what goes into building an E-Drum set? [Archive] - DrumShed

weldman

11-20-2005, 10:08 PM

JLee

11-21-2005, 02:16 PM

I have been thinking of picking up a yamaha electric drum set to replace my tiny yamaha DD55

i was looking at this one but the price is a bit high for now
http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-DTXpress-III-Special-Electronic-Drum-Set-Perfect_W0QQitemZ7367514825QQcategoryZ64444QQssPag %20%20eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i was just thinking of building an electronic drum set

ive done some electonics and can easily follow a wiring sheet
ontop of that i can weld so ill be able to make a whole structure out of alu. pipe

anyways, what actually goes into building an electric drum set?

ive heard someone say to get an old unit and replace all the pads/triggers with good ones. sounds like a good idea but what prices would i be getting into with all that...

thats another thing that comes to mind, whats the average cost to build an E-Drum set?

thanks.

It is fairly straightforward, actually. In fact, I did it, so how hard could it be? You need to come up with a design concept (shell construction, mounting format, trigger design, etc.) before you start.

You need a rack, rack hardware, mounting hardware, triggering materials, a module, lugs, rims, heads, etc. As to what actually goes into building it, that depends a lot on the design. I have seen designs that encorporate converting practice pads into drum sets - certainly this would be very simple, but I would think it would still have the feel of . . . a practice pad. Not that that is a bad thing.

You could check prices on Ebay, Music123, and Musiciansfriend to ascertain trigger prices and related materials.

A lot of that depends on how high end you want to go with the module. What features do you need? How many triggers are you using? Does it need to recognize both an open and closed high hat, as well as in between?

As far as cost -my kit cost about $900 out the door to build. I have to admit though, while I am very happy with the kit, I am likely going to get regular electronic cymbals (Hart, most likely) as I am not totally enthralled with the converted Pintech practice cymbals I made.

weldman

11-21-2005, 03:30 PM

your setup sounds neat

have any pics?

when i read that $900 i thought it would just make sence to buy the yamaha for the $1,300

my thought would be to save up a little more and buy a unit that is set up properly and will have a good feel to it all...so maby i wont build this......ill have to think about it more:confused:

skaman

11-21-2005, 04:01 PM

JLee

11-21-2005, 04:20 PM

no doubt a couple hundred of that went into a rack. if you can build one... theres some more shaved off. look around for deals on a module. ebay. search for j lee's thread about his e drum build. lots of great info.

Pretty close actually. I think I paid $175 for the rack, so yeah, that is a nice sized
chunk of the total.

I found the thread on which I had already posted the pics:

http://forum.drumshed.org/showthread.php?t=12392&highlight=edrum

weldman

11-21-2005, 06:28 PM

JLee

11-21-2005, 06:48 PM

VERY nice setup...makes me want to build one

i have no problem making any stand or racks and all

i have a welder and lots of 3/4" pipe laying in the shop, that will only cost me $10 for the electric for the chop saw:mrgreen:

queston

in pic 3 thats the trigger right?
are those piezo electric disks...the type found in small speakers like cell phones and all.....if thats true i can get a pac of 20 for like 5 dollars online

what did you do to those drums/drum pads...did you just buy them that way or did you modify them other than adding the spring mounted bar and trigger?

i like the drums you used...can i use any type

and last but not least, i guessing you just picked those cymbals up from another set and plugged them in...right?

i still have to read up on the basics of how to do this....mounting triggers, modifying acostic drums for electric use...and all that stuff before i even think about starting but i think i might actually build one myself...

Well, first thanks for the compliment.

As far as the rack is concerned, it would be pretty easy to manufacture your own, except you would still have to worry about the appropriate mounting hardware to get the drum shells attached with the use of L rods.

There are a number of different types of piezos. The ones I bought for mine are not from cellphones, but are easily obtainable at Radio Shack. From there, you would have to "shell" them (i.e. take them out of the protective plastic casing). They are cheap but not quite that cheap. I think I paid about $2 each for mine.

The drum shells were just Keller shell cutoffs that I just cut down a little further, then finished and put bearing edges on. Their depths are just under 4" each. Other than adding the spring loaded bridge and mounting plate for the piezo, there is not that much else that needs to be done to them. I have been told that they will chew up mesh heads very quickly if you do not put edges on them.

I made the cymbal out of a Pintech plastic practice cymbal, some gum rubber cut down to size, a piezo and a "project box". The cymbal shown triggers just fine as a crash cymbal, but lacks feel as a ride cymbal. I am likely going to buy an actual Hart cymbal to use instead.

