I have a 13" for trade! No I dont, go for it, and pics will be fun!

Very interested. I hope you can show pictures of the process as well as the finished product. Good luck!

It would be much easier to cut down a 9x13 shell and just use the pioneer's parts.

Thanks guys! I'll do my best to make it interesting and informative. I might even start tomorrow though I've had this virus that's been going around so energy has been an issue.

I think, yes and no Floyd. :)

A lateral cut around a 13" tom shell would require a table saw [don't have one] and some care, and then I'd have to remove and re-install the re-ring, whereas I'll just be hacking straight across this thing with a jigsaw, squeezing it into a 13" head, marking off the extra, and one last cut.

I have a 13" CS shell which I'll cut my butt-join overlap-plate out of...if you know what I mean. Obviously I can't just glue the ends together, so between the re-rings will be a plate. If the shell springs open when cut, I'll glue the plate to one side first to minimize fumbling with a sprung piece. But I expect it will just sit there as if not cut at all. We'll see...

Well I've talked myself up on this to where I really hope I have the energy to start tomorrow. Pic shows WFL snare from ebay that got me jonesing for a 13". The thing is like $800, so forget buying one, especially since I have this messed up shell...

Mitch

Interesting math problem here/ I use diameter x 3.14 to get length on veneer wraps, then add one inch. So 14 x3.14 = 43.96, 13 x 3.14=40.82, 43.96 - 40.82 = 3.14 so your gonna remove about 3 1/8" from the shell? I know you you know how to do math, I just like to start my day with something other than cabinet stuff. The rings may cause the shell to spring open, I know when I did my radio king project the rings did spring open when I took them out. This is interesting to me, I think what could happen is the shell might not be perfectly round when you bring the two ends together, I see this somewhat flat spot or kink at the seam. I say this because, if I am following you correctly here, you will be butting two square ends of the ring together, when from the factory those rings are made with a very long overlapping joint. The piece from the other shell glued to the inside will hopefully keep the round shape of the shell.

Well, that was fun, now off to cabinet making. Hope you feel better soon!

Yes, I'd like to see this project develop. I've cut down numerous 14" and 15" marching drums to make Jazzfest and Symphonic reproductions, but hadn't even considered cutting something down this way.

With the exception of cutting larger BD hoops down... what I mean is I've thought about that but not done it... yet.

I've cut down a geman (problably Sonor) marching drum from 26,5 inch to 26 inch (to make a normal head fit). This was not very easy to do but possible. I joined the ends it with a piece of 3-ply beech board.

The shell was quite flexible and I only had to reduce it's diameter for 0.2%. In your case you have a considerably smaller drum that you'll have to reduce for .8 % (4 times as much). Will give a lot more tension.

Interesting comments...always appreciate any input!

I too have cut down a bass drum Bart, from 25" to 22". It was a weirdo, as it actually curled *into* itself rather than springing open. In the end it was a success, but I made a small overlap at the join, which made the bearing edge have a "jog". I plan to go back, cut it again and butt it together to smooth that out [different thread :)]

Bill I cut down some BD hoops from 25" to 22". In that instance I tried a nice lap join which almost worked great - I put too much curve into the cut where it should have been a straight line at angle to the hoop. Someone else here cut 18" hoops to 17" using a butt join so that works too.

Jeff I am in fact terrible at math and do things 100% seat-of-the-pants! But if you are correct about 3 1/8", I will use that piece, minus the re-rings, for an overlap plate since it's plenty long for the task. I had the same vision of the shell not being round at the join, with a little "peak" right there - hopefully as you say and as I planned, the plate will force the shell back in round.

First pics. #1 shows offset lug holes - don't trouble yourself we will never know why. :)

#2 shows the shell in imminent danger...

#3 & #4 show the shell not reacting at all to the cut, just sits there with no springing tension in either direction. Interesting.

I did a super-quick test and it is rather difficult to close the shell in on itself, so I think once I have the extra shell material cut off, I will attach the plate to one side, let dry, and then bring the two ends together, clamping the remaining end with the glue. I suppose I should also jam the shell up against a wall with a vice to really flatten out any peak that wants to form.....thinking....

Hoo hoo! She's under a *lot* of tension folks! Stand back she might blow! haha.

So I measured a Gretsch 13" tom shell and got 40 7/8". With the snare shell at 44" there's your 3 1/8" difference all right! So I cut off 3 1/8" but it's not *quite* enough I don't think - just have to shave off another 8th or more to get it nice and under-sized so the heads can really spin freely. No sense doing all this work just for a drum where the heads don't go on nicely.

With the drum-case strap on there, a peak is present at the join. However the peak is minimal enough to where I believe the plate will take it out, and the shell will be consistently round. Truth be told I'd settle for a minor peak as long as the heads go on the drum and it sounds right when played.

Next step is creating a setup where I can really get some force to the shell to glue it together....