Any yellowed WMP wrap owners out there?

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
Hey all,

Over the previous holiday season, I pieced together a set of 1976 3 ply WMP Luds, 24, 12, and 16 x 16..

I stripped the bass drum and cleaned the hardware. I was toying with the idea of sending the shells out to Precision Drum to do the edges. Old Luds edges...not a fan. Not precise enough. Anyway, I'm still on the fence about that. My intention was to just put the drums together, and don't worry about the age. They're not in the best of shape cosmetically, but the shells are good. The wrap is yellowed, slight lift at the seam on the floor, nothing unuseable, and the used parts I found, spurs, lugs, BD tree, have some pits and rust so they wont be perfect. I'll clean them up the best I can of course. The drums are in limbo right now, half apart.

The wrap bothers me. Yellowed stuff looks bad to me. So I did some research. And I found something that just might be huge to yellowed drum wrap owners. It's a relatively inexpensive way to literally reverse and restore yellowed plastic. It works on ABS Plastic.

Here's the website.

http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/home

It's not a commercial website selling anything. It is an instructional website that tells you how to unyellow plastic.

It explains everything and goes into great geky detail if you care to read the links. I haven't tried it yet, but I will. Today I located all the ingredients I need. 2 stops, a CVS drugstore and my local health food store has everything I need. Total cost about 50.00 USD.

Here's the recipe for those who just want the method. Wear gloves and goggles, don't get this stuff on you or in your eyes.

1 pint 12% hydrogen peroxide (no more than 12%. The website has alternative recipes that call for 30% hydrogen peroxide, but one of the links tells why you shouldn't do it.

2 heaped teaspoons of Xanthan Gum
1 level teaspoon of Pure Glycerine USP
1/4 teaspoonful of an Oxy type laundry booster

Add the Hydrogen Peroxide and Xanthan Gum to the blender. Mix on high speed for 5 seconds. Add the Glycerine and mix for a further 5 seconds. Let the mixture rest for a minute then mix again for 5 seconds. A smooth, non-drip gel should have formed. This gel can be put into a dark coloured jar or tub (e.g. a coffee jar covered in tape) and stored, as long as you DON’T add the “Oxy” until you are ready to use it..


Add the Oxy right before use, mix it good. Smear the gel on your wrap and let sit in the sun. Don't let it dry out. Don't do it on a real hot day. You can do it indoors under a source of UV light. They say leave it out for a day but definitely keep checking on it.

This method works on ABS plastic. My only question. Is drum wrap ABS? Bob you would know that. BOB!

I am very excited about this.
 
Drum wrap is usually PVC, but its not a solid piece. I noticed this when refinishing some drums of mine that were green sparkle wrap. There was a back layer of black PVC, then all the sparkle glitter (silver) was in between that layer and a green transparent layer. The pearl wraps are sort of a fibery paper layer (think Remo fiberskyn stuff) under a PVC layer. The PVC yellow could probably be cleaned up, but I don't know if it would affect the material in between. Then again, the outer layer may be all that discolors with age. The only problem would be the end result to the color. You wouldn't want a yellowed wmp wrap turning bright white and green because of a chemical reaction. (Think of what bleach and peroxide do to colored fabrics)
 
Larry,depending on the style and color of the wrap,different plastics were,and are used.PVC is just one type.Also in use are Cellulose Nitrate,Cellulose Acetate,and mylar/vinyl.I have used Novus plastic polish with good results on WMP.I think exposing drum wrap to UV rays would be a no-no.

I would call or email Delmar plastics,since they supplied nearly everybody,especially Ludwig with plastic wraps,then and now.They are pretty good about customer service,and only they would know the correct information,concerning what type of plastic was used..

You could also try Presicion, they seem to know their stuff,but for me at least....going to the source is the way to go.

Steve B
 
I'm guessing piecing together a white marine pearl set will get you a kit with various shades of yellowing. I have a early 1960s wmp Rogers snare and the yellowing is surprisingly minimal. I've seen horrible pee-stained looking wraps, alterantively. I just chalk it all up to cigarette smoke, etc., but am ok with it ... one of those awful 'it is what it is' analogies. But this goes same for other pearl wraps too. Fading is just an inevitable thing.

I wonder if vintage value is decreased if one tries to de-yellow a kit?
 
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