If you have the inclination to give it a try, I would encourage you to do so. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have along the way.

weldman

11-21-2005, 07:14 PM

There are a number of different types of piezos. The ones I bought for mine are not from cellphones, but are easily obtainable at Radio Shack. From there, you would have to "shell" them (i.e. take them out of the protective plastic casing). They are cheap but not quite that cheap. I think I paid about $2 each for mine.

i stopped buying from radioshck last year because of this...

they are just too expensive, i made a power supply for $100 from RS parts and then made another from online stores for about $50...i was shocked, i didnt know i was spending soo much...

here are a few good sites for electronics that i know of:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1
(not the best but good)/bit high in price

http://www.mouser.com/
(mainly computer parts but they have some useable parts)

https://www.allelectronics.com/index.html
(my #1 site, lots of parts for little cost, great store)

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/home.asp
(same as ALLELECTRONICS...they dont have much in stock all the time but the price is right)

weldman

11-21-2005, 07:19 PM

looks like these are the sheels you were talking about

http://billyblastdrums.easystorecreator.com/browse_dept_items.asp/categ_id/6/parent_ids/0/Name/Keller__Drum_Shells

High in price...but i dont know where to get these.....ill have to do more searching

Whats an average price for these drum shells?

ah, and another important question...where would I get a module for this setup?
I'm thinking ebay might have a good price on that...as i said, i have to look around to see what parts i can get then total the cost before building

JLee

11-21-2005, 07:21 PM

Those are some substantially lower prices, to be sure.

Thanks for sending the links.

weldman

11-21-2005, 07:41 PM

JLee

11-21-2005, 08:31 PM

I was looking at your setup some more and found the post about the cone

so you mount the piezo to the big end of the come, and the small end gets mounted so its in towards the pad...does the pad actually hit the cone,,,i guess im trying to say do you mount the cone so it is always touching the pad to do you mount it so its a certain distance away?

whats the purpose of the whole bar being on a spring board...the only thing i can think of is if you have the cone always touching the head, the cone can move back when the pads hit intead of being crushed

The tip of the cone should always be touching the head. The amount of contact is more easily controlled with the spring loaded design. If I want to adjust the amount of contact, I can just reach under the shell, loosen the bolt and the bridge comes down (or just the opposite to tighten).

The adjustability is the main reason I used the springs, but I suppose the additional "give" it provides to the cone is a plus of sorts. I think it would probably take a while for the head contact to do any real damage, though.

weldman

11-21-2005, 08:39 PM

The tip of the cone should always be touching the head. The amount of contact is more easily controlled with the spring loaded design. If I want to adjust the amount of contact, I can just reach under the shell, loosen the bolt and the bridge comes down (or just the opposite to tighten).

The adjustability is the main reason I used the springs, but I suppose the additional "give" it provides to the cone is a plus of sorts. I think it would probably take a while for the head contact to do any real damage, though.

ok i think i got this all down now...i just need to find some houseings for the piexo electric triggers, make a stand, and locate a cheap module.....i heard this is the expensive part

i think the hardest part here is going to be turning the shells from this...
http://www.amdrumparts.com/images/shellgroup.jpg

into these...
http://forum.drumshed.org/showthread.php?t=12392

mainly because i dont know anything about all the hardware of the drum pads or how to set it all up, the wiring is the easy part for me

ill look on ebay for some shells and....um, hardware for it all

i think for a module ill go with the DM5
http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALEDM5
its a great unit for its price...from what i can tell

JLee

11-21-2005, 09:40 PM

It is a fairly straightforward process, as long as you kind of map it out from front to back.

In the case of the shells, a table saw with a good fence will allow you to cut the shells to size. A number of people on this site have made a roller jig that allows
you to roll the shell over the blade. If you are careful, you can roll it over the saw blade while keeping consistent contact with the fence. This will yield the same results.

Also, if you want, you can actually make the entire set out of the same diameter shells (10", for example). That is not what I did, as I wanted to recreate the feel of an actual kit (I am in the process of building an electronic bass drum for this purpose).

I made the pieces for the bridges and the platforms out of parts from Home Depot.

The DM5 is pretty widely used. It must be pretty dependable, because a lot of people like it. I don't think it recognizes variations in the hi hat pedal though. Not sure if that is an issue for you.

skaman

11-21-2005, 09:51 PM

dont buy from billy blast, please. head over to www.amdrumparts.com if you cant drill and edge, john will do it for you, at no cost. if you can drill and edge go to aitwood.com it is easier to order by phone for them though.

weldman

11-21-2005, 09:57 PM

The DM5 is pretty widely used. It must be pretty dependable, because a lot of people like it. I don't think it recognizes variations in the hi hat pedal though. Not sure if that is an issue for you.

well i figured it was a good unit as ive heard much about it but what do you mean about the Hi-hat variations?

my yamaha DD55 hi hat setup is too simple but works for me
it has a open...all the way, and a close..all the way

some times i wish there was a setting for inbetween for some some songs but i dont think i need it as i only play in my spare time

dont buy from billy blast, please. head over to www.amdrumparts.com if you cant drill and edge, john will do it for you, at no cost. if you can drill and edge go to aitwood.com it is easier to order by phone for them though.

well i dont have a drill press so i wont be able to dtill the edge, ill send it over to john when i get the parts and all

weldman

11-21-2005, 10:01 PM

dont buy from billy blast, please. head over to www.amdrumparts.com

i wasnt planning on that, just wanted to get a pic from them...ill check out the link

edit: just check out that site and i like it but those $45 shells bring me over my price limit...i think ill stick to ebay for that one...

my goal is to try to keep this under $700...I would like to keep it under $500 but I dont think thats possable for a setup like i am planning

oh, heres what i am planning

2 - crash cymbals
1 - ride cymbal
1 - hi-hat setup
double bass pedal setup...allready have a single made up (see pic)
3 - toms
and if i have any money left, a single cow bell setup for those led zeppelin songs :)

---------------------------------------
Heres a good question, what should i use as the pads?

on the DD55 i have they use a think rubber and i like it because you get a good bounce with the wood sticks and that means faster playing with less work :)
What type of pads would match this feel?

ive heard something called mesh eads or something but am not familiar with them.....then again, im not familiar with any of this stuff yet...

weldman

11-22-2005, 03:29 AM

I just found my shells

http://www.aitwood.com

JLee

11-22-2005, 04:00 AM

JLee

11-22-2005, 04:01 AM

weldman

11-22-2005, 09:57 AM

I don't know about those sizes.

