Make Your Own Drum Kit

Finally, An Australian Custom Drum Building Parts Supplier

By John Dutra | July 8, 2010 | 6 Comments »

Total Post Read Time: 1-minute

I wanted to write a quick post on how excited I am that Australia finally has a custom drum building parts supplier. The day is long overdue, and we’re proud to announce that Drum Parts Online has stepped up to the plate with some high quality custom drum parts. Kudos to them!

But what’s even more exciting is that our DIY custom drum making virus is spreading across the globe, and our Australian drum makers now have a high quality resource to tap into (alright guys… we expect some pictures of your drum building projects. No excuses now!)

Enough of the chit chat…. check out Australia’s Custom Drum Parts Supplier:
www.drumpartsonline.com.au

As always, please feel free to leave any comments below (for example: “finally!” or “hell yeah!” or “for god’s sake, it’s about time!”, etc..)

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | 6 Comments »

20 (Quick) Questions With Benny Greb

By John Dutra | April 21, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Benny Greb is one of the best drummers of our age.

He’s got natural deep pocket groove, technicality and style. Benny’s DVD, “The Language of Drumming” has been awarded as one of the best drum instructional DVD’s around. And frankly, as far as I’m concerned, it walks the walk. Can’t wait till he makes another DVD.

I got a chance to fire 20 questions at Benny, and he fired back. Total read time? One Minute.

1) Maple or Birch:
Beech Wood! Best of both worlds: attack and bass.

2) Drum Finish:
White pearl

3) Favorite Snare size:
13“x6.5“

4) Bearing Edge Style:
The sonor style!

5) Best Bass drum depth:
17.5“ or 17“ depth by 22“ diameter

6) Best Snare Drum “Tuning Tip”:
Tune it evenly, but a bit higher than you would like it to sound. Then, loosen the tension rod facing you by one or one half turn.
And keep the resonance side head very tight!

7) Die cast hoops or triple flanged:
Triple flanged. I am dynamicly used to it so much that now, when i play a die cast hoop, it “feels” too much.

Paradiddle or Paradiddle-diddle:
Why pick when you can have both?

9) High seat placement or low:
Quite high – it´s better for balance and footwork

10) Pillow in the bass drum or wide open?
Really depends on the room and style of music

11) Favorite rack tom size:
10“. I don´t like 12“ at all.

12) 10 Lugs per side on a bass drum or 8 per side:
Uh..not shure ..I think 10.

13) Rack tom placement.. angled at you or flat?
Totally flat!

14) Best album:
Beatles “Revolver” maybe?

15) Favorite shoes to play in:
I don´t care as long as they are not ski boots.

16) Ear plugs or none:
Practicing yes – recording / performing no.

17) Reinforcement rings in the shells?:
Yes, when the shells are very thin.

18) Chrome hardware, brass or black:
Chrome

19) Snare beds or none:
Usually none

20) Next drum set:
The same again …I´m happy with my sonor sq2!

Ok, now it’s your turn.

What is your favorite answer from above?
Care to share one question you’d ask Benny Greb?

Please share your thoughts via comments below. Thanks very much!

Topics: D.I.Y Drums, Drum Building Interviews | 4 Comments »

WIN A DRUM CLOCK! It's the easiest contest you've ever entered….

By John Dutra | December 13, 2009 | No Comments »

Ok… here’s the skinny:

Contest: Send us pictures of the drum set or snare drum you made (or both) from Guerrilla Drum Making techniques. If you re-vamped an old kit, re-wrapped old shells, painted an old set, or are even STILL IN THE PROCESS of working on your drum making project….STILL SEND US PICTURES!!!!
Days: The contest lasts until January 1st, 2010.
Winner: It’s a three step process: ALL participants are put into a raffle. We’ll draw your name. You win. It’s as easy as that.
The Prize: A 12″ Wall Drum Clock. Real shell, real hardware, and it really works!

With that being said, lets get down to the four contest rules.
#1) Send us Three pictures: One pic of your set, snare, or project. One pic at a different camera angle. And one pic of YOU with your project. If you really really don’t want to be in the pic… we’ll let it slide. Just send us the other two pics.

#2) Good Pics: Any digital camera will work fine. Please… no blurry photos or camera phone pics.

#3) You Must Be A Guerrilla Drum Making Customer: When you e-mail us your THREE pictures, put the first number of the bar code (back of the DVD case) in the subject line of the e-mail. “But wait” you say, “which number is the first one?”




#4) Tell us your info: In the e-mail that you’re sending us your pics in, tell us your NAME and LOCATION.

And that about wraps it up. See… isn’t that the easiest contest you’ve ever entered? Let me recap the contest in one single sentence. Enter to win a cool wall drum clock by e-mailing us three good quality pictures of your drum set, snare or drum making project by January 1st.

Remember to include the first number of the bar code in the subject line of the e-mail, and send us your Name and Location.

Please send your e-mail to John@guerrilladrummaking.com

Good luck and please comment below with anything!

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | No Comments »

HELP: Need Your Thoughts on A Virtual Drum Set Maker…

By John Dutra | September 25, 2009 | 51 Comments »

Would A Virtual Drum Set Help You Out?

One thing I’ve been thinking about lately for the Guerrilla Drum Making homepage is a virtual drum set maker. I get constant e-mails about “how can the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD help me? What finishes does the DVD show?”
?????? ????? ????
Well I had an idea… not an original one, that would put those questions and concerns to rest. And hopefully this solution will also give people some ideas for their custom drum sets, as well as help them visualize what the DVD can really do for them.

What if Guerrilladrummaking.com had an option to “Virtually Build Your Drum Set” ?

