Refinish Pictures - Natural Camphor Laurel

[drozzy]

Okay, here goes my second attempt at a refinishing project.

This started life as a Percussion Plus 12" tom, which i happened to learn that PP lugs are actually the same as PEACE lugs. I quite like the style of them.

I had a large stockpile of Camphor Laurel (an invasive species of tree in Aus.) Veneer that i got for free some time ago, so i thought i might as well put it to use as a vertical grain veneer on these shells.

So here it is, natural wood grain - it needs a slight sand and then it will get a coat of lacquer or varnish over the top to seal it. This is my new gigging kit, when i finish the floor and bass drum.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/drozzy/DSC02718.jpg

Hope you enjoy! All comments appreciated!

[katman]

That veneer job looks great. How did you attach it? Was it backed with an adhesive? And did you use a vacuum bag to secure it till it dried?

I also like those lugs. You'll have quite a classic looking kit once you finish the bass and floor.

[drozzy]

The piece of veneer I had were very old and crumbly, a good 20 years old. Very dry wiht no adhesive. There are about 5 pieces of veneer used on that single tom. I started using epoxy at the joins and PVA on the flat expanses, but then i got lazy and just started with 5 minute epoxy at the joins. Saved me a whoel lot of time and made sure i got no airbubbles. I used a few clamps and two belts (as in, things that go aroudn your waist) while they dried in sections.

Thanks for the kind words!

[bonzo49]

Looks classy!

20202020

[Big_Philly]

awesome work!

twenty characters...

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

That's a pretty grain pattern. Thought about staining and varnishing it?

[chuzwazza]

cool! my drums are the same percussion plus, they actually dont sound half bad. looks pretty sweet.

[maddrummr]

Looks niice : )

I think it will look better after the laquer finish but thats me.


hehe 4 lugs on each side of that bad boy

[Drummer Karl]

Wonderful work! Looks just like a DW veneer...haha.
Looks really brilliant but how about laquering it? Not necerssarily with a colour but maybe just to make it looking more glossy...

overall it looks great. How does it sound after refinishing?

Karl

[drozzy]

It is getting lacquered. But only to semi gloss. I really dislike extremely glossy finishes! I only need it to stop grease/oil/moisture getting in there.

The sound itself is surprisingly nice, i'll get some recording up when i get new heads for it. It has a warm tone, but with a tiny bit more projection before, probably due to the vertical grain transferring the resonance directly to the resonant head.

Starting on the bass drum today. Shoudl be good fun!

Maddrummr - There actually 5 Lugs, and from my experience the difference between 5 and 6 lugs is very minimal, and takes up more time when changing heads at gigs, etc. Which is what this kit will be used for.

I was going for the DW vertical grain look, and i think i achieved it pretty well! Far better result then what i had imagined.

Just need to save some pennies and buy some heads for it now!

[maddrummr]

Maddrummr - There actually 5 Lugs, and from my experience the difference between 5 and 6 lugs is very minimal, and takes up more time when changing heads at gigs, etc. Which is what this kit will be used for.





Yea looking back at that picture i can see that 4 lugs would not be spaced like that. Unless of course you custom place you lugs.

[jollymosher]

that looks very very cool! i find a gig kit to defeat the purpose of practicing in some cases.

[drozzy]

I've explained my sentiments behind doing the gig kit quite a few times.

My gretsch kit is a recording kit, its surrounded by about 5 mic stands, a whole lotta wires and about 6 cymbal stands. So its very very difficult to move anything. I also wouldnt want it to get scratched or dinted.

Where as this kit, I got for free, and i really don't care if it gets abused/scratched/broken.

How does it defeat the purpose of practicing? I use a 4 piece in both circumstances, I use the same snare, same cymbals, just different drum shells.

[drozzy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/drozzy/DSC00252.jpg

Updated pic. Sorry about the phone pic quality. It seems to have washed out some of the red from the grain.

Should be finishing up the bass drum over the next few days, then doing some varnishing.

[thumper]

Damn, but that's a nice looking finish, and unique too!!!

[44Ronin]

Hey Drozman!

Im glad I gave you those tubs , you're doing a great job with them!

[drummercam]

very cool my friend, I had never thought of using a sheet of veneer to recover a drum before. A few years ago I bought some drum wraps online but did not have much luck with the tape that held them on. I have never been to keen on my results but seeing your project makes me want to try recovering them once again. How difficult was this project for you, and how much do you think i would be looking at spending to re-finish a total of six drums (14x5 snare, 12x8 tom tom, 14x12 floor tom, 16x15 floor tom, and 20x14 kick)?

[fijjibo]

Very nice.

I did the same thing a while back to an old floor tom I got...

