DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

Over the past few years, I've gotten a number of different inquiries from other Cafe members, about various aspects of "Do It Yourself" drum building.  Because of that, and because of the questions posted about some of my recent projects in the "Show us your..." thread, I thought I'd start a blog demonstrating some of what goes on in my projects.  Specifically, I thought I'd document the building of a bop kit, a project which I've recently undertaken. 

Please keep in mind, however, that there is no set timetable for this project.  Its progress is dependent entirely on my available time, and (perhaps most importantly) my budget, as I continue to amass the necessary parts for the kit.  I'll update this thread as needed, but don't be surprised if several weeks (or more) goes by between updates.  I'm going to include image files where appropriate, but they'll be posted as links, rather than embedded images, just to save download time and bandwidth.  As the kit nears completion, I'll also include audio files as warranted.

EDIT:  I probably should state that the goal of this blog is NOT to say "This is how you do it."  Rather, it's simply to illustrate some of the issues that can arise, and some of the creative choices that have to be made when designing and building a drum or drum set.  Most of the steps that I'm going to discuss have numerous "correct" solutions, depending on the builder's experience, and the desired final result.  Not for one moment do I mean to imply that anything I'm presenting here should be taken as the gospel truth - quite the contrary.

I'm not a professional drum builder, but please feel free to post any questions about this project.  I'll answer them as best I can.  Disclaimer:  while I hope that my experience can be of benefit to others who may want to try this sort of thing, please understand that I'm offering no guarantees of success for anyone else who undertakes their own DIY drum building projects.  Remember that this sort of thing takes practice, and I can't guarantee that something won't go wrong at some point - proceed at your own risk.  Plus, always keep in mind:  safety first!

The Starting Point

Most Cafe members know that I've built a number of "do it yourself" snare drums over the years.  I've been contemplating the building of a kit for some time now, but what kick started the project was this snare drum:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/5x16/5x16_070.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/5x16/5x16_070.jpg)

I was so pleased with the results, that I decided to start saving up the coin for a small kit.  To compliment the kit I currently own, I decided to make something more appropriate for straight-ahead jazz, in what are basically the traditional "bop" sizes:

7x10 and 8x12 mounted toms
14x14 floor tom
14x18 bass drum

(Is a 10" tom traditional for bop?  Not really, I guess, but that doesn't matter - I want one on the kit regardless.)  ;)

I debated my choice of shells (stave? segment? synthetic?), but I've opted to use Keller maple shells.  Part of the concern was budgetary, but I've heard enough great Keller shell kits to convince me that I'd be happy with the sound of my drums if I used Kellers.  The toms are six-ply, and the bass drum is eight-ply.  Here are the floor tom and bass drum shells in their "raw" form:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_001.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_001.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_002.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_002.jpg)

I've already completed the "matching snare" for this kit:  a 5.5x14 10-ply Keller maple:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/matchingsnare_021.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/matchingsnare_021.jpg)

I'm not sure exactly what hardware I'm going to use for the toms and bass, but it will be chrome to match the snare drum.

Color Schemes, Part I:  The Interiors

Even though I'll probably have coated heads on the toms and bass drum, given the "bop kit" designation, I decided to stain the interior of each shell, using a color called "fruitwood" (Cabot Stains, for those of you keeping score at home).  It goes well with the purple dye I'm going to use on the drums.  I haven't decided yet if I want to dye the bass drum hoops purple to match the shells, or if I want them to contrast, but if I do go with the contrasting look, I'll go with the fruitwood stain.  You can see the fruitwood stain on the interior of the tom shells, here:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_003.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_003.jpg)

It's only a slight difference from the raw maple, but I like the look of it better.

Following the application of the stain, I sealed the interiors with a few coats of danish oil.

Color Schemes, Part II:  The Exterior

I'm going to use the same dye that was used on the snare drum shown earlier in this thread:  an aniline dye sold by Drum Foundry (http://www.drumfoundry.com), called "Deep Violet."  I opted to use dye not only for the choice of color, but also because dyes tend to produce deeper, more vibrant colors than wood stains do.  In terms of the application process, however, it's the same as with stains:  a couple of applications rubbed in with a rag yielded this sort of look:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_003a.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_003a.jpg)

Personally, while the solid color is nice, I want the grain to show more on this kit, so a little light sanding was called for, using 220 grit, resulting in this:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_007.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_007.jpg)

After each round of sanding, I applied a light wash of the purple dye - a much thinner mix than the original dye - just to restore a bit more of the color, while still leaving the grain figuring visible.

At this stage, the color is still fairly light.  I've just started applying the gloss topcoat, and while I haven't built up enough to yield any glossiness to the finish, you can see what the resulting color of the drums will be:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_010.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_010.jpg)

The topcoat I'm using is a gloss wipe-on polyurethane, applied with a foam brush.  Many builders will use sanding sealer prior to applying the topcoat, to fill in the grain and smooth the surface of the shell, making it easier to get a mirror-gloss finish.  I'm going straight to the poly, using the first couple of coats of poly to serve the same function as the sanding sealer, since maple is a closed-pore wood and it doesn't take that much to fill in the grain.  (If I were working with a more open-pore wood like mahogany, I'd definitely use the sanding sealer first.)  After a few coats, I'll start the regimen of alternately applying coats of poly, then sanding inbetween coats to remove imperfections (sags, drips, etc.).

So, that's where things stand at this point.  I'll post new pictures once I've started to build up a nice gloss topcoat on each shell.  In the meantime, I need to finalize my hardware choices - and start saving up some money to buy said hardware. ;)

Thanks James for this info. I hope no one thinks this project shouldn't have its own thread. I love hearing about it because I've been wanting to build a bop kit myself for some time now.

So far I've been all talk and no action but I am a student with no money and nowhere to store another kit. But that shouldn't stop me, right?  ;D

I like the fruitwood stain a lot. I think that was a good choice, although I was skeptical as to its necessity before viewing the picture.

The purple will sure stand out among the traditionalists of the bop circuit. I played my first true bop kit last week (a Gretsch Catalina) and I loved the bass drum.

My vote goes to matching purple bass drum hoops, FWIW.

I'm excted to see your progress and, dangit, I'm gonna make my own soon if it breaks me!

Good luck!!

Thanks for the kind words.  I seriously doubt this thread will create anywhere near as much traffic as Chris Whitten's World Party tour diary, or Felix's threads about recording, but that's to be expected - those guys know more about those topics than I do about mine, and their topics are more relevant to most drummers here than my topic will be.  I just didn't want to co-opt an existing thread to share this information.


I'm just trying to be prepared in case I use clear heads in the future.  I'm probably going to build a matching 16x20 or 14x22 (or comparable) bass drum to go along with the 18, so I can get more mileage out of the kit than just using it on straightahead jazz gigs.  Given that, it's quite conceivable that the interiors might be visible sometime down the road, if I want to go with more of a pop/rock tuning and head choice.


I just applied another coat of poly, and the "gloss" look is starting to show:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_014.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_014.jpg)

Purple definitely is an unusual choice, but I think I'm benefitting from the darkness of this particular dye.  It's unusual, but not crass the way a really loud, bright purple could be.


I'm entertaining three options regarding the hoops:

1)  Matching purple on both sides of each hoop
2)  "Fruitwood" stain on both sides
3)  Matching purple on the exterior face of each hoop, and the fruitwood stain on the interior face of each hoop.

I'm leaning towards either #1 or #3.  I still need to buy the hoops, so I've got time to figure that out.

James, I couldn't tell, but the bearing edges seem "flat". Are they already cut or will that be done once this is completed? If they will be cut later, will you do that and what angles are you planning to use?

Good eye!  The edges haven't been cut yet - they're still "flat."  The edges will be shaped after everything else is done.  That way, I don't have to worry about keeping the edges protected during finishing and drilling - not as much, at least.