Anyone could click options to change the following:


1) Drum type (tom drum, snare, floor tom, bass drum)

2) Finish types from the DVD as well as “cross finish” ideas (such as a veneered drum shell with an abalone drum wrap stripe in the middle (chapter 4 and chapter 6), or a sunburst color fade over an exotic veneer (chapter 5 and chapter 4), etc etc.)

3) Lug type and lug offset or layout type (in line lugs, 50% offset, 5/8″ offset, etc.)
?????? ????? ????
4) Tension Rod Length (option to use “Standard Length” or “Alternate Length” ?????? ????? ????

• ?????? ????? ????

The whole point of the “Virtual Drum Set Maker” would offer a visual solution to what the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD can offer. Combined with the drum making articles, drum making cost spreadsheets, I think this vould be very useful in helping people step into drum making and visualize their custom kit.

What are your thoughts?

I need your help… please comment below and tell me what you think.
?????? ????? ????
#####
Cheers.

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | 51 Comments »

Guerrilla Drum Making Interview With DRUM! Magazine

By John Dutra | September 22, 2009 | No Comments »

The holy grail, to me, is to spend less time making a drum set and more time behind the drum kit playing it.-From The Drum! Magazine Online Interview

?????? ????? ????
?????? ????? ???? The quote above is from a recent interview I did with DRUM! Magazine Online for their Custom Drum Builder Week showcase. Below you’ll find a small snippet of the story but you can read the full interview here.

DRUM!: What’s the biggest obstabcle to making your own instrument?

?????? ????? ????

Dutra: I think the biggest challenge for first time drum makers is information overload and confidence. Finding drum making information is like googling “Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes.” Everyone uses this technique or that technique, this product but not that product, and if you use this without that you’ll totally screw up the whole project, and blah blah blah!! There’s absolutely no room for imagination or experimenting and this kills confidence… there’s nothing more discouraging than reading 1,000 opinions on how to stain a drum shell.

DRUM!: What was your goal in making the DVD?

Dutra: My goal with Guerrilla Drum Making was to eliminate these obstacles and road blocks by introducing basic ideas that produce professional results. No over thinking. No over measuring. No crazy tools. This builds confidence in people and leaves room for them to get creative and add on to it. It leaves them in the garage instead of at the computer staring at forum posts.

DRUM!: Are you happy with the response??
?????? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????
Dutra: The response to the DVD has been great; far better than I ever imagined. And I think the cool thing about people’s response is that they watch it over and over and pick up new tricks every time. The DVD is basic enough to build confidence, but there’s some complexity involved that poses a challenge for those who want to get more creative.

Read The Full Guerrilla Drum Making Interview With DRUM! Magazine

Topics: Guerrilla Drum Making Reviews | No Comments »

Studio Drum Tones With Aaron Harris of ISIS

By John Dutra | September 4, 2009 | 2 Comments »

I’m gonna skip the introduction and cut to the chase.
?????? ????? ????
Below is a bad ass interview with Aaron Harris of the glacial, progressive rock band Isis. Isis’ newest Album “Wavering Radiant” is a journey through seven songs that will more than wet your appetite and get you sitting behind your drum kit with some newly inspired ideas.

Aaron and I got a chance to talk about the record, studio drum tones, and more.

John: Wavering Radiant has the hugest drum tones ISIS has ever had.  What drum set up did you record with? ?????? ???? ?????????????

Thanks. I’m really happy with the drum sounds on Wavering Radiant. Joe Barresi has a great ear for drums and knew exactly what I was looking for, and what would fit my playing style. Also this is the first session that I had a drum tech, which was at the request of Joe. At first I wasn’t too hip to the idea, only because I like to tune my drums and I had a hard time picturing someone else doing it.

Jerry Johnson, the drum tech, was amazing! Again he knew exactly what I wanted and worked hard at getting it. Both Joe and Jerry are very pleasant people to be around, but also very pro and hard working.

The kit I used is a Sonor Designer Series. The toms are all square sizes: 10X10 rack, 14X14 floor, and 16X16 floor. 22 kick. The shell are maple and the finish is a natural birdseye maple. The rims are triple flanged. I used to use die cast on the toms, but I find that toms can be fussy and I get a better feel for the drum with a more sensitive rim. I still us die cast on the snare however.

My main snare is a 14X5.5 Tama hammered bronze snare. I’ve used this snare on every record, and at every show. I did however use a few snares that Jerry brought along. I don’t recall what they were exactly. I know one that I really liked was a wood Pearl with the free floating mount system. It was a 14″. That’s all I remember about that snare. Sounded great though!

John: Working with Joe, did he bring anything to the table that drastically changed the way you will record drums in the future? Any head preferences from him… tips, microphone placements that you’ve never done or recording techniques that have forever changed you? Any tips to pass on to drummers?

I can’t say enough good things about Joe. He’s a killer guy and a killer musician/ engineer. He’s got a great ear and feel for creating music. He’s very practical, yet entirely open to try new things. He’s kinda the best of both worlds I’d say. He’s a big fan of Neve mic pre’s. I’ve used them before, but had better luck with API mic pre’s. Neve’s are typically very warm and round, API’s are very punchy, and have a nice clarity to them.

With all the low tuning and heaviness of this band, I’ve always found API’s to give my drums what they need to cut. Joe proved me wrong with the Neve’s. I think the drums on “WR” cut better than I’ve ever heard them. Joe has a lot of experience making great records, and that experience is really valuable these days. A lot of engineers aren’t coming from the same background that a guy like Joe has, where they know vintage gear and recording techniques. 

John: What drum shell wood type do you prefer when in the studio, and what type in a live situation?

