Oct-12-2008

I took the 13" tom apart to clean and the good news is that shell is good solid condition. It's missing the bottom hoop and the bottom 6 lugs. The wrap is bad condition but I think I can bring it back to life. The edge is a full roundover. Can't wait to hear how it sounds.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop13007.jpg[/IMG]

The top hoop is badly pitted. I'm going to try to remove all the rust and see what chrome is left.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop13009.jpg[/IMG]

Maybe I'll found how much is to re-chrome it. The tension rods are straight but full of rust. some are missing their washers and some are not. The lugs are pitted/dirty but I think I can bring them to shine up again.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop13010.jpg[/IMG]

and here's the shell ready to be cleaned.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop13001.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop13003.jpg[/IMG]

the tom holder had a premier part screwed on top. I've removed it but I still don't what parts is this holder missing. still have some reading to do...

Oct-12-2008

The floor tom and bass drum shells have lots of small holes on the inside. A family of wood eating bugs lived there for a while. Apparently they've left. Spend some time filling all those little holes with wood filler on BD shell. Tomorrow I'll do the 16" shell and remove the glue from all those stickers from the bass drum.

[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop012.jpg[/img]

Spend around two hours, after lunch today, removing all that glue residues from the tom and floor tom and they look a lot better now. I like this wrap (what's the official sonor name?) but it will look even better after some polishing.

[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop011.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop013.jpg[/img]

Apparently this set has the older style BD cymbal holder and legs/spurs brackets. I can see it on the 1956 catalog but on the 1969 catalog they've already changed. So, is this is a pre 1969 set?

found three number stamp inside each shell.

BD - 405

FT - 408

TT - 401

the snare drum doesn't seem to have one.

This translates to:

BD - 1964 May

FT - 1964 August

TT - 1964 January

Oct-13-2008

I've been through the parts box that was found with the kit.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop024.jpg[/IMG]

Lots of unrelated parts but here's what I've found:

Bass drum spurs and tom holder bracket with reinforcement plate plus a bit off wrap.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop025.jpg[/IMG]

Some tension rods, some washers and (sonor's) swivel nuts.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop026.jpg[/IMG]

Snare muffler.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop029.jpg[/IMG]

Snare parallel strainer.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop030.jpg[/IMG]

1st stage of cleaning the bass drum is complete. here are some before and after shots. It will look even better after some polishing. :)

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop002.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop031.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop004.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop032.jpg[/IMG]

tomorrow I'll glue back the inlays and I have to find some rust remover!

Oct-14-2008

snare is cleaned. this is the drum with better chrome.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop034.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop035.jpg[/IMG]

and glued back the inlays.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop036.jpg[/IMG]

Oct-16-2008

still researching some info...

snare:

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/04_.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/05_.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/04-1.jpg[/IMG]

tom holder:

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/07_.jpg[/IMG]

Oct-16-2008

went to the hardware store to get some missing parts, got home and as I had a couple of 20" heads laying around I couldn't help myself and assembled the bass drum just to hear it.

Cleaned the inlays and the 1st stage of fixing that cigarette burn by the muffler nob is complete.

I still need to clean the spurs, claws, T-rods and to repaint the hoops. the threads on both spurs and tom holder are stripped so I'll have to redo those as well. Here's a before and after pics.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop002.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/sonorteardrop037.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/Sonorteardrop004.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/sonorteardrop038.jpg[/IMG]

and a frontal :cool:

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/sonorteardrop040.jpg[/IMG]

Oct-19-2008

I managed to "consolidate" those 16" hoops and although they're not like shiny new I can use'em to play the drum without getting rust/chrome all over the place. The finish is dull but while I find out about the re-chrome option locally the drum is playable once again.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/jcymbal/kits/sonor%20tear%20project/sonorteardrop048.jpg[/IMG]