It would seem to me that the only use for a shell as small as an 8" diameter would be for a high tom (anyway, that is what I used mine for). Also, an 8" snare is going to be a little on the small side as well. It would seem that if you are trying to keep the diameters small to save money, you might just go with 10" diameters all the way around. Also, you really will not need 8ply shells for this, unless there is some reason they appeal to you.

Mine is a "set" per se, because the cutoffs all match. I have 8", 10", 12" and 14" toms, a 13" snare and will soon have a 15" electronic kick (which will also have a matching maple shell). The toms are 6 ply and the kick and snare are 8ply.

thanks for those tips, i had no idea what to get.....didnt know what the ply was either, i guess thats thickness???

ok so ill go with this then... (pic)

those look like those mesh heads ive been hearing about allot, how do they feel? do you get some bounce with that type setup?

my thought would be that theres no bounce at all unless the mesk is pulled tight

---------
the reason im goin with the 12" snare is because im ordering all these shells in a 9" debth so i can cut them all to 4.5" which would double what i had so i could add later...but now i just want to get the whole basic thing started up

tcraw1010

11-22-2005, 11:27 AM

The bottom line to this, or any, DIY project is YOU CAN CREATE WHATEVER YOU WANT. :D

Create your DREAM e-kit !!!

TOM

JLee

11-22-2005, 01:12 PM

thanks for those tips, i had no idea what to get.....didnt know what the ply was either, i guess thats thickness???

ok so ill go with this then... (pic)

those look like those mesh heads ive been hearing about allot, how do they feel? do you get some bounce with that type setup?

my thought would be that theres no bounce at all unless the mesk is pulled tight

---------
the reason im goin with the 12" snare is because im ordering all these shells in a 9" debth so i can cut them all to 4.5" which would double what i had so i could add later...but now i just want to get the whole basic thing started up

That would be a much more practical setup, in my opinion, as it would more closely mirror a real kit. And you are correct, the greater number of plys, the greater the thickness.

Mesh heads are used on electronic drum kits. Unamplified or untriggered, they give off very little sound, and can closely recreate the feel of a real drum head. The better quality the mesh head, the better the response. Actually, the person that last responded, TCraw, advised on nicer mesh heads than what I bought (I bought really cheap Pearl Traveller heads) and he was right. The cheap heads are great for practicing, and do have a good feel/stick response, but they lose tension almost immediately, whereas a good quality head is less likely to do so.

With proper tension, the mesh heads work just fine.

weldman

11-22-2005, 02:44 PM

The better quality the mesh head, the better the response. Actually, the person that last responded, TCraw, advised on nicer mesh heads than what I bought (I bought really cheap Pearl Traveller heads) and he was right. The cheap heads are great for practicing, and do have a good feel/stick response, but they lose tension almost immediately, whereas a good quality head is less likely to do so.

With proper tension, the mesh heads work just fine.

thanks

with that said, what is a good brand/model/make mesh head to get?

---------
edit
from searching, Roland mesh heads look good, they every shot i see of them i cant see throuh them like others, they look like a really good brand, the price looks average for them too

JLee

11-22-2005, 03:18 PM

If you go cheap, the Pearl traveller mesh heads work okay, but lose tension and tune fairly easily. To go more high end, I would try Hart Dynamics, as they carry a fully line of sizes. I am not sure what sizes Roland has that are as easily obtainable, but you can never go wrong
with anything they sell, as far as I have heard.

weldman

11-22-2005, 05:11 PM

ok i started my list
i still dont know what im going to do for a hi-hat...or cymbals

i could buy them but those are not cheap at all and i dont want those triangle ones yamaha makes, i want the round ones

attached is my parts list with costs
ill make the stand and all

oh, whats the best place to get the hardware and rims?

JLee

11-22-2005, 06:04 PM

attached is my parts list with costs
ill make the stand and all

oh, whats the best place to get the hardware and rims?

amdrumparts.com
drumbuilder.com (DSH)
drumfoundry.com

weldman

11-22-2005, 06:18 PM

JLee

11-22-2005, 06:23 PM

thanks, again

im goin with http://www.drumfoundry.com/zen/

SALE!!! :D

heres a question i should have asked before...what parts do i need to finish a drum?

all i have are the shells and pads.....well, on the list

Depends on the finish you want to use.

For a poly over stain: sandpaper, stain, sanding sealer, polyurethane (lint-free rags if
it is wipe on poly, foam brushes if otherwise, or spray)

For tung oil (this is how I did my edrumset) tungoil, applicator rags, .000 steel wool

weldman

11-22-2005, 06:30 PM

Depends on the finish you want to use.

