how to cut down a shell?

[dtk]

OK...i've done a few projects...but not many great projects.

this fall i bought a cb700 18" Ft. I thought I'd just make it a bass drum as is but ....

I don't think I really need a 16" deep drum.

My thought now is to cut it in half or at 10" and make a bass drum of that....in the club date style...

what's the best way to cut it down?

dtk

 

[torydrum]

table saw with a high fence. rotate towards you. wear eye protection.

or have a skilled carpenter do it for you.

 

[stickinthemud]

Small world. I made a kick from an 18" CB700 FT as well. Same depth as yours. I struggled with getting the right tone until I happened on the right head/muffling combination - a Remo pinstripe with a thin silk scarf stretched across the entire opening prior to fitting the batter head. The drum has a tremendous punch (like a canon), and a nice clean reverberation that really shines when mic'ed dead center from one foot away from the front opening. The reso head is 85% open - just there to keep the front hardware from rattling.

I tried using a felt strip for muffling, but I found by laying a single piece of thin fabric over the head, I got the focused sound I was looking for. My theory is that with the entire head uniformly muffled - albeit with only a thin piece of silk that would still allow it to reverberate - the entire head vibrated in a uniform manner.

I am so thoroughly happy with the sound, I am sure I would not want to shorten it. Maybe it would sound as good, but I would not want to take the chance.

 

[Kevin_S]

What torydrum said...

 

[Cliff Scott]

I have cut down many shells and it can be a bit scary to free hand against a tablesaw fence. If you really want to be safe I recommend building a simple cradle of bendable plywood and a couple of pieces of 3/4" plywood built to OD of drum. Clamp this to the fence centered over blade. With blade lowered all the way down place drum in cradle and have a helper raise the blade until it is about 1/8" through the shell while you are holding tight against fence and then rotate feeding toward blade. That would be rotating the top toward you not the bottom. Clockwise looking from fence side.

 

[Mike W]

This is a very safe and easy way to get perfect cuts on any size shell. Just pinch a sharp handsaw between some wood blocks put the blade at the correct height for your cut and rotate the shell into the saw blade. This method is very accurate, leaves a clean cut, and won't ruin the shell if something goes wrong. It only takes about 5 min to cut a snare sized shell.

 

[PopsOldSkins]

Now that is something new I have never seen. Looks like it would work very well.

OK I need to steal that idea. I'm a professional finish carpenter for 44 years and that would come in handy for
some of those odd trim jobs.
Thank you for posting the pictures.

 

[green glass drum]

Now that is something new I have never seen. Looks like it would work very well.

OK I need to steal that idea. I'm a professional finish carpenter for 44 years and that would come in handy for
some of those odd trim jobs.
Thank you for posting the pictures.

+1 , Pro Carpenter, long time, Never have seen this technique before.
Very Crafty, I like it. I was recently using a table saw to cut a shell.
Made an extension for the fence.
I experienced an operator glitch.
Had a little overcut and wiggle. Not bad, correctable,........but not good.
I believe I got excited and started rotating the shell away from me when I was getting close the the end.
I believe always rotating shell towards you is important, as is having the height extension on the fence.
That would be in the same direction the blade is spinning on my old Makita.
Less fight between shell and blade.
And go slow with constant even pressure up against the fence.
Bottom Line: even old carpenters familiar with these tools can have a glitch.
The saw blade clamped to a block is brilliant.

 

[kdsdwc]

Now that is something new I have never seen. Looks like it would work very well.

OK I need to steal that idea. I'm a professional finish carpenter for 44 years and that would come in handy for
some of those odd trim jobs.
Thank you for posting the pictures.

+1 , Pro Carpenter, long time, Never have seen this technique before.
Very Crafty, I like it. I was recently using a table saw to cut a shell.
Made an extension for the fence.
I experienced an operator glitch.
Had a little overcut and wiggle. Not bad, correctable,........but not good.
I believe I got excited and started rotating the shell away from me when I was getting close the the end.
I believe always rotating shell towards you is important, as is having the height extension on the fence.
That would be in the same direction the blade is spinning on my old Makita.
Less fight between shell and blade.
And go slow with constant even pressure up against the fence.
Bottom Line: even old carpenters familiar with these tools can have a glitch.
The saw blade clamped to a block is brilliant.

