Yep. Also the drum becomes precious cargo, when this one needs to be a workhorse...:)

Thanks Gerald. It's been interesting to find it can be done. I was surprised the skin coiled inwards, but it's really good it did, because it means the drum won't permanently want to explode apart from tension - it's only two-ply I think.

I'll just mention that I dampened both surfaces in each case with a sponge before applying glue to both surfaces and smoothing the glue with a finger...my finger.

I threw it together tonight for fun, no center posts. I can't believe how many times I keep thinking I started with 12 of these single-tension rods when I only had 10! So it's an 8-lug bass drum, not 10, but 8 seems enough. That's right - Eight Is Enough.

I have to look closer at where the original center-post holes ended up, but I might be able to follow them closely - either way, less drilling than for 10 lugs...

Mitch I've enjoyed following this one thx.

Looks awesome! Thank you!

Thanks again guys!

I did the calculation, 22 X 3.14159 = 69.11498 divided by 8 = 8.63937, or about 8.6". So I'll be marking that off and drilling for center posts a little later today...

I lined up the rods over the existing post-holes and got a distance of 8" between each rod until it got to the bottom and then a gap of 13" between those last two rods. No good!

Once I get the finished shell stripped I'll either do the interior white to match the rest of the clubbies or minwax satin finish which would probably look amazing.

Mitch

> less drilling than for 10 lugs...

Mitch - It's like the difference between a Supra, an Acro and a Pioneer. (10/8/6-lug drums) The less lugs, the more wet, open and raw the sound of the drum becomes. More lugs vice-versa. If you put 10 lugs on the bass drum it'll make tuning more accurate, but it'll also dry out the drum a little. 10 lugs gives a nice tight, controlled sound. 8-lugs will give the drum a little bit more 'open and tone-y' sound (like an 8 lug Acro.) 6-lugs is wet and wide open. 8-lugs will be fine on that one!

John

Great work Mitch! I love watching your projects. You have a great imagination and aren't afraid to give your ideas a go! I like that.

John I only wanted 10 lugs on there just to have more lugs on there...festooned with lugs as it were. Haha. Looks cooler...but these rods have to be pulled toward the shell by the center posts or else they'd rattle in the posts themselves, that's my theory anyway. Point is the posts do put a bow in the rod, so changing heads is kind of a pain, rods don't spin freely, so...the less lugs the better. Not that I considered 6 heh. The center-post footprint is a half-inch cylinder, minimal interference with the shell.

Randy thanks man. I have to re-size the pic of the skin coiled into itself, it's so pathetic! Now *there* was a moment I wished I'd been a little more afraid of trying this lol. Ultimately though the original construction method, while not duplicated, dictated the re-construction method, at least for someone who can't fabricate forms. Couldn't be happier I did it, at this point.

So of course there's no "8.6 inches" - I went with 8 5/8", which was a tick too generous; final two rods [bottom] ended up closer than the rest by maybe a half-inch. So I fudged it a bit, and now it's fine.

Today I stripped and finished the drum. The mahogany is amazing. I won't cheat it with a low light picture right now, but tomorrow when there's sunlight...

>the posts do put a bow in the rod,

Up, or down? If down... cut gaskets using the base of the lug as a template and add as much thickness as you need to relieve the bow. If up... eliminate any washers, or gaskets that lie between the lug and the shell. An 'up' bow could prove to be a problem to solve. Down is an easy fix, raise the lugs with gaskets.

John

Funny you should mention...I just installed a center-post decorative washer on one particularly afflicted rod. It's MIJ, doesn't match, and looks really cool! Solves the problem too - just a little pull toward the shell [down] now. I think that's needed as I say to prevent rod-rattle in the center-post. I think. Anyway I have at least 6 more of them so on they go...