For a poly over stain: sandpaper, stain, sanding sealer, polyurethane (lint-free rags if
it is wipe on poly, foam brushes if otherwise, or spray)

For tung oil (this is how I did my edrumset) tungoil, applicator rags, .000 steel wool

thanks for that but i ment the metal hardware and all...

JLee

11-22-2005, 06:52 PM

thanks for that but i ment the metal hardware and all...

I am not understanding what you mean then. If you are talking about measuring and drilling for lugs, and doing edges, then the list would be something like follows:

MARKING AND DRILLING
t-square
masking tape
sharp pencil (sharp enough so you don't press down hard & mar shell)
drill and drill bit to appropriate specifications
tailor style measuring tape
block of tapered wood to put inside shell to prevent tearout

EDGES
router table
router
45 degree chamfer bit with bearing

JLee

11-22-2005, 11:34 PM

more great info for me there but im refering to the hardware you bold onto the shells....i moded your pic for an example this time

i know theres a rim at the top...GREEN

but what are the items in the red circles?

--------
while im here, i have no idea what to do for a hi hat and cymbals.....i have heard of building them but im lost, what would you guys recommend?

the two items that are circled in red are a tom mount and a lug. And that WAS the hardware I was referring to.

As far as hi hat and cymbals, you can either go home made or buy the real deal. The latter is pretty expensive, but it will definitely give you a more realistic final outcome. My cymbals are functional, and trigger just fine, but because of their weight, they do not provide realistic stick response. Fine for a crash, not so fine for a ride. I use an Alesis wedge type cymbal trigger for a hi hat. Works well enough but not amazing.

weldman

11-23-2005, 12:19 PM

ok the only thing i know bout building drums is it takes lots of $$$$$$

Im going to a few stores around here to see if they have shells, it was about $15 for S&H at the AITwood.com and if i can get stuff for cheaper i will....

theres 2 places in redbank i know of and one like 5 minutes from my house as well... so ill go tomarrow

my new goal is to get this sucker built by x-mas as my cousins are comming for the x-mas party from northern NJ and they want to try this thing out so i said ill try...it wont be complete with all pads and will probably only have one crash and a hi hat but it will be playable...

BTW: how many lugs will i need for each drum...i have no idea how to build what im building...is there any special measurements i should be following when installing these lugs and all????
and when drilling the edge how far down into the drum shell do i go???

thanks for all the help guys, i kinda feel like im spamming the board but i have to come back as i really have little knowledge of what im doing at the time...the good thing is ill know how to do this all when im done and my cousin will probably want to build his own so ill be driving 2 hours to get to his house to help him out then....:rolleyes:

JLee

11-23-2005, 02:44 PM

Weldman

I would really recommend going through some of these questions with the "search" function. It is not because I, or others do not feel like responding, but rather because you really need to know what you are doing before starting on this, or you will end up drilling where you shouldn't, edging where you shouldn't etc. and have to redo your work. This will result in even more expense.

So, I would hit the search function with words like "drilling shells" "drilling for lugs" "cutting bearing edges" etc. until you have enough information to confidently move forward.

skaman

11-23-2005, 04:20 PM

why do you want your shells so deep? 9 inches is way unnecessary. they're edrums! supposed to save space. you only need about 3 inches on them. i'd say 6 lugs on each drum. pick up lugs and tom mounts at drumsupply.com

JLee

11-23-2005, 04:29 PM

weldman

11-23-2005, 05:20 PM

I think he mentioned that he was going to cut each shell in half, to a depth of 4.5 inches. He could still go a little shorter than that, but if you go to shallow, it does cut
down on your choice of lugs. I would say that about 3.5" would be as shallow as you would want to go, but with the right lugs, you could get down to 3" or less pretty easily.

im actually cutting to 4 inches, seems like a good ammount...ill have to take a look at what shells i can get at the stores, if I can get anything, and what lugs they have...lets see:
lugs, tension rods, rims, and shells...I think thats all I need to assemble the drums

JLee

11-23-2005, 06:11 PM

I think 4" is a good depth as well.

Keeps the shells shallow and more portable, yet shows enough of them to show off
the wood grain, or whatever material you choose.

weldman

11-23-2005, 06:14 PM

I think 4" is a good depth as well.

Keeps the shells shallow and more portable, yet shows enough of them to show off
the wood grain, or whatever material you choose.

just what i was thinking as well, i like your setup, everything looks bright and i like the light wood with the chrome hardware

overall to me, your setup is #1
it just looks great
like it came out of a company who has built drums for years

JLee

11-23-2005, 06:17 PM

just what i was thinking as well, i like your setup, everything looks bright and i like the light wood with the chrome hardware

overall to me, your setup is #1
it just looks great
like it came out of a company who has built drums for years

Thank you. I was able to create the illusion that I know what I am doing.

