Yep, Oct. 1940...looks like the original white lacquer (enamel?)...by then the Utility strainer was down a few notches with Presto, Speedway etc. ahead of it so I suspect they put the lesser strainer on 6 lug student model snare drums like yours...

I would start with GooGone (NOT GoofOff) to get the layers of schmutz off of the shell, then a light cleaning/polishing should bring the shell back to life.

Mike Curotto

Thanks Mike. Any suggestions out there for tackling the rusted out strainer ? I have never restored anything that was as rusted as this or nickel. Only lighter surface rust on chrome.

Re: rusty strainer

Soak it for 24 hours in a bath of Dawn dish soap and warm water. Then using an old stiff toothbrush, scrub the parts vigorously with baking soda and a little water. If there are any stubborn rust spots, ball up a small piece of aluminum foil and use it to scrub away the rust. Don't worry, you won't harm the part with the foil. It'll only remove the rust, not any metal.

If the part is nickel- use Cape Cod cloths (and a lot of elbow grease) to polish the part. Nothing does nickel better than Cape Cod cloths. Nice drum.

John

Perfect John ! Thanks

I gotta ask: What on earth is printed on the head (4th picture). Looks like a vintage Rogers calfskin, but appears to read "Made in USA Daisy Drunk". Or maybe I'm drunk?

jim

That's slunk, not drunk. An old term referring to the thin snareside head.

I thought it looked like drunk too ! Thanks for the info Rocketman.

After getting this thing dismantled I am almost certain the white paint is not original. There was one stuck lug when I was taking it apart where the screws were stripped and it is the same lug that had white paint all over it. Once I finally got it off it was the only area under the lugs that showed what appears to be a finished wood.

The first picture shows the lug holes under the 5 of the lugs that came off cleanly.

The second picture is of the lug holes where the painted lug was stuck on with stripped bolts.

In the other pics:

I also came across some paint on the bearing edge and a weird third hole behind the strainer ? Not sure what that would be there for or if it's factory or not. If someone has a similiar snare I would love to know if it is an extra hole or original.

Also does anyone have a recommended method to get rid of this paint without ruining the finish underneath....or the best way to get the paint off then restore the original finish ?

and is there any trick to removing the busted screws that are stuck in the lugs that attach it to the drum? Drill them out maybe ?

Thanks for your help.

I would resist the urge to remove the paint quickly with some sort of chemical stripper. You don't want to upset the glue between the plies. If it were my drum, I would hand sand it. This might take several hours with some sort of flat sanding pad. I might even clean the white paint, apply some hand wax and keep it white.

I would first clean the lugs and other metal parts with Cape Cod Polishing Cloths. My local hardware store carries them (ACE). Soaking them in mineral spirits may help with the broken screws. Or you could try something like this:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Alden-8430P-Grabit-Damaged-Extractor/dp/B000H6PM32[/ame]

Nice drum.

jim