timmdrum
Gold Member
I referred to this here but wanted to properly post about the process. Despite the conditions I found the kit in, the bearing edges are intact, the shells are in round, and they're cleaning up nicely. I'd taken the snare drum home before picking up the rest of it, and cleaned it up- better care was taken of it than the rest of the kit, so it only needed minor rust pits removed and fresh heads & wires. It looks brand new and plays great.
I've fallen into a side hobby lately- cleaning/repairing dirty/damaged drums and drum hardware. The first 2 pics are the "after" of the 13" rack tom and its hoops (not yet reassembled because it needs a part); I forgot to take "before" pics of the caked-on dust and tarnished chrome hoops & lugs that equaled that on the bass drum (shown in the other pics), plus the rust pits that were on the hoops. The insides of the drums aren't bad, despite a mouse nest that was in the blankets that were in the bass drum (it/they got in through the microphone port in the front head while it was in storage). I don't see any rust on the bass drum hardware; most of the repair labor will be on that nasty hoop claw (I don't know if that's rust, mouse funk, or what). I'll follow up with "after" pics of the bass drum when it's done. I've ordered a matching 10" tom but I've been unable to find a matching 16" floor tom to complete the 10/13/16/22/6.5x14 kit. (There's a 12" for sale online, so if I find a matching 14" FT, I'll order the 12".) I may have to resort to an Export FT (or since it'd be non-matching, doesn't have to be Pearl- might as well be a stencil drum unless I luck into another birch/mahogany shell in black from another brand).
This started some time back when I was gifted a snare drum that needed work, so I researched how to do it properly so I wouldn't make it worse, and was happy with the results. Then I thought I was going to have to restore my bandmate's son's HEAVILY rusted drums and stands (I didn't mind- "Sound Source" stencil kit) to use at band rehearsals in my bandmate's garage; I'd brought one of my kits temporarily but wanted to get it out before peak season temps. In the meantime, I'd taken his snare drum and a couple of stands home to repair, and unbeknownst to me, my bandmate gave the rest of the son's kit (he had lost interest) to a friend's kid. I still refurbed the stuff I had and I'm using it now, & brought some of my stuff home. I then began seeking a "beater" kit that I wouldn't mind keeping at the garage; I've been through two because after cleaning/repairing, I've realized I could sell them for more than I paid.
(The Ddrum and PDP kits I posted in the Latest Purchase thread several months ago.) I'm not selling the pictured drums, but I'll soon be starting on an entry-level Ludwig kit, if anyone's interested. If any of you have any neglected drums & hardware and want to unload 'em cheap or hire me to refurbish them for you, let me know! (For the latter, I suppose you'd have to be in eastern North Carolina; I don't wanna ship a kit anywhere, even at someone else's expense; hardware, I wouldn't mind.)
I've fallen into a side hobby lately- cleaning/repairing dirty/damaged drums and drum hardware. The first 2 pics are the "after" of the 13" rack tom and its hoops (not yet reassembled because it needs a part); I forgot to take "before" pics of the caked-on dust and tarnished chrome hoops & lugs that equaled that on the bass drum (shown in the other pics), plus the rust pits that were on the hoops. The insides of the drums aren't bad, despite a mouse nest that was in the blankets that were in the bass drum (it/they got in through the microphone port in the front head while it was in storage). I don't see any rust on the bass drum hardware; most of the repair labor will be on that nasty hoop claw (I don't know if that's rust, mouse funk, or what). I'll follow up with "after" pics of the bass drum when it's done. I've ordered a matching 10" tom but I've been unable to find a matching 16" floor tom to complete the 10/13/16/22/6.5x14 kit. (There's a 12" for sale online, so if I find a matching 14" FT, I'll order the 12".) I may have to resort to an Export FT (or since it'd be non-matching, doesn't have to be Pearl- might as well be a stencil drum unless I luck into another birch/mahogany shell in black from another brand).
This started some time back when I was gifted a snare drum that needed work, so I researched how to do it properly so I wouldn't make it worse, and was happy with the results. Then I thought I was going to have to restore my bandmate's son's HEAVILY rusted drums and stands (I didn't mind- "Sound Source" stencil kit) to use at band rehearsals in my bandmate's garage; I'd brought one of my kits temporarily but wanted to get it out before peak season temps. In the meantime, I'd taken his snare drum and a couple of stands home to repair, and unbeknownst to me, my bandmate gave the rest of the son's kit (he had lost interest) to a friend's kid. I still refurbed the stuff I had and I'm using it now, & brought some of my stuff home. I then began seeking a "beater" kit that I wouldn't mind keeping at the garage; I've been through two because after cleaning/repairing, I've realized I could sell them for more than I paid.
(The Ddrum and PDP kits I posted in the Latest Purchase thread several months ago.) I'm not selling the pictured drums, but I'll soon be starting on an entry-level Ludwig kit, if anyone's interested. If any of you have any neglected drums & hardware and want to unload 'em cheap or hire me to refurbish them for you, let me know! (For the latter, I suppose you'd have to be in eastern North Carolina; I don't wanna ship a kit anywhere, even at someone else's expense; hardware, I wouldn't mind.) 
- it has a lot of chipped paint so I'm going to touch it up with acrylic paint), that I'm looking forward to seeing them completed and set up.
![PXL_20250716_172529161[1].jpg](https://www.drummerworld.com/forums/data/attachments/128/128569-b139f4ff4e21cecd5e72e71df13124f4.jpg "PXL_20250716_172529161[1].jpg")
