Looking for Someone to Make Sugar Maple Drum Shells

[Brian Weick]

Andy,
That is exactly what I have been saying - It can be done but as you stated there are the "effects of time and drying" that will definitely pose a problem. After doing some minor research into drum shell making, there are not more than a hand full of companies that are dong this type of drum shell manufacturing and some of those have closed up shop. I would just hate to see David get all charged up about something that may not be all it's "cracked" up to be. If he believes there is a definite calling for these ~ than I can see why he is looking into this ~ but they will have to have some pretty deep pockets! I would be more than happy to help David but the time and cost may be to high. I can understand the type of sound he is trying to get ~ I was a musician, part time , and do agree with him on the different tones you can get from how an instrument is made ~ I really can! I have been keeping my eye open for some logs as we had a huge ice storm here ,October of last year that made the headlines all over the country- there are the remnants and results from that storm that are going to the curb, ie - people cutting down damaged trees and the like - so I am sure I will find them. For my own experience I will turn a set out for him and see what the final outcome is.
The problem I see is the cracking-absolutely. It may be good on the final turn , but after a few weeks - what will be the verdict? My only thought is keeping it wet , but then I was thinking this works well to form/bend wood to a desired shape, bending the wood grain vertically, but it is not being bent- it is only being turned.
I had a frieze capital that I had to make over a very large eye shaped shower unit.I hand carved a vine & leaf (depression carve) into the frieze plate from one end to the other. the diameter of the plate (maple) was 1/2" thick 4" in height and 5' long and it had to curve elliptically to an eye lid shape for the top , I soaked it in extremely hot water for 20 min , pulled it out, and clamped it to my form, I let it dry for 24 hrs, the next day I took it of the form and the shape was permanent and there were no problems to be had. I did my sanding and the finish work on it and it came out exactly as I had expected, better than I anticipated.
But we are talking about not reshaping by water, steam and bending - rather shaping through turning. The grain on that frieze plate was bent parallel with the grain of the wood , my point is , had I shaped that plate ( if I could ever find a piece that large) with the grain vertical (perpendicular) 1st it would have not held it's shape ` grain in the wrong direction, 2nd- it would have bent a lot easier but the possibility of having a grain separation (crack) is almost 100% . 3rd ~ it may have broken when I tried to bend it to begin with seeing as all those grains turned into possible separating dividers.
Am I wrong , if the wood is wet (live) when it is being turned the wood shrinks from drying and hence ~ minor stress cracks, and possibly a blow out. Would it not depend on the species being turned- something with a very tight grain structure so cracking would not be such a high probability?
Brian

[Wilbur Pan]

Do you really need a lathe for this project? Another way I could envision to get a solid wood drum shell would be to cut the log roughly down to size, let it dry, then use various chisels and scrapers to get the thickness you need. A shop built set of calipers could be used to ensure constant thickness.

This process would be more labor intensive, but it avoids many of the issues with trying to turn a piece that size, and your end result is the same. In fact, you might be able to come up with the drum maker's equivalent of a luthier's "tap tuning" the soundboard of a guitar with this method, which could command a price premium.

[Kurt Whitley]

First a disclaimer: I have not read this thread in it's entirety, so apologies if I am repeating what has already been discussed.

I wonder why a shell couldn't be final turned green (or at least get close to final turned) and then set into a jig to maintain the circularity?
I know the hat turners use jigs to shape of their turnings as they dry with a pretty good success rate and it seems like they are putting more bend into their projects than maintaining the wet circularity would require.

What am I missing?

Cheers,
Kurt

[Jim Boggs]

is david still reading thread, sent e-mail but no response. am drummer who understands perfectly what david is after,though am a complete ameteur(spelling?) at turning would be willing to take a shot at it without any investment except raw wood material as i would like to see these available commercially also. am ready to purchase large putnam pattern makers for this express purpose, would be lot easier decision if i knew someone would team up with me. again i would assume all tooling costs for a take in retailing end product.

[Brian Weick]

Jim,
I think that David has either lost interest or he has found someone to do his fabrication- not really sure- this thread has been quite over the past couple of weeks. I was going to turn them for him on my Oliver 20C pattern lathe but something must have happened. What are the specifications of the Putnam you are considering purchasing-C-C, bed length, swing, etc,etc,?
Brian

[David Loewen]

I have not lost interest, nor have I found anyone who has committed 100% to the shell fabrication. Please PM me if you are interested at redgnarly@gmail.com.

Peace

[Craig Carpenter]

No way to tell exactly what this would cost. One could spend hours and hours, day after day trying to get just one peice right. It would definitelty have to be done in a temperature controled environment. Are there not custom drum manufacturers to order something like this from?

[David Loewen]

Craig, please read the post, this issue has been covered.

[Brian Weick]

My headstock is complete now! I picked it up today and I am elated with the precision on the machining! I will start your drum with pictures posted on this thread . I have the opportunity to get a harder- more dense section of a wood rather than sugar maple, I am going to spin a cherry for starters. I am not confident with the grain structure of sugar maple so I thought this is a dense wood and will turn with no problem~ form before function. I have your design for the lip on the ends of the heads, that will be done as well but I know that we an do so much more as far as the outside appearance of the drum is concerned, a fluted design or I can do a rope twist which would be a very, very, eye appealing piece of musical candy, I would like to spin one and you tell me what you think as far as the sound.
This first drum- the largest, will be as you specified. I will discuss the financial part after I get a successful, quality, unique, and enticing piece of craftsmanship in custom drum making from a solid piece of wood that can be made with no flaws,no defects and a one of a kind drum. If you are still out there- e-mail me if you are still pursuing this matter.
regards,
Brian

[David Warkentin]

Just wondering if it ever happened. David

[Philip Duffy]

I don't have the sugar maple here in VA but would think that many of us are more than capable of doing the pieces requested. The form is a hollow form with the ends cut off. Turn it and leave the tendon on; boil it, dry for 3 weeks, turn it to final form; cut off the end with the tendon and its done!! The size and depth of the drum form is not so great and the wall thickness is 1/2 in. That is pretty reasonable to an experienced turner of hollow forms. - - -wish I had some sugar maple. Don't make the project harder than it is! Phil