Just mo, but big or small, you always secure the paper and use two hands to ensure even pressure distribution or try as you might, the bottom won’t be uniform and it will throw your level when you cut the bearing edges. It may be subtle, but it will affect the fundamental note, pitch,bend & fall.
You mean sanding before the cut? You can see by eye if you turn the drum over and check as you sand. If one area is getting a wider flat spot that's a telltale sign.
Spray glue the sandpaper to a board and clamp the board down and you have 2 free hands to turn the drum. The factory I used to work for had some very large disk sanders for that job.
The Zola Coating was actually like a trunk paint that you can buy. I see Rustolium has a product called "Stone Creations" and it looks really close to this multicolored finish. I remember a guy restoring a tama drum like this in Modern Drummer like 20 years ago.
That's exactly what I was thinking!! Spent 35 years restoring and painting cars and custom bikes. I can still see the can it came it!! LOL Also , that inner edge looks like a 60 degree bevel.
Handy tip: Use drumheads that aren't so stretched out that that the hoop is below the bearing edge, so that sticks will not smash the bearing edge you just re-cut.
That's not actually what was going on, if you are referring to the end. The Tama Imperialstar 6 and 8 inch concert toms from that era came with special hoops which did sit just below the bearing edge, even with new heads. I presume the idea was to allow more strike area, but it was a dumb design. I did finally source replacement hoops of the normal variety and replaced them, but the 6 inch hoop is not easy to find.
Old drum makers after they would cut the shells edges, would then add paraffin wax on to the edges to protect them and also act as a seal and lubricant.
Don't use paraffin. Anything petroleum based will destroy your drum. Beeswax is the only wax and even then that's only for a bad drum at gas too much friction when tuning. Make sure to really wipe off the beeswax as it very thick.
There are lots of different profiles you could choose, I just went with something similar to the original manufacturer. There are router bits available in many but not all degrees, so you may need to set up a jig or do multiple passes if you want something that differs from the bit profile.
After all that work do they actually sound any different? New heads would have made much more of a difference. Looks like you are still using old Tama heads from the 80's that came with the kit. I am not convinced that bearing edges with a dent or two in them really affect the sound that much. Most drums already have a vent hole that let's out a lot more air than the small dents. And in your case they are concert toms, so they don't even have a bottom head, hence no air at all is really going to make it through the small dents. Sanding is only necessary when the dent makes some wood stick up too high. Sand it back down to the proper bearing edge and if you must, put some saw dust wood putty in the dip. I also use high quality glue to fill bearing edge dips or worn out wood and then put the slick filler stuff (forgot the name) on it before the head. Am I wrong in this perspective? It's like worrying about the air that goes through a straw held up against a large fan.
Sorry, I missed your comment earlier. Yes, recutting the bearing edges did make a significant difference, and these bearing edges were pretty beat up. You are thinking about airflow in your analysis, but that's not really the issue. Bearing edges which are smooth and true allow greater sustain and a livelier tone than edges which are damaged or out of round. It's a matter of resonance, not airflow. This is true of concert and double headed toms. Using putty or filler is not going to be a durable repair, and it will also affect the resonance of the drum since it has a different density than the wood and isn't a part of the wood. The only way to get damaged bearing edges perfectly true and maximize the tone and sustain is to re-cut them. Incidentally, the heads you saw were just some I had lying around at that moment, not what was ultimately installed.
Hello good friend, I am in Colombia and I cannot get the formica or sheet with which the drum is lined and I just need the same color as the one you have there, how could I get it to order it. Thanks
The inside of the Tama drums from that era was painted with something they called "Zola Coat." It's just paint. Today you may be able to find a spray paint with a textured finish which is similar, and you may need to use 2-3 colors to get a match. Look for a spray paint with a pebbled or textured finish.
awesome many thanks
Just mo, but big or small, you always secure the paper and use two hands to ensure even pressure distribution or try as you might, the bottom won’t be uniform and it will throw your level when you cut the bearing edges. It may be subtle, but it will affect the fundamental note, pitch,bend & fall.
You mean sanding before the cut? You can see by eye if you turn the drum over and check as you sand. If one area is getting a wider flat spot that's a telltale sign.
Spray glue the sandpaper to a board and clamp the board down and you have 2 free hands to turn the drum. The factory I used to work for had some very large disk sanders for that job.
