Re-wrapping a cocktail kit: Options?

[Tom E. Gunn]

Hello all.

I have a pretty cheaply made cocktail kit (Read: Chinese) which unfortunately after storing it in my garage, the wrap is starting to ripple and bubble. I could remove it and try re-gluing the wrap, but I'd like some other options. Plus the color is a cheap, metalic blue. I contacted a "major" drum wrap supplier, and they wanted almost $200 for a new sparkle wrap, more than I paid of the kit.

Does anyone here have any cheaper options? How about painting the drums? Spray or brush? Or what about contact paper...etc...?

Any thought?

[SRT80]

I'd stay away from papers and stuff like sparkle bright. I tried sparkle bright. When I put the drums in the back of my SUV on a hot day headin to a outdoor gig, the sparkle wrap started bubbling. Maybe ok if you plan to just keep the drums in doors.

What size drums do you have? If it's somethin' like a 14" - 16" x 24", one sheet would wrap it. Drummaker.com sales sparkles wraps (24"x54" sheets) for like $89 I believe. Some of the pearls are a little cheaper.

If you have a lot of drums to wrap, I would go with a satin flame. I don't know if the guy on ebay is still sellin, but he had satin flame wrap for a really good deal. In blue, yellow, and red. I really liked the blue and I wrapped a drum kit in it. Plus, you can go to Lowes and get a double sided thin tape that is used to hold on back splashes for kitchen walls. It works great and is a lot cheaper than the killer red double sided tape. The satin wraps are thin but still durable and a much better option than any kind of paper.

I just had my kit done in white satin flame. If you have a dealer near you who sales Rowlux illusion film, its the same stuff as satin flame.

Here's my kit in white satin flame...



Here's my old kit that was done in ruby red pearl. It was like $68 for a full sheet. You can also buy half and quarter sheets from drummaker.



Good luck on whatever you come up with.
Steve

[Tom E. Gunn]

What is 'Sparkle Bright?"

Would this work? Looks pretty easy. Also, do I have to cut all the pieces to correct sizes?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0702190631


I have a 24 deep x 16 main tom and two side toms which I believe are 5.5 x 10 and 5.5 x 8 but I'll have to take off the hoops to make sure of my measurments.

What about SPRAY PAINTING the kit? Sounds crazy but it would be cheap and I could use just about any color out there!

[SRT80]

That ebay link is sparkle brite. You can also get it from dickblick art supplies.

The thing with the sparkle brite is, you will need to wrap it over the old wrap. But if your wrap is bubbling, it would probably best to remove and put a coat of lacquer paint on the wood. It's not gonna stick to just bare wood. But like I said, I used that stuff before and it bubbled on me once it was out in the heat and I had it over the old wrap. It did look really good at first though. I had the silver sparkle.

If your up to painting, that is always a option. You could always put a coat of paint on and get some glitter and put on while the paint is wet and then clear coat over it. I seen someone do this on vintagedrumforum.com and it looked pretty good.

If you decided to go with a real wrap, for a 16"x24" drum you would need 1 full sheet. For the 2 toms, a half sheet would work. So through drummaker in sparkle, you'd be lookin' at around $135 + s/h. About the same for pearl. DM has went up in cost as I just checked their site. The ruby red pearl used to be $68 for a sheet and it's $88 now. If you went with satin flame, about $100 for a full sheet and half. For only $35 extra, I'd go with the sparkle or pearl.

Steve

[SRT80]

You could also check Jamminsam.com If you measure your drums, they will pre-cut the wrap for you.

I checked ebay and the guy doesn't have any active listings on the satin flame. Too bad cause I'm building a 60s style 4 piece drum kit and was really wantin to wrap it in the peacock blue.

Steve

[Tom E. Gunn]

Jamming Sam was more expensive than Precision Drum. Both offered pre-cut sizes and advised tape or contact cement. But the total cost was between $185 and $200.

The Sparkle Brite guy quoted $57, pre-cut and shipped. But I'm thinking the wrap he sells is the same grade (CRAPPY!) that I have on there now. So eventually I'll have TWO wraps that are all ripply and bubbled.

I could just leave it as is. I use the kit so infrequently since my cocktail gigs are a one- or a two-time a year event.

[SRT80]

The sparkle brite is not a wrap. It's a very thin adhesive paper. It was a pain for me to install by myself. 2 people helps. Make sure you get a straight cut when you line it up. Cause if you get off a little, it ruins the project. And there is no do overs with this stuff. Once you stick it and try to peel it, you are left with sticky sparkle residue on your drums.

I just want you to know before you buy the Sparkle Brite. I ordered mine from Dickblick art supplies. I can't tell you what to do, but if I was you, I would wait and see if the satin flame stuff comes back on ebay. You get 24" x 150" for $69 shipped. That's almost like 3 sheets of wrap. And the stuff looks killer, especially under stage lights.

Steve

[Tom E. Gunn]

Steve,

I really appreciate your input and by all means, I am totally open to your advice!

I'm one of those guys that if I tried the re-wrap with the Sparkle Brite, I would completely jack it up, cuss all over my garage, and rue the day I ever contacted the seller on Ebay.

So, I think I will wait on this one.

[jmettam]

Hey Tom,

You could also try Canal PLastics:

http://canalplasticscenter.com/

They sell a thick plastic contact paper in blue, red, gold, etc sparkle. It is still peel and stick stuff but it is thicker than most cheapo contact paper. I'm sure it would bubble up on a very hot day but if you are just looking for an easy cheap cosmetic job, it might be what you are looking for.

I use it on my remo bongos to match up with my kit. DOn't remember the cost but I don't believe it is too bad.

Go to this page and click the image for a close-up:

http://cocktaildrum.com/gallery2/main.p ... temId=1569


- John