JLee

11-23-2005, 06:20 PM

ok from drum supply.com

26 - Lug- Pearl Type Single Tom Chrome
5 - Tom Bracket - Classic Type W/ SCREWS
1 - 2.0mm Chrome Hoop - 10 in -6 hl - Maple
2 - 2.0mm Chrome Hoop - 12 in -6 hl - Maple
1 - 2.0mm Chrome Hoop - 14 in -8 hl - Maple
52 - Lug Screw - Black - Short / 9mm for 6ply shells
and
26 - Tension Rod - CHROME 2 -1/2 in / 65mm

i think those TRs will be long enought, if not i can weld more onto them and tap it so it looks like new again...then i can powder coat it in the mini oven

does this list sound good guys, im not hitting that order buttion untill i know i have everything that will work...

just as a reminder im useing the following
2 - 12 inch Dia. shells of 6 ply cut to 4 inches
1 - 10 inch Dia. shell of 6 ply cut to 4 inches
1 - 14 inch Dia. shell of 6 ply cut to 4 inches

for a finish i will try some oil or something i guess, i naver worked with wood so i have to get tips on a light finish or stain or something...

Pretty sure that covers everything as far as the drums themselves are concerned. You will need to figure out the rack, and mounting hardware (clamps, etc.).

I am not sure without finding my old invoices, but I think if anything those tension rods will be too long and too big. You can always call to check. Also, I count four separate shells, so why 5 tom brackets?

weldman

11-23-2005, 06:39 PM

Pretty sure that covers everything as far as the drums themselves are concerned. You will need to figure out the rack, and mounting hardware (clamps, etc.).

I am not sure without finding my old invoices, but I think if anything those tension rods will be too long and too big. You can always call to check. Also, I count four separate shells, so why 5 tom brackets?

i plan to make an extra 10" D drum later on, ill use the cutoff from the 10" im making now

just want to get a basic set up and running then get some more cash for the upgrades

ill ask if those rods will work with those lugs...maby i ca just pick another rod, what would you pic for the lugs im useing?

i prefer chrome but anything will do for me...

JLee

11-23-2005, 06:42 PM

i plan to make an extra 10" D drum later on, ill use the cutoff from the 10" im making now

just want to get a basic set up and running then get some more cash for the upgrades

ill ask if those rods will work with those lugs...maby i ca just pick another rod, what would you pic for the lugs im useing?

i prefer chrome but anything will do for me...

I am just guessing here without looking at my invoice (which I am not sure I can find, anyway) but I would think somewhere along the lines of 45mm - 55mm and about 1 5/8" would be right.

drumsupply.com is owned by Andy, if I am not mistaken. I am pretty sure that he would be happy to go over everything with you before you buy. I have purchased from him in the past, and his customer service ethic really really good.

weldman

11-23-2005, 06:48 PM

ok ill ask him
------------------
has anyone seen or used this setup?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/444640/

i like the price but im thinking it might be too small, i could get it for my basic setup and sell it on ebay lateron and upgrade

JLee

11-23-2005, 08:29 PM

The reviews appear to be mixed.

I guess it depends on just how hard you are playing. A lot of the reviews talk about how the welds break on the bass drum pad.

weldman

11-23-2005, 08:46 PM

ill see if they have one in any of the stores here

i know my metals/welds and if it breaks i can reweld it, then paint it

ill see if i can get something better before i spend on that
but i think i could use that and modify it a little to make it better

JLee

11-24-2005, 12:40 AM

That will probably be the cheapest way to go and still get results. The only thing is, if the Pintech trigger cymbals are anything like the Pintech practice cymbals I converted, I don't think you will be happy with them. You might do some checking to see what their weights are, as the practice cymbals are so incredibly light that you cannot recreate the feel of an actual cymbal with them.

tcraw1010

11-24-2005, 01:24 PM

Thank you. I was able to create the illusion that I know what I am doing.

Jon (JLee) is our resident DIY E-DRUM KIT KING !!!!

Inasmuch as this Forum is concerned, Jon has set the standard for DIY E-Drum Kits.

TOM

JLee

11-24-2005, 01:42 PM

Jon (JLee) is our resident DIY E-DRUM KIT KING !!!!

Inasmuch as this Forum is concerned, Jon has set the standard for DIY E-Drum Kits.

TOM

Tom

That is very nice of you to say. I really do appreciate that.

There are certainly people, however, who know a lot more about the whole process than I do. I was very fortunate to have this forum as a resource for the countless questions I had to ask along the way. I was also kind of fortunate in that I knew what I wanted the kit to end up looking like. That probably made things a lot easier.

Also, if you check out some of the work by Drummerdan, though I haven't seen any posts for a while from him, he does some very impressive work.

Regardless, thanks again.

weldman

11-24-2005, 05:08 PM

i said i was going with the DM5 for this but on another site ive heard a few complaints
one i allready know, the hi-hat

im setting a budget of $250 for a module and need to plug in the following

3 toms
2 crash cymbals
1 ride cymbals
1 snare drum
1 double bass pedal setup
one hi-hat with pedal...of coarse

i might add a tom, cowbell pad and a cymbal in the future so i want 3 extra inputs

what are my other choices for drum modules...excludeing the DM5 for now

weldman

11-24-2005, 09:45 PM

EDGES
router table
router
45 degree chamfer bit with bearing

i have a router and i can pick up a bit for it but do i need a rable to is it possable to do this by hand

if i need a table ill just make one...ive seen somewhere here someone set up a table so the router mounted to a piece but then the piece&router dropped into the table...