The shells arrived already cut to my chosen depths, and only required a bit of sanding before I applied the stain (some shells needed more sanding than others).  With those steps out of the way, my basic schedule is as follows:

1)  Stain/finish the interiors
2)  Dye/finish the exteriors
3)  Do the layout and drilling for the hardware
4)  Shape the edges

I'm going to do my own edges, and I'm still undecided as to what shape(s) to use.  On the two snare drums pictured earlier in this thread, I actually shaped the edges by hand with a rasp/file (kids, don't try this at home!); if I opt for a rounded outer edge, I'll probably do that again.  However, my father recently gave me a bunch of his power tools, including a router and router table, and I plan to spend some time practicing my edgework on some scrap shells I've got.  Assuming that I can develop my "chops" with the router, I may use that to cut the edges, especially if I want a sharper angle to the cut. 

The edge shapes I'm considering:

1)  Bass drum:  will probably be a roundover cut, either a full roundover, or with a 45 degree (?) countercut from the inside edge

2)  Toms:  either a full roundover, a roundover with a countercut, or a 45-degree cut from the outer edge, so that the peak will be in line with the inner ply of the shell.  The idea behind that last option is to give a bit of a "timpani" effect to how the head seats, like Premier's undersized shells.  Or, maybe I'll mix it up - rounded edges on top for a "warm" sound, and a sharp cut on the reso side to maximize sustain (minimal contact between the head and shell).

I'm leaning towards the full roundover on all of the drums, but like everything else, I'll probably decide that at the last possible minute.  ;)

Then let me alter my vote to choice #3. That would look very nice.


I started a thread about this idea a few months ago, intrigued by the potential versatility of this idea. If you go that route, I'd be particularly interested in hearing what you think of the edges done differently between the batter and reso.

I remember that thread.

The convenient thing is, I'm planning on using Pearl ISS mounts on the kit (perhaps changing to something else down the road, but I'll be using the ISSs to start), so once everything is asssembled it would be very easy to flip the rack toms around and see what difference (if any) there is with differently-shaped edges serving as the batter side edge in each case.

Great thread man.

I'd probably go with #3.

That kit is gonna sound and look GREAT.  I think you are going to be very happy with it.  Have you thought of some cool badging for it??? ;D

Awesome job bro.   8)

LOL

Naw...I'm not creative to come up with a cool badge, and I wouldn't want to put a badge on the drum unless it's cool.   ;)  If anything, I might put a small piece of parchment on the inside of each shell, a la Gretsch and Rogers, but since I'm building these drums for myself, I probably won't bother.  Unless I go into business selling drums (which I really REALLY doubt will ever happen), I'm not really going to worry about badging my instruments.

FWIW, I think I've decided what hardware I'm going to use on the project.  While I'm not aiming for any sort of "vintage look" with this kit, I do like the classic look of these bass drum claws:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bc07_400.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bc07_400.jpg)

...and I'm going to go with these single-point lugs on the toms and bass, which have about a 1/2" footprint on the shell:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/item2.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/item2.jpg)

I'm going with the single-point lugs for a few reasons, including: 

1)  I like the way they look
2)  I've used them on one or two other projects, and they work great
3)  unlike most other lugs, I only need to drill one hole for each of these lugs.  If I went with lugs with two mounting screws, that would be 56 more holes to drill (12 per rack tom, 16 each on both the floor and bass), and less drilling means less work.  I'm lazy - what can I say?  ;)
4)  they're small, so I'll be able to show off as much of the finish as possible.  Yes, I'll have to be careful moving the drums around, and the finish will probably get dinged up a bit here and there (it's unavoidable), but I can live with that.  I'm careful with my gear, and I don't foresee this kit going on any world tours.  ;)
5)  If money wasn't an issue, I'd probably outfit the drums with a set of Ego (http://www.egodrumsupply.com) "well-rounded" or "flat top" lugs (similar to the double-ended lugs on the 14" snare drum pictured above).  Unfortunately, they're kind of pricey (great lugs, but expensive), and that would add another $150 or so to the project, which I can't quite swing at this time.  However, since the Egos are also single-point lugs, I'll have the option to replace these less expensive lugs with them at a later date, without having to drill any additional holes, and without having any extra holes left over.

For the rack tom mounting system, I'm going to use a Pearl-style double tom mount, and Pearl ISS mounts.    With the Pearl tom/BD mount, if I opt for a four-piece kit, I can always put a cymbal arm attachment in the second mounting hole for my ride, which will be convenient if I need to minimize the kit's onstage "footprint" or if I want to cut down on setup time (or schlep one less stand) for a given gig.

I've heard some of the horror stories about the ISS mounts allegedly damaging counterhoops or adversely affecting tuning, but I'm basing my decision in part on the experiences of the drummer in my vibes trio.  He has been using them on his bop kit for about a decade, with no ill effects.  However, just to hedge my bets, I plan on leaving plenty of space between the lugs and hoops when I drill, so I can always pop a couple of RIMS mounts on the rack toms at a later date.

The tom hoops will be 2.3mm chrome counterhoops, primarily because I was able to pick up a bunch at a really good price a few years ago, and I've already got 'em in hand.  At some point, I'll probably try die-cast hoops on the toms, but I need to rein things in for the sake of my budget, for the time being at least.

The floor tom is going to have legs, not a RIMS cradle, and the spurs are going to be fairly hefty Pearl-style, just in case Mister_Acrolite ever needs to borrow the kit.  ;D  Actually, once the drums are completed, I'm probably going to pick up some "pop/fusion"-appropriate bass drum heads, not just "jazz-friendly" heads, just to see what kind of thump I can get out of this bass drum.  I heard a recording recently of Ari Hoenig on a 12/14/18 kit, and he got a phenomenal "fusion" sort of sound out of the kit.  Granted, it was a studio recording, but still, if I can get a useable sound of that sort out of this drum, I'm going to want to be able to lay into the bass drum and not have it slip-sliding all over the place.

Good choice on those lugs; those are classy and I've always wondered why more drum companies (except, I think, Spaun) don't use them. Simple and unobtrusive.

If it were me I'd do all the hardware in brass because the purple/brass combo would be stunning, but I know that's another added expense.

I once added an aftermarket ISS mount to an old rack tom, and had absolutely no trouble with it. It did in fact drastically improve the sound of the drum and did not damage the hoop.

About the badges: I bet someone here at the cafe could help you out desiging some badges, if you were so inclined. I always thought the best place to get them physically made would be at a trophy shop. Has anyone here done that?

I love coming back to this thread. Please keep us placated with photos. Perhaps the demand here will cause you to work harder on your project...

Long story short: some of the parts I've already bought for the kit (including many parts for the 14" snare drum linked above) were only available to me in chrome, so I'm going with chrome throughout.  I thought briefly about doing the tom and bass lugs in brass, to serve visually as highlights against the chrome and purple, but even though some brands have done that to good effect (Yamaha, Canopus, a.o.), I like the consistent look more - either all brass, or all chrome.

I do agree, however, that brass-on-purple is a very slick color combination, as evidenced by these "drum jewelry boxes" I made for my nieces a few Christmases back:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/jewelboxes/jewelbox8.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/jewelboxes/jewelbox8.jpg)

However, it's not like chrome-on-purple doesn't look good.  ;)


Cool - it's always good to get corroborative evidence!  :)


Trophy shops certainly are one of many sources for that sort of thing.  However, I'm not going to pursue the badge idea unless I decide to turn pro.  If I'm going to design a badge, then I need to have a company name for it, and in turn I'd need to research the name and make sure that no other company is already using it, etc., etc., etc.  It's simply beyond the scope of what I'm doing.

