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Always looking for an inexpensive way to make Cocktail Drums I thought that I would try converting a cheap pedal to strike upwards. I chose a 'Pulse Pro Single Kick Pedal' (Product #444565) from Musician's Friend since they make relatively solid hardware for the price and the pedal was only $30. They had a cheaper $10 pedal but it did not look like it would convert easily. The pedal also has a solid base plate with velcro that makes it usable as a stand alone pedal without using a clamping bar which is typical (and often hard to find) on most cocktail drums.
The pedal itself is a highly adjustable chain drive pedal. There is a rotating spring clamp adjustment that lets you put the beater at any angle you want. There is also a rotating chain cam adjustment that allows you to put the pedal at any height you want within the physical limits of the pedal. This kind of adjustment flexibility is ideal for a conversion.
Below is a list of tools required for the conversion:
1) Remove the beater. (Drum Key)
2) Remove the chain from the chain cam. (Drum Key)
3) Loosen and slide off the spring position clamp (Drum Key) hint: it helps to pry the clamp apart a small bit with a flat headed screwdriver.
4) Remove the pedal rod holding nut and bearing from the left hand side of the pedal. (Wrench)
5) Loosen the beater clamp and the chain cam. (Drum Key, 2.5MM Allen)
6) Loosen the chain cam grip that is underneath the chain cam. (2mm Allen)
7) Slide out the pedal rod being careful not to loose any parts.
8) Reverse the beater clamp and chain cam.
9) slide the pedal rodback into position passinig through the beater clamp, chain cam clamp and chain cam.
10) Reattach the bearing and holding nut on the left hand side. (Wrench)
11) Tighten the chain cam grip and the beater clamp. (2mm and 2.5 Allen)
12) Reattach the spring position clamp but do not tighten yet.
13) Reattach the chain but this time coming around the other side of the pedal. (Drum Key)
14) Attach the beater and rotate to a good position. Tighten the spring position clamp. (Drum Key)
15) Rotate the chain cam until the pedal is at a good playing height. Tighten the chain cam to the chain cam grip. (Drum Key)
Congratulations, you are done! Adjust the angle of the beater with the spring position clamp on the right hand side. Adjust the pedal height by rotating the chain cam.
- John