This is so true. I always scuff the back of drum wrap before I apply the adhesive. It does not like to stick to slick surfaces. I have learned that over the years being in the Auto Upholstery business for the last 4 decades. Installing vinyl tops on 100's of cars over the years along with all sorts of jobs that require contact adhesive. We also do commercial upholstery. We recover waiting room chairs that have wood stained arms that we have to be touch up. We wipe the area that need touching up with laquer thinner then spary stain over it. The clear on the stain wont accept the new stain unless we wipe it with thinner 1st.

Ya its pretty hard to stain over an already sealed surface. There is a lot more to know about finishing wood that most think.

JC, both of these kits look fantastic! I like the darker ones a little better though. Somebody said it looks like a pro job, and it absolutely does. But that's because it is a pro job!

I just did a similar Star kit, but I went with paint (before/after below). After materials and heads it cost me about $200 ($60 of that was heads) + my time. Now I'm about to trade the kit (3 drums + MIJ snare) for a 68' Supraphonic. I have some bubinga veneer waiting for the right project, and I will definitely be back to this thread for tips when I'm ready to do it.

Great job, thanks for sharing!

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Star%20Drums%20Restoration/IMAG0299.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Star%20Drums%20Restoration/270376_1442296554406_1742873912_740865_3231576_n.jpg[/IMG]

Potsy, thank you for the nice comments. Your job looks very nice also. I want to try a solid color lacquer sometime. If you need any advice send a pm.

Does CON-BON work for raw veneers, or just paper-backed? If it works, I might try it with my bubinga project. Also, where can you buy this stuff?

Con-Bon has changed its name to STA-PUT S200 It should work on both. Here is a link to the product,

http://www.itwtacc.com/products/index.cfm?product=STA'-PUT%20S200

I get it from Oharco Distributing out of Omaha Nebraska. The web site will stear you to a supplier. I think its about 8.00 for 17 oz ARESOLE can. I used one and a half cans of it to do the mahogany kit, 12,13,16,22" drums. I dont know how easy it will be to get but there are lots of products that will work. This is what my supplier recomended, 60% of their sales are laminates so they know what they are doing.I have heard of people using wood glue like tightbond 2 but I would think clamping would be difficult on a drum. I read a thread here on VDF that someone used wood glue and wraped shrink wrap around it for a clamp untill the glue set up. Clever idea but why? I guess it gives you some time to get the veneer on straight. With the contact cement you have one chance, once you touch the two surfaces together there is no turning back!