Are you going to vent your shells?  And just pop a grommet in them with like an iron cross, phallic symbol, ankh, cookie monster stickers or something equally unique, maybe a chrome over plastic "Jamez" or "JW" something would be cool too. 8)

I wouldn't skimp on the quality of your lugs and inserts.  I'd just hold off until you can swing the 350 bucks for the ego lugs.  But ultimately it's your kit  :-\ ;D  I like those lugs on your snare btw.  Pretty unique.

You are basically making your own DW kit.  Pretty cool.  Are you able to divulge what kind of cost you are going to have in this project or is that taboo to discuss???  I understand if you don't want to.  But it sure will be cool.

Wait.  Felix is the one on the right?   ;D


JW - on the Keller shells, do you have them drilled or do you do your own drilling?

I'm going to do my own layout and drilling.  I've found it easier to do the finishing first, and then drill, rather than having the shell drilled first.  It's not unheard of, however, to drill prior to finishing, or to have the shells drilled for hardware by the supplier.  One just has to be careful, in that case, not to let the stain or dye used on the exterior leak through the drill holes onto the interior ply.  That's the nice thing about the DIY drum building industry - one can have as much, or as little, of the work done as they wish.  Do you feel confident about doing a nice danish oil finish, but you don't feel comfortable drilling holes or cutting edges?  Have 'em done for you!  :)

However, I have to break in my newly acquired drill press!  Boys and their toys...   :D

Actually, this thread will start to get interesting around the time I start the layout and drilling.  There will be much more to discuss, and IMO much more interesting photographs to be shown.  Right now, it's poly...sand...poly...sand...poly...sand ........which in terms of posting updates is precisely as interesting as watching paint dry, and slightly more interesting than watching grass grow.  ("Hey, everyone, look at this!  Jim has posted yet ANOTHER picture of four partly-finished shells with no hardware!")  However, the gloss is starting to build, slowly but surely, even tho it's not all that smooth yet:

10" tom and floor tom:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_016.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_016.jpg)
bass and 12" tom:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_017.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_017.jpg)

That floor tom shell really is going to be the "looker" of the bunch.  The wood grain figuring on that shell is amazing - the photo doesn't do it justice.

Let's hope I don't screw it up. ::)

That is a pretty good price point for a custom drumset.

The DW line was a compliment- whenever I see a glossy "trans" finish they always come to mind since I think they are the best at doing it.

Yeah, Holly was a sweetheart.  Last I heard she was dancing.  Definitely one of my favorite fans over the years.

Ok looking good.  Best of luck to you.

Agreed on that last point, and thanks - I actually did take the comment as it was intended.  I just chuckled when you mentioned that particular brand, since those two little letters seem to be so incendiary on so many drum forums (including this one, from time to time).  Their finishes certainly are a benchmark for that sort of deep gloss finish, and any such comparison is taken as a compliment, in my book at least.

James, I gotta say, your finishes look beautiful.  8)
I agree whole heartedly with felix on the DW comment.

I can't wait until you start the layout for the drilling.  I'll have some questions for you then.

Great thread James! Thanks for taking the time to share this project with us. I'll look forward to reading your ongoing updates.

Re Felix's question on cost, fwiw, I recently did a price-check when I was considering having a snare drum built to my specs -- no costly wood-finishing work involved, staining, etc... I was just considering a black abalone wrap.

Here's the breakdown, and the total cost, $465.70.

(Gives a feel for how all of the small bits begin to add-up, even without the high cost of interior and exterior wood finishing.)

Snare Shell   
Keller 6x14 8-ply w/bearing edges cut   $55.00
Drilling layout   $20.00
Drilling lugs   $15.00
Drilling air-vent   $1.00
Drilling strainer/butt   $12.00
Snare bed   $20.00
Install drum covering   $22.00
Covering: prl24 Black Astral Abalone   $76.50
subtotal   $221.50


Snare Hardware   
Lugs   $20.00
Lug screws   $3.00
Vent grommet   $3.00
Snare wires   $25.00
Snare strap   $2.00
Tension rods   $9.20
Die cast hoops   $90.00
Trick Strainer/Butt plate GS007BK   $70.00
Batter head   $12.00
Snare side head   $10.00
subtotal   $244.20


Grand Total   $465.70

JW,

GREAT THREAD!!!!  I've built a couple of drums and a cajon myself. 

This process has really helped me with regards to buying quality drums at great prices.

My next endeavor is - customizing cymblas - YUMO!!

Cool James!  Thanks for taking the time to document this project. 




Whoa there Chris, I don't know you at all and I don't want to insult your intelligence, but make sure you research the heck out of that before you mess with your pies.  It's far more complicated than I ever imagined.  Check out our brothers over at cymbalholic.com for more information about cymbals than you can possibly imagine. 

I think you're going to love those lugs James.

As I'm sure you recall, I had used the same on my kit that I built over the early months of last year.

http://www.drummercafe.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,19/topic,18936.0 (http://www.drummercafe.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,19/topic,18936.0)

The gloss on the purple looks great already.

Takes some time though, doesn't it?

During the endless finishing process, I kept hearing myself mutter "I'm soooo glad this is not a 26" bass drum."  :-X

An 18 was hard enough.  ;D

Awwwwww, yeah - now THERE'S a kit with cool badges!!!  ;D :o 8)

John Riolo used to offer a single-point, double-ended version of the lugs I'm using on this kit.  I don't know why, but they have been unavailable for several years now.  They were perfect for piccolo snare drums, but if they're not available, they're not available.   ::)


I know.  I keep thinking to myself, "Geez...do I really want to add a 20" or 22" kick to this set?"  The idea of adding an 8" tom instead is growing in its appeal!   ;D 

When I was working on the 16" snare drum (mentioned earlier in this thread), I definitely noticed the additional time necessary, vs. working with a 14" shell.  Every time I sanded the shell or applied dye or poly, I felt like a little kid in the back seat of the family car:  Are we there yet?!?!?  LOL

I know just what you mean. 

Like Clinton said...

(http://www.murdophoto.com/personalities/images/Bill%20Clinton.jpg)

"I feel your pain."  ;)

But, as you know. It's certainly worth it.

It helps to listen to new music whilst you labor.

For some reason, NPR comes in really well (reception wise) in my basement.

I listened to a whole lotta NPR during that time.  ;)

Absolutely!  Recently, I've been indulging myself with some Keith Jarrett Trio (featuring Mr. DeJohnette) to make the time go a bit more enjoyably (if that's a word!).  I think I'll dial up some Roy Haynes for the next phase of the project, or maybe some Brian Blade.  ;)

Anyway...back to the updates.

I'm still waiting on the hardware (lugs, etc.), but that's OK.  Even though I think I'm finished applying the poly topcoat, I want to give it at least a few days (if not longer) to cure before I start marking the shells with the layout for drilling.  I took the shells outside this morning, to get some decent pictures taken.

floor tom:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_025.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_025.jpg)
bass drum:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_026.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_026.jpg)
12" tom:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_028.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_028.jpg)
10" tom:  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_029.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_029.jpg)
"family portrait":  http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_031.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_031.jpg)

(For those of you keeping score, this is after ten coats of polyurethane.)

For better or for worse, my photos aren't detailed enough to show the little flaws in the finishes - the things that separate my finishes from the pro's.  Whenever I finish a drum, I usually end up reaching a point of diminishing returns, where I'm not really improving the product no matter how many times I repeat the sand/poly cycle.  This is my Achilles' Heel where this sort of project is concerned.  Usually, I can get things to the point where you can't see the flaws 'til you get a foot or so away from the shell.  One of these days, I'm going to take some refresher woodworking and wood finishing courses, to try and "raise my game" that much further, but that's another story for another time.

