Hello out there,<br>
<br>
I am in the process of refinishing a Ludwig cocktail drum. The finish has been damaged beyond salvage by UV penetration. There is no way it can be saved. I have been told by the only course I have is to take off this old wrap and have it re-wrapped, or re-wrap it myself. My problem at this juncture is locating a replacement wrap to use.<br>
Anyone have any suggestions? The present wrap is in silver sparkle, c.1963.<br>
<br>
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.<br>
<br>
Gregg
<p></p><i></i>
Refinishing an Old Ludwig Cocktail Drum
Hey Greg,<br>
<br>
Please let us know how your project goes. I am sure many of have questions about refinishing their drums. I have an old Ludwig Drum that is pretty shot but has a unique finish that I would like to use on a different drum! I wonder if this is even possible. I imagine that there is some magician out there who can pull it off (literally!)!<br>
<br>
John
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
Please let us know how your project goes. I am sure many of have questions about refinishing their drums. I have an old Ludwig Drum that is pretty shot but has a unique finish that I would like to use on a different drum! I wonder if this is even possible. I imagine that there is some magician out there who can pull it off (literally!)!<br>
<br>
John
<p></p><i></i>
Hi Everyone:<br>
<br>
Well, I did it. I have finished restoring my Ludwig Cocktail drum. I contacted the good people at Precision Drum Company and got everything I needed to do the dirty thang, except: foam roller and paint tray, wood chisel, putty knife, Bondo putty and hardener, 80-grit sand paper, acetone (for clean-up), and the courage to Just Do It.<br>
<br>
Step One: To tackle the task of peeling off the old wrap. I tried using my wife's hair-drier to heat the old glue enough for it to loosen. Not a good idea. I burned up the hair-drier and got into trouble with the squeeze. Besides, the wrap was NOT coming off! <br>
<br>
After I got back from Walmart with her new hair-drier, it was time to re-group.<br>
<br>
An idea: I put the drum shell into our smallest bathroom and turned a space heater on, so it could be heated up that way. I let it get really hot in there. I checked periodically, to turn the drum and to see if the wrap was going to come off. Unfortunately, not unless I was prepared to tear the drum shell completely into splinters. After a few hours, I gave up, turned off the heater, and put the drum shell back into my work room. This room stays unheated, so, in the winter it can get down to 45 degrees in there. I came back after dinner that evening and checked to see, one last time, if the wrap was coming off. To my surprise, it peeled right off with no problem. Was it the combination of heat AND cold? I don't know. That was the hardest part of the restoration. <br>
<br>
Step Two: Patching the shell. Once the wrap is off, it's time to patch all those rips and tears you made getting the wrap off. Use only Bondo automotive filler. Any type of wood filler will only losen in time and you don't want that. Follow directions for mixing. Mix in small amounts and work quick, this stuff sets up fast! After it has set up, it is time to sand the filler smooth. Use a wood block, or commercially sold sanding block to sand. Use 80-grit<br>
sandpaper. Repeat until all the tears are filled and the shell is smooth again. When you have finished and are ready for step three, be sure you wipe the drum shell off with a damp towel to remove all the dust from sanding.<br>
<br>
Step Three: Adding the new wrap. If you have ever done any countertop laminating work, then you know this is the tricky part. When contact cement is being used, once the two surfaces come into contact with each other they are STUCK THERE FOREVER! Precision Drum Company recommends, and has, 3M, 30-NF (Fastbond, Neutral)contact cement. The smallest can they have is a half-pint. It will do a cocktail drum and you will still have glue left over. They also have very good, step-by-step instructions. Follow them. You can become a professional in no time. I used a foam roller to put on the glue, but you can use a foam brush, if you like brushes. I feel a roller can put the glue on more evenly than a brush. Either way, be sure to use foam and not bristle, you don't want hair or nylon in the glue layer. Once the wrap is on, you'll have to re-drill all the holes and file down the excess wrap around the rims. And that's it. Re-place the hardware and heads and you have a new drum.<br>
<br>
