Drum building

[gamarada717]

I've been drumming for about 3 years now, and I've decided to take it to a new level, just because I figure I'll be doing it for the rest of my life. I think it would be pretty fun to build my own drum, and have it totally customized so that I love everything about it.

If there's one thing that I love to do when I'm bored, it's go get a drum off of my set and take it apart and put it back together, and just mess with it in general. I like to hear all of the different sounds that I can get out of a drum. Since this would be a rather educational cause, my mom has agreed to fund me for it. The total project (assuming we have all of the tools, we have a lot too) should cost around 200 dollars.

From what I've read so far, it looks like I'll be ordering a shell (I like the look of acrylic ones) and drilling all of the holes for the lugs my self. This is the one area where I will be needing the most help, and since my dad passed away when I was rather young, the only tools that I'm really experienced with are the band saw, the power tools, and smaller handtools. To build a drum, you need quite a few things. Here's a list of the parts that I've came up with, and I'm sure that I'm leaving something out.

shell
hoops
throw off
second butt plate
snares
lug screws
lugs
various screws and washers
heads
internal muffler (still thinkin bout that....not sure if I like a remo ring on there or nothin at all)

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. This would, of course, be my dream drum, so I'll want everything just right. If anybody knows anything on this topic, or about drilling shells, because that will be my main problem, please share the knowledge. I've checked out a couple sites on the net, and many of them use terminoligy that I don't understand. http://www.amdrumparts.com/ Has nice shells and hardware, so a good place to start, I suppose.

[gamarada717]

up

[Lopy]

you should concider making an old fasioned native drum, every year at my camp, a guy in the boathouse makes another native drum, he streches and soaks and dries an animal pely himself and makes the whole thing. I'm thinking that could be easyer to build, and also give you a whole new kind of drumming to get into. It could help you expand the hobby you love so much.

[silentdeath55]

I built a custom snare that cost double that. I got all of the parts off of an online site, but I forgot what it was.
One cool thing you can do is get a custom name plate engraved with your signature. Thats what I did and it looks awsome. I'll try and get pics up sometime.

Good luck...

Oh, don't forget to file out the snare bed if the shell doesn't already have it cut out. It won't work if you don't.

[toothlesrooster]

gamarada717, Here's a great site I found. Has everything you'll ever need at decent prices. Click on the "catalog" link at the top.

https://www.drummaker.com

[silentdeath55]

I think thats the site I got my parts from, but I'm still not positive. Now that I think back, I may have used more than one site.

[sgt_easton]

Best of luck. I'm been playing for almost ten years, and the thought has never crossed my mind to make 'em.

If you're curious: http://www.theclockers.com

[gamarada717]

Thanks for all the replys, and I'd love to see a picture or two of the snare you built silent and how you went about doing it. I've been to the drummaker site, but whenever I try to look at the products, the "buy-safe" webpage will never load for me. One of my friends says that it works fine for him. Cool website and band sgt. easton! I listened to a couple of your songs and you guys sound awesome!

So if anybody else has any advise or info on this, please post it. Also if anyone can figure out why that website won't work for me, it would be helpful.

[chizle97]

you would need a wood smoking shack or rood and also molds. my friend used a speaker as a mold to do this. but it takes a long time if ya dont hollow it out of one piece of wood wich i do not recomend. Ive tried, thus chizle. also for info on drum making email the guy at www.porkpiedrums.com he knows a ton of stuff about that.