JLee

11-25-2005, 07:43 PM

A drum machine is very different from a drum module. the two are in no way related. You need a module. I would suggest you run a search specifically for this.

The edges are something you need to practice on. I really don't think that getting them exactly right is anywhere near as important on electronic drums as it is on acoustic, but it is a good skill to perfect nonethless. I cannot see how anyone could cut them by hand, but I guess some do. I think a router table setup would be pretty necessary for this function.

weldman

11-28-2005, 03:14 PM

I GOT ME SOME SHELLS

all the sized shells i was gunna order

a 10x4, 12x4, 12x4, and a 14x4 6 ply

Eric let them go for about $5 each but the total for ups shipping brought it to about $30...i happily hage him the credit # and said thanks

IM SO HAPPY

Thanks AIT

weldman

12-02-2005, 09:36 PM

ok i got everything in the mail, just waiting for it all so i can get to building

do i need to put any type of sealant on the rounded edges of the shells before intalling the meashes or do i just router and sand them smooth leaving it all plain wood?

i went to the store and got some cymbal stands and then some cymbals for the hi-hat assembly i bought as well

all for $100, a great price for bayshore music center

weldman

12-03-2005, 07:40 AM

GREAT, FLIPPIN GREAT!!!!!

my dad saw that i went and got all the music stands and spend $100 on them and flipped out like he always does when i spend my money on my projects

he does not know about my sucessful ebay store yet either...ive payed the project off with it but i cant tell him bout it cuz he thinks ebays a big scam and would flip out more

my dads trying to get my mom to cancel my credit card and the drum stores on line still need that for their cash....ill be screwed

i have like 5 upss shipments comming any day now that my dad does not know about, hes gunna be pist

im thinking about saying that i only spent 100 of my own money, the rest i earned with my store.

hell say what store?

...my ebay store, im covered because of it and have only used that money from ebay to pay for the drums

he still doees not kkow im building a drumset, he thinks i just bought those stands for no reason at all.......hes stupid i guess:confused:

i guess im just flippin mad now because i had the project, it was there ready to be built, just needed a week or so

i may have to resell all my parts:(

tcraw1010

12-05-2005, 01:22 AM

Sounds like your Dad is a flippin' freak.

What's his problem ??

How old are you??

TOM

weldman

12-05-2005, 08:47 PM

Sounds like your Dad is a flippin' freak.

What's his problem ??

How old are you??

TOM

never mind, dont know what came over him but long story short, he payed the E$00 for the stuff for x-mas.....strange of him

he gets pist whenever i spend any cash over $20, hes a money saver...you should see him at home depot..."1 gallon of de-icer for $2...thats crazy"

anyways, the builds back on

im 19 btw but stuck at this house with my 21 year old brother and 16 year old brother untill i get more cash....ebays finally picking up because of the whole christmas thing

im getting about $500 each day now

weldman

12-06-2005, 10:21 AM

finaly got another part last night

went to see all the know at the door and saw a box for me...UPS didnt even ring the bell:confused:

opened it up and it was my last mesh head...the 14" Roland v-drum

just waiting for the dm5 to ship out tomarrow, the rack to get here, the shells, hardware and those 2 cymbals i ordered about 2 weeks ago along with almost everything else

ups is way too slow

weldman

12-07-2005, 11:44 AM

yesterday:

I called NMS and they are sending my other cymbal...should be here next week

I also just got my shells so ill gead down to the hardware store and get that router bit

I think it was a 45 degree chamfer bit with bearing

I'm still waiting for my hardware from drum supply.com

I think ill call them now and see whats taking so long...

just called drumsupply and they said they were out of 14" hoops and wanted to send everyting so they waited for the 14" hoops to go off backorder then were gunna send it all

explains why I waited a week and half...

I said ship everything else and when the hoops come in next week ship that too and so the other parts are comming in about 3 days and it will be another week for the 14" hoop.

looks like my days turning into a good one....kinda

still need that other cymbal thats in the mail now, the drum rack thats also in the mail, the dynomat thats in the mail, the hardware which will ship right now.....um, and the clamps that i just ordered

photo update
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/m...t/?sc=1&multi=3

tcraw1010

12-08-2005, 05:15 PM

photo update linky no worky :(

weldman

12-08-2005, 09:38 PM

photo update linky no worky :(

dont know what came over it lol

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/

you'll see that i added allot more

got some steel in there, went to lowes and got lots of stuff...

weldman

12-09-2005, 11:25 PM

really great day today

got my cables and cymbal triggers from allelectronics.com and i got my rack finally

some pics for you to look at while i work on these triggers

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/m...20set/?start=24

ill be outside welding the brackets to the trigger mounts tomarrow....about 30 degrees out here...hope my heats not out of gas

weldman

12-10-2005, 12:21 AM

tomarrow ill be at a friend house helping him wire his basement
and if i have time ill be outside welding these...
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody077...t=crossbars.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody077...=CBsinshell.jpg

btw i got my stand and all...just bidding on a few extra clamps
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?start=24

weldman

12-10-2005, 10:16 PM

im waiting on the welding...ill do that in calss where these no ice on the ground lol

first i did a cymbal today
one of the crashes....still dont have the other yet but should this week

the crash is good for a crash with how sensitive it is but it wont work for a ride