I also compared one of the tom shells to the matching snare drum I completed about a month ago.  They're pretty close - close enough for my purposes, at least:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_024.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_024.jpg)

I was a bit nervous, mixing a new batch of dye for the tom and bass shells, but things seem to have worked out pretty well in terms of matching things up.

Next up, we get to the fun stuff:  marking the drums for layout, and drilling.  I'm also going to have to decide exactly what I want to do in terms of mounting the rack toms.  The idea of keeping the bass drum "virgin" is starting to intrigue me. 

EDIT:  Just because I know how important this thread is to everyone (that's meant with good-natured sarcasm, BTW), I'll mention that I've made one slight change to the plans for this kit.  Rather than use the ISS mounts, I'm going to go straight to the RIMS mount option - no passing GO, no $200, etc. - just because I stumbled across a really good deal on a set of 10" and 12" RIMS mounts. 

That's no condemnation of the ISS mounts, tho - I've got something else in mind for at least one of the ISS mounts I've got.  Stay tuned. ;)

Hey James,

You'll have to judge whether or not it's cool, but here's a badge I made for ya, just for grins ;D

Btw, your new pics look killer!

(http://anderson-media.com/BAJamesWalkerLogo.gif)

Very cool!  If I ever take the plunge, you're hired!  :D

That's pretty good Byron.

J Walker- he he he.  I like it!

Well Jim, you could always sand everything down again go for coats of laquer.

Yum...

Looking at those shots, I find myself dreaming that those beautiful shells would likely taste like a delicious grape lollipop.

 ;)

yeah, really... jeez those are turning out great.  Retract my last statement. :-X

Thanks, guys.  Your kind words are appreciated.

Re: the badge - I'm surprised nobody has tried to photoshop the "DW" logo into a "JW" logo.  Copyright infringement, anyone?  ;D

FWIW, the lugs and bass hoops are on the way, so layout and drilling should begin in a few days, once the finish has a chance to cure.  On the bass hoops, I think I'm going to go with the purple finish on both sides.  I think it'll look better with the coated reso head I plan to use on the bass drum; if I were going to use a clear reso head, I'd go with the fruitwood stain on the interior to match the interior of the shell.  (With the holiday, however, I probably won't take delivery of the hoops 'til Tuesday or Wednesday - plenty of time for me to change my mind yet again!)

I've also decided to keep the bass drum virgin, for two reasons.  One is purely cosmetic - it's a pretty shell, and I don't want to cover up the finish.  The second reason is functional.  I want to be able to use the 16" snare drum as a primary snare with this kit, and what I've found with my 14x22 bass is when I set up the 16, it's tough to sit close enough to the bass drum pedal, with the 10" rack tom in the same place it always is.  If I have the toms mounted on cymbal stand brackets, it'll be very easy to move the toms back to make room for the snare, without having to move the bass drum further away from me.  Plus, with the money I'll saving by not having to buy a tom mount for the bass drum, I'll be able to upgrade the floor tom brackets and bass drum spurs from what I had originally planned to use.

While working on the finish has been fun (challenging, and sometimes tedious, but nonetheless fun), I'm looking forward to the layout and drilling, and especially working on the bearing edges.  Making the drums look pretty is nice, but it'll be refreshing to deal with things that will affect the sound of the drums as well.  (I'm trying to keep in mind my "signature quote" below as I work on this project.)

Well this thread is making me get all girly again ::)... ooooo, I looove the purple finish!! That is an amazing color-wow! I could imagine it w/ brass too--very nice...oh well... I was going to suggest badges w/ "JW" on them, bit of a play on dw...but byron came thru beautifully! You ought to take him up on those, James!
 Beautiful job, very interesting thread--thanks! :)

And I looove those cute jewelry boxes you made too! Ooooo!! ;D

robyn

This is not meant to compete with Byron, but out of sheer boredom I thought I'd have a go at a badge myself. It was too late to do the JW/DW logo, although that is a funny idea.

My badge:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v40/chillman4130/walker.jpg)

I kind of like the "J Walker" one. . .   although it does sort of imply that he's committing a misdemeanor.

I can't resist, and I needed something to do while the coffee was brewing earlier this morning.

(http://www.malletjazz.com/cafefiles/apologiestoDW.jpg)

(Apologies to anyone and everyone affiliated with Drum Workshop.)

Nice!

Interesting though - as soon as that logo appeared people started bashing your company.   ;D

Fun! 

I'd like to put a badge on my soon-to-be-assembled snare and I was looking at manufacturers to see about making a few.  I tried one and the quote for the badge was more than the drum itself.  Does anyone here have the capability of creating a single metal badge with something on it???

Cool badges Chris and James!  8)

Dave, I'm still working on the marketing tag-line for "J-Walker Drums"; I'm thinking along the lines of something like this:

"Violating Pedestrian Drum Concepts!"

I'm still fine-tuning the campaign, but you can imagine there would be some drum-mayhem involved! Lol! ;)

James, I've gotta hand it to you, doing ten coats of polyurethane and the sanding routine on four big drums, and having them turn-out so beautifully is a wonderful accomplishment! I did my one wimpy little snare project, and I decided that was enough work for me.  :o

Perhaps something that incorporates the phrase "crossroads of innovation"?  :)

Well, thanks for your kind words, but at the moment my patience is being tested.  I'm going to have to sand down some of the poly on the floor tom shell - not all the way down to the wood itself, fortunately, but just to get out some ickiness in the most recent coats.  After I took the pictures linked above, I took a look at the shell and decided that I couldn't live with the flaws that were there - a couple of sags in particular.

Big mistake.

I've been going at it on and off for a few days now, and it seems like each step is coming out worse than the last - every time I sand down the existing flaws and reapply the poly, more flaws appear with that next coat.  This morning, I ended up not only with an equal number of sags as before, but also with a bunch of small air bubbles.

To quote Otto in A Fish Called Wanda, "DISAPPOINTED!!!!"   ::)


So, I'm going to give this last (failed) attempt at least a day to dry thoroughly, then I'm going to sand down and build up another couple of coats.  I may wait a few months after this is done before I start working on a 20" or 22" bass drum for the kit.   :-\

Next drum set I build, I do a satin finish.  This gloss business is giving me agita.   :-X


One step at a time boys - one step at a time.  ;D

Well Chillman gets my vote--that's real classy!

Hang in there James. When they turn out looking like the snare you did :o, you're gonna be mighty happy.

robyn

Bummer James, hang in there!

Have you read the article at drummaker.com:

http://www.drummaker.com/bigfred/snare101.htm (http://www.drummaker.com/bigfred/snare101.htm)

"...there are different ways to apply Urethane, you can spray it, or brush it, or if you can find it, in a spray can. If you choose to brush it on you will be doing a lot more sanding. You could also use a good spray lacquer in a can if you go that route. I'm going to spray it with a spray gun cause I have one and a air compressor also! (Picture 10) This is a automotive touch up gun. I paid something like $30.00 for it at Northern tool and Equipment Co. They have a store here in my home town. It has been a very good investment as I have used it to refinish furniture as well as the drums."

(http://www.drummaker.com/bigfred/spray01.jpg)

Thanks.  I just sanded down almost (but not quite) to the wood itself, and I've started building it back up.  In the meantime, I've got some Mike Stern cranked up pretty loud just to "get it out of my system," if you know what I mean.  ;)


Thanks, but I'm going to stick with the process I know, flawed as it may be.  It turned out pretty well originally, on this shell and the others - it's just that I couldn't leave well enough alone, I couldn't accept this shell as being "good enough," and I did something to botch things up.  I don't know if I didn't let a coat dry long enough or what, but there was something FUBAR at some point.

I've tried spray poly before, and I'm even less skilled at that.  "Orange peel" city, and that meant even more sanding for me than wipe-on or brush-on techniques.

As I mentioned before, however, this is probably my last gloss project for a while.  Satin oil finishes are s-o-o-o-o much easier to deal with.

