I’m back. And yes...it’s been a while. Life, ya know?
Here’s what’s up with this project...
The original 12 & 16” drums were in such bad shape and out of round that I had to “put them to pasture” they went up like a book of matches. This leaves just the 20” bass drum left from the original kit. It almost went into the fire ring too...until I found an super cheap 12” tom on ebay...
I think it might have been a Whitehall or a Stewart. Someone had wrapped it in horrible wood grain contact paper over the old red sparkle...I peeled all of this off.
Then, on the side of the drum, someone had put the original Tom mount back on the drum over a whopping hole that someone else had made for what looked like a good old-fashioned Pearl tom mount (three screws in a triangular patter with a 7/8” tom arm).
This morning I finished sanding the patching I did. I’ve come to find that “Weldwood” by JB weld works great for shell repairs, and it’s somewhat easier and more malleable than dowels/glue. Especially for large holes...
After this had cured overnight, I sanded all the patches down to the correct shell height (very slowly and methodically) without too much shell damage. I then used some 5 min 2-part epoxy over the patches to really sandwhich the patch between two layers of resin. As soon as this dries, I plan to sand it smooth.
Long gone are my hopes of doing an nice veneer on the inside. Instead I’ve decided to not fight what was originally there (paint) and opt for some Rustoleum “Gretsch Silver Sealer”. This is especially prudent given all the holes on this kit I’ve filled/will have to fill. I plan on using the good ‘ole heavy oil base stuff too!
I’ve managed to score a new floor Tom for $15 from a college kid on Facebook marketplace. I’m going to pick that up soon as well. It’s a 14” tom...which, oh well lol...
Plans are still on for putting all new hardware on the kit. I’ve become a big fan of drumfactorydirect.com. The hardware I’m updating this with will not be close to stock at all. I’m going to update the vast majority of it with Gibraltar components. I will not be adding a rail mount (opting for snare basket) or a ride cymbal mount to the bass drum shell.
I will be putting Walopus Wrap on this kit. I’ve found a wonderful sparkle finish there that’s both modern-ish and pays tribute to the old-fashioned sparkle wraps these drums have had.
The mission now is to both rebuild this kit out of orphan drums as much as just finishing something I started 15 years ago when I bought the kit. I plan to buy the kit a full set of new heads/cases and take it out on some shows eventually.
Here’s hoping! I am trying to get this kit finished in the next year or so...