The Zola Coating was actually like a trunk paint that you can buy. I see Rustolium has a product called "Stone Creations" and it looks really close to this multicolored finish. I remember a guy restoring a tama drum like this in Modern Drummer like 20 years ago.
Yes, there are some modern paints which approximate the look of the "Zola-coat."
That's exactly what I was thinking!! Spent 35 years restoring and painting cars and custom bikes. I can still see the can it came it!! LOL
Also , that inner edge looks like a 60 degree bevel.
The pebble color is the one.
The wood shells that TAMA used were Philippine Mahogany
I wonder how different that species of mahogany is compared to whatever species Ludwig used.
Probably 30degree on that bevel
Handy tip: Use drumheads that aren't so stretched out that that the hoop is below the bearing edge, so that sticks will not smash the bearing edge you just re-cut.
That's not actually what was going on, if you are referring to the end. The Tama Imperialstar 6 and 8 inch concert toms from that era came with special hoops which did sit just below the bearing edge, even with new heads. I presume the idea was to allow more strike area, but it was a dumb design. I did finally source replacement hoops of the normal variety and replaced them, but the 6 inch hoop is not easy to find.
Old drum makers after they would cut the shells edges, would then add paraffin wax on to the edges to protect them and also act as a seal and lubricant.
Yes, I've seen that too and done it myself back in the day.
Don't use paraffin. Anything petroleum based will destroy your drum. Beeswax is the only wax and even then that's only for a bad drum at gas too much friction when tuning. Make sure to really wipe off the beeswax as it very thick.
Got a 13” x 12” imperial star I’m cutting this week. Great dude I to help get around some of the hurdles. Mine has no reinforcement rings.
Everyone was building to international standards basically! My bet is a 30 degree round over! That was the standard in the 60,s!
Why not just used a 30 degree but?
There are lots of different profiles you could choose, I just went with something similar to the original manufacturer. There are router bits available in many but not all degrees, so you may need to set up a jig or do multiple passes if you want something that differs from the bit profile.
Wax with a scotch guard pad.....Ssssmoooooothe.
After all that work do they actually sound any different? New heads would have made much more of a difference. Looks like you are still using old Tama heads from the 80's that came with the kit. I am not convinced that bearing edges with a dent or two in them really affect the sound that much. Most drums already have a vent hole that let's out a lot more air than the small dents. And in your case they are concert toms, so they don't even have a bottom head, hence no air at all is really going to make it through the small dents. Sanding is only necessary when the dent makes some wood stick up too high. Sand it back down to the proper bearing edge and if you must, put some saw dust wood putty in the dip. I also use high quality glue to fill bearing edge dips or worn out wood and then put the slick filler stuff (forgot the name) on it before the head. Am I wrong in this perspective? It's like worrying about the air that goes through a straw held up against a large fan.
Sorry, I missed your comment earlier. Yes, recutting the bearing edges did make a significant difference, and these bearing edges were pretty beat up. You are thinking about airflow in your analysis, but that's not really the issue. Bearing edges which are smooth and true allow greater sustain and a livelier tone than edges which are damaged or out of round. It's a matter of resonance, not airflow. This is true of concert and double headed toms. Using putty or filler is not going to be a durable repair, and it will also affect the resonance of the drum since it has a different density than the wood and isn't a part of the wood. The only way to get damaged bearing edges perfectly true and maximize the tone and sustain is to re-cut them. Incidentally, the heads you saw were just some I had lying around at that moment, not what was ultimately installed.
Same voice as Todd Sucherman
Hello good friend, I am in Colombia and I cannot get the formica or sheet with which the drum is lined and I just need the same color as the one you have there, how could I get it to order it. Thanks
The inside of the Tama drums from that era was painted with something they called "Zola Coat." It's just paint. Today you may be able to find a spray paint with a textured finish which is similar, and you may need to use 2-3 colors to get a match. Look for a spray paint with a pebbled or textured finish.
Great work and improv.
nice thanks
can you tell us router bits sizes, and sand paper details?
I have a million roundover bits, and I don't remember which one I used, but it was nothing unusual. A standard roundover set would have the right one.
How many plys of wood are the shells ?
I believe they were 9 ply mahogany.
clever approach- nicely done.
Didn't you work at LP in Garfield??