The following relates only to drum shells.

It took a lot of time to go out of round. It's not something that you should try and "rush" to fix. If you do, you will damage the wood fibers. You really shouldn't try to do this. Can it be done? It has been done. Did it damage the wood of the drum? Yes. Absolutely. But, was it noticeable to the nude eyeball - Nope.

The wood fibers will have tiny tiny breaks when this is done. It's like bending a twig but not breaking it. Are you damaging the phloem and xylem inside the twig? Yes. You are breaking the fibers within. You can't tell this because it doesn't show visible signs of breaking. But, it is damaged.

I would venture that it's possible to get it closer to where it needs to be. Wood had amazing elastic properties, meaning it will bend significantly and come back to form, or with the right technique, bend and stay where you want it, usually with the use of moisture (usually steam) and pressure (hence, most wooden drums).

That being said, I have had two floor toms, bottoms being out of round, and used calf heads on them (which are very pliable and when moistened, will take the desired shape).

I sold the last one to a chiropractor and he was convinced that it would take its shape back to an extent eventually under the stress of the calf. I wasn't sure, but he is a chiropractor!

Matt

If you make a custom flesh hoop for it and use a calf head it could be that the out of roundness wouldn't be a problem.

Since I'd want to hear the drum the way it was made I'd want to go that route.

It's pretty easy, my first attempts worked and that's rare for me.

Guys. This drum is over 70 years old. It has dried and has definitely lost some of the tensile strength (stretchability) it once had over these many years. It's not the same wood it once was when it would have been steam bent or laid up and glued. This wood really should not be pressured into reshaping. It will damage it. Again, it may or may not be visible, but it will nevertheless cause damage. These decisions are always up to the owner of the shell. So, Tomf, do what you will. You know where I stand.

I think it could be coaxed back with some steam. Yes, it is 70 years old but wood will always move with the seasons. Unless the wood is quarter sawn or vertical grain, which I doubt, it will move. The fibers have been bent already, 70 years ago. I think if you took a stable piece of material, say 3/4 inch plywood and cut a true radius in it, the dimension of the floor tom, you could use it to gently reshape the shell. Maybe in a really steamy bathroom! You have to be careful when using steam with old glue. Too much can cause the glue to lose its bond. Thats how luthiers fix old instruments, they steam them apart.

I'd say if the drum is currently unplayable as is, and you want to play it, then what's the harm in trying? I think the bathroom idea method might be crazy enough to work.

Thanks for all of the input. I'll let you know how I make out.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]I have done it by running a threaded rod thru the lug-holes closest to the edges, and putting a cushioned, large washer or plate at each end (outside) and slowly cranking the tension up, incrementally, once a day, for about 7-10 days. When it gets in-round, I then put the heads on and slowly come off the rod tension.

It's only a 50-50 proposition....maybe even less. 1/4" is a LOT out of round....

....the idea of doing it in a highly-humidified enclosure is a good one....

I echo McJ on the dangers.....it could crack the shell...but then again,seriously...what good is a 1/4"-out-of-round shell, anyway ? It's kinda worthless, really.....[/COLOR]

Would it make any difference if it had a wood flesh hoop and a calf head? I wouldn't think it would, and that IS how the drum came from the factory... I will stop.

Another thought would be to rest it on it's side and put a small amount of weight on the side of it, and leave it like that for maybe even a few days.

Steamer?

It's so muggy here today (actually un&@$*!!!believable - window screens are dripping) I could probably have that thing pliable in an hour.