For You Rogers Folks

[Powertone]

Came across this aerial view of the Rogers plant ca. 1969.

Rogers had moved most of it’s operations from this factory, to Dayton, around 1968. The final move of all operations to Fullerton was summer of 1969, when this photo was taken.

If you have a Covington built Rogers, now you know what the factory looked like, and bet you are surprised at how small an operation it was! A boutique company before boutique was cool.

 

[GrandpaCleve]

Great pic! Thanks for sharing. Built 1952-1953.

 

[Powertone]

Thanks G!

 

[JDZ]

Great pic P-tone! Thanks for sharing. That bldg. was much smaller than I would have thought.

If you look closely, you can see Dave Sims cleaning the gutters.

 

[Fullerton 9/72]

Kinda ironic that this was the home of the "Big-R" drums.

 

[tommykat1]

Yeah! Where all the great Swivo drums were built!

 

[tommykat1]

Kinda ironic that this was the home of the "Big-R" drums.

This is the Covington plant where the Swivo drums were built shortly before the move to Fullerton.

 

[tommykat1]

Came across this aerial view of the Rogers plant ca. 1969.

Rogers had moved most of it’s operations from this factory, to Dayton, around 1968. The final move of all operations to Fullerton was summer of 1969, when this photo was taken.

If you have a Covington built Rogers, now you know what the factory looked like, and bet you are surprised at how small an operation it was! A boutique company before boutique was cool.

View attachment 414054

Powertone, to clarify, and someone help me if I'm wrong:

The Swivo (and earlier) drums were built in the Covington plant, throughout production. The shipping and operations were performed first in Cleveland, then moved to Dayton, before all operations were moved to Fullerton after the purchase by CBS. Thus, we see the prevalence of Cleveland, Dayton and Fullerton tags. Some Covington drums and shells with Dayton labels even made it to Fullerton, for example.

That's what I understand, anyway.

 

[JDZ]

So where was the metal work done? I had heard that it was jobbed out at OH. machine shops. Anyone?

DZ

 

[GrandpaCleve]

DZ, I was told that the swan leg stands and all that was machined at the Covington plant pictured. The lower part of the building had a full machine shop. Sent out for the chrome finish. Jerry Sheilds would know for sure. He might of told me the start of this post. I'll call him tomorrow and report back here.

 

[Powertone]

Tommykat, all drums during the Cleveland era were made at this plant as were early Dayton drums. During the Dayton era, the plant was moved to Dayton for a brief period, where they assembled drums before the move to Fullerton. And yes, some Covington drums probably made it to CA.

 

[Powertone]

Good question Mr. Z. I am not sure where hardware was made, where the footboards and other parts were made for the pedals. Who made all those swivo Tom arms, knobbies, etc. That was a lot of hardware coming out of that little bldg. Gramps is on the case...

 

[thin shell]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that no diecasting was done in that plant. They may have been making hoops, cutting steel tubing and bending flat steel stock into legs but the die casting would have been farmed out.

 

[Powertone]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that no diecasting was done in that plant. They may have been making hoops, cutting steel tubing and bending flat steel stock into legs but the die casting would have been farmed out.

I agree. I think I remember something about a place around Lima, Ohio that did the aluminum castings, etc.

 

[GrandpaCleve]

Jerry took the call in the middle of lunch. So I made it brief. He said that all the cast stuff was made in a place in Dayton. The swan leg stands and other hardware was made and assembled at the plant in Covington.

 

[DanC]

W&A made a lot of parts for all the drum companies, Rogers included.

 

[Powertone]

Jerry took the call in the middle of lunch. So I made it brief. He said that all the cast stuff was made in a place in Dayton. The swan leg stands and other hardware was made and assembled at the plant in Covington.

Thanks Gary. I was mistaken that cast things were in Dayton. Where did I get Lima? LOL! Still can’t believe they made all those drums and hardware was assembled in that little building by a handful of people!

 

[rhythmace]

The county was less populated and drummers were few and far between. Plus no one had much money and Rogers were expensive. BTW, back then almost all the cymbals carried in stores sounded like crap. That was true even in the early 80s. Ace