Hey Dave!

Fibes fan here, and I have some super nice specimens in EARLY COF. That said, this I can tell you: Those brass "swivel nuts" are NOT in a common thread as you have found out. Fibes did that on purpose to make their throw/butt mounting system unique, and as such, you would have to get parts from them! Fibes is of course long OOB .. so .. what I did, as I needed TWO, was had a machine shop make me a couple in the proper material, size, thread. Perhaps have a look down that avenue? Those are going to be near impossible to locate as everybody that plays Fibes snare drums covets them! Just a suggestion, but it worked perfectly for me! Here they are on this drum ...

Tommyp

Thanks Tommy,

Did just take an older swivel lug and say "can you make me 2 of these"?

What were the dimensions and threading?

Do you mind me asking what they charged you to do this?

Dave

Hey Dave!

Truthfully, I can't tell you what it cost because we bartered the deal! The guy that did the work for me is a retired master machinist who worked for Hamilton Standard/Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in CT back in the day. He had a full machine shop in his garage! As to dimensions and thread, all you need do is bring the complete assembly with you and they will be able to get all that info right from the actual piece, which they would need anyway as a model. I don't know where you are located, but there are machine shops everywhere .. and .. you want to find a small shop if possible, as they would have the time to do a custom run on a small part like that. As to cost, it will all depend on how long it will take to make what you need. The material itself they probably have kicking around the shop. Hopefully this might be of some help to you, or at the least get you pointed in the right direction!

Tommyp

Thanks Tommy.

I'm in Northern California.

The mechanic I use also has a machine shop. I'll start there.

The things I do for this beast of a drum!

Cheers !

Dave

Hey Dave!

Ah ... but I do know! I have a full set of 1967/68 Fibes COF in the Buddy Rich build/size/configuration built by Bob Grauso himself, as well as three Fibes COF snare drums ... all Buddy Rich models. A 1966/67 ... 1967/68 ... and 1973. So yeah!, I understand your desire to get that snare drum complete and up and running! I don't think it will be too bad cost wise to have those parts made .. or .. parts that will work and allow the drum to be played. Best on it to you!

Tommyp

Great project !! Will need to be turned on a lathe. Have him leave the threads a bit high to compensate for the worn receiving bit. PITA machining but once set up he should be able to make several.

Creighton

All you need do is get any swivel insert that will fit in the Fibes lug and have it threaded to any standard nut thread available from your local hardware store.

I had Sam Adato do it for me a few years back(but he moved) ,but any machine shop should be able to do it.

You can also try Al Schneider over at Gelb in San Mateo to see if he knows anybody.

Kind of curious as to how the snare gate drop down works on the prototype as it looks as if the snare gate is way too narrow to properly clear the opening.

Ah ... but of course it's NOT, too narrow that is. If it were, you would be correct sir! It's function is simple and flawless truth be told. It's design is very similar to the Trixon/VOX mechanism in that it's really a "tension release" more than a strainer/throw off per se. What happens is, when the lever is pulled back/down, tension on the wires is relaxed, and due to the gate on the bottom that holds the cord in tension, that's all that is needed to relax the wires. Instant snares off/tom tom with ZERO buzzing or strange noises. It's actually a much simpler system than what they finally settled on for full production .. but .. I think the manufacturing of the later throw/release was cheaper! The prototype is ALL CAST. The later SFT is stamped, with a couple cast parts. Just my thoughts on it of course based on both designs. I'll attach another view of the prototype!

Tommyp