BUILDING A BOX DRUM KIT

[MetalHead]

Hello everyone,

I've been playing around with various cocktail set ups for about a year now. I've put together a mini kit which sounds really gutsy yet fits in 2 bags.

After much thought, I have decided to try and build a drum kit in a box, inspired mainly by the Gigpig ( and Peter Lau's boxtail projects (featured on this site, I think they are great!). I have been drawing up plans for each part and am at the point where I'm ready to buy the wood and parts. My set will look a lot like the gigpig kits (but I'm not ripping them off hehe )

I need to figure out how i can cheaply make the bass drum pedal set up and also to a lesser degree the hi hat set up (i'm just going to buy a cheap hi hat stand and take the legs off). I'm also wondering if i need to cut up existing drum shells for the skins to seat onto or maybe i can use something else?

If anyone has any good ideas on any part of my project, please post them

[MetalHead]

If you haven't seen the gigpig, the website is www.gigpig.org

[robertm]

Hi Metal. Looks like you're getting into the spirit of the site here-great!

Peter has done marvelous things with plain wood-his latest microkit doesn't even have a bass drum head, just a thin resonant plywood panel. And he posted a note on how he made a VERY inexpensive closed hi hat mount. Ijust bought a cheap used hihat stand and I'm going to use the parts to make something similar to Peter's.

For bass drum pedals, I'd suggest a Pulse pedal from Musician's Friend. $39 US and they are very easily reversible for floor tom/cocktail drum use. They're really well built and can be used without much hassle almost anywhere because of the good backing plate. I've also had good lick with a pedal from Music 123 that's about $18.00. it isn't reversible but for a sit down type kit it would be pretty good.

Let us know how iit comes out.

[PETER]

Hi,Metal Head!
Happy to hear that you're starting to build a "Box drum".Just want to offer a little help here!It's easy if you can use back your existing drum shell(Just cut them!)it make your job easy.If no,try look for cheap/used/old drum shell.As for the Hi-Hat,If you can use Cable Hi-Hat will be more fun,because you can clamp it anywhere you want!
Wish you all the best with your drum project!
Best Regards,
Peter

[MetalHead]

Thanks very much for the advice guys, I will be keeping you posted on how my project comes along. I was thinking about heading down to the local drum shop to fish through the 2nd hand area now actually

[MetalHead]

I went and bought a 12mm sheet of wood, nothing special. The gigpig uses around the same thickness so I think it should be okay. As for wood, I chose a piece that seemed to be around the same pitch as the drums should be. I cut up the sheets today with a jigsaw. I'm planning on using squared lengths of wood on the inside edges of the box to hold it together. Now all i need is the rest of the hardware :S I'm having a lot of trouble finding drums that are small enough, all I've found is a set of 6" and an 8" one sided toms on a stand for $200AU which I don't want to pay. I'm looking into building stave shells but I think itwould be too difficult.

I'm wondering if you could give me some pointers on how you build your boxtail designs, Peter?

[PETER]

Hi,Metal Head!
It's good to hear that you have all the materials ready.Before,you start the project,I think you should get a snare drum with stand and drum stool, try to adjust the "playing position"that you feel comfortable(Because,you can't do any adjustment on the Box drum!!!)Once set,then you can get the measurement.To make thing easy,I will draw out the diagram for you and send it later!
Thanks
Regards,
Peter

[jmettam]

Hey MetalHead,

I have a feeling that your will probably want the same head sizes for a couple of your drums so.... you can get various sized snare drums and toms quite cheap on ebay and through music stores. The I don't think that you need the lug brackets so that should not be an issue. Remember that snares have a slot cut in the botoom rim to pass the snare tensioner material through.

Look around online, I'll bet you will find what you need

- John

[MetalHead]

Thanks for the help guys. That would be helpful if you could send me a drawing of your design Peter, I'd appreciate it.

I'm planning on installing tom legs on at least one corner of the box when it's done to allow for tilt and hopefully height adjustment. The box should be a good height for me, I hope :S I just used inspiriation from the measurements for the gigpigs box

I was planning on installing an 8" snare (with a chamber that goes to the bottom where there will be a resonate head installed right up on the uncut wooden bottom, with wires and proper snair unit), 6 " tom and 8" tom, then a side tom on a frame of 10 or 12". Now I've been thinking, I only play a 4 piece standard kit usually, My mini kit's also only 4 piece. I could make this 4 piece instead of 5 with maybe a 10" snare, 8" tom and 12" tom hanging on the corner, half on the box. This way it would have a lot more grunt when it needed it.

Hopefull all goes well, I'll keep you updated, thanks again for the help.

-Michael

[jmettam]

Hey Michael,

Do have any way to take pictures as you go along? It would be great to have a step by step record of your planning and building process!

- John

[PETER]

Hi,Michael!

Hope it help you on your drum building!!!

Peter

[PETER]

[MetalHead]

Yes I do have a digital camera, I will take photos as I complete each stage and post them later. Those pictures give me a better understanding of your design Peter, thanks. I have to ask, do you find it uncomfortable to play your boxtail on the right foot? When I play my sit down cocktail set with the main drum as a snare, I find that I have to bend my leg inwards to get to the pedal, otherwise I'd have to drum way over to the right where i can't play it very well and my knee hits the drum itself.

[PETER]

Hi.Michael!
About the "Playing"position?OK!at first,I do have this problem.After playing it few times I manage to find a "Comfortable"position to play the Boxtail drum.I just sit a little bit to the left,so that my right foot have a better/comfortable position on the pedal,The other thing you have to look into is your "Sitting" position.Normally,I sit very low on normal drum-set playing.But for the Boxtail kit,I have to sit a little bit higher,it may take few times,few adjustment to try out the sitting position(To make sure that you kneel don't touch the drum's body!!!).
Regards,
Peter

[MetalHead]

Okay, the whole boxkit idea of mine kind of died when I was given my Sonic Drive 3 piece cocktail kit (which I am in love with!). Since I have the wood and my father wants to work with me on the project still, I've decided to revive the "not a gigpig" idea for a self contained box drum kit.

Since I have a cocktail now, I'm going to focus on total portability and not worry about needing to perform with it, one trip only! I'm want to have an 8" snare (single sided), 8" tom and 10" tom on the top, that's it (plus the 14" bass on the side).

I still need to find an 8" shell that I can cut up (really don't want to use my export 8" and reduce the value of my kit)
I was looking at my bongos the other night and got to wondering if I could buy some cheap bongos to use as the shells to bear the skins. If i had an 8" bongo, I think it could work! The tuning pegs are going to go into the wood after all, so they don't need lugs. Has anyone ever tried this? I'd hate to wreck a perfectly good set of bongos and have it not work.

- Michael