or you "dont got it" and I am probably a candidate for the "don't got it" club!!

Hopefully I will get the kit all cleaned up, round up the few missing little things and be able to post a decent picture on here someday!!! Aside from Rich K, I dont see my wrap too often.

Thanks and have a wonderful evening


drumhack

[jonnistix]

What wrap is it?

Originally Posted by drumhack

I found it. I thought the video was pretty well explained. Don't know how I missed it when you posted it but I guess I can't claim that idea after all.... I dont think I will be attempting any bearing edge stuff though. I think you either "got it" or you "dont got it" and I am probably a candidate for the "don't got it" club!!

Hopefully I will get the kit all cleaned up, round up the few missing little things and be able to post a decent picture on here someday!!! Aside from Rich K, I dont see my wrap too often.

Thanks and have a wonderful evening


drumhack

[drumhack]

Red Tiger Pearl. My favorite wrap of all, by default of course!!

[jonnistix]

After a good look, and while my young buddy Ever Ring was here yesterday, earning his "due", we had another quick look at the top and bottom edges to find out exactly how far out of level the edges really are, I took a pencil and marked the areas where the two "bumps" are. As stated in an earlier post, they are not quite machine perfect. The top, or batter bearing edge, has two very small spots, less than 3/4" in length that cause the shell to rock ever so slightly. Again, and yes, I am tooting my own horn because I want you all to know how seriously easy this is to do, if you have the confidence in yourself, this side is less than 1 MM from level. This was done without the aid of any tools. I will take the sandpaper to it tonight and level it out. The snare side was so close to perfectly level that I am going to leave it as is. The snare beds had already been cut in, all I did was take them to the proper angle as they were actually cut at an opposing angle to the bearing edge.
Now, to be clear about who should, and what drums should be done, this is going to be a tough question that only you, the owner of the drum, can make. If you have a drum that has no hope to ever sound good because it is just out of shape, or some other problem has caused your edges to become rough, or you come up with a shell that has been left lying about and dragged about the country without a hoop/head to protect it, this is for you. And I am going to go further and ruffle some feathers here, by making this statement. If I have any drum, no matter how old, no matter who built it, and the edges are rough, causing the drum to have poor tuning characteristics, smooth them and close up the grain. I have seen some Older Ludwigs, on feebay and on here, that are said to have "perfect and original" edges. Upon my closer inspection of them, through the miracle of software, I have seen some horrendously rough wood and wondered how anyone could consider these anywhere close to "perfect". I understand "original", but I cannot understand how anything other than calf could possible come close to getting a good seat on those rough edges. If you have one of these shells, I would like to know how it is they tune, if you have any tuning or playing issues, such as harsh or unwanted overtones. A poorly seated head can be a big contributing factor to this. That said, I struggle to understand how anyone could prefer this to a properly prepared bearing edge. Just because it "original and undisturbed" does not make it a perfect drum, and I don't understand this mindset. Having been a restoration buff for years, I understand the value of many aspects of originality, however, these are musical instruments, and as such should be tuned to it's utmost capability, and this should be viewed as acceptable, rather than discouraged. Please, help me to understand why you would prefer a rough, un-even edge that is painted, to a smooth, easily tunable instrumental quality edge, with or without paint on it.