So, in effect, the lacquer replaces/becomes the more rigid clear sheeting that is difficult to source. Nice. And acid-free paper will come in many colours so no paint will be needed, unless the colour of the paper is not intense enough.

Would you apply one coat of lacquer only first, and let dry, to "embed" in the paper? Or would you add glitter right away?

Mitch

The first layer was enemal paint, red. Straight on the paper (no primer). Because I needed a red background.

Indeed the laquer kind of funcions as sheet.I only used this as inlays.Not sure how it wil work on a shell.

someday, I'll run a test.

Bart that Premier tom looks fantastic! I thought it was original wrap until I read your comments. Think I remember seeing these did you have a thread about them? If not maybe it was another drum. either way great work!

I agree that Premiere shell looks fully perfect. I think there is a thread too...

Bart you surely sanded and buffed those shells - how does that part of the process translate to the acid-free paper? I think you may have even mentioned skipping it for the inlay [too many pages in the thread to go back and check]. I foresee an issue with the paper "catching", suddenly grabbing the sandpaper and buckling. Maybe the process is light enough to avoid this, or the paper could be non-permanently affixed to a rigid surface.

The joke I kept telling myself through all this has been - look, all I'm really missing here is industrial grade heat- and pressure-bonding, so....

Mitch

Using paper, laying flat on a table, may make sanding unnessacary (I mean coarse sanding to even out the surface), as well as buffing,because gravity makes the laquer fill spaces up. I gues a slow drying laquer would work best.

Whether I am right in this or not remains to be tested. I don't have the time to test right now, because (Warning: I'm going off-topic) I'm building a vintage style stave drum set with home made aluminium hardware. 3,5 mm thin shells with re-rings. Oak. When it's finished I'll post some pics in the general drum questions.

I did not buff the premier shells, its simply high gloss laquer. The gloss could be higher if I buff it, but it's ok for me the way it is, I don't like very high gloss on vintage drums.

On the inlays: light sanding in between layers I did with steel wool, this worked without a problem.

By the way. Looking at this picture on the site of vintage drum bug...

It's pretty arguable that, if you want to make a sparkle finish on a vintage set, it does not have to be perfectly smooth.

One of the reasons I did not work out the finish on my premiers to absolute perfect smoothness; up close you can see some imperfections that give it a nice vintage feel. Less strong so than the Gretsh in the picture though.

That's an excellent point - the old wrap is indeed very often not a mirror-like surface, but rather ever so slightly bumpy from the actual glitter. Agreed also that this is desirable, and in fact a perfect glossy surface would not jive with old hardware.

Also an interesting observation on the paper/lacquer wrap - in fact if one could erect some low "retainer walls" around the paper, to contain the lacquer and stop it spreading beyond the edges, it might be possible to simply pour the lacquer on in one go! This might be hoping for too much - might inhibit drying, but the general idea of walls might be valid. I had thought of it during the process described in this thread, but couldn't figure how to do it...

Anyway I look forward to when you have time to investigate this, and also to your stave drum results.

Mitch

Mitch, pooring would be an idea, especially when you'll use a 2 component laquer, that remains slightly flexible after drying. (test if the laquer won't dissolve the glitter).

But you'll have to pay very close attention: be sure the plane is 100% horizontal. If it's not, it will show on the thickness of the layer of laquer, it will be uneven, you'll have to adjust before hardening.

I'll keep you posted if I may test in the future. I have ideas about making my own version of a mardy gras.

If you start testing let me(us) know.

I know it's been a while since anyone has replied to this, but I am a relatively newcomer to the site, and I ran across this thread which I read with great interest. Thanks so much for all of you sharing such interesting and helpful info from your hard work! I am interested in this process for a collection of orphans. I have always loved the sparkles, and was sorry that the final product did not turn out quite as you hoped. From my understanding, the main issue was the thickness of the Duralar? I noticed you mentioned you used the .005, but that it is available twice as thick in .010. Did you or anyone else ever try the thicker sheet to see if that solved the problem? I was thinking of just purchasing a small sheet of the .010, and a small jar of the 60 or even 40 grit glass glitter from Meyer, and seeing where that goes, but if someone else has already been there and done that with the same results, I won't waste my time on it. But I too am a "hey I think I could just make that at home" kind of guy, so I might try it and tag the results on the end of this thread. Many thanks again! :)

Hi jfl317, I myself never did try the thicker Dura Lar. I think its pliable nature is more to do with its makeup than thickness. If you think of the formed plastic used in packaging, that stuff is very thin but also very rigid. Then there are those PVC hanging strip doors where the plastic is quite thick but very pliable. If you could source the packaging type plastic in flat sheets it might work.

The Dura Lar seems rigid enough on its own, so maybe it was the addition of the polymer, which dries very pliable, and the glass glitter which added weight, that changed the rigidity of the Dura Lar.

It's an interesting quest. As everyone is sick of hearing, I managed to buy some 60s silver sparkle Club Dates so I lost steam on the DIY wrap front. But I'd be super interested to hear of any inroads you might make. Maybe start with hex glitter instead of glass, as hex is cheaper and lighter in weight. And like I say if you could source that rigid packaging plastic....

Failing that, those who went the glitter-on-the-shell route with lacquer have had consistently excellent results, so I'd keep that method in reserve. Best of luck and thank you for the good words!

Mitch