Just for giggles....

[drummercam]

very cool my friend, I had never thought of using a sheet of veneer to recover a drum before. A few years ago I bought some drum wraps online but did not have much luck with the tape that held them on. I have never been to keen on my results but seeing your project makes me want to try recovering them once again. How difficult was this project for you, and how much do you think i would be looking at spending to re-finish a total of six drums (14x5 snare, 12x8 tom tom, 14x12 floor tom, 16x15 floor tom, and 20x14 kick)?

I have come across this website which sells exactly what I am looking for (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=260-042) I think I am wanting to get the maple veneer and then I will lacquer the drums afterwards. Can anyone offer me any further advice or warnings before I go ahead and purchase several rolls of this veneer?

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Very nice. A little semigloss clear on there and oh boy.

[drozzy]

These still aren't finished. Life got in the way.

I have finished the 10 and the 12. Hopefully after my exams, or before them as a relaxation process, I can finish at least the Bass drum. i need some more old veneer.

So far, this has cost me 25 Australian dollars. I received everything else for free. the most expensive part will be the heads.

Thanks for resurrecting this thread!

[drummercam]

These still aren't finished. Life got in the way.

I have finished the 10 and the 12. Hopefully after my exams, or before them as a relaxation process, I can finish at least the Bass drum. i need some more old veneer.

So far, this has cost me 25 Australian dollars. I received everything else for free. the most expensive part will be the heads.

Thanks for resurrecting this thread!

I am seriously very interested in recovering my drums with a veneer. Perhaps you or anyone else might be able to offer me some assistance! I am wanting to go ahead and order some products from www.veneersupplies.com. I am looking at getting a 4' x 8' sheet of paper-backed cherry veneer with adhesive tape on the back ( http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_info.php?products_id=1990{19}64{50}136{49} 135 ) as well as grabbing some colour of stain. I am thinking about getting the golden brown stain ( http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_info.php?products_id=550 ) but I am not sure how many of these I should be ordering.

Does anyone have any experience in dying/staining drums?

[Four Sticks]

Can't wait to see the whole kit done up. Good job so far.

[drozzy]

Update:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/drozzy/DSC00460.jpg

Got the bass drum done up this morning. Need to buy some real skins for the kit when I travel into the big smoke later on this month.

Now onto the floor tom, when I go in and cut some more veneer into the right size sheets.

Hope you enjoy! Soon enough theyll get a sanding and a coat of Minwax wipe on poly, I just finished a bass guitar in that and it come sup superb after a few coats!

[drummercam]

The drums look great! I picked up some maple veneer today and have begun to recover my drums with it. So far I have covered a 5x14 snare but am still not sure about how to do a really good job of applying the veneer to the drumshell, what did you do?

[drozzy]

Mine was a bit tricky, seeing as the widest pieces were only about 12 inch. Smallest being 6 inch, theres about 10-15 joins on each drum. Difficult to get right when you dont have a ruler longer than 30cm!

I'd advise you look into a vacuum bag mate, even for the small drums, using a commercially available 'space bag'. You put the drum into the bag with some clamps holding the veneer square, and then vacuum the air out of the bag, so the veneer is airtight against the shell.

I had to do each join with a strip of 5 minute araldite, because I am inpatient and i got the veneer for free, beggars can't be choosers. I only had a few clamps, so it isnt perfect, but you can't tell from a distance, and it will be a gigging kit, so oh well!

[drummercam]

And I guess a coat of lacquer would help cover up any cracks in the veneer. I bought a 4' x 8' sheet of maple veneer for 60 bucks and am just using contact cement to apply it to the shells. Would you really say that vacuuming it is completely necessary?

[oiboiluis]

nice work man i also love the look of peace's original lugs.

[drozzy]

If anyone knows where i could pick up two of the rack-tom lugs, it would be much appreciated, so i can build the 16x16 floor tom. Seems they are unavaiable in australia, so if anyone in america wishes to help me out!

[drummercam]

http://www.drummaker.com/ has always had what I have needed. I also have bought some lugs and drum wraps from http://www.jamminsam.com/

[dry_water]

that really does look great!! i attempted a refinish on a previously wrapped kit.. can u check it out on the general discussion.. i wanna get your thoughts on it if possible.

[drummercam]

my shells are all stained red now and i am waiting for them to dry before spraying them with a gloss finish... pictures will be up soon!

[PreppieNerd]

That bass drum would look really classy with a white reso head.

[drummercam]

i was thinking so... a white head with no corporate logos would be pretty nice!

[drozzy]

Yes, Plan is to put either an ambassador or emperor coated on the front. That there is the old batter, with a hole cut and sprayed black.

Just need ot find the money to buy it though!