Refinishing my 1997 DW kit

[zambizzi]

I've got a 5pc DW kit made in '97 that I'd like to have finished w/ some kind of gloss but I'm unsure what something like this *should* cost...or if I could maybe do it myself w/o destroying the drums.

The original owner had stripped the ply wrap off of the shells and painted them w/ a matte deep blue sparkle paint finish. It looks spectactular, it couldn't have come from the factory w/ a better finish job.

However, I'd like it glossed too. When I bought the kit he sent along 2 cans of the paint he had used so I had something to match it to. I think I'd like another layer of the paint on it and then a very nice gloss finish on top of that.

I'm not confident that I could do that w/o ruining them so I'd definitely consider shopping around for someone to do the work. Should I try a furniture maker? What should it cost?

Also, will this affect the sound in any way? What are some things I may not be considering, due to my admitted ignorance on the subject?

Thanks!

[GRUNTERSDAD]

If you strip the shells you may get an auto painter to do it. Some of the shops get slow and the painters will do side jobs for cash.

[Deathmetalconga]

Sounds like a neat project. I'm sure doing anything to a shell will change its sound somewhat, but I don't think wraps and paints have a big effect on that so I wouldn't worry about it.

I would do what Gruntersdad suggests and take it to an auto paint place.

[Mendozart]

I'm pretty sure you posted this before on the GhostNote site and they were telling you not to sand and respray. I would refresh their minds over there. Those guys know what they are doing when it comes to refinishing, sanding, etc. Personally, if you want a different finish, I would wrap them.

[zambizzi]

I'm pretty sure you posted this before on the GhostNote site and they were telling you not to sand and respray. I would refresh their minds over there. Those guys know what they are doing when it comes to refinishing, sanding, etc. Personally, if you want a different finish, I would wrap them.

I did! However, they weren't terribly helpful. Most replies consisted of "just don't do anything" - in so many words.

I don't want to sand and refinish...I simply want to touch up what is already on there (maybe just another thin coat over the existing finish) and then maybe a lacquer on top...or something to that effect. I'm not entirely sure what all of my options are yet.

[zambizzi]

If you strip the shells you may get an auto painter to do it. Some of the shops get slow and the painters will do side jobs for cash.

Thanks! I'll make some calls and see who's available.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Thanks! I'll make some calls and see who's available.

Just for clarification, I meant only to strip off the hardware not the finish. sorry if that was misread. I should have said to remove all hardware.

[rmandelbaum]

I had a DW kit refinished. I called around all the paint and body shops and got lucky. I found a shop that was owned by a guitar player, he new what I wanted and how to do it.

I feel he was way to low on his price, he only charged me $500.00, I bet he had that in materials. They came out amazing.

[Unix]

You can easelly refinish a drum. You can even sand it, you will have to because you can't apply a laquer on top of a cured paint, nothing will stick on. For a full hi gloss buffed jod be prepare to pay at least $800.00.

Hi gloss is not an easy thing to do and most furniture company are not speciallized in that finish.

[harryconway]

A cat who "knows" how to shoot a good hi-gloss or lacquer job "should" be able to help you. The fact that you have 2 cans of the paint the "previous" owner used is info. you need to pass onto your painter. That way he won't use a product that will react negatively to the paint already on the drums.

[zambizzi]

You can easelly refinish a drum. You can even sand it, you will have to because you can't apply a laquer on top of a cured paint, nothing will stick on. For a full hi gloss buffed jod be prepare to pay at least $800.00.

Hi gloss is not an easy thing to do and most furniture company are not speciallized in that finish.

Really? So the lacquer would have to be applied before the topmost layer of paint fully cures? I doubt they could be sanded down too far, the shells are already fairly thin - which incidentally, probably lends to how good they sound. They have a much more open sound than my newer kit.

Maybe I won't have them high-glossed then, I'm not entirely set on anything. Maybe having a professional apply a couple coats of new paint on them would revive them really well.

Maybe a semi-gloss?

[zambizzi]

Sounds like a neat project. I'm sure doing anything to a shell will change its sound somewhat, but I don't think wraps and paints have a big effect on that so I wouldn't worry about it.

I would do what Gruntersdad suggests and take it to an auto paint place.

I often wonder about this...especially w/ ply shells - wouldn't a wrap have a more dramatic effect on the sound than a natural, unwrapped finish? I've never actually tried the two, side by side, tuned similarly, with the same heads.

My 5" deep DW snare has a gloss finish on the inside of it, which surely has some effect on the sound...obviously more dramatic than anything on the outside of the shell would.