I honestly don’t pay much attention to the drum materials except when it comes to the snare. I’ve never had much luck with wood snares. I’ve always used Bronze. It cuts very nicely, but also has warmth to it, where most other metals are too harsh. Like I said before, the shells on my new kit are maple, and I think most of my other kits are also maple, so I’ll stick with that. I don’t see myself getting any other kits now that I have the Sonor that I love. So yeah, I’d recommend maple when it comes to wood.

• ?????? ????? ????

John: Lets say you were going to make your own, completely customized drum set.  What would it be… what would it look like…. what size drums….?

Hmmm that’s a tough one. I’ve always thought a carbon fiber kit would be cool. Not the regular “tight weave” carbon that you see everyday, but the “chunky” sheets of carbon that you see on some bike wheels.
And it would have to be a raw finish, so no gloss. Just matte finish chunks of carbon. I think that would look pretty cool. Not sure how it would sound though….

John: In a live situation, ISIS tours like crazy and those drums of yours get some wear and tear.  For the drummer thats gearing up for tour life, what’s one tip you can give them for drum set maintenance on the road?

Bring lots of backup hardware stuff, like tension rods, nipples (what the tension rod goes into), kick drum beaters (they wear out and I’ve even broken them), back up kick pedal (I’ve broken them too), stuff like that. Anything you think you might loose, break or wear out. It sucks to loose a fitting on a tom or snare and not be able to tune properly, or loose a tension rod etc. Drums you just have to be careful with. Get some good hard plastic cases to keep them safe. Bring a rag to wipe your kit down every so often. Pack your hardware nicely so that it doesn’t break. Loosely tighten mounting hardware when toms and things like that go into cases. The bouncing around during travel will cause them to un-thread and you may get some dings in your toms, or worse, loose the parts. Also clean your cymbals regularly. You’ll be surprised how much better they’ll sound even if they’re a little dirty. 

---

You May Also Like:
*Jojo Mayer Interview – A conversation about drum tone, birch drum shells and the drum industry.
*Drum Building Tips To Make A Drum Set Like The Pros
*Make A Drum Set: 5 Reasons To Take The Leap and Never Look Back

---

Topics: Drum Building Interviews | 2 Comments »

Jojo Mayer Interview – A conversation about drum tone, birch drum shells and the drum industry.

By John Dutra | August 27, 2009 | 3 Comments »

Drum building has a ton of benefits. The biggest one being that you have the choice and ability to select drum parts that fit your musical needs like a glove.

I got a chance to interview drumming legend Jojo Mayer… the drummer and key songwriter for NERVE and an all around drumming god around the world and especially in the NYC music scene.

Jojo released one of the worlds best instructional drum videos ever, “The Secret Weapons For The Modern Drummer,” which is like an encyclopedia of drumming philosophies that you can soak in and apply to your playing.

So…what does Jojo Mayer have to do with drum building?

As I found out, Jojo walks the walk. He’s not just a incredible artist, he’s also a drum tone enthusiast… knowing about shells and drum shell construction, just as I had imagined he would. And with all of Jojo’s knowledge about drum shells, tuning, studio playing, bearing edges and the whole works…. it all comes down to a simple solution and simple needs for Jojo.

Perfect… excactly in line with Guerrilla Drum Making philosophy that less is more… and simpler is better.

Without further ado… Welcome Jojo Mayer.

John Dutra: Jojo, what drum shell sizes are you leaning toward lately?

Jojo Mayer: At this point I’m really tending toward the classical sizes. Because I feel that for the impact of the drum shell, and the response, it is better than deep shells. In deep shells you have certain amount of low end, which is not as versatile as the classic shell sizes. With EQ’ ing, I see that the classic depth shell can sound heavy but delicate at the same time. With the deeper shells, or the longer shells, its hard to get a delicate, sensitive sound with it.

As far as tuning range, the classical sizes give me a broader range. If i tune them up high, they don’t choke. Ya know like with a deeper shell when you tune them up high towards a jazz tuning, the sound doesn’t really work as well.

JD: And this goes for the bass drum as well? ??????? ???????????

JM: Even with the bass drum… right now I’m considering when ordering my next kit, that I’m probably gonna go back to a 14″ depth like they used to have. As opposed to a 16″ depth. Cause I’ve played in the studio, on a couple of tracks with a 14″… and I usually use a 20″ x 16″, and with a 22″ x 14″ its just really in your face with a lot of attack. The response is just much much faster.

JD: What is your preferred drum shell construction around the drum set: solid shells, stave, ply, metal, etc.? Or do you stick with Maple Shells?

JM: Basically there’s good shells and there’s not so good shells. If the balance is good with the shell, it doesn’t matter what type of shell it is. I’ll challenge the most proficient people in the business to tell me the difference between a maple drum set and a birch drum set. The sound depends on so many other factors besides the material of the drum shell.

However, I personally have been playing birch drums more than maple. Maple is a nice, round, polite sound. It has a lot of fundamental tone, and it has a very pretty sound. However the birch gives me more attitude. It’s a little fiercer, a little more in your face with low end and also attack.

JD: So you’re looking looking for attack.

JM: I’m looking for two things: one is tunability. A good tuning range… it sounds really good when it is low and it sounds good high. The good drum shell doesnt have any bad spots. You can tune it low and high and higher and higher and it just keeps singing. Theres a lot of drums where you just cant do that with. They have certain sweet spots and then you tune them a little but higher and they start to choke. Then you have to go lower than that range for it to sound good. A good drum shell… it doesnt matter what wood it is… when the construction has balance… it sounds good in any pitch you take it to.