Spoken like a true musician!  8)

Naw - just an obstinate old you-know-what.  ;D

Not much new to add to the blog, other than this quick update:  the hoops arrived earlier today.  I've opted for...which number was it?  Purple on both sides.  I just started applying the poly earlier this evening, so it'll take a while yet before the gloss is built up, but judging from the look of the hoops while the poly is still wet, it looks like the hoops will match the bass drum shell (big sigh of relief!).

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_033.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_033.jpg)

And for those of you keeping score at home, the 14x14 tom shell is well on the road to recovery (road to refinishing?) - it just needs one or two more coats of poly to get where it needs to be.  It ain't perfect (my digital camera hides a fair number of flaws that are visible up close), but it'll do:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_032.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_032.jpg)

The lugs should arrive in a few days.  If I can get the poly-ing done soon, I should be able to start doing the layout and drilling, maybe as early as this weekend.  The only thing that might slow me up:  I saw a picture yesterday of a bop kit that had Yamaha "Recording Custom" bass drum spurs on it, and man - what an inspired choice!  They have such a clean look, and cover up even less of the shell than the Pearl-style spurs seem to do.  (I haven't taken measurements, tho, but it strikes me that way at first glance).  I'm going to have to do some searching, see if I can come up with a set somewhere...not that the Pearl-style spurs are a bad choice by any stretch of the imagination, but those Yammy spurs would be perfect...

Stay tuned...  ;)

This thread is a great read Mr Walker...I plan on on building my own kit shortly and reading about some of the problems you've gone through should be a help...Thanks

Good job.  I enjoy reading about your work.  I still think about how great your snares look.

Layout (marking for drilling)

Well, if the good folks at FedEx (and their online tracking system) are to be believed, then I should take delivery of the remaining parts for my kit sometime tomorrow.  With that in mind, I've begun marking the layout for drilling.  (The drilling itself, however, will wait until I've got all of the parts in hand, just to be safe.  I want to make sure that everything is where it's supposed to be, before I start putting a drill to my shells.)

I took a few photos as I worked on the 8x12 tom shell.  To start, I know that I want to hide the seam on the shell's exterior ply, using the RIMS mount to camouflage it.  I then took a moment to decide which side of the shell I wanted facing out towards the audience.  Yeah, it's only a cosmetic issue, but why not take a moment to get it right?

Once that was done, I ran some blue painter's tape around what will be the batter side bearing edge.  Why the top?  No reason, other than it's what I usually do, and I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to this sort of thing.  The more consistent my process is, the less likely I am to botch something along the way.

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_034.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_034.jpg)

Why tape?  Using the tape allows me to write on the shell and mark where I'll be drilling, without actually writing on the shell itself.

To mark the lug spacing on snares and toms, I'll use the counterhoop as a starting point.  Using the ears of the hoop, I'll mark out where the lugs should lie around the circumference of the shell.

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_035.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_035.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_036.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_036.jpg)

At this stage, I'll double check the dimensions by measuring between each of the marks with a flexible tape measure.  I'll mark each distance on the shell, and if there are noteworthy discrepancies, I'll adjust things as needed to make sure the distance between lugs is consistent throughout.

I also number the marks for the lugs, in this case 1 through 6.  On a tom, it's not as critical, but it's a holdover from working on snare drums, where there are various components that fit between the lugs.  Numbering the lug markings just helps me to keep my place, and keeps me from putting something where it isn't supposed to be.

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_038.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_038.jpg)

Once I've double- (and triple-) checked all of my measurements, I'll run a strip of tape down vertically from each mark, and using a square, I'll run a vertical line down perpendicular to the edge of the shell.  This gives my vertical reference to make sure the two rows of lugs are aligned properly.  Then, I'll mark exactly where I want to drill each hole.  In this case, the lugs are going to be mounted two inches from the edge.  Since the shell is eight inches deep, I'm marking down two inches and six inches from the top.  (Then, even though we're talking about elementary school math, I'll measure from the other edge to confirim the two inch distance for those lugs.)

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_040.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_040.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_041.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_041.jpg)

I then did the same thing for the bass drum shell.  The only difference was, I can't use a counterhoop as my starting point - I'm using wood hoops with claws.  So, I had to do it the old fashioned way:  math.  I measured the outer diameter of the shell, using my tape measure, to determine the radius and do the calculations to figure out the circumference.  Keep in mind that drum shells are a bit undersized, so even though this is an 18" drum shell, iit's not as simple as plugging the number "18" into the formula.  Once I got my measurement and calculated the circumference, I divided that number by eight (for the eight lugs I'm going to use on each head), and that gave me my lug spacing.

On the bass drum, I want to hide the seam by having it on the bottom of the drum as it's set up.  I took my newly-calculated distance between lugs, divided it in half, and measured out that far in either direction from the seam.  This placed the seam exactly halfway between lugs on the bottom.  Then, I started marking out the distances for each lug.  Fortunately, my math was correct, and I was able to situate all of the lug markings on the first try, with the distances all equal.  (That prompted the throaty baritone "YESSSS!!!" that some of you in the tri-state area probably heard about 7:45 this evening.)  ;D

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_043.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_043.jpg)

I've put down some extra tape in the approximate locations where the spurs will be mounted.  I'm going to wait before marking them, however - I want to assemble the drum after drilling for the lugs, just to confirm exactly where I want to have the spurs - how far up the shell, and how far back from the front head.  I'm also waiting before I mark the drill holes for the lugs on this shell.  The bass drum heads should be arriving tomorrow, and I want to do a test fitting - something tells me that the 4-1/2" tension rods that I'm planning on using are going to be too long.

Next up:  marking the layout for the floor tom lugs, and then let the drilling commence!

Assembly

More details to follow, but I've got all the drilling done, and did a rough assembly to make sure that everything fits together properly.

(http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_054.jpg)

Rack toms:
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_050.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_050.jpg)

Floor tom: 
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_051.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_051.jpg)

I'll start in on the edgework tomorrow...RIMS mounts are due to arrive on Monday.  Hopefully, I'll have the drums up and running soon thereafter. 

Will you be using a hairdryer to seat the heads?   ;D

The kick drum looks especially nice to me.

I bet you are really getting the itch to play these babies.

Looking good! Very ... regal.

Did you consider going clawless on the BD?

I haven't had a hair dryer in the house for over a decade - Mother Nature long ago saw to it that I don't need one.  ;)


It definitely turned out to be the prettiest drum of the bunch.


BINGO! 

Patient guy that I am, I went ahead and cut the edges this evening...then I borrowed the RIMS mounts from the 10 and 12" toms on my Ludwig kit.  It's a little late to really play tonight, but I did get to tap them a little bit.  So far, so good.  Pix and sound files to follow shortly.


Thanks!  It's a fairly dignified shade of purple, unlike...oh, let's say the character in my avatar!  ;)

The lugs that are on the toms and bass drum, are also available in brass.  I didn't think I'd want to do it, but the more I look at it, the more I'm cottoning to the idea of replacing these lugs with their brass counterparts.


Clawless...do you mean with "bass drum hoop lugs" a la Adonis or Ego?  I did, as I was considering outfitting the entire kit withe Ego lugs, but budgetary concerns put the kaibosh on that plan.

More blog stuff to follow in the next day or so...

Wow--you've been really moving along on this project! I thought I remembered from one of your first posts that we might expect several weeks' time in between posts.
 They do look splendid! I really like that color. A lot!

robyn

The drum looks great...It may just be the angle of the photo, but it looks like you need some gaskets on those bass drum lugs...

Thanks, Robyn!

