Q: Do you use tape or contact cement?
A: Contact cement.

Q: What is your turnaround time?
A: Two to four weeks depending on the number of drums and our current workload.

Q: Why does it take 2-4 weeks?
A: We generally spin a maximum of 3 projects per month.
All wrap is custom ordered per project and takes 5-7 business days to arrive at our workshop.
Stripping original finish takes 1-3 days depending on the size and number of drums, plus the strength of the glue used by the original manufacturer. 60s-era Rogers, Ludwigs, and Slingerlands are generally the most difficult to strip.
After stripping original wrap and removing badges, we prep the shell by sanding away old glue and/or scuffing the surface before applying fresh contact cement.
The re-wrap process involves pre-setting the seams and repairing any shell imperfections that might cause bubbling or the wrap to travel unevenly around the shell.
Prior to wrapping, the backside of your new wrap is lightly scuffed with 100-grit sandpaper to better grip contact cement.
After wrapping, we allow 24 hours for the glue to dry and the seams to sit under boards with C-clamps. At least 2-3 days for glitter wraps.
The final stage is the slow process of hand-filing around both edges of each drum, drilling and hand-filing all lug/hardware holes, then re-installing badges and/or new breather eyelets.

Q: I want you to strip the original finish to make my kit look “new.” Will you accept this project?
A: We frequently turn away projects. If your original finish is in good condition and stripping it will compromise the instrument’s integrity and/or de-value your drums on the vintage market, we won’t accept it. If you feel your finish hasn’t aged well and/or is not a collectable finish, please email us pictures for consideration: northdrums@gmail.com.

Q: Do you refinish contemporary drums in addition to antique drums?
A: Yes.

Q: Why do you charge extra to remove and re-install rims & lugs?
A: For out-of-state clients, the removal of hardware reduces your shipping cost by at least 50%. Removing and re-installing rims/lugs from one drum can take 40 minutes to 1 hour, generally adding 3-4 total hours to our labor time depending on the number of drums.

Q: Can you match new wrap to the original wrap of my vintage kit?
A: Probably not. We have great success matching sparkles and occasionally pearls, but generally, you’ll notice a difference in the “chip pattern” of pearl wraps and the antiquated hue of 30-50 year-old wrap is just something that can’t be manufactured.

Q: Why do bass drums and 18” floor toms require 2 sheets to cover?
A: Full sheets are all sold 24” x 54” and the most 54” can get around is a 16” shell. This is nothing new - most bass drums from the early to mid-60s have a bottom sheet while the wrap from the 30s-50s went entirely around drums as large as 28”.

Q: Will you sand off the gloss and original stain for my natural finish drums and re-stain them?
A: We rarely accept natural wood projects – surprisingly, natural wood finishes are more expensive and time consuming than re-wraps. If your wood is stained, it’s impossible to lift the stain out of your wood and bring it back to its natural tone. We do, however, repair scratches, cracks, and rashed wood. Plus we’re happy to apply a clear protective coat to your existing wood finish. For any natural wood finish questions, please email us at info@thisoldrum.com.