I have a ton of old Sonor kits. They used to make them out of Scandanavian birch, which is very light and flexible and dense at the same time. It’s a really incredible wood… however its gotten very expensive. Its now considered a boutique. But those drums sound really really great. I use that kit in the studio and the newer shells I get from Sonor are built in that similar fashion. Its a thin birch shell, about 6 plys with no re-rings. It explodes when you hit it. And it sounds great..you can tune it up ROCK hard and it doesnt sound like a bongo… ya know? But as well when you tune it low it sounds great.

So tunability is one thing and the other thing I look for is charecter. See you might get a really really nice, balanced sounding drum set that just sounds boring. Ya know, it’s just too bland. I’m almost looking for something in the sound that has some personality… a little flavor. It’s like a good wine. Some have a strong berry taste, or a licorice… or something about it…. and it’s one of those things with drum shells. Of corse it also depends on what drum heads you use.

I use single ply heads most of the time… sometimes I use double ply heads. I use the tuning of the top and the bottom pretty much the same. Because I’m going for more of a short attack type of sound, a nice short resonate sound and note a long drawn out sound. So that works very well with the birch kit.

But I’ve played maple kits that sound very well also… so it really isnt that much of a difference.

JD: And people often choose maple because it’s industry standard. They can choose from a ton of different wood types.

JM: Yeah, and certain opportunities to use certain woods that sound great… I just wouldn’t use those drum shells because of political reasons. I would never choose Bubinga… because it isn’t right. And not because bubinga is an endangered species but because Bubinga comes out of a territory that is war torn. Usually the people that deal with their woods are enslaved.

“But our bubinga is regulated and we get it from this supplier, and that dealer..” but that dealer gets it from another dealer who is buying the wood from the same gangsters. Ya know?!!

So it’s a good idea, as a consumer, to educate yourself as to where the wood is coming from. There are local woods, like in Germany for example, they have beechwood…. and for some reason people dont use that wood because they think that American hard rock maple is the way to go because American companies push that wood so hard.

I heard a mahogany kit, which is sort of inferior in the drum building world, that sounded really great. And ive heard maple that doenst sound good at all. So… the wood is the wood.

I think another thing also, is that I am trying to choose a wood that is aged long enough so the sound isn’t changing over the years.

JD: I’ve never been so disappointed in a drum set than when I bought an all maple DW drum set years ago…. I started making drums and found out just what you said: Wood is wood. If its a good shell than its a good shell.

JM: With the drum industry…. its all about marketing. I mean wood is so temperamental! You get two pieces of wood from the same trunk where one was in the shade and the other was in sunlight and these two woods will behave differently. I have heard very high end, expensive, boutique kits that didn’t sound good because they were not balanced. And then you go open up a brochure that promises you all sorts of features…. but… ya know… its wood!! It all comes down to marketing.

Of corse you can get a snare drum made from a solid piece from lake Superior and it might sound great but I just dont think a snare drum should cost $2,000… A dentist might buy that, but I wouldn’t do that.

JD: What’s your take on drum finishes?

JM: It doesn’t matter what the finish is. If a wrap is glued on to the shell in the right way it will resonate with the shell. I think its much more about the bearing edge. And its bean very neglected by the industry.

There is just so many ways you can cut a bearing edge.. and everyone just surrendered to a 45 degree angle because of the plastic heads. Most corporate drum companies make drums today not necessarily because its the best way to do it but because it caters to the lowest common denominator. Like a double ply bass drum head, it sounds like plastic to me. But it works great for someone who cant tune their bass drum!

But I have a 45 degree cut like most of the stuff but some of the snares I have a slight counter cut that gives a little more air in the drum. But I also have vintage kits that have round edges that sound great. But its hard to determine if its the bearing edge or if it is the way that the shell is made. Ya know?

I’ll tell you one thing with drum making and what you guys do.. is that a person should have more insight into “where does this wood come from?” Someone may pay more for a better drum shell that is better for them…. that is made by someone who has health insurance but at-least it is not from some place where 800 people are using the same bathroom, ya know? Those types of things are great considerations before buying drum shells.

---

You May Also Like:
*Studio Drum Tones With Aaron Harris of ISIS
*Drum Building Tips To Make A Drum Set Like The Pros
*Make A Drum Set: 5 Reasons To Take The Leap and Never Look Back

---

Topics: Drum Building Interviews | 3 Comments »

Drum Vent: 8 Steps To Drilling For a Vented Snare Drum

By John Dutra | July 27, 2009 | No Comments »

Big “Orange County Drum and Percussion” style vents are popular, and easy to do. I would suggest, when dealing with thin wraps like satin flames, to test and try out other methods than those below. With all laminated drums in general, if you’re wraps aren’t bonded tightly to the drum and you are cutting big vents, you can run into some serious problems!! So make sure your wrap is set with a J-Roller and doesn’t have ANY bubbles………

A.

• ?????????? ???????? ????? ?????

Lay a horizontal strip of blue tape and mark the center between either two lugs (finished drum) or two lug lines (unfinished). B. Set vertical tape and reinforce your center mark, all the way down the drum. C. Measure the depth of the drum and mark the halfway point. D. ????? ????? ??????? Choose the appropriate whole saw size (depending on the vent size you want….and also consider TEETH type when buying the bit at a hardware store) and line your drill up. E. Start drilling slowly with little pressure. Be sure to be holding the drum tightly with your free hand.

F. When approaching the last ply to be drilled through, slow down and DONT push the drill through. G. Peel the blue tape, and sand the inner edge with 320 grit paper… then H. check out your new vent!

u2zemn8bvx

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | No Comments »

Tips On How to Veneer a Snare Drum Shell Anywhere, With No Tools.