All of these steps are covered in the instructions which come with the new wrap, if you order from Precision Drum Company. So, now, I suppose I should now give you the info on how to contact Precision Drum Company. Give them a call first and they will send you a sample package of all the syles of wrap they carry.<br>
<br>
I live in Northern California and it cost me a total of $86.00 for enough wrap and glue, plus shipping.<br>
<br>
Here's their number: <br>
1-914-962-4985, or fax 1-914-962-0000.<br>
<br>
Address:<br>
Precision Drum Company<br>
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598<br>
<br>
Good Luck on your restoration project. I'll send before and after photos as soon as I can get some.<br>
<br>
Gregg
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
Well, I did it. I have finished restoring my Ludwig Cocktail drum. I contacted the good people at Precision Drum Company and got everything I needed to do the dirty thang, except: foam roller and paint tray, wood chisel, putty knife, Bondo putty and hardener, 80-grit sand paper, acetone (for clean-up), and the courage to Just Do It.<br>
<br>
Step One: To tackle the task of peeling off the old wrap. I tried using my wife's hair-drier to heat the old glue enough for it to loosen. Not a good idea. I burned up the hair-drier and got into trouble with the squeeze. Besides, the wrap was NOT coming off! <br>
<br>
After I got back from Walmart with her new hair-drier, it was time to re-group.<br>
<br>
An idea: I put the drum shell into our smallest bathroom and turned a space heater on, so it could be heated up that way. I let it get really hot in there. I checked periodically, to turn the drum and to see if the wrap was going to come off. Unfortunately, not unless I was prepared to tear the drum shell completely into splinters. After a few hours, I gave up, turned off the heater, and put the drum shell back into my work room. This room stays unheated, so, in the winter it can get down to 45 degrees in there. I came back after dinner that evening and checked to see, one last time, if the wrap was coming off. To my surprise, it peeled right off with no problem. Was it the combination of heat AND cold? I don't know. That was the hardest part of the restoration. <br>
<br>
Step Two: Patching the shell. Once the wrap is off, it's time to patch all those rips and tears you made getting the wrap off. Use only Bondo automotive filler. Any type of wood filler will only losen in time and you don't want that. Follow directions for mixing. Mix in small amounts and work quick, this stuff sets up fast! After it has set up, it is time to sand the filler smooth. Use a wood block, or commercially sold sanding block to sand. Use 80-grit<br>
sandpaper. Repeat until all the tears are filled and the shell is smooth again. When you have finished and are ready for step three, be sure you wipe the drum shell off with a damp towel to remove all the dust from sanding.<br>
<br>
Step Three: Adding the new wrap. If you have ever done any countertop laminating work, then you know this is the tricky part. When contact cement is being used, once the two surfaces come into contact with each other they are STUCK THERE FOREVER! Precision Drum Company recommends, and has, 3M, 30-NF (Fastbond, Neutral)contact cement. The smallest can they have is a half-pint. It will do a cocktail drum and you will still have glue left over. They also have very good, step-by-step instructions. Follow them. You can become a professional in no time. I used a foam roller to put on the glue, but you can use a foam brush, if you like brushes. I feel a roller can put the glue on more evenly than a brush. Either way, be sure to use foam and not bristle, you don't want hair or nylon in the glue layer. Once the wrap is on, you'll have to re-drill all the holes and file down the excess wrap around the rims. And that's it. Re-place the hardware and heads and you have a new drum.<br>
<br>
All of these steps are covered in the instructions which come with the new wrap, if you order from Precision Drum Company. So, now, I suppose I should now give you the info on how to contact Precision Drum Company. Give them a call first and they will send you a sample package of all the syles of wrap they carry.<br>
<br>
I live in Northern California and it cost me a total of $86.00 for enough wrap and glue, plus shipping.<br>
<br>
Here's their number: <br>
1-914-962-4985, or fax 1-914-962-0000.<br>
<br>
Address:<br>
Precision Drum Company<br>
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598<br>
<br>
Good Luck on your restoration project. I'll send before and after photos as soon as I can get some.<br>
<br>
Gregg
<p></p><i></i>