Yeah, the timetable definitely was quicker than I originally expected.  What really helped the cause, financially speaking, was deciding to stick with the virgin bass drum.  That saved me about $85 right there for the bass drum tom mount alone.  I also got a good deal online for some slightly used 18" bass drum heads - three for $30 shipped, rather than having to pay $60+ for two new ones.

OK, back to the blog stuff...

There isn't that much to report regarding the drilling.  Once the layout is done, the drilling is fairly straightforward.

Once I took delivery of the remaining parts, I was able to double check a few things before drilling.  One which I mentioned earlier was deciding where I wanted to set the lugs on the bass drum.  I had originally planned on borrowing some 4-1/2" tension rods from another bass drum, but when I fit the parts together and saw where the lugs would end up, I very quickly went with Plan B and used some 2-1/2" tension rods I had sitting around.

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_045.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_045.jpg)

With this change, it actually worked out that all of the lugs on the toms and bass drum would be set two inches down from the edge of the shell.  I was able to use a drill press for the lug holes, and I clamped a piece of wood in place to keep the 2" distance consistent.  This way, all I had to worry about was centering the drill hole on the guideline.

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_046.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_046.jpg)

I also had to mark the layout for the bass drum spurs.  Nowadays, some drum parts suppliers include layout templates for parts like spurs, but since I'm pirating a set of spurs from another bass drum, I had to make up my own after taking measurements from the spurs themselves.  Looking back at it, I think I continued my tradition of making things more complicated than they really need to be. 

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/spur_layout.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/spur_layout.jpg)

It looks overly complicated, but I was able to take those numbers and mark the shell accordingly, and I only had to enlarge one drill hole per spur to make things fit, using a rat tail file:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_052.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_052.jpg)

(Looks like something from Roswell...)

For the edgework, I used about a 45-degree cut on both sides.  On the toms, I cut about three plies in from the exterior edge, and one ply from the interior edge, leaving a "flat" of about two plies.  On the eight-ply bass shell, I cut three plies in from each direction, again leaving a flat of two plies.  I then rounded the cuts slightly with sandpaper.  I didn't want to make the edge too sharp - I don't want endless amounts of sustain, especially in the bass drum.

As noted way back in this thread, I did the unthinkable and cut the edges by hand, with a rasp and file.  I do not recommend this method to anyone reading this thread - if I had router table "chops," I would have used a router table.  It's just that at this point in my development, I have a lot of confidence in my skills working with a rasp, and barely any experience with a router, so I went with what I know.  Fortunately, on each of the shells the plies were quite visibly distinct from one another, and I was able to key in on certain plies to keep my edges "in round."

Hopefully, I'll have some time tomorrow (Saturday) to take some better pictures, give the drums a good test ride, and maybe even track some sound files.   In the meantime, they sure do look pretty, if I do say so myself.  The only strange thing is, compared to the 22" bass drum I have on my other kit, this 18" bass drum makes the 12" rack tom look HUGE..... ;)

(http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_055.jpg)

So basically, this is how I built my drum set.  Any questions?

That's just the photo.  There actually are gaskets on each of the bass drum lugs, and the tension rods threaded with no difficulty whatsoever.  The inserts on these lugs are not "floating" inserts, so if there were any alignment issues, I would have noticed them when assembling the drum.

EDIT:  Since you raised the subject of gaskets and lug alignment issues, I should mention one small detail about the tom hoops.  I picked up the counterhoops a few years ago as a "lot," with not only these but a bunch of 8" and 6" hoops as well, in varying states of condition.  I'm not sure what make of hoops these are, but they look have at least a few miles on them.  I suspect they were made back in the day before drums were "undersized" the way they are today, and they seem to be just the slightest bit larger in diameter compared to contemporary counterhoops.  As a result, I had to be really careful threading the tension rods on the various toms.  It's not a horrible problem - it doesn't seem to affect the tunings, and it doesn't look like it will cause any structural issues down the road, but it's something I'm going to keep an eye on.  I've been thinking of trying die cast hoops on the toms one of these days, but even if I stick with the triple-flanged hoops, I may pick up brand new hoops all around, just to get everything from the same era and address these sizing issues.

Family picture time

Since it was such a sunny day today, conducive to good photos, I decided to brave the harsh wintry elements we're dealing with in the Northeast to to take a few more pictures of the kit.

Don't pay too much attention to the cymbal setup.  It has been a long time since I've used a two-up, one-down setup like this, with the rack toms off to the side of the bass drum, and I still need to experiment to figure out exactly how I want to set things up. 

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_056.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_056.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_058.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_058.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_060.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_060.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_067.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_067.jpg)

Sound files:
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_01.mp3 (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_01.mp3)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_02.mp3 (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_02.mp3)

(Two condensor mic's overhead, one Radio Shack PZM out front of the bass drum, through a Mackie board, into my computer.  No FX or EQ applied at any stage of the process.)

Very nice indeed, James.  Would you care to elaborate on the tuning of the kit, and did you use any muffling in the kick?  It sounds nice and punchy, with just the right amount of overtones, for my tastes.

Also, one question about drilling the holes:  What type of drill bit did you use, such as a Forstner or a brad-point, etc?  I'm just curious as to how you managed to drill the holes without getting any wood "tear-out" on the inner side of the shell.

Good job!!

Regards,
drumz1

That was fast! Congratulations!

<---- jealous

GREAT job, James! They look and sound terrific!

Sounds like that little bass drum has some cojones!

Wow!
Nice going James! They look fantastic and sound wonderful!
I'm astounded that you cut the edges with a rasp. What do you suppose the difference might be -- if any -- if you had them precision-cut on a router?

They sound great (look great, too!).  What's your tuning technique?  Both heads the same?  One higher then the other?  They have a nice round sound to them!

Great work James!  You got that built before I even got the parts for my snare in!

Thanks for the kind words, folks! 

In no particular order...

...yeah, the bass drum really seems to be the "star" of this kit so far, in looks and sound alike.  It has a Remo Powerstroke 3 batter with a square pad of moleskin, and a Remo Ambassador (coated) on the front, with no other muffling.  The batter is fairly loose (not "wrinkle-loose," but loose), and the reso is tuned higher.  I originally tried recording the kit only with the overhead mic's, and there wasn't anywhere near enough bass drum in the sound, so I put up a PZM right in front of the bass.  I haven't heard the kit from "out front," so I can't say with 100% certainty exactly how accurate the recording is in terms of the sound and volume of the bass drum.  However, in person the drum certainly has some "nuts" to it, that's for sure!

...Dave, my "tuning technique" is very complicated:  "Get in there and start turning tension rods 'til it sounds good."  ;)  Usually, my toms end up with the reso about a minor third higher in pitch than the batter.  After making the sound files linked above, I started experimenting with the tuning, to see how the drums would sound tuned down (aiming for that "Manu Katche" sort of sound), and I realized that the 10" tom, as heard on the mp3s, was tuned with both heads about the same pitch.

The toms have single-ply coated heads at the moment - some new, some old and well-worn, and of a variety of brands.  I plan to do some experimenting, tho - my Ludwig toms are the thicker 6-ply maple/poplar shells, and I've never spent a lot of time with thin-shell drums, so I'll probably go pick up a bunch of different 10" or 12" heads and see what works.  I'm thinking of eventually adding a larger bass drum, and maybe another tom or two (an 8" rack, and/or a 16" floor), so I can do the official Keith Cronin "Mix and Match" thing depending on the gig.  I know these will sound great at a jazz tuning, but I want to see what else I can get them to do.

...In terms of drill bits, I just used a general set of bits picked up at the hardware store.  They aren't Forstner bits, and I don't think they're brad point, but I'll have to check on that.  Truth be told, I did get a little tear-out here and there, but nothing horrible, and nothing that isn't concealed by the mounting screws.  Having a drill press is a big help - it's so much easier to control how quickly the bit is cutting into the shell.  With the holes that had to be drilled by hand (because my drill press isn't big enough to get the shell that far in), I usually begin by using a very small bit, then gradually increasing up until I get to the 1/4" holes that most of the hardware required.  I don't know if that's a valid woodworking technique, but I find that it minimizes the tear-out I get.