By John Dutra | May 5, 2009 | 2 Comments »

I’ll be honest, I’m impatient. Especially when the weather is warm.
And Drum making is no exception… I have to constantly remind myself to slow down, double check this, triple check that.
But this time around I decided that I wanted to see how far and how fast I could push the veneering process when making a custom snare drum

So….Here’s the good news: All you need is a measuring tape (you can actually do without it), blue tape (masking tape works too), scissors (grab any old pair), wood glue (yellow glue), and an iron (don’t tell your wife or mom).

This technique only works for veneer sheets that cover the entire drum shell. This process would not fly if you needed tight veneer seams like in the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD.

First things first…. tape your veneer down to a table or something… you can even use the floor. Use the measurement of your drum shell depth to mark your veneer for cut lines… I only made two vertical lines on each end of the veneer. I did this with a measuring tape and took the best 7 inches of the veneers figuring, which happened to be in the middle of the entire sheet.

Now take blue tape and actually put it over your two cut lines… spanning the entire veneer sheet on both ends and on both the front and back of the veneer. It will look like this:

To get really straight linse for my cuts… and since I don’t have a straight edge jig like in Guerrilla Drum Making (again… NEEDED for seaming veneer sheets)… I wrapped the veneer around my shell and traced around the edges of the shell to make some nice.. straight lines!

When its all said and done… the lines will look like this:

Now… the moment of truth…. cut those lines with scissors man!

Surprisingly…. some really straight cuts.

Now… the rest of the drill is fast and easy… just like in the GDM DVD.
Glue the veneer and drum shell… let it dry…. throw it on a stand (I had to use a fence beam since I wouldnt allow myself to use any jigs), and iron that baby.

Getting a good cut for the butt of the veneer was easy… I set my shellupon a nice flat counter… I used a DVD as a straight edge and marked a nice straight line. I cut that line with scissors and glued the rest of the veneer down to but the two ends up.

Stay creative…
####

Topics: Veneering Drum Shells | 2 Comments »

Using India Ink to Paint Drums Jet Black.

By John Dutra | December 29, 2008 | No Comments »

Ebonizing your drum shells isn’t as easy it seams. Using aniline dyes

• download freddie hubbard the artist selects

or Transtint dyes to get that Knight Rider black is do-able, but not as efficient as other options.

One option to check out is Dick Blick Waterproof India Ink . The ink is a finely ground pigment that’s available as a fast drying waterborne liquid ($8.19 for a pint).

As you’ve seen in the black stain chapter of the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD, raise the grain before applying the ink (as with any waterborne finishes). Once dry, the ink is compatible under any finish type.

Good Luck.
####

Topics: Drum Finishes | No Comments »

John Dutra Talking Shop With The Black Page Drum Magazine

By John Dutra | December 2, 2008 | No Comments »

I’m excited that I got a chance to talk drums and drum building with Sean from The Black Page Online Drum Magazine. Our little chit chat will be will be included and released in the December edition of TBP Magazine..

If you haven’t heard of these guys at The Black Page yet, visit their site and you can sign up for a an awesome, informative, and free online drum magazine that is distributed through e-mail. Be sure to sign up quick so you can get the December edition!

• ?????????? ????? thread

Here’s a small snippet from the interview:

How and why did you come up with this DVD?

There were two reasons why the DVD needed to be made. The first was that there was barely any visual explanations of drum making techniques and tactics. Mostly… everything was step by step drum making procedures with pictures. For such a detailed craft, that seemed crazy to me. There’s to many realistic steps that get left out when documenting something with pictures… and it seams truly unrealistic. People need to see someone doing it…seamlessly in action… so they can watch it and say, “Ok…got it. I can do that… no problem.”

The second reason is that the online explanations and small selection of pictures was completely centered around specialized equipment that only professionals can afford and operate. I mean… I worked at a custom drum shop for years… and we had all these tools and they are not easy to use for the one-off drum builder! So I sat back and asked myself…”For all the people wanting to take a leap into drum making, how many of them are scared, right off the bat, strictly by the tools that are being used?” Apparently the answer I presumed was correct.

How much money can a person expect to save with the Guerrilla System?

Thats another question that is really hard to answer. I tell people all the time that they should make their own drums because they want to MAKE THEIR OWN DRUMS! Saving money is just a bonus. I mean, in theory, someone could spend a TON of money on their own custom kit…. spending more than the cost of buying a custom drum kit from some of the big boy custom companies. And then again, someone could spend nothing on something that looks and sounds better than kits that some of the custom drum companies offer.

Sign up on The Black Page Website to receive the entire magazine and read the rest of the interview.

####

Topics: Drum Building Interviews | No Comments »

Less is More: Simple Explanations of Some Confusing Drum Finishing Terms.

By John Dutra | November 13, 2008 | 8 Comments »

For all you hungry drum makers who want some clear definitions of some EXTREMELY BROAD terms… than today is your day. For more detailed explanations of some of these terms, check an older post written by R.J. Neelans called Custom Drum Finishes: Finish Types, Descriptions, and Drum Finishing Tips.

