CYMBAL REPAIRS / MODS

[RMS]

It's been talked about, but I've never actually seen anyone do this to a cracked cymbal:

[THC]

This cymbal wasn't cracked, but I was playing around with a Pearl 300 top hat and came up with this.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/fzr1000/417029.jpg


Has a very interesting sound. Trashy china, but very thin sounding.

Much better than the original cymbal, but don't know that it will ever make its way onto the kit. Never know though :)

[pyromanizak]

What do you reccomend I should do to fix my beloved paiste?

http://i56.tinypic.com/6e3kol.jpg

Only a small crack but I need to fix it before it gets out of hand.

Here's another shot with colour adjusted so you can see it better,
http://i52.tinypic.com/5461pc.jpg

From the original series,
http://i56.tinypic.com/95mssw.jpg

[CCdrumming]

I know this topic is a bit dated but i have a question ! I have this 14"crash Meinl cadet series al trashed up and i tried repairing it , it's a very old series i think .. but i have no good use for it s i don't find the sound very exiting . So i wondered : maybe i could transform this old piece of crap into something useful like a crash or a bell .. ow yeah it's a very thick cymbal so .. any suggestions ?

[jeff92]

I bought a used Sabian AAX 10 inch splash, not soon after I bought it, it started developing a crack right under the bell. I'm not really looking to repair it, but I kind of want to keep it just the way it is without further damaging it. Right now, it gives a good effect with the crack. Any tips?

[sweetz2004]

Hi all i am new to this forum and need some ideas/ suggestions please.

I own 2 18" Zildjian A custom cymbals 1 is a Projection Crash The other is a Medium crash the projection i had not used for years as it had a crack in it i just used to use it with hot rods on my elec kit as a ride cymbal and the medium picked up a crack at some point during this summer.

Obviously like any one i am gutted that they are cracked i have tried drilling tiny pilot holes in the ends of them to stop the crack spreading its been about 50% successful on one and like 10% successful on the other.

I don't want to sell them because 1) even when i crack cymbals i like to keep them and 2) i don't quite appreciate selling cracked ones on as they are nothing like the real thing when undamaged i feel it is unfair on the person buying the cymbal.

So basically i am looking for some help and suggestions on modifying these beasts.

With one of the cymbals i would like to completely take out the crack with what ever tool i would need and put little pilot holes init so i could insert some rivets and turn it into a rivet crash ride? the other i would like to again take the crack completely out and possibly try and turn it into one of the EFX cymbals that zidljian make.

Or alternatively just reduce them to 17 or 16" cymbals?

If any one could help me with what tools i would need and how i would go about doing it all it would very much be appreciated.

Cheers

Carl

[sweetz2004]

Any one any suggestions please?

[nofreewill]

I have these old hi-hat style cymbals that don't fit on my current stand and want to drill the center holes out bigger. Is the best thing to use just a regular drill press or something? I have access to a machine shop with metal lathes and all sorts of fancy stuff.

[Paulpap]

These cymbals were over used and to be honest I hit as hard as i can when i get in to it. By using a hole saw I managed to stop cracks going any further. But I always cut at lest 5mm past where I can see the crack. %90 of the time I found I could get a few more months out of a cymbal + depending on how soon i found the crack and how well cut it out. I also found that cutting a large hole has less chance of a crack starting from the hole rather than cutting a small hole.

I've tried welding and silver solder both are pants wont last one gig.

These cymbals pictured aren't a good example though, they were used for just practice with a punk band and I just kept cutting.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1043&pictureid=6526

[tamadrm]

I have these old hi-hat style cymbals that don't fit on my current stand and want to drill the center holes out bigger. Is the best thing to use just a regular drill press or something? I have access to a machine shop with metal lathes and all sorts of fancy stuff.

Do NOT drill that cymbal.You will destroy its value as a collectable instrument.It may be time to retire it,but if you must play it,get a vintage stand for it,or i believe Gibraltar make a stand for vintage cymbals.Remember,that old cymbal is a lot thinner than modern ones,so if your a hitter,might as well say good by now.It won't stand up to the pounding.

