How much experience do you have with lacquer finishes?
As much of a proponent as I am of the DIY drum builder route, one area where "not being a pro" can really show in the worst possible way is with a poor paint job. Selecting the right kind of paint is important, of course, but the painting techniques and equipment, as well as the prep' work on the shell, all are critical.
If you're not already skilled working with paint finishes, I'd suggest at least investigating the idea of farming the work out to a pro. Either track down a local automotive paint shop, or even better, send your shells to Kurt at Hillbilly Drums - he produces some of the most killer finishes I've seen on any drums.
Here's a site with video clips from the recent Chicago drum show, featuring Kurt's booth:
http://www.gearwire.com/hillbilly-drum-drumshow.htmlKurt's web site is still under construction, but there's a link available for e-mail:
http://hillbillydrums.com/I know, I know - I sound like a shill. I've never dealt with Kurt, and I have no connection to him, but I've seen a bunch of his work displayed at drum builder forums online such as ghostnote.net, and his work is nothing short of amazing.