Terms:
*Tung Oil – A natural oil extracted from the seeds of the Chinese Tung Tree.
*Tack Cloth – A cloth saturated with a diluted finish to enable it to pick up dust and dirt
*Solvent - Any liquid used to dissolve other substances. Most common are H20, mineral spirits, denatured alcohol, acetone, etc.
*Satin – A sheen considered more reflective than flat, but less reflective than semi gloss
*Sealer – A finish designed to seal the woods pores, dry fast, and sand easily in preparation for final coats or staining.
*Raised Grain – Condition of wood when liquid such as H20 forces the loose surface fibers to swell up
*Polyurethane – A synthetic resin used to formulate a tough and thick varnish
*Orange Peel – a textured surface that occurs when a mixture of finishes isn’t correct
*Open Grained Woods – Oak, Mohogony, etc, charecterized by prominent open pores that haveto be grain filled in order to finish smoothly.
*Nitrocellulose – Formula of acids and cotton cellulose that forms a base for modern lacquer.
*Mineral Spirits – solvent made from petroleum used in oil based formulas
*Linseed Oil - Oil extracted from flaxseed
*Lacquer - durable, fast drying finish (developed during World War 2). Usually sprayed
*Grain Raising – intentional fiber swelling of the wood with H20, to sand and remove loose fibers which would have swollen and affected the finish quality after the finish or stain had been applied.
*Gloss – Sheen of the finish. Flat, Satin, Semi Gloss, High Gloss.
*Closed Grain – Maple, Pine, Poplar, etc. Closed grained woods have tight pores and do not require filling before finishing.
*Veneer – Thin sheets of wood
*Aniline Dye – Fast acting tinting agent that can be dissolved in denatured alcohol, H20, mineral spirits. translucent finish when compared to pigmented stains.

Ok…I’m out of breathe.

More to come!

# # # #

Topics: Drum Finishes | 8 Comments »

Marking, Drilling and Mouning Floor Tom Legs On Your Floor Toms

By John Dutra | October 21, 2008 | No Comments »

A great thread came up on Drumforum.org, and coincidentally… also on Ghostnote.com, about converting a hanging floor tom to a drum with floor tom legs.

Similar to my response on Drumforum.org, here is a small voice-over snippet from the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD… put into text….

Please note that this technique is assuming that you have straight lines already laid down for your lug positions. If you’re re-vamping an already made floor tom… remove select lugs and make straight lines through the center of the drill holes with a square.

Good Luck.

###

Designate the back of your floor tom and measure the center point between two lugs.
Measure 5” up from the bearing edge of the resonating side of the drum, and mark it. 5” up is a good height for the leg brackets on this particular shell (I encourage you to evaluate your situation and make adjustments to your liking due to shell size, and bracket size).

Find the center to center measurement (or hole to hole) on the leg bracket (actual hardware)…and measure this distance up from the bottom mark that was just made.

Draw a circle around the pair…… and spin the drum so the opposite side faces you…..exactly opposite of the leg bracket marks you just made and circled.

Place a piece of tape between two lugs in the center of the front of the drum.
This is just a reference mark (see the above picture with the “Mohawk” like tape piece sticking up).

Now, set blue tape to hug the 2nd lug over from the center tape mark (Also see picture)
….. Do this to the left side of the center reference tape, and than to the right side.

When working with a lug offset….If you’ve centered the back leg bracket between two of the resonating lugs…you’ll be hugging the 2nd resonating lug over from the front center…

If the back leg bracket is centered between two batter lugs…you’ll be hugging the 2nd batter lug over from the front center …to get the vertical position for the leg bracket.

Now Measure the appropriate distance over to avoid a hardware collision between the leg bracket and lug…..(usually only the case with “Tama” style lugs that stretch the whole drum, as well as extra long tube lugs, and lugs kicked down for a long tension rod look).

I can’t say what measurement is appropriate for you, since I don’t know what kind of leg brackets or lugs you are using….But from the lug line mark that I hugged with blue tape…..
I’m measuring 2” toward the front of the drum….

Use the same measurement for the right side if the drum… measuring again toward the front of the drum. Use a square to extend the marks, measure 5” up from the bearing edge of the resonating side of the drum (as we did in the back of the drum), take the center to center mark of the bracket….measure up, and mark it.

Circle the two marks….and Do this to the other side as well.

Now, you’ve got three floor tom brackets that are ready to be drilled. Set your UNIBIT, and get to work.

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | No Comments »

Drilling Drum Shells With A Unibit.

By John Dutra | October 14, 2008 | 1 Comment »

The Unibit the ego has landed robbie williams mp3 download is one of the most favorable tools in the drum making industry. It’s the most versatile drill bit for drilling drum shells with an electric or cordless hand drill, and with a drill press. Here are some of the benefits……

*Drills through Metal, Plastic or Wood.
*No inner shell blowouts.
*No fraying or chipping in acrylics.
*Can drill any size whole for any type of drum hardware up to 1/2″..which saves time on switching bits in and out.
*Is much easier to use with a hand drill than regular bits.
*Drilling the hardware hole’s slightly larger by going past your measuring mark is recommended since this allows for a slight countersink and also opens up the wholes and allows the drum to resonate better and NOT BE CHOKED by tight hardware. Doing this with regular drill bits without overstepping your sizes is a pain. Do-able….but not fun!
*The bit doesn’t dull easily.
*It’s inexpensive when compared to buying a good quality bit set.

What do you use?
####

Topics: D.I.Y Drums | 1 Comment »

Guerrilla Drum Making Review: MikeDolbear.com

By John Dutra | October 1, 2008 | No Comments »

“To my knowledge I don’t think there is anything else like this out on the market and I think the makers have carved a niche in the market. More and more drummer out there are turning to the custom made drum companies and are looking for something a little more personal when spending their hard earned cash, so why not build your own?”
–Mike Dolbear

Guerrilla Drum Making got reviewed from Mike Dolbear at MikeDolbear.com. Mike runs a great website full of all sort of drumming news and reviews, and he also started DrumTube.net

Click HERE to read the rest of the review.

###

Topics: Guerrilla Drum Making Reviews | No Comments »

Guerrilla Drum Making Review: Robonzo.com…plus: Customizing a Drum with Painted Artwork

By John Dutra | September 27, 2008 | No Comments »

“As an owner of vintage drum kit, I was immediately drawn to the idea of customizing a single drum or even designing my own custom kit. The tools required are nowhere near the expense that I would have guessed

.”
-Robonzo, in the blog post “Drum Making and Customization.”

