Builders - vent snare before or after paint?

AJ3000

Silver Member
Ok so I'm building (or re-building!) a snare out of some old bits and bobs I have laying around the place for a tour in Greece in about 6 weeks. Due to the fact I'm flying with an airline notorious for dodgy baggage handling I don't want to fly my SJC, so I'm building something fun on a budget!

I want to vent the snare, but I'm wondering if it is best to cut said vent before or after the staining or painting (depending on where I go with it). I don't want paint or stain inside the vent, but I don't want to bugger up the finish by cutting a hole after the fact.

Any ideas and advice welcomed!!
 
You would do all this stuff before if your painting. I wouldn't risk doing anything to the paint job. The hole will be taped off when painting. Install grommet after paint is applied for a nice clean look.
 
The normal procedure here is to do all of the finishing work before cutting edges, then finish the edges, and only then do any drilling into the shell. Precise drilling with sharp, high quality bits won't hurt the finish, if it's applied well (make sure your finishing work is not prone to flaking or chipping). Grabbing some old, dull tools for the job and not bothering to set things up securely before drilling... well, that can cause some damage.

But, then, we're not cutting any 3" vents, either, so you might find it easier to do that work at the outset. Depends on the method you're using to make the hole. Most hole drills that size are not as sharp as precision bits, and a saw is definitely hazardous to the finish around the edge of the hole.
 
Furthermore, bearing edges and hardware holes are covered up on the finished drum. A 3" vent won't be.
 
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