wildbill
Platinum Member
OK - I need you guys to verify this for me, to make sure it's not some kind of placebo effect.
A while ago, I bought a used, inexpensive Ludwig Accent set, just to mess around with.
It's got that white mystery wood - poplar, luan, etc.?
They sounded pretty good for what they are - the typical short, thumpy, note without a lot of overtones or sustain.
I decided to re-do the bearings edges with my usual cuts. Edges looked good but really raw and vulnerable.
So I looked around for something that might protect them a bit more than the usual finishing wax I use.
I found a wood hardener and decided to try it.
It looked real good on the bearing edges, so I thought I'd coat the inside of the shells too.
Put them back together and was pretty surprised with the results. They have a longer note now with a lot more tone to it.
They sound about midway between a thumpy, low, soft tone, and a brighter, resonant hard tone.
Not sure how much is due to the edges and how much to the hardener.
This is the stuff I used: https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/minwax-high-performance-wood-hardener
It's more for prepping old, somewhat rotted wood, for a finish and to protect it from further damage.
and here's a pic of what that super white wood looks like now:
So - anyways - bottom line is this. If any of you guys want to take on a minor project with your soft wood drums, could you post if you get a similar result.
I'm sure some of it was due to bearing edges, but it seems like these have more than the typical result of that. I've done bearing edges several times before.
Pretty simple to do - just take off the heads (and lugs if you're feeling ambitious), use gloves and a brush or rag. It's a clear liquid, has only a bit of smell, (but do it outside), goes on quickly, and dries in about 4 hours. You can also re-coat without waiting if you want to.
Hope someone else gives this a try.
EDIT: probably should add that it might not be a good idea to use this on the bearing edges unless you're sure they won't be re-cut again.
It seems to contain some type of glue-like stuff, suspended in solvents, which carries it into the wood and then evaporates.
Gloves are an absolute must with this stuff. You don't want to get any of it on you.
The can says it dries to a rock hard finish, so it might also be hard on tools if you coat the inside of the shells,
and then plan on cutting the shells down further too.
A while ago, I bought a used, inexpensive Ludwig Accent set, just to mess around with.
It's got that white mystery wood - poplar, luan, etc.?
They sounded pretty good for what they are - the typical short, thumpy, note without a lot of overtones or sustain.
I decided to re-do the bearings edges with my usual cuts. Edges looked good but really raw and vulnerable.
So I looked around for something that might protect them a bit more than the usual finishing wax I use.
I found a wood hardener and decided to try it.
It looked real good on the bearing edges, so I thought I'd coat the inside of the shells too.
Put them back together and was pretty surprised with the results. They have a longer note now with a lot more tone to it.
They sound about midway between a thumpy, low, soft tone, and a brighter, resonant hard tone.
Not sure how much is due to the edges and how much to the hardener.
This is the stuff I used: https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/minwax-high-performance-wood-hardener
It's more for prepping old, somewhat rotted wood, for a finish and to protect it from further damage.
and here's a pic of what that super white wood looks like now:
So - anyways - bottom line is this. If any of you guys want to take on a minor project with your soft wood drums, could you post if you get a similar result.
I'm sure some of it was due to bearing edges, but it seems like these have more than the typical result of that. I've done bearing edges several times before.
Pretty simple to do - just take off the heads (and lugs if you're feeling ambitious), use gloves and a brush or rag. It's a clear liquid, has only a bit of smell, (but do it outside), goes on quickly, and dries in about 4 hours. You can also re-coat without waiting if you want to.
Hope someone else gives this a try.
EDIT: probably should add that it might not be a good idea to use this on the bearing edges unless you're sure they won't be re-cut again.
It seems to contain some type of glue-like stuff, suspended in solvents, which carries it into the wood and then evaporates.
Gloves are an absolute must with this stuff. You don't want to get any of it on you.
The can says it dries to a rock hard finish, so it might also be hard on tools if you coat the inside of the shells,
and then plan on cutting the shells down further too.
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