ill have to buy something for that i guess

i also just did the hi-hat and that was fun cuz i got to cut a nice size hole in the bottom $40 hi-hat cymbal for the wire and plug

just have to try some routing toady as i got the router bit

the cymbals are quiet so i wont bother with the dinomat///i think it might mess with the triggering and wont trigger as well....idk

anyways some lots of pics:
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?start=24

weldman

12-13-2005, 03:47 AM

ok i got some brackets welded up at welding class today...great machines ther compared to mine :D

heres some pics

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=bracketsfar.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=bracketclose.jpg

that was welded with a miller 250 mig welder

maby i should have tig welded it...now i have to grind the welds smooth and powder coat them black

weldman

12-14-2005, 06:44 AM

im going to go trigger my new crash that just came in,,,,,must be the new design with a bend in the side......stupid nationalmusicsupply.com and fedex

look at this thing!

crazy

nationalmusicsupply is the worst...they forget to ship my 2nd one with the first, they then send another free of shipping charge but it comes in like this: (pic)

there is some good news though, drumsupply is a good co. i ordered 2.5 weeks ago and called them after a week, they say an atem in my list is backordered and they would ship all but the 12" backordered hoops,...after another week i call them again explaining i still dont have anything and they said they would do one of 2 things for me, give me a partial order w/o the backordered 12" hoops or give me a better quality 12" hoop free with my order that they had in stock.....

i said happily, give me the better 12" free hoops and ship it all asap...im on a deadline
they said they were sorry for the delay and it would be here thursday or friday:D

weldman

12-14-2005, 06:46 AM

i tried to bend it back but i wont do...i will get my torch out tomarrow and heat it a little and bend it into shape.....i will not do any business with NMS ever again

Chippy569

12-14-2005, 06:29 PM

wtf crash is that? send it back... and demand a refund.

weldman

12-14-2005, 11:34 PM

normally i would but i cant now as my deadline is at 13 days.///anyways, it dont matter to me much, its not acostic anymore anywas i wont be buying from them again

you should have seen the box, i knew the cymbal was bent before i even opened it

ill have to email them to see if they will send me another and let me keep this one,,,,that would give me a ride, hopefully in time too....maby i can get them to ship 2 day air

weldman

12-15-2005, 04:29 PM

up date

im getting another cymbal free if charge on next day air so i ordered from MF, a stand for that extra cymbal as i could keep the old one

they said they were sorry and all but i dont trust that store must anymore

btw here are some updates pics with the stand in place for good
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=standdone1.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=standright.jpg

weldman

12-16-2005, 04:21 PM

just as they said....they will have it here in 2 days....all my hardware is here :p :D

[starts unpacking and building]

weldman

12-16-2005, 11:12 PM

and its here...

and all built;)

here are some pics

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?start=24
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=Wholethinguntriggered.jpg

took 9 hours to build and those are only the drums,,,,i still have to trigger them tomarrow....should be about a 6 hour job there but i think it came out great
andill have my dm5 monday so i can try it all out

ill get some of that good foam later this week to make my DIY cone....the 2.0 ones lol

if you look close enough you will see they gave me brass tension rods instead of chrome....i like the brass though

they did give me lugs with the screws too long but i added some washers to fix that

weldman

12-16-2005, 11:28 PM

BTW

i did all the drilling and all with a cordless drill, a regular every day ruler, a speed squar, a pencil, and a roll of blue tape

started out my putting the hoop and mesh heads on the hoop and put tape over each hole in the hoop... and them marked a dot over each hole in the hoop where iwould draw a line with a speed square

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=12in.jpg

i marked 1/2" up from the bottom ont the shell and then lined the lug up and pushed it onto the shell to make a mark with the holes on the tape so i knew where to drill

worked great
better tan marking more like i did with the first 10" tom

bolted everything on and didnt have to adjust anything, looks great

weldman

12-17-2005, 03:23 AM

ok i just set up another layout which is much better and bolted on the audiojacks to the shells

also labeled the cables for easy installation later as all these coil cords look the same:rolleyes:

see the photobucket page 2 last 2 pics for the updates layout

weldman

12-17-2005, 06:16 AM

ok so here are my plans for later today...btw its 5am here now

1 - cut some long slits in the trigger mounts' L-Brackets....in the pic ill remove all of the steel bracket in the red box
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=bracketplandrawn.jpg

this will allow me to make an adjustable mount

most people here are useing screws and springs but i decided to skip on the spending on those and use what i had allready

ill drill a hole the size of the bolt on either side of the shell where the L-brackets will be in the shell...the screw will go through the shell, followed by the cut L-bracket and them a bolt will go on the other side

this will allow me to loosen the bolt and slide the bracket up and down and even tilt it in almost any direction for different cones and setups

after i get it where i want it i just tighten the bolt back down good and it should stay where it is

im my mind, this will work flawlessly and springs that get compressed and stay over time wont be a problem

on this small square tube that runs acrost the shell inside, i will weld a 2" x 2" plate for the trigger
i will use more of that non-skid pad inbetween the plate and the 2" dia. trigger to prevent unwanted triggering when i hit the rim....i might add a trigger to the side of the snare for the rim shot setup but im still not sure of that...i have like 3 extra triggers but i would have to get another type cable for it all so maby ill hold off on that as time is not really on my side

