Theres the beauty of it, you learn something new every day! Great idea.

Chopsticks are almost always made of bamboo (and the grain would be perpendicular to the grain of the shell).

Unless you are trying to perform a quick patch job at a gig you're playing at a Chinese restaurant, I would stay away from this method.

Go with the method shown where you drill out an opening and fill it with a plug of appropriate density wood material. Sand it down from both sides and you've got an honest shell on your hands - not something that has been compromised.

Often times you'll find that the area where the lugs were attached to the shell have dented or left an impression in the shell. If you're re-covering the shell and you want a super-smooth surface, use Minwax wood filler( the kind that comes with a tube of hardener). It mixes and works like Bondo. It also works great for filling holes.. I always cover the outside surface of hole with masking tape and then, using a 1" flexible putty knife, apply the filler from the inside. Apply a little more than is necessary. The tape keeps the filler from oozing out to the outside of the drum. When the filler sets up (20 min), remove the tape, sand the interior smooth and you're ready to paint the interior and re-cover the exterior. A 2nd application MIGHT be necessary if you want it perfect. Be sure to use a sanding block on the exterior 80, then 150 grit.

I have to wonder over time if that method will fail. What is holding the filler in the shell? If its a wrap well I guess the outer material but if its not? I wouldn't count on the thin edge of the shell to hold the filler. Just my two cents.

The stuff bonds to the pores in the wood. It's worked for me for years.

I have a junior drum kit im building. My brother had these shells. 13"Ft, 12" snare, 8 and 6" toms. I have an old 16" Ft i am going to use as a bass. I am fixin to fill the holes for the floor tom leg brackets. I went to lowes bought me a set of forestner bits, but they didnt have the plug cutters, and neither did home depot, but they do have wood dowl rods. I bought 4 different sizes, 3/4.7/16, 1/2, 5/8" I think this will work just fine.

Ill be back!

Hey Poppy,

If you have a hobby lobby up your way they have dowel rods too...cheap. Bucket of mixed sizes, 1ft in length for like 2.99.

We do have a hobby lobby, unfortunatly they are closed on sundays, but I say "Good for them" Im closed on sunday too. The dowel worked fabulous. The forstner bit didnt work to well for me, since there's alread 6 3/8" holes there. The forsnter bit would be fine drilling a new hole. I drilled the hole out with a regular 3/8 drill bit. Cut about 6" of the 7/16" dowl rod off with some dikes. Chucked the 6" 7/16" dowel up in my drill and wrapped course sand paper around it and the drill sanded it down till it fit the hole real tight. Then, got a lil hack saw and applied it to the dowl and turned it with the drill to cut it off. taped the back side of the hole, filled the hole with tight bond dark wood glue and hammered the plugs in. It was a piece of cake. I believe i achieved the same results as Lucky did. If not, its pretty close.

After the glue dries I'll sand everything down real smooth.

Looks good. I've been leaving a little more nub on mine and then taking a hack saw blade because it's flexible and will curve with the drum and gently saw the dowel flush, then sand a little.