Steve B

[tamadrm]

Hi all i am new to this forum and need some ideas/ suggestions please.

I own 2 18" Zildjian A custom cymbals 1 is a Projection Crash The other is a Medium crash the projection i had not used for years as it had a crack in it i just used to use it with hot rods on my elec kit as a ride cymbal and the medium picked up a crack at some point during this summer.

Obviously like any one i am gutted that they are cracked i have tried drilling tiny pilot holes in the ends of them to stop the crack spreading its been about 50% successful on one and like 10% successful on the other.

I don't want to sell them because 1) even when i crack cymbals i like to keep them and 2) i don't quite appreciate selling cracked ones on as they are nothing like the real thing when undamaged i feel it is unfair on the person buying the cymbal.

So basically i am looking for some help and suggestions on modifying these beasts.

With one of the cymbals i would like to completely take out the crack with what ever tool i would need and put little pilot holes init so i could insert some rivets and turn it into a rivet crash ride? the other i would like to again take the crack completely out and possibly try and turn it into one of the EFX cymbals that zidljian make.

Or alternatively just reduce them to 17 or 16" cymbals?

If any one could help me with what tools i would need and how i would go about doing it all it would very much be appreciated.

Cheers

Carl


Where are the cracks?Do they run horizontally,or vertically?Post some pics.

Steve B

[tamadrm]

What do you reccomend I should do to fix my beloved paiste?

http://i56.tinypic.com/6e3kol.jpg

Only a small crack but I need to fix it before it gets out of hand.

Here's another shot with colour adjusted so you can see it better,
http://i52.tinypic.com/5461pc.jpg

From the original series,
http://i56.tinypic.com/95mssw.jpg

Thats a pre serial number 602?I would send it to a pro,or you could just drill around a 3-4 mm hole at the very end of the crack.Nice cymbal.Cheers

Steve B

[Bretton]

I got a picture of that cracked cymbal im talking bout.....

My Friend has that exact same crack on that exact same cymbal...

or rather he did... I took it home, chopped it up and made a 14" ring about 2" wide that I put on my auxiliary snare. gives it a programmed-electronic-snare kind of sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpUynozoWhk go to 1:58

[wildbill]

I started a thread - 'Cymbal Cracks - Again', but I guess it should have gone here. http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88651

Anyways, I got a cracked 21" Zildjian 'A' Sweet Ride. Tried to drill at the ends of the crack, but wasn't satisfied with the sound, so I cut it down. Slipped once with the grinder, but I like the sound so much I'm not going to try and do anything else with it. It looks a little funny, because the bell is way out of proportion with the cymbal size, but the bell sounds great, and it's still got a good amount of ride/wash sound, without sustaining forever.
I would buy a new cymbal designed like this, I like the sound that much.

I also saved the name branding from the two cymbals, to save as medallions (they need more work - too much flash on the pic too). They should give these out when you buy a new cymbal,
as a prediction of what you'll end up with if you abuse them - ha ha.

Anyways, three pics - start, cut down, and leftovers.


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[wildbill]

I have these old hi-hat style cymbals that don't fit on my current stand and want to drill the center holes out bigger. Is the best thing to use just a regular drill press or something? I have access to a machine shop with metal lathes and all sorts of fancy stuff.


A drill press should work just fine as long as you have the cymbal clamped down good, so it can't spin, in case the drill bit 'bites' in. Work through it real slow - don't try and just push it down quick to get it through.
And as always, use all your safety gear - safety glasses, heavy gloves if you need to handle the cymbal, and so on. Gloves aren't recommended with a drill press, because it'll be a real mess if they get caught in the spindle. I use them, but try to always be super cautious and aware of where everything is at all times. YMMV.
A real bad accident can happen in the blink of an eye. Don't even think about trying it unless you have a lot of experience working with that type of machinery. Bring it in somewhere and have it done.

If you've got measuring tools, or a real good eye, you could try opening up the hole with a Dremel type tool too.


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