I will have to let you know how this Slingerland one goes. I am maple veneering the inside of a 20" bass drum to cover mount holes and some awesomely bad gouges from a cinder block that a previous owner used to keep things in place.... Some Ideas are better left alone.

Thanks, Ryan

Hey all! I think it's about time to blow the dust off, and finish up this dang project. I know I left more than a few of you hanging, and for that I am sorry... But life happens... I haven't retired from this drum fun yet... I got everything out, started in on adding the re-rings to the popcorn snare, and finished up the covering on the 15. As soon as I have the re-rings done in the 10" I will be ready to finish up the covering and get this thing back together.

As if I need more to do here. I happened across this very well abused 13" tom... With a bit of love, and some elbow grease, this thing is going to be a nice porto-pac copy. Not sure what finish yet, but I thought it might be an awesome snare for the kit. I might have to start a separate thread for it, but I figured it was worth a teaser here.

Thanks,

Ryan

In the last couple days I got the re-rings put into the 10" snare. and the inside edges cut. All of the holes are drilled for the throw off, butt plate, and mount. Finally, my last three drums are ready for wrapping! I hope to have these wrapped by the weekend....

Thanks, Ryan

Hey, some projects take a long time, I have one going myself. We dont mind it one bit, were glad you didn't forget us! You have a very cool project in the works, keep truckin! And why not add another drum last minute, I do that too.

Thanks Jeff!

Feels good to work on one for myself again.

I think I will get these things together, then do a new thread for the porto-pak copy snare. I am thinking about painting it to more of an original duco finish. Maybe a black/silver so it will fit in with any kit.

Thanks, Ryan

That will be fun to watch.

OK, Got the wrap on tonight! I thought I would take a minute and give a couple pointers. I forget that a bunch of the things I do as second nature are the very things that many first timers need to help keep themselves from throwing in the towel when things seem a little cruddy.

First, Old drums are very rarely perfect cylinders. If you wrap a new Keller shell, you will be able to almost lay the wrap on, and end up happy with your result. If you wrap any older drum (Especially vintage Ludwig/WFL) You will most likely end up with a wrinkle, or a bump. It happens. But if you are using contact adhesive, you want your wrap to set tight everywhere.

Sooo... Use a little heat while laying it down. Not a lot, just a hair drier, and don't even let that sit too long in one place. Just help your wrap stay pliable as you lay it down. As you lay it down, make sure that you get the center of the drum covered tightly, and if you end up with a wrinkle at the edge, just roll with it.

Next... Tape is your friend. I know we all have our own way to do this, but this is my best way to make it work. I use the cheapest clear packing tape. Usually from Dollar General. It is just sticky enough, and is pliable like stretch wrap. I use it to stick my seems tight, and for many things as I am covering. I like the clear because I can see through it, and if you don't leave it stuck to the drum for too extended a time, you can peel it off with no issue.

Now, look at the first picture....After wrapping the drum, and a quick trim of the wrap. See the wrinkles almost all along the edge. It happens..... The shell is NOT a perfect cylinder, and my goal is not to make it so, my goal is to wrap this drum like it was covered this way it's whole life. In the second picture you will see the edge after I wrapped the complete edge with tape, and pulled the tape tightly up over the bearing edge, and pressing the wrap tightly to the shell. Let it sit a day or so, and peel it back to finish the wrap edge properly.

The third picture shows how I use the packing tape and pull the wrap seem tightly, and in a few places to be sure it stays tight while drying.

The last two show how I wrapped my isolation mount. You can use a heat gun, and quite a bit of heat to get the covering to bend in ways that would usually break it. It takes a little testing, but it is possible...

Anyway, One step closer, and hopefully a few things to help others along the way.

Thanks, Ryan

Now the clear tape is a good idea. Its great that you point out to first time wrappers that the drum is not perfect. I run into that with veneer and its difficult to deal with sometimes. Looking forward to the finished kit!

Those edge wrinkles are always a royal pain in the keester! As you say, these aged shells aren't perfect and you usually have to tweak the wrap at the edges to get them as perfect as you can make them. Not always easy though. Great work...

John

Here is a quick post/update. The first pic shows the wrap laid down tight just after I pulled the tape. And the second shows the wrap cut back cleanly, and finished. I generally like to finish the wrap to the contoured edge so it looks factory, and more correct to the era drum. I didn't on this one for a couple reasons. This drum was a Duco finish maple outer ply drum. The heads fit snugly with the wrap, and I wanted a good area to start the head on. Second. With this drums curve in toward the edge (that made the wrinkles), I thought it would be a more durable and long lasting wrap to cut the edges of the wrap back where there was less pulling from the wrinkled area.

Thanks, Ryan