Best Advice For Adhesive For Pearl Inlay On Bass Drum Hoop

[Mabel3Thumbs]

I bought a 1967 Ludwig Hollywood drum set. Everything is great except the bass drum hoops had a silver sparkle inlay that didn’t match the antique white pearl of the rest of the kit. I removed the silver sparkle inlay and thought that I might as well prime and paint the hoops before I put the antique white pearl inlay on the hoops.
I bought gorilla glue to glue the strips down because that is what the guy at the drum shop said to use. Then I found out it expands 3-4 times once you apply it. So I went online and found that a DAP Weldwood contact cement can be used (and used to be the industry standard).
I tried a test strip of that and found that it instantly removed the primer and left a gooey mess.
Precision Percussion recommends 3M adhesive, but that isn’t available locally and I don’t want to spend $50 plus shipping on a quart if I don’t have to when all I need is a little bit to glue the inlay into the groove of the bass drum hoops.
Anyone have a suggestion for something that is readily available and would work?

 

[covinasurf]

Was the Weldwood the solvent or water based version?
I’m doing the inlays on mine and I sprung for the 3M because I don’t want to do it twice.

JH

 

[Mabel3Thumbs]

I bought the original Weldwood solvent version. I just read the label and it contains toluene and acetone. No wonder it dissolved the paint.

 

[Talktotommy]

The 3M stuff is all I use.
Very thin when it sets up.

 

[Mabel3Thumbs]

The 3M stuff is all I use.
Very thin when it sets up.

do you use it only on bare wood or on painted shells?

 

[Talktotommy]

I would try and remove as much paint as possible.
For the inlay portion I use a mini paint scraper.

 

[DBT]

do you use it only on bare wood or on painted shells?

Now that the Weldwood removed some of the primer / paint sand it down to bare wood on the inlay then use a vac and then mineral spirits to get any remaining dust particles off . Give it a half hour then proceed . Note: the 3M can be used over a flat paint only on the inlay if you wanted too . If you tape off the inlays real good and the hoop edges on the sides of the inlays look good by all means leave the inlays bare wood . It’s a situation of either or . The reasons why I think it’s ok to apply the 3M over flat paint inlays are that if for whatever reason those inlay wraps are removed it will take minimal effort to sand down the maple inlay . The 3M lays down smoother over flat paint where as over the raw maple it will be more prone to have air pockets . Also , when I spray my hoops : prime and flat paint , I just hit it all and not have to worry about the inlay butt edges looking straight , covered and clean looking . Then I tape off the inlay area and hit the hoops with clear coats . Once that’s done I pull the tape and it’s ready for inlay wrap . Expensive but stick with the 3M if you want it to last .

 

[Tama CW]

Even a few drops of simple wood glue at the inlay ends will keep them down. I did a Titebond 2 trial on a piece of wrap fragment stuck to a 2x4. It's still rock solid after 18 months and
would take a screw driver or putty knife to remove it.

And one should want to use the min amount possible so current owner or the next guy can get it off someday without ruining it or the base wood. A bit of double sided tape at the ends would probably work too.

 

[DBT]

Even a few drops of simple wood glue at the inlay ends will keep them down. I did a Titebond 2 trial on a piece of wrap fragment stuck to a 2x4. It's still rock solid after 18 months.
And you want to use the min amount possible so you (or the next guy) can get it off someday. A bit of double sided tape at the ends would probably work too.

Thank you for thinking of the next guy / gal down the road . Sometimes over the course of 40 years I feel like the select few who does . Good attitude / respect .

 

[Mabel3Thumbs]

I have been sanding and filling the dings and dents. Some players really crank their bass drum pedal clamp down tight. There are some forcible dents and scrapes to fill.
I have the first coat of primer on and have taken the very good advice everyone has offered. I am cleaning up the inlay channel and trying to remove as much of the glue/adhesive as I can. I wish the last guy that glued down the inlay had used a lot less glue.
All of that being said, I am going slowly and enjoying the process of bring these hoops back to life. I am waiting for less windy days for the second coat of primer, and then the gloss black coats. Should be a huge improvement over how it looked when I bought the drum set.

 

[Talktotommy]

Are the original hoops that came on Ludwig drums of that era hard gloss or are they more of a light satin?

 

[DBT]

I have been sanding and filling the dings and dents. Some players really crank their bass drum pedal clamp down tight. There are some forcible dents and scrapes to fill.
I have the first coat of primer on and have taken the very good advice everyone has offered. I am cleaning up the inlay channel and trying to remove as much of the glue/adhesive as I can. I wish the last guy that glued down the inlay had used a lot less glue.
All of that being said, I am going slowly and enjoying the process of bring these hoops back to life. I am waiting for less windy days for the second coat of primer, and then the gloss black coats. Should be a huge improvement over how it looked when I bought the drum set.

Yup take your time you’ll get there . ( before I pulled the Frog Tape . Post pics when you can .

 

[Mabel3Thumbs]

Are the original hoops that came on Ludwig drums of that era hard gloss or are they more of a light satin?

The ones that came with my kit didn’t seem to be original to it. The inlay didn’t match.
The paint was really gummy, almost like a rubberizes finish. I think it started off as gloss black. It is miserable to sand. It kind of balls up as opposed to sanding smoothly.
Regardless of all of that; I found a YouTube video on refinishing bass drum hoops that looked a lot like mine and the guy used gloss black. So gloss black it will be.

 

[Tama CW]

The ones that came with my kit didn’t seem to be original to it. The inlay didn’t match.
The paint was really gummy, almost like a rubberizes finish. I think it started off as gloss black. It is miserable to sand. It kind of balls up as opposed to sanding smoothly.
Regardless of all of that; I found a YouTube video on refinishing bass drum hoops that looked a lot like mine and the guy used gloss black. So gloss black it will be.

Here's some photos I took of 1 owner, original "never messed with" hoops off a '66 Ludwig bass drum. I'd tend to think semi-gloss paint.

 

[Mabel3Thumbs]

Interesting. My second thought is how good those look. I am jealous.

 

[Talktotommy]

Yeah thanks for posting the pictures of those vintage hoops. The first set I refinished I used gloss black and when I was done they just didn’t look right.

 

[patrickwitherow]

I have been sanding and filling the dings and dents. Some players really crank their bass drum pedal clamp down tight. There are some forcible dents and scrapes to fill.
I have the first coat of primer on and have taken the very good advice everyone has offered. I am cleaning up the inlay channel and trying to remove as much of the glue/adhesive as I can. I wish the last guy that glued down the inlay had used a lot less glue.
All of that being said, I am going slowly and enjoying the process of bring these hoops back to life. I am waiting for less windy days for the second coat of primer, and then the gloss black coats. Should be a huge improvement over how it looked when I bought the drum set.

Great job! Which glue did you end up using for your inlays? I’m going to be repairing some WFL hoops eventually, but don’t want to buy a huge expensive paint can size glue to be used 1 time. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks in advance!

 

[covinasurf]

All done. Flat black, satin poly, 3M glue, sparkly goodness from Precision.
One question, should I let these set for 24 hours or so before I put them back on the drum?

JH

 

[Talktotommy]

Depending on your environment some paint can remain tacky for several days even though it feels dry to the touch. I’d leave them off for at least three days

 

[covinasurf]

Depending on your environment some paint can remain tacky for several days even though it feels dry to the touch. I’d leave them off for at least three days

Painted them last weekend. Just glued the inlays today.