Hey, how about a pic with all the drums that are done!

???????????????

The kit photo is the 'Grand Finale' I've been working towards for weeks. Why would I want to spoil the impact of the final reveal by posting photos of a 'partial kit' now? It would be tantamount to premature ejaculation. I'm not one of those guys. :p I still have to figure out how I'm going to deal with setting up the rack toms.

We're not there yet, Jeff. We're close, we're getting there... but we're not there just yet. Hang in there, one more drum to go.

John

The 11"

Here it is boys, the last drum! This one is another unique piece. It sports a heavy brass hoop, the same T-rods as the snare drum, clips and the same lugs as the other toms. The tone control has a 'butterfly' handle! (see photos) Inside is the same high quality build we've been seeing throughout the restoration. Black painted interior. The batter head is shot, but I think I can save the original tacked reso head, so that's a plus. I have already taken the drum apart and an 11" head is on the way. Shouldn't take longer than a day or two to finish the drum. (Hang in there, Jeff! lol)

Here are the 'before' photos of the 11". That batter hoop is going to be a real challenge. Stay tuned...

see below

Back to work...

John

Laughing H

You know John I was wondering how you were going to setup the 2 mounted toms. Quite the predinkymink. Oh maybe a nice 80's Pearl double tom mount front and center??? Like so many have done before us that we now get to fix. :D And kidding of course. Hope the 11" hoop comes out ok. It's in good hands.

BTW when I took the picture of Gus with the drums he looked at the 11" tom with the busted head. He told me we can't take a picture with the head like that so he turned it around so the tacked size was showing. :o Was kinda funny. :)

> Quite the predinkymink

No BS! One tom on a snare stand would be ok, two toms on snare stands will look terrible. Besides, I don't think I can get a snare stand basket to fold down enough to hold an 11" tom securely. I do have an alternative that would work, but it would mean using those sound-killing steel straps to do it. I really don't want to put those things back on the shells. I may have to however for mounting purposes. I'll let you know what I come up with. It is a problem though...

I'm running that rusty 11" hoop through the buffing machine... it's working! I 'think' I can save it. Funny about Gus turning the drum upside-down for the photo. :p

John

These drums have some serious mojo! Keep up the good work.

Thanks Curtis...

Here are some shots of the interior of the 11" tom and a couple of shots of the rusty, flaky hoop that is no longer rusty and flaky. 45 minutes at the buffing station to save this hoop! (see photos)

Amazing set of drums from top to bottom. This kit is bar none, the very best designed and built set of drums I have ever seen in 50+ years of drumming. I'm 'thinking' of re-tacking the head with a fresh piece of calf just so it matches the other toms perfectly. Just thinking about it, I may not bother. The head that's on there is fine, it's just badly stained in places. The hardware is in the tumbler and the shell has been polished. The new head is due to arrive on Thursday... shots of the completed drum then.

John

You know what's great? You can do that later, if and when you feel like it. If I had to bet I'd say yep, you're gonna re-tack that head. :)

Kit's going to be fantastic.

Thanks, Mitch. Now that the end of the restoration part is in sight, the problem of how to mount the rack toms looms large. I have a 60's MIJ dual tom mount T-bar with spade tom holders that I can mount on a cymbal base. It solves the problem of how to mount the toms, but the trade-off is; I have to replace those sound-killing steel bands with the spade holder back on the toms.

I will entertain any alternatives you guys can suggest. I - DO NOT- want to put those straps on my beautiful, resonant toms. Until I can come up with an alternate way to mount the rack toms, using the straps is the only fall-back position. Me no likey the option one f'n bit.

Ideas??????????????????????????

John

[COLOR="Red"]Problem solved!!![/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]In spades baby![/COLOR]

Looky what I invented to hold the two rack toms! see images below

Ha! The damn thing looks like it was custom made for the kit! Oh ye of little faith... I told you the Drum-Gods were looking over my shoulder. Somebody 'Up-There' wants this kit done right!

My thinking... I took a 60's MIJ dual tom holder and mounted it to the base of a Heavy-duty Rogers Swivo dual tom holder. The W&A drum straps/hoops fit perfectly and snugly onto the MIJ spade arms, they just slid right in. Like they were -intentionally- made for each other. The Rogers Swivo base is very heavy and gives the stand rock solid stability.

My work-around for the straps is; I'm going to line the inside of the metal straps (the part that comes into contact with the drum shell,) with a strip of felt! The felt lining will protect the wrap, and I think, it'll allow the shell to vibrate better than if it was metal to shell contact. I'm surprised they didn't line the straps themselves when they created the kit. Anyway, this is my solution to the tom mounting conundrum. And bloody brilliant it is even if I do say so myself. Sometimes I even manage to impress myself! LOL :p

My "FrankenMount" see images below

If my daddy could see me now! :D

John