Guerrilla Drum Making scored a nice review from Robonzo on www.robonzo.com, an informative site that talks about drumming news, reviews, drumming tips, and more. Check out the rest of the review HERE.

In other news… I just bought a drum set at my neighbors garage sale for $10.00 (guerrilla drum makers… it’s a great place to shop for testing your finish ideas on scrap drums). A great friend of mine and a fantastic artist named Justin Lovato will be painting a nice piece on it. Visit his website and check out some of his artwork.
I’ll be taking pictures of the customizing process and posting them ASAP.

###

Topics: Guerrilla Drum Making Reviews | No Comments »

Q&A With Unix Drums Owner: Perfecting The Art of Stave Drum Making.

By John Dutra | September 25, 2008 | 6 Comments »

Unix Made Stave Bass Drum

Francois Filiatrault is an excellent stave drum shell builder. His company, Unix Drums

from Quebec, puts out some of the most stunning and well crafted stave drums on the market… offering many options including shells for YOU to finish, customize, drill and assemble. I had a great opportunity to interview the mastermind and fine woodworker behind Unix Drums, to talk about drum shells, drum finishing, and drum making.

It seems as if one of the main advantages of stave shells is that the wood IS NOT stressed or out of its natural alignment like typical ply-made drum shells. Can you elaborate on why this makes such a better sounding and projecting drum shell?(Listen to the “HEAR THE DIFFERENCE” audio files)

Well, the main reason is that the sound and vibration are not blocked by a glue barrier, and the sound can travel freely into the shell.

A stave drum shells weight probably varies according to wood type, but how much heavier is it than a conventional ply drum shell?

I would say around 30 to 40% heavier.

For people that haven’t visited your website, briefly walk us through the method of creating a stave drum shell… from scratch, to a finished and assembled drum set.

Producing a complete drum from scratch to finish represents around 1 week. It takes 1 complete day to start with rough wood planks to assemble the shells, then another day to lathe them. Finishing can take up to 3 to 4 days (not full days, because of the drying process). Then, sanding, buffing and assembling the kit also takes a day.

What are some of the products that you use to finish the drums? Can you walk us through your arsenal of favorite products?

I only use the best polyurethane finish available. It comes directly from Italia. All my color is achieved with two things; alcohol mixed dye and CLT (water based dye).

All of my shells are sanded with an air orbital sander. I close my wood grain with several sealer coats, all sanded with 400 grid between each coats. Final finish coats are then applied, the luster being dependent on the clients choice.

Any secrets to achieving the best finished product?

Nope, and the reason is simple: too many wood surfaces and too many finishing products available. Each one has their own method to be processed. What I can affirm though, is to always work with micro coats. Don’t try to achieve a mirror finish in 2 or 3 coats… it’s impossible.

How long did it take you to figure out the perfect stave shell formula?

Most of my research is concentrated in wood technicality, such as the drying process, aging process, and shrinking and expansion… and believe me, that took a long time to find the right process.

You were once a custom furniture maker. How did this trade intertwine with drum making?

I still own and operate a custom furniture business. It intertwines in many ways, such as the finishing process (my 18 years in that field helped me a lot). I also use the same tools to build my furniture and my drums, plus all my experience in woodworking paid off when I started drum making.

###
Visit Unix drums and get lost in the plethora of information on their website.

Topics: Drum Finishes | 6 Comments »

Custom Drum Finishes: Finish Types, Descriptions, and Drum Finishing Tips

By R.J. Neelans | September 22, 2008 | 2 Comments »

From the Guerrilla Drum Making dvd: Tung oil application

Below are some short and clear explanations of different finish types by R.J Neelans from Bridgeport, Connecticut. These are fantastic descriptions, so listen up!
We’ll start backwards and then get to finish types and descriptions.

Sheen
Gloss- High shine (bowling alley “mirror” shine) that usually produces the hardest finish
Satin - Lower sheen, low luster, low sheen, etc.
Matte (Flat) – Dead flat, dull, with possibilities of a slight sheen

Finish Colors
Clear – NO color.
Amber - Yellow, brown, or orangish color

Finish Types
Oil: Any paint/urethane/varnish – turpentine based, and others.
Latex/Water - Any paint/poly/varnish – water based, water borne, and others
Lacquer - Usually alcohol based (shellac)
~Nitrocellulose lacquer (most commonly used on wood, and sometimes “ambers out” or yellows over time)
~CAB lacquer is made from Cellulose Acetate Butyrate and acrylic (automotive type…it stays clear and does not amber out)
~Catalyzed lacquer is a two part mixture similar to epoxy. AVOID using THIS!!!!!!

Finish Descriptions

When dry, Oils and Lacquers are harder than Latex. They can be polished and buffed to a High shine. The UV barrier is lower, so the woods color will be affected by sunlight (fading or bleaching). Some products will also yellow or “amber out” over time. However, “Ambering Out” is often wanted by finishers to enhance the color of the wood.

Tung Oil is different from the other types of finishes. It does not contain (or contains very little) of the bases, hardeners and dryers that other finishes have; this means that it is a soft finish, and the wood damages easily from scratches and dings. Tung Oil has a long open time for brushing, rubbing or buffing into wood. Multiple coats can be applied in a few hours to saturate the wood for a deeper finish. There is no limit to how many coats can be applied and when dry, can be buffed to a high shine. Although the wood darkens when applied, the finish ambers out over time. Again, this “ambering” effect is desired by most finishers.

