...is it worth the time? Building a 13x6 Snare from a BLX-Tom...

[Oliver_Stein]

Since I replaced the 13x11 rack-tom from my BLX-Set with a 14x12 model the 13" tom is laying around gathering dust. I'm pretty sure that I will not need it anymore and that I'll never sell the BLX-set (where it could rise the price a little bit).

I do have 10 one-piece lugs (originally for a TAMA top-line wood-snare from the early nineties)

I'd cut the shell of the tom to 13x6, close all wholes in it, refinish it in solid laquer and mount the lugs. Add two die-cast-rims and snares and this would give a 13x6 snaredrum... but... it will cost almost the same then new drums and the result is ???

What's your oppinion? To cut or not to cut?

[WeLookedLikeGiants]

I'd sell it on Ebay and buy a keller shell. After filling in the holes and then redrilling new holes it may be weak.

[spindrummer82]

GO for it. Buying rims and snares is no where near the price of a new snare. Die casts will run you $80, a strainer around $25, and snares around $15. If your cutting it to 6" you will probably cut off the bottom set of holes. Filling in the rest and redrilling wont weaken the shell much at all. Dont forget about a bearing edge and snare beds though.

You probably wont get much for a 13" drum on ebay seeing as no one really has or wants them anymore so you really have nothing to lose. If it doesnt work out then you can buy a keller shell for $40 and build that up with all the parts you have.

[Little Furry Dude]

Yeah, I am thinking that if the whole think falls through, the only money you lost would be in the strainer. The die casts can be used on any other 13" snare you buy.

[Kaos-drummer]

go for it but if your filling holes use bondo wood filler will not work well I learned the hardway its not as tough as bondo the other option would be to try and cut both ends and see if you cut off the holes. And yet another option would be to make your 6" and then use the other end to make a 5" and sell it on e-bay someone will but it.............

[balls]

I'd sell it on Ebay and buy a keller shell. After filling in the holes and then redrilling new holes it may be weak.

I second that. If you try it and mess up (not sure if you have any experience building or not) you would ruin the drum. Another option would be to set it up to the left of your hats. You could probably find some way to incorperate it into your set-up. If not, like I said before, Ebay it.

[slybond]

sell it and buy a kellar shell..

[Oliver_Stein]

thanks to all for the thoughts - this one comment of using the 13"tom left of the hihat was the hardest argument up to now - I never tried that but can see some use for it...

On the other hand - a birch wood snare would be a good add-on to the BLX and to my snares too (as I own no wood-model up to now, only two steel-models) and the build up of it would make a lot of fun.

If I cut this are the plans up to now:

Cut the shell to two pieces - one will be 5" deep and almost useless because of the 1" hole for the tom-arms (in 1989 all pearl-shell had this holes). Almost useless because I will use it to practice the drilling jobs and - primary - the bearing edge-job. My plan is to do this completely by hand (yes, I have some experiences with handcrafting wood and metals).

My plan to close the holes from the 6 original lugs (these are 12 5mm holes) is to drill them up to 6mm (to open the pores of the wood) and then plug in a 6mm wood peg with wood glue - this should never come out again.

The bearing edge should be manageable - the snare-bed worries me a little bit more - I think I'll copy the one from my Sonor Artist snare...

Is anyone experienced with snare-beds here and able to give some tips? What I have read is to maintain the shape of the edge but to lower it between 2-3mm in the area of the snares. Is this with a straight line or rounded?

I searched the Pearl-Spare-parts-catalogue - no 13" diecasts in there... which company makes good 8-hole 13" diecast rims for a snare?

[Thrush]

I was actually pondering buying this drum and making a 12x7 snare out of it....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

But then I'd have to buy a hole bunch of new lugs, strainer, butt, snares, etc.... So I'm not sure I can be bothered....

[arnie-nemo]

go for the kellar shell

[t.huval]

go for it , i've taken an old 14'' slingerland tom (14x10)and converted it to a snare .sounds great..............

[Oliver_Stein]

...I did some internet-searching and found a source for all parts I'd need:

2.3mm Steel-Hoops EUR 25,- / USD 30.-
Die-Cast Strainer and butt-end EUR 18,- / USD 22.-
Pearl Snarewires 13" EUR 11,- / USD 13.-

that'd be EUR 54,- / USD 65.- for all I'd need to build the snare...

I first thought I want solid laquer for the shell (because of the pegs) - but they sell very good-looking wraps too (around EUR 30,- for a shell like mine) - have to compare with the price from the laquer-guy...

I think I'll cut the tom into pieces... :-)

Pictures of every step will follow of course!

[drumming4life1]

Dont forget...Your gonna need to cut snare beds. Im not sure how you cut those?

[Oliver_Stein]

ok -thanks for your votes!

The result was 16 to 7 - I will cut the BLX-Tom... started today - you are all invited to follow this project in the new thread:

Snare-drum building-project out of a 13x11 BLX-Tom