Revitalising a fluffy beater

Pollyanna

Platinum Member
I have a Vater Vintage Bomber beater that I love. However, while I rotate it regularly to even out the wear the fluff is starting to flatten out.

I could pick at the flattened bits to fluff them up more again but I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with this issue and might have some tips ...
 
I'm picturing a little afro-pick in the beater sticking up on the side that doesn't hit the head. Whenever you have to fluff it out, the pick is right there!
 
Dip it in polyester resin, that'll take care of the problem... fluffy will be ready to ROCK!

No more fluffin' the beater between songs.
 
Awww Les *pout*

Been there, done that with rock. I'm looking to gaze in browner pastures now - and I love my fluffy beater. I woulda thought that at least one of you practical he-men with a backyard shed would have some clever solution to expend the beater's life ...
 
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Mousse?...........................
 
Bo joked about an afro pick but I think that really might do it...

You can probably pick one up at a hair supply store that sells ethnic hair products (you have aboriginals in AU right?)

Something like this ought to do it:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/pro...unt=1&categoryId=cat120074&CAWELAID=202390681

Even better than that would be a pet brush with wide teeth.

http://www.bicwarehouse.com/pet-grooming-brush-42041.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Base

Use LIGHT quick strokes, you're fluffing it, not removing a topcoat. It won't grow back. I saw an old boss use the pet brush method to fluff up an Elmo costume. Best job I ever had...
 
Bo joked about an afro pick but I think that really might do it...

You can probably pick one up at a hair supply store that sells ethnic hair products (you have aboriginals in AU right?)

Something like this ought to do it:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/pro...unt=1&categoryId=cat120074&CAWELAID=202390681

Even better than that would be a pet brush with wide teeth.

http://www.bicwarehouse.com/pet-grooming-brush-42041.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Base

Use LIGHT quick strokes, you're fluffing it, not removing a topcoat. It won't grow back. I saw an old boss use the pet brush method to fluff up an Elmo costume. Best job I ever had...

Hey Red, whaddaya mean it won't grow back? It can't be dead! It just CAN'T! *sniffle*

That actually makes sense. Ta. It just needs to not be too wide- or too close-toothed.

There's a wood beater underneath the fluff, which is weird. I would have thought having a felt layer underneath would help its longegevity.
 
For suede shoes and jackets on flat spots I would use an emery board,don't know if it would go deep enough but might be worth a try.
 
Take the beater off and throw it in the dryer for about 20 minutes..Fabric Softener not necessary
 
All afro-pick jokes aside....I think by the time you've considered what to do and done it, I think if you were clocking your time, you would have spent more money doing that rather than just having bought a new one! These beaters can't be more than $20 (US). I would suspect you make almost as much (or more) for one hour at your regular job.

Get on the phone and order one. Be brave, your heart must go on.... ;)
 
DED and Brady ... you guys have fluffy beaters? Is this some kind of Neanderthal thing?? Wow, I must have lead a sheltered life ...

Eames, I think a brush or comb would work better than emery board, which I think might just wear it off ... ?

GD, you can't take the fluffy head off. A comment about its construction. I'm guess it's a wood or hard cork beater underneath. Then you have something like a lambs' wool jacket on over the top of it, and it looks like it's seamless.

Bo, the beater costs A$40. It's less than my hourly rate, yep, but money isn't the issue for me - it's waste. I always try to squeeze every last ounce of life out of stuff I own because I don't want to be a stereotypical wasteful Westerner who takes the amazing good fortune I have to be born in one of the lucky countries for granted. I guess that's exactly what I am, but I try not to be ... so replacing it is a last resort.

Have a look at the t-shirt I'm wearing in my avatar and you'll see what I mean :)


Another issue, for the chemical buffs here. Some of the the plastic-y stuff from my black dot kick drum head has worked its way into the fibres of the fluff that's caused clumping like chewing gum in your hair. Do you think metho would dissolve it?

My next kick drum head won't have a spot on it. Like I say, I love the fluffy beater - more of an organic boom sound than a thud, which to my ear works best with a very small kick drum (16").
 
In that case tie it to your car bumper and drag it around the block a few times.
 
Or maybe goad it to pick a fight with a big guy at a seedy bar? :p

In the end I went with Bo's & Red's suggestion (although I baulked at leaving an afro comb in the fluff).

First I used metho to loosen the clumping from the black dot on the skin and picked off the worst of it with my fingers. Then I found an old hair brush little knobs on the end of the bristles that I don't use any more to pick up the flattened fluff. That seems to be as good as it gets.

Thanks to those with sensible suggestions ... and to the bloody comedians :)
 
Shampoo and blow dry should do the trick. But before that, dissolve the gunk w/ a petro based solvent. Goof off, kerosene, petrol, should work, but if the fluffy beater fibers are petro based, then don't use a petro based solvent.
 
GD, the spin dryer would work if the beater was removable. Not sure about the Mafioso treatment :)

Larry, shampoo and blow dry without conditioner is a recipe for unsightly split ends. Then I'd have to get them cut off and my fluffy beater would become less fluffy.

I wasn't game to use turps to remove the gunk, just in case it dissolved some important glue. Hang on, do you US guys use the term "turps"? Mineral turpentine.
 
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