The best measure against tear-out, however, is one you probably already know, which is to have some sort of backing piece pressed against the interior of the shell where the bit will cut through.  That, and having nice sharp bits.

...The fact that I cut the edges with a rasp...hmmm...again, this clearly is the "do as I say, not as I do" portion of the blog.  I'm sure that there are some imperfections in the edge that one wouldn't get using a router table, but I went very slowly and methodically, and was very strict about cutting in only as far as a specific ply, to maintain an edge that is in true and in round.  The basic shape is about the same, tho - I seem to be capable of keeping a very consistent angle around the circumference of the drum. 

Had I used a router table, I would have aimed for the very same shape, so in that sense, there isn't a whole lot of difference.  I've just heard horror stories about guys developing their skills cutting edges with a router, and I didn't want to tear up an edge because of my incompetence with the router. One of these days, I'll learn how to do this properly, but I've cut the edges on several drums this way, as well as numerous snare beds, and the results seem to work fine every time.  We'll see if I notice any problems the longer I live with these drums, but so far, so good.

Just a few more minor updates as the blog winds down...

1)  In checking out the drums at a lower tuning, I ran into some troubles with the 12" tom.  The sound was OK, but the feel was a bit strange.  Turns out that I left too much of a "flat" on the bearing edge, on the batter side edge, compared to the other toms.  I went back and recut the inside face of the edge to make the "flat" narrower (made the edge sharper, basically) - problem solved.  (Sound files to follow - it's a little late to record anything tonight.)  I had originally thought that the problem might lie in the fact that there are no vents drilled in any of these drums, but now that the edges are what they need to be, I'm really not noticing any difference due to the lack of vents.

2)  I mentioned earlier that I've got another use for the Pearl ISS mounts I acquired for this project, since I opted to use RIMS mounts on the rack toms.  Here's what I'm trying with it:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_071.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_071.jpg)
http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_072.jpg (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_072.jpg)

When I bought my shells, the supplier included a few scrap pieces, which I originally planned to use just to test out the dye.  However, the scraps were a pretty good size, and they look like they came from a 20" shell originally, so I decided to glue the scraps together and make an attachment to use if I want to play cascara on the floor tom.  I spent a lot of time working on the finish of these drums, so I'm not in any hurry to start whacking on said finish with a drum stick - so this is the substitute.  Unlike a similar device sold by Yamaha, this one attaches (and detaches) much more easily.  It's still a "work in progress," as I'm not 100% sold on the sound of it - it's a thinner sound than striking directly on the shell, and one gets a lot of sympathetic vibrations from the head, as this is attached to the batter side counterhoop.  I'm going to experiment with gaskets between the shell fragment and the ISS mount.

I may also experiment with something in place of the shell fragment - maybe add some more wood to it, or try a synthetic or metal piece instead, or get a new piece of wood and cut something that will sound more like a wood block or the like.

Interesting idea with the cascara pieces, James. Very innovative. But, if you can't get the sound you're looking for out of it, may I suggest mounting something else to the ISS mounts?

Cupholders.

Yeah! Geek it out!  ;D

robyn

Outstanding James.

Looks and sounds tremendous!

Bravo

(http://www.ukuleleman.net/hello/809654/640/Nixon%20Thumbs%20Up-2005.06.01-17.57.43.jpg)

Oh, what the heck - like this thread isn't self-indulgent enough as it is:   ;D

Here's a quick sound file from earlier today demonstrating the "cascara attachment" - not bad, but it could still use some work, IMO:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkitlow_05.mp3 (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkitlow_05.mp3)

Oh, why not - here's one more clip, also recorded today, demonstrating the (somewhat) lower tuning of the toms:

http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkitlow_02.mp3 (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkitlow_02.mp3)

For those of you keeping score at home, I did add a bit of EQ and compression to the recordings this time around.

Your toms and kick for that matter have a really baloon like quality to them.  Kudos.

Your snare has a nice 3D slap to it but the buzz is killing me.   :( 

Thanks, Felix.  File this one under "even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then."  ;)


It's an acquired taste, but within the context of this kit, I'm actually learning to dig it. 

This particular snare drum definitely is the culprit - I don't get anywhere near as much sympathetic buzz if I put other snare drums up on this kit.  It's probably the Noble & Cooley wires, as much as anything else - I've tried some other wires on it, and the change does diminish the amount of sympathetic vibrations, but this snare drum really seems to love a lot of "snare sound" in the equation.

I've thought about deepening the beds in the snare drum, which would cut down on the buzz, but I like the basic sound of the drum, so I'm really hesitant to make any alterations.  I'd rather live with the buzz - it's not that bad...   ;)

Just had to pull your leg a little that's all- he he he no good deed goes unpunished  ;D

Yes, the noble and cooley wires on that steam bent deal I was playing were really noisy, but pretty fluffy sounding like your "buzz" I guess.

I just don't like buzz in the studio.  Because there is always that killer fill that I spent who knows how long nailing only to hear the buzz underneath it.  It's just one of my pet peeves.

I'm getting to where I like to have a little buzz when I'm playing. But I don't like when it wears off!  Ba-dum chh!

Seriously though, I like some buzz because (on my kit anyway) when I play the toms and kick with my snares off, they sound flat. I'm not sure about the buzz levels on James' kit...I'm kinda with Felix there...but a little buzz is not a bad thing. to me anyway  :D

I'll mention one thing about the sympathetic vibrations in those last clips.  FWIW, the sound files were recorded with two overhead mic's (and a PZM in front of the bass drum), so you're largely getting the drummer's perspective on this.  I haven't had the drums out on a gig yet, so I can't say one way or the other how much of this buzzing would carry out to the audience, or even to the rest of the band.

I'll have to do another sound file.  I just cranked up the drums into a nice healthy bop range, and I'm not getting anywhere near the vibrations that are demonstrated above.  I also tried a few other snare drums on the kit at the previously-demonstrated tom tunings, and outside of the ten (which more often than not is a "problem child" where this sort of thing is concerned), the buzz is significantly less.

OK, I know I'm committing a venial sin by dredging up such an old thread, and nobody's gonna care at this point, but so be it - I feel like updating one or two things, now that I've lived with the kit for a few months.

I've really only made one significant change to the kit since I last posted to this thread.  I drilled the bass drum to add a Ludwig tom mount.  I did it primarily for reasons of convenience, but I did notice one change in the sound of one of the drums (which is why I think it's worth mentioning.)

The 8x12 rack tom had been giving me fits for the past month or so - I simply couldn't get it to sound good when set up on the kit.  It sounded fine when I held it by the counterhoop, but whenever I'd mount it on the kit, it became choked, and I could never get the heads to "clear."  As soon as I installed the mount on the bass drum and put the kit together, the 12 sounded decidedly better - and I got everything tuned up in about 30 seconds.

Now, I can't figure out for the life of me why there was a problem.  I had the tom mounted to a bracket clamped on a cymbal stand - pretty standard stuff.  Not only was the tom having trouble in its own right, I noticed that when I hit the tom, I could hear the rivet buzzing in a cymbal clamped to the same stand.  Somehow, a fair amount of energy was getting transferred to the stand, even with the RIMS mount in use.  It makes no sense to me that such a mounting setup would cause problems with the drum, but that's what my ears told me.

Anyway...here she is in her finished state. 
These photos were taken at a gig this past Wednesday, with my steel pan trio.  I brought the kit out for my drummer to use, so I could hear the drums from out front "in context.".  (Those are his cymbals, tho, not mine - I should be so lucky...)

