It's already been repaired once and failed. From the first photo; it looks like someone cut out a patch from the end of the drum (at least they removed an inner and an outer ply,) and then used filler. As you can see, the filler has failed. Here's a viable solution:

http://www.nuedg.com/

A good quality wood filler would take care of the sides, and once it's level with the rest of the edge, you can slap one of these pre-formed edges on it. If I was going to 'do it right' though, I would find an old shell of equal size and cut a patch to use. Level the old edge before adding the replacement ring. Slap (glue) on the NuEdge, clamp it up, let it dry and the drum should be good to go.

John

I just saw those replacement bearing edges for the first time yesterday. Pretty cool idea.

I had seen them before, but quite frankly had forgotten about them. I've got some shells that I think I'm going to try them out on...

Bill

Whatever method you choose, you may want to lacquer, polyurethane or otherwise seal and strengthen the wood at the site of the repair. I have used Minwax wood filler to cover larger holes in drums (such as a 7/8" Pearl Tom Arm hole). I always did little by little rather than one big glob at once (with tape on one side of the hole for a "backing"). I always polyurethaned the filler and the immediate vicinty around it, both inside and out. To me, this gives it 1. A lot more strength and 2.Helps it to better seal with the "real" wood around it. Point 2 might be more psychological than anything, but it works for me. Then you can just either wrap over it (or hide it with a RIMS mount). In your case John, there will be a head there, so no one will see it anyway.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice. Not sure what I am going to do with this yet. Might be selling it and the buyer had reservations because of the needed repair. I might try it out, but at least have expert advice for the next owner if I let him do it.

Gfreat advice about the Miniwax filler and Poly. That will be come into play with other repairs as well I am sure.

John

I use two part epoxy to repair damaged bearing edges. I haven't done one as wide and deep as your pic, but it should work. They sell many different kinds of epoxy. I use the slow setting kind, not fast set. I think the slow set is stronger. I have mixed sawdust from bearing edge recuts into the epoxy to give it that wood look, but it doesn't really help anything I don't think. Someone on a drum forum recommended mixing in sawdust. Anyway, apply it in stages, not all at once. The epoxy is very hard once set, and you can file it off or sand it down to roughly the contour of the edge. Since I built a bearing edge cutting table, I recut the entire edge of a repaired shell. The epoxy is so tough the router bit cuts it like cement, but doesn't break it away (so far anyway). I've never had a repaired edge fail, but I only started doing this a few years ago.

I agree you should seal the bearing edge of the entire drum once repaired and cut to profile. I use tung oil finish. It seals the pores in the wood so they won't dry out, sag, or otherwise allow moisture in. Oh yeah, they sell a "marine epoxy" which is for repairing boats. If it's hard enough for that task, should do a drum shell. I got this repair technique off a drum builders forum, can't remember which one now.

Thanks so much. I just sold it, though the new owner has been referred to this discussion. He may just go with a Nuedg, but nice to know that he will have options!

BTW, one last thing.....as you can see, this is a Yammy with chrome wrap on it. If he pulls that wrap off there, does anyone happen to know what the outer shell will look like? Pretty? Is this a Mahogany shell? Anyone know the wood composition of this shell? This is the model from the 80s that has the big YAMAHA going down the shell.

Thanks so much!

John