Nylon washers

stillgroovin

Senior Member
OK, here's a completly dopey question but I had to ask. I use these nylon washers on all my drums. I recently bought a new snare and it came with the washers on the lugs WITH the Metal washer on top of the nylon. Is this the right installation.? Have I been doing it wrong all this time removing the metal washer? I know this is petty and dopey but this stuff bothers me.HELP!!!!!!!
 
I have put nylon washers on my snares and I leave the metal ones on. To me the nylon makes the tension screws turn easier when tuning.
I don't think it matters if you take the metal off. One of my snares, I couldn't get the metal off. Either way works I'm sure.
 
....and I use the nylon only. Seems self-defeating to me to have tension rod on metal washer on nylon washer.

Cheers!
 
Hello,
That would be incorrect. You shopuld have either metal or plastic washers on the drum. I do not like the metal washers, metal on metal is never a good idea. I would remove the metal ones and replace them with the plastic ones.
 
Hello,
That would be incorrect. You shopuld have either metal or plastic washers on the drum. I do not like the metal washers, metal on metal is never a good idea. I would remove the metal ones and replace them with the plastic ones.

Does make sense, yer in other general objects (cant think of any examples) they have metal washers on metal other stuff...
 
I just like having the nylon against the hoop to make tuning easier. I really don't think leaving the metal one there hurts anything or they wouldn't make them that way to begin with. And as stated one of my snares the washer doesn't come off so I had no choice.
 
And isnt this the point you start becoming a drum geek when you get into a deep conversation about the pro and cons of nylon vs metal washers.

On the nylon side, I have seen them break a few times (doesn't have often) but this wouldn't happen with metal. I have both on different drums and not sure. Can we get a drum makers views on this?
 
Leaving the metal washers on doesn't interfere with the ease of tuning the nylon washers provide, especially in high tension things such as snare drums.

A lot of tension rods come with captive washers, I wouldn't go replacing them because of it. The nylon washers will still work just fine.
 
I disagree, use both. Reason being: Metal washers are designed to distributed the compressive forces from the bolt head into the surface. The nylon washers are designed specifically to decrease the resistance during tightening, since the friction coefficient is significantly lower between nylon and steel that is it between steel and steel. So:

-Lug head-
-Steel Washer-
-Nylon Washer-
-Rim-


Love always,
An engineering geek that loved physics classes.
 
Back
Top