(http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_201.jpg)
(http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_204.jpg)
(http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_205.jpg)

I don't see myself making any more alterations to the kit, although I may build a 20" bass drum for it in the future (the 18 didn't quite cut it on my outdoor steel pan gig), or give die cast hoops a try on the toms.  In terms of these drums, tho, I think the project has run its course.

I'm late to the party, but ...

Wow.  Amazing stuff. 

So, how did they sound "out front", Jim? They look gorgeomous.

When do you start taking orders?     :)

Beautiful, James.

Thanks for the kind words, guys.  :)


Not bad - but now that I've settled in on the head choices I want on the toms ("clear batter, coated reso"), I need to get some fresh heads on these puppies.  The "used" heads have served their purpose, allowing me to experiment with various combinations ("coated batter, clear reso...clear batter, coated reso...coated top and bottom..." etc.) - now I know how I want to spend my money.

Just a quick question, James -

I noticed that you didn't cut a port hole in the kick drum reso head.  Did you consider doing that for mic'ing purposes (e.g. more volume on the outdoor steel pan gig)?

Regards (and compliments on a job well done),
drumz1

No - but only because this bass drum was built for jazz gigs, and I wouldn't normally use it for an outdoor, unmic'd gig like this.  For jazz work, I don't want a ported head, and for one gig, I didn't want to sacrifice a head.  If I wanted to use this drum on a regular basis for these sorts of gigs, however, I'd keep a spare ported reso head on hand, to allow easy access for a microphone.  (Through a sound system, or even unmic'd but indoors, this drum would've sounded fine.  The sound of the drum is great - volume is the issue.)

I knew going in that I was stretching the capabilities of this bass drum, given the context.  (Had we been indoors, or if the drums were mic'd, it would've worked out much better - this drum sounds surprisingly good at a lower tuning.)  Besides, I'm not convinced that a port hole would've made much of a difference, unless it was huge - this drum just doesn't move that much air, given its size.

(Some of it might have been my drummer's BD pedal, too.  He brought his Axis pedal, and I didn't notice what kind of beater he has on it.)

As you can guess, that's why the 20" BD is on the drawing board - for gigs exactly like this one, to make the kit more versatile.  Bop gig?  Tune the toms up, grab the 18" BD.  Caribbean or funk gig?  Tune the drums down (to taste), grab the 20.  I also consciously chose a BD tom mount that will accept a 1" post, so if push comes to shove, I could even use my 22" Ludwig bass drum with these toms - the tom mount will fit the 22 as well.  I love the idea of being able to mix and match different components to assemble a kit suited to a given situation.

With the bass drums, I'm planning on doing some experimentation with bass drum muffling and tuning techniques, with these different drums.  What I'm planning to do is to have several different bass drums available, each with its own muffling/tuning setup.  What I've got pencilled in at the moment is:

18" BD:  wide-open (except for a felt strip or two)
20" BD:  pre-muffled heads (EMAD or SuperKick/Regulator combo), ported reso, suitable for mic'ing, but maximizing the amount of air inside the drum by eschewing the use of a blanket or pillow
22" BD:  ported reso, non-muffled batter, with a small Evans pillow inside, for more of a "thump"

I can get a variety of tom sounds with some quick tuning changes - plus, I still have the toms for my Ludwig kit.  Combine that with a change of snare drum and bass drum, and I can quickly redefine the sound of the entire kit as needed.

I may even build a little 15" or 16" bass drum as well, or maybe a shallow 20, so I can use one or two of these toms in a microkit configuration.

I've got a 14" x 20" BD setting in a closet ready to finish up, needs hoops and I'll probably create an alternative bracing system where the reso side sits atop another piece of wood laying underneath the drum with thick footed "spurs" coming up from the plank for the BD to rest upon.  I think (maybe incorrectly) the BD pedal should restrain the drum from creeping forward or off the new bracket.  This kit when done will have my snare already completed, along with a 9" x 13" tom (very thin ply with 3 bent rings supporting the shell) on the right and various cymbals and effects infront and over the bass drum.  Possibly resting a tray stradling a couple cymbal stands???

Since this thread has been resurrected (or at least, relocated) as part of the new builders section of the forum, I suppose I should offer a few updates.

1)  In the time since I completed the kit, I've taken ownership of my Dad's old router and router table.  After gaining some experience cutting edges on other shells, and after much internal debate whether I wanted to alter the existing edges on my drums, I've gone back and recut the edges on the three toms and the bass drum, basically tightening up the edges that were originally cut by hand.  To be honest, the drums sounded fine before (garnering a number of unsolicited raves about the tom sounds in particular), so I'm convinced that it's possible to cut good edges using a rasp and/or file.  However, using a router and router table is SO much easier, SO much quicker, and (most importantly) offers so much more consistency from drum to drum within the same kit, that I seriously doubt that I'll ever go back to cutting edges by hand.

The toms do sound better now, but I'm not sure how much that is due to the new edges.  I knew that I wanted to rehead the toms top and bottom anyway, and since I decided to redo the edges, it seemed like as good a time as any to get some fresh heads.  So, we've got new heads, and a new make of head (clear single plies replacing coated single plies), as well as new edges - all three of which are contributing to the improved sound in their own way.  (I'll see about tracking some new sound files at some point - right now, I've got the drums tuned a bit lower than what are normally considered "bop" pitches, sort of a "1982 Peter Erskine Meets 2007 Bill Bruford" tuning.)

2)  Following up on my previous post in this thread:  I've since added an 11x16 bass drum to the mix, documented in a recent microkit thread.  I actually prefer that drum to the 18 for "bop" tunings, and I've now got the 18 dialed in for more of a funky "thump."  16s are great - "Billy Higgins wuz right..."  ;D


(For those of you keeping score at home:  6-ply Keller maple, 6-ply re-rings, with a tom arm purchased from Drum Supply House (http://www.drummaker.com/shop).)

3)  I've got a matching 7x8" tom "in progress" down on my workbench.  I'm still not sure if I want to go to the trouble and cost of adding a 20" or 22" bass drum to the kit, but it's tempting, in order to facilitate the patented Keith Cronin "mix and match" approach to putting a kit together for a given gig.  I love my smaller bass drums, but sometimes you just gotta move some air.  (I've got a Ludwig kit with a 14x22" bass drum, so I've already got the option of a larger bass drum, but it's still tempting to add onto this kit.)  Or, maybe I'll build a 13" floor tom, so I can go with a 10/13/16 setup, and get a bit more separation between the floor tom and the bass drum, compared to the 10/14/16 configuration I currently have at my disposal.  "It never ends..."  ;)

At the moment, the 11x16 bass drum is lent out to a friend.  When I get it back, and when I get the 8" tom completed, I'll try and get some new pictures posted. 

So whaddya think - now that this one is done is it time for me to build a cocktail kit?   I've got a bunch of Yamaha lugs sitting in a box, and some spare counterhoops, and...  ;D :P

I personally think you should build some of us some custom snares.  :)

Well, since it's raining and I can't go do the yardwork that needs to be done (that's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it), I had a few minutes to cobble together a sound file:

• sound file with no EQ (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_oct07_no_eq.mp3)

• exact same sound file with a bit of EQ (http://www.malletjazz.com/drums/bopkit/bopkit_oct07_eq.mp3)

(Recorded with a single overhead small-diaphragm mic', thru an old Mackie mixer, into my computer.  The mic' was placed to pick up the toms first and foremost, so the bass drum isn't as prominent as it could be.)


Thanks, Frank - that's very kind of you.  However, there are approximately twenty reasons why I don't plan to make the jump into offering "custom" drums for sale - but that's another topic for another time.

If there's one thing I wanted to present through this thread, it is the fact that one doesn't need to go to a "custom" builder to have a drum built to their specifications.