Pedal dimensions

[redbullah]

hi there! i got a pedal to improve my right foot control at home and i have few questions about it that i think answers will be helpful to other drummers too. thanks for your patience!

1. my pedal is a second-hand one, so it's springs and chains are in a horrible situation. chain is full of dust and squalor sticked on it's grease, forcing it not to move. springs are not so different, and both of them are covered with rust and mould. what kind of progresses i have to apply and materials to use to make them work like a brand-new-one?

2. what kind of a material should i use as a pad to get the feeling of a real bass drum? foam? sponge? mouse pad? tennis racket? or something completely different (i guess xD)

3. what is the optimum spring stress and how can i understand it?

4. the boss question: what should my pedal's dimensions to give me maximum comfort to use it like a twin or triggered pedal (in the idle position)? please tell me the a, b and c amounts and other important dimensions that i dont know.
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3866/67651410large2ib7.jpg

[Les Ismore]

hi there! i got a pedal to improve my right foot control at home and i have few questions about it that i think answers will be helpful to other drummers too. thanks for your patience!

1. my pedal is a second-hand one, so it's springs and chains are in a horrible situation. chain is full of dust and squalor sticked on it's grease, forcing it not to move. springs are not so different, and both of them are covered with rust and mould. what kind of progresses i have to apply and materials to use to make them work like a brand-new-one?



2. what kind of a material should i use as a pad to get the feeling of a real bass drum? foam? sponge? mouse pad? tennis racket? or something completely different (i guess xD)



3. what is the optimum spring stress and how can i understand it?


4. the boss question: what should my pedal's dimensions to give me maximum comfort to use it like a twin or triggered pedal (in the idle position)? please tell me the a, b and c amounts and other important dimensions that i dont know.
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3866/67651410large2ib7.jpg



1. Spring's are cheap, take frozen one(s) down to the hardware store and match it up best you can. Factory replacements can be had pretty cheaply if your brand of pedal is popular.

2. Tennis racquet, that's a good'n. Let us know how you mount it.

3. Start @ medium tension, or lighter if uncomfortable, you want resistance to build muscles. Increase as you get stronger.

4. A= 45 degrees B= Just over center of bass drum head (22" bass drum divide by 2 =11"). C= 45 degrees general starting points. From there, take all settings extremely higher, then lower to feel the effects, then find comfort somewhere inbetween.

You need to try many different settings. Plan on spending hours setting up your pedal, if it seems like too much hassle would suggest finding another hobby.

[Deathmetalconga]

I agree with Les, it might be easier just to replace the springs. To clean the chain (and the springs if you wanted) get some general-purpose solvent, like paint thinner or kerosene or WD-40, and pour/squirt it into a little cup a half-inch deep or so. Put the parts in there to soak for an hour. Get an old toothbrush and scrub the parts clean with that. Wear goggles to keep from spraying solvent in your eyes and wipe them clean with a rag. Use sewing machine oil or even clean motor oil to lubricate the parts and wipe off the excess oil.

Like Les said, you will have to experiment a lot to find what works for you. You may also change the settings over time just to see if there's something else that works better.