Like you guys , tradesman for 40 years , cabinetmaker . I own a cabinet shop . Never seen that before ! New trick , so Old Dogs can learn new tricks !

I have extensive experience on table saws , having worked in the Woodworking & Store Fixture Industry for decades . This cutting of the shell in the hands of someone who knows their way around a table saw is very easy to do and will take under a minute to cut . Done ! I'll do this on a regular fence with no extension . Just keep the shell tight to the fence and the blade about 3/16 " thru the shell. Sometimes a taller fence is a hindrance , and my choice would be be no taller fence . Just sayin .

Green Man , this is no way a shot at you , just in case . I've had my own little slip ups . I once cut the tips off of 6 fingers , while using a jointer !!! WHOA !! GET THE F*** OUTTA HERE !!!!!!! I JUST DID WHAT ???? !!!! Oh yea , hamburger city !! And for my next trick ? Got my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ATTENTION , I'll tell ya !! 10 months later , my hands are healed ! I've decided to NOT DO THAT EVER AGAIN ! So far so good ! It takes a lot of concentration to do our work and mistakes can be life changing ! And those machines don't care what they cut , they just cut whatever is put through them ! You gotta be careful out there .

 

[PopsOldSkins]

kdsdwc

True carpenters come with parts missing.


My DNA has been left on many a job site.

 

[Kevin_S]

This is a very safe and easy way to get perfect cuts on any size shell. Just pinch a sharp handsaw between some wood blocks put the blade at the correct height for your cut and rotate the shell into the saw blade. This method is very accurate, leaves a clean cut, and won't ruin the shell if something goes wrong. It only takes about 5 min to cut a snare sized shell.

Very clever!

 

[Imposing Will]

A table saw is the easiest/quickest, but lately I just tape a line around the shell and use an oscillating multi tool. Pretty clean cut, fast, and I don't have to worry about scratching the shell. I usually cut it an eighth or so of an inch short of my goal, then use the router to get it down to where I actually want it.
Mike W.-BRILLIANT IDEA. Love it!

 

[green glass drum]

Green Man , this is no way a shot at you

It's OK you can go ahead and shoot.
Glad you healed up man.........and got to keep most of your fingers.

 

[Uunderhill]

Mike W's method is excellent.

This is defiantly the way to go.

 

[majuku]

Mike W's method is excellent.

This is defiantly the way to go.

What if the edges aren't straight? Have anyone made any spinning jigs for the table saw holding the shell? I have 18" disc sander for edges but have been thinking some kind of jig for the table saw and belt sander.

 

[kdsdwc]

kdsdwc

True carpenters come with parts missing.


My DNA has been left on many a job site.

Pops , yea ain't it the truth . We're pigs for punishment ! And I gotta tell you that when I told my Dad that I wanted to do this professionally , he held up his left ring finger ( only half there because of a jointer , like father like son lol ) He told me I was a stupid bastard !! What a crusty old bugger he was .

 

[kdsdwc]

Green Man , this is no way a shot at you

It's OK you can go ahead and shoot.
Glad you healed up man.........and got to keep most of your fingers.

Thanks Greenman . I still have all the fingers but the tip of the bone of the baby finger was nipped and the thumb has never been the same , both on the right hand , my money hand . And I now have a very unique finger print .

 

[davezedlee]

Mike W's method is excellent.

This is defiantly the way to go.

What if the edges aren't straight? Have anyone made any spinning jigs for the table saw holding the shell? I have 18" disc sander for edges but have been thinking some kind of jig for the table saw and belt sander.

posted before, but this is one way to do it

 

[PopsOldSkins]

The rollers are a great idea.

I think Mike W 's method is for people who are going to just cut one drum.

Kind of like a poor mans method.

 

[Mike W]

The rollers are a great idea.

I think Mike W 's method is for people who are going to just cut one drum.

Kind of like a poor mans method.

I had beginners and folks without a shop in mind when I posted that. I figured anybody trying to work on a drum shell would have a wood block, handsaw and a couple of clamps.