How to Restore Drums
Vintage drums, damaged drums and drums that simply need a new look can be refurbished in just a few short steps. Wraps, shells and fixtures can be purchased at drum supply shops. Cleaning pads and solutions as well as rust removals and cleaning pads can be purchased at home and garden supply stores. Within a few short steps, any old drum can be sparkling in no time.
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Things You'll Need
- Drum replacement parts
- Drum kit tools
- Dust mask
- Power drill
- Shell filler
- Rust remover
- Steel wool
- Metal polish
- Dry cloth
Instructions
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Repair, Replace and Polish
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1
Remove lug casings, mounts and tension rods as well as drum heads from the drum shell. Using a high glucose wood filler, repair any cracks in the drum shell. Use a plastic-based filler for plastic drum shells and allow the filler to thoroughly dry. Using a commercial rust remover and untreated metal scouring pad or steel wool, clean away all rust from the tension rods, then wipe them clean with a dry cloth.
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2
While the drum or drum kit is broken down into parts, replace broken tension rods, mounts and casings with functioning ones. To replace the drum wrap, allow the drum wrap to lay flat on the ground and relax before securing it to the drum shell. Before reassembling the drum or drum kit, clean all parts and pieces so that they will fit flush against their adjoining fixtures.
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3
Reassemble the drum or drum kit, ensuring that heads and lugs are in the correct position. Using a metal polish, polish all metal parts of the drum and allow to dry. A safe acrylic cleaner can be used on plastic parts such as plastic drum wraps or lug covers. Do not moisten or wet the surface of the drums to clean them.
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1
Tips & Warnings
To prevent future cracks, tighten lug casings and mounts with just enough pressure to keep the lugs and casings in place. An electric drill can be used to spin tension rods in reverse as they are being held between the wool cleaning pads.
When drums are not in use, store drums and drum kits away from light sources such as windows to prevent the drum shells and wraps from fading. Store drums in cool, dry areas to prevent metal fixtures from rusting and temperature fluctuations that can damage wooden shells.
References
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