ill have the module monday, the other cymbal is comming in 6 more days, the stand with it...ill have to dynomat that and trigger it as well

ill cut a bigger hole in the lower hi-hat cymbal for the connector/wire to pass through, still have to prime and paint those brackets black or maby metallic silver after i weld them and then its just a matter of hooking it all up...(soldering the piezos to the connectors...takes 10 minutes for all those)

i want to figure out an easy double bass setup, i only have a single pedal and i rigged my DD55's pedal up to it which works nicely for some songs and feels real

the foam will come soon for some homemade cones,,,got the stuff they were talking about at the vdrums board and is like the roland $8 cones...ill have to glue and shape those

other than that, its all finished

tcraw1010

12-17-2005, 01:05 PM

weldman . ..

Have you ever thought of starting a Blog for yourself documenting your progress ... with photos ??

:grin:

JLee

12-17-2005, 01:27 PM

weldman . ..

Have you ever thought of starting a Blog for yourself documenting your progress ... with photos ??

:grin:

A good idea.

I would have done the same thing, but I had no idea how to do it. As it is, I can barely pull quotes from one post to another without it coming out like gibberish.
A product of the times I grew up in, I suppose.

weldman

12-17-2005, 06:42 PM

i know,,,i went pic/post crazy,,,,,it happens from time to time

i have no idea how to create a blog...

weldman

12-17-2005, 06:51 PM

and just to add another post to my topic....i just cut 3 out of 4 L brackets and went through 2 drill bits....cant wait for that x-mas drill Dr :p

one more to go...ill try the oxy/mapp torch with that tomarrow as soon an i get more oxygen...better than useing all my drills....

but i just installed 2 onto the shells, ill do the other 2 tomarrow and monday ill get my module for some test runs on the cymbals....still waiting for some foam for the cones that will come about the 23rd i think/hope...better:rolleyes:

well i have some rigid foam cones to test first, the ones i made that are on photobucket
but they are nothing like the roland foam material

oh yea, i also added the audio jacks last night at 4am....had nothing to do

weldman

12-20-2005, 02:04 AM

ill work on those brackets after class tomarrow

i got the DM5 and some good foam which i cut into pick-up cones
they look bad but work well

i cant get any sound out of port 5 (tom 2) but im working on that
i also can get the volume up on the bass pedal...

everything is awesome
i was testing my trigger cymbals on my DD55 and i though they were going to be garbage but after hooking them to the DM5 they were great, the ride can be tapped lightly and it will even trigger :D

still messing with it all to get it just right then i can actually save it......the yamaha never had this, you would have to reprogram every time you turned it on :rolleyes:

weldman

12-20-2005, 09:19 AM

well...........

its done :D

just have to spend an hour or 2 tweaking all the module settings
and my 3rd cymbal and stand should come an day now

btw, it sounds great...im going to make an MP3 so you guys can here it

weldman

12-22-2005, 08:27 PM

its all set and saved....man i love this save feature...donthave to set it all every time i play...

anyways. i got my 3rd cymbal and a good stand for this one and i have to work on that later...

today i made some brackets for the module...
the first design was this
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=DM5mount.jpg

after trying it i was convinced i could not do it without an O/A torch so i went back to the drawing board

i was some pics on the net of some "hoop clamps"
these are pipe clamps...:
http://www.catalognavigator.com/umpco/Assets/MS21334aLR.jpg

i decided to try something like that but without a torch i had to use some force

i went and got out a big hammer and clamped a piece of 1.5" OD pipe in the vice and bent these without any leverage pipes or any heat from a torch...
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=brackets.jpg

those are almost finished products as i didnt want to spend time with pic and just wanted them done

a closeup of the weld i did with my millermatic 175 with .035 flux core wire
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=weld.jpg

and 2 coamps on the stand and the module bolted in place
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=mounted2.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=mounted1.jpg

i keep telling myself ill take them off in march to paint them but they were a big pain to get on there so i think they may stay there for along time unpainted....:rolleyes:

JLee

12-23-2005, 04:29 PM

Nice work, Weldman

It is a great feeling getting a project like this finished, isn't it?

weldman

12-23-2005, 06:35 PM

sure is.....i think it was worth every pennie now lol

tcraw1010

12-23-2005, 06:38 PM

Any shots of the full set ???

weldman

12-24-2005, 01:41 AM

ill post those in a minute....just got the last cymbal done today

i found a really great free site for MP3 hosting

recorded the demo of my DM5 and put it up

http://www.tindeck.com/audio/my?loc=2hwj0-Demo%202.mp3

best part....didnt have to move my drums arcost the room
got a 45foot cable from the shack for $10

weldman

12-24-2005, 01:51 AM

ok some final shots

my cable for the foot switch was too short so i went to the shack and got a few cables

they only had one type of mono and it was no extension so i got the mono cord, cut the end off, and added a female audio port to make it an extension

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=homemademonocable1.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=homemademonocable2.jpg

as for the drums, these are the best pics you'll see....i have the set in a corner so i cant really get far shots of the back.....

http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=alldone1.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/y22/moody07747/Music/E%20drum%20set/?action=view&current=alldone2.jpg