I was wondering about how you were going to get the 14" and 16" to sit even if you found another cradle. Unless they are height adjustable. the hacksawed snare stand sounds good. Interested to see that.

John,

I also cut down a snare stand to use with a 14x12 WFL tom. Works just fine!

Here's a shot of the antique snare stand I found in one of the boxes:

see photo

The first problem I have to solve before it can be cut down is; the top part is rusted shut inside the bottom part! I can't pull it out to do the cuts no matter how much force I apply. There is an end cap on the bottom that is welded on, so I can't just tap out the top bar from the bottom of the stand. Any ideas? Help!

John

John, you shouldn't need to force it. Spray some WD40 or PB Blaster (penetrating oil) on the parts so that it wants to flow between the stuck pieces. (also put rags or cardboard down to catch any drips) It will take a little time but the oil will seep in and loosen the parts. If it's stuck real tight apply another shot of juice 30 minutes or so after the first shot.

Time and patience are as important as the lube. Spray it and go do something else!

I'll try it, Mick, but this sucker has been jammed all the way down into the bottom/stand part and it's probably been rusted shut like that for what? 70 years?! I'll let you know how the WD-40 treatment works. Thanks, good suggestion.

John

John PB Blaster like Mick said is better. There's also Kroil which is a good rust buster. That's what you need. The WD might not even phase the rust between the two. Soak the parts then lightly "tap" the tube with a drumstick. The shock of the hit helps "set" the fluid in place by jarring it slightly allowing it to get between the tubes. Step and repeat as needed. Depending on how bad it is it might need to sit a few days or week. But it will come out. Just let it do it's thing.

I'll Google to see where I can buy the Kroil, or PB Blaster locally. Thanks, Mick/Glenn.

John

I will add this John;

I know a lot of guys like vintage hardware to add to the vibe. My thought is that stand at least looks quite precarious. Vibe and mojo will mean nothing if your beautifully and painstakingly restored 14" comes tumbling down, possibly damaging the 16" and/or bass drum in the process. Also, will that stand get low enough when cut down? The tripod appears to be rather tall.

Thanks, Mick! The PB Blaster did the job in 30 minutes! The parts are just waiting to be cut.

Scott - It'll be fine. It's not a rickety stand at all despite appearances. I'll be adding new rubber on the arms and it'll be a lot more stable closer to the ground, than it would be if left tall. I'm going to make some careful measurements and I'll remove enough stem from the base and the basket rod to match the height of the 16" floor tom when the 14" is mounted. Photos to come when done.

John

I just posted a long, involved solution to your stuck stand issue...in the wrong thread. The one about the pedal you gave to ggd.

Glad to see the PB Blaster worked! Haha!