Latex has a high UV barrier which protects the wood and retains the woods color from yellowing and damage from sunlight. It’s drawback is that Latex can not be buffed or polished to a high sheen or gloss, however it is Eco Friendly.

A clear lacquer, poly or varnish has NO color. What you see is what you get for color. But be aware that some products yellow or “amber out” over time.

Extra: Using Butcher’s Wax
When heated until melted, rub Butchers Wax into the wood. Once cool, it can be buffed to a high shine. There is minimal darkening or ambering, and it’s Eco friendly. However, there is no UV protection, and wood color or stains will fade over time. It’s also a soft finish, and wood damages easily from scratches and dings. When using the Butcher’s Wax, you are only protecting the wood from moisture damage. The wax needs to be reapplied periodically and buffed to the desired sheen.

---

There are many variations to these products and new types of finishes are always being developed. I have made omissions to information in order to give short and clear explanations of the choices available.
R.J.Neelans
Bridgeport, Connecticut.
2008
###

Topics: Drum Finishes | 2 Comments »

Staining Drum Shells: Using Alcohol and Water Based Dyes and the pro's and con's of both

By John Dutra | September 19, 2008 | 1 Comment »

I just got an e-mail from a drum builder who posed a GREAT question after seeing the Guerrilla Drum Making DVD. The topic IS covered in the film…but I’ll put it into words.

Question: When using Transtint Dyes… how do you know when to mix with alcohol… and when to mix with water?

Water:
Using water based dye for staining (even if you’re not using Transtint) is great when working with unsealed, unfinished raw wood.

The benefits of mixing with water? It’s extremely easy to work with, it dries slowly (the color has more time to work itself into the wood) and streaking is less of a problem.

Downsides? Water takes a lot longer to dry than alcohol… so recoating must be spaced out by lots of drying time. Introducing water into the wood swells the fiber and raises the grain. To avoid this, raise the grain before staining the drum and sand it smooth (as seen in the DVD, chapter 2).
————————————————————————————————————–
Alcohol:
download return of the champions cd 2 queen paul rodgers Like water based dyes, alcohol based mixes are great for staining raw wood. However, alcohol is the better candidate for staining veneers (water based dyes will actually de-laminate some veneers from the drum shell) and wiping or spraying over grain filled and sealed wood .

Benefits? Alcohol dries fast and DOES NOT raise the grain, it sprays beautifully with a PREVAL disposable spray unit, and it’s easy to work with.

Downsides? Streaks easily and smells… and thats about all that I’ve found wrong with it.

###

Topics: Veneering Drum Shells | 1 Comment »

Fixing Split Veneer and Tips on Applying Veneer to a Drum Shell.

By John Dutra | September 13, 2008 | No Comments »

Split tamo ash veneer

There’s nothing worse and more discouraging than a crack or split in your beautiful, exotic veneer. However, this small setback is nothing for the guerrilla drum maker.

Lets tackle how this can be repaired before applying the veneer to the drum. Veneer often has “with-the-grain” narrow splits or cracks that are common near the edges of the veneer, but can sometimes be in the middle of the veneer and in other sporadic locations as well. Here are a few techniques for you to overcome this problem:

#1: The first and best technique is to make a vertical cut, about two to three inches from where the split stops, to remove the end piece that contains the split. This is only helpful if you have a piece that is considerably longer then the length that you actually NEED to fit around the drum.

#2: The second technique may be your only option if you are working with a piece of veneer that is exactly, or close to the length that is needed to cover the drum. As seen in the veneering chapter of Guerrilla Drum Making, run vertical strips of blue quick release tape on the backside of the veneer (the side of the veneer that will be receiving glue) while pulling the split together. Don’t pull the split so tightly together that you have overlapping edges.

Next, apply dampened veneer tape to the frontside of the veneer… over the split. Pieces should be placed vertically… spaced evenly apart. Remember to use distilled water to lightly dampen the veneer tape… this avoids any weird discoloration to the wood that regular tap water can introduce( this is not EXTREMELY important).

After setting vertical strips, place a supporting horizontal strip that runs parallel to and over the actual split. Next, absorb any extra water from the veneer tape by placing a paper towel over your work and rolling a DRY soda can over the veneer tape. This also sets it and makes the tape nice and flat. Let your work sit for about 20 minutes… and remove the blue quick release tape from the backside of the veneer.

As stated in the video… iron about five inches away from your anchor line and stop five inches short from the overlap. But DON’T iron the split first… iron it last, and adjust your technique accordingly.

NOTE

: Cracks and splits can get larger when heated. When applying the iron to the cracked area, lower your irons heat to the lowest possible setting (still keep a cloth or old t-shirt in between the iron and veneer) and work slowly with hard pressure OVER the split. Obviously…this portion of the veneer may take longer to bond to the drumshell…but taking your time pays off!

#3

: The last technique is to call the supplier and tell them your problem. The crack might be due to bad storage and they may replace it… you never know.

###

Topics: Veneering Drum Shells | No Comments »

Guerrilla Drum Making Review: BigDrumThump.com

By John Dutra | September 3, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Guerrilla Drum Making has been reviewed by Scott from Big Drum Thump! The review reveals some great information about the DVD, and Scott gave the overall DVD rating a generous 4.5 out of 5 stars!

“John Dutra’s Guerilla Drum Making demystifies the process of customizing drums and—most important of all—gives you the knowledge and confidence to do it yourself. While watching the DVD, you’ll soon be thinking, “I really can do this.””

Click HERE to read the rest of the review, and be sure to check out bigdrumthump.com for the latest drumming news across the globe.

It’s a very informative site… with awesome information, news, videos, concert reviews, and tons more.

###

Topics: Guerrilla Drum Making Reviews | 2 Comments »