How To Stop A Cymbal Crack From Spreading

[Madox Valdivia]

Thisarticle was co-authored by Bart Robley and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Bart Robley is a Drummer, Drum Teacher, and Author based in Ontario, California. Bart has been sharing his expertise in drumming knowledge through teaching for over 30 years. He makes his teachings globally accessible by offering lessons in an online format. Bart has authored three instructional books and created three instructional DVDs. He received a Bronze Telly Award in 2009 for his DVD "School Of Hard Rocks. Additionally, Bart has been the drummer for the Sam Morrison Band for over 25 years.

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Tip: You can now easily turn the cymbal into an Ozone effect cymbal by drilling a symmetrical shape on the opposite side of the first piece you removed. To do this, simply measure the length of the crack and the distance from the center of the cymbal. Draw a symmetrical shape on the opposite side of the first hole you punched out and repeat the entire process.[17]XResearch source

Radial cracks at the edge of the cymbal must be stopped from spreading further. To do this, drill a hole at the end of the crack. Smaller holes might change the sound less, but bigger holes have a better chance of stopping the spreading. A 1 inch hole might be the best solution. Also, you may want to file down the edges of the crack as the grinding of the edges can produce a harsh sound.

An even longer-lasting solution to radial cracks is to do the first steps, then cut two straight lines to the hole by using a hacksaw or strong tin snips. After you create a triangular shape, sand down all of the edges until there are no more straight angles and sharp edges.

The last thing you could try, if you want to try really hard, is actually welding the cracks and broken spots. In fact, you might want to keep your old broken cymbal pieces so that you can use the same type of alloy for welding.

If you have more tips on repairing cymbals, share them in the comments below. And if you want to learn more about drums, visit our drum section for more articles on your favorite hobby!

What should be done about cracks? At the moment, mine are only small, but they are affecting the sound, and I don't want them to get bigger. I was thinking of drilling holes in the ends, to prevent the crack from continuing, and then trimming the sides of the cracks, and smoothing with a dremel. Does that sound sensible, or are there other suggestions?

As far as bent cymbals go, simply hammering it back will cause additional tonal change (an possibly cause a crack, or section to chip off). It is possible to repair the shape, but the sound will never be the same.

If you have access to vice-grip or a table vice, I would recommend the following: Wrap the bent section in cloth, or thin sheet-foam. Put that section in the vice, and tighten it to a point where the cymbal will not fall out (but not so tight you cannot wiggle it a little). Make sure you are wearing safety glasses Then, slowly, bend the cymbal back to shape. Do not use any sort of heating element, or blow torch - heating metal to a point that it is malleable will alter the tonal properties even more, and can be very dangerous

Cracks can give you an interesting sound though, so don't throw them away - your idea to prevent the cracks spreading is good though, remove the point of stress by drilling holes or widening the end point of each crack. That way you can 'fix' the cracks where they are, and preserve the current tone to some extent.

Carefully done, with the raw edges filed so they're no longer ragged, will give new life to the poorly cymbal. It may not sound exactly the same as previous, but will still be very usable, just won't look as good as it did. But it certainly saves junking it. I've done it successfully a few times.

Higher quality cymbals are made from a casting process, referred to as cast cymbals, where they have their grooves machined lathed, use high-end metals, and can even be hand hammered to achieve a great sounding cymbal. Check out the full process of casting them in Zildjian company.

Lower quality cymbals are made from sheet metal, otherwise known as, you guessed it, sheet cymbals. This produces a very tinny and clangy sound which may be what you are looking for, but usually are part and parcel with beginner kits.

Other countries such as Switzerland and Italy have earned a top spot as well for exporting stellar sounding cymbals. Swiss-made cymbals are made from B8 alloy which has been termed Malleable Bronze and have a dark mellow sound; whereas Italy uses a rotocasting process that ensures a minimal change in sound regardless of use or age.

The angle of attack is always key. You never want to hit directly on, or down into the cymbal; rather approach it at a 45-degree angle. Where you hit the cymbal is also a factor. For example, the bell of the cymbal will give you that more rounded out rung sound, whereby hitting the bow you will have more of a ping finish.

When dirt and oil settle into the pores of the cymbal, patina can form which is the brownish-green discoloring that appears on cymbals from oxidization. A darker and more mellow sound is the result, which is what some drummers strive for, rather than a clean and shiny cymbal to maintain that fresh out of the bag bright and glassy sound.

With a mixed consensus regarding keeping your cymbals clean or dirty, we drummers can all agree that a crack forming in your cymbal is not a good look or sound. There are two types of cracks that can occur. A crack starting from the edge of the cymbal working its way inward, or a circular crack which is usually created from a weekended spot that runs along a groove.

Back in my younger days when I use to gig more regularly, I learned to carry a notepad with my set-up measurements, angles, and stand positions jotted down (a drum diary if you will). When I would break down and set up again, it allowed me to recreate that sweet spot of reach and familiarity.

Equally as important is having decent sleeves and felts. Sleeves being the rubber tubes that act as a washer-like buffer between the stand and cymbal. While felts provide a soft barrier over the sleeve for the cymbal to rest on. Luckily these items are both very inexpensive, and you can buy them in bulk. If only Costco had a drum accessories section. One can dream.

From real drums to eardrums, the way we hear is through vibrations being passed through our ear canal, across a small chain of bones, penetrating fluid-covered membranes, and finally into our brains for processing via an auditory nerve.

If you want a recording studio-style production of your cymbals make sure you have an insulated room by laying down carpet, place sound panels on the wall, or hang insulated curtains. There is quite a difference in how a cymbal sounds in a well-soundproofed room versus a concert hall or church.

There's really no excuse for breaking a cymbal. Let me repackage that: There is no excuse for repeatedly breaking cymbals. Cymbals are incredibly strong. They're made from bronze, virtually the same metal used for the props of ocean-going ships. When chosen, handled and played properly, cymbals can last a lifetime. That doesn't mean that your favourite cymbal won't develop a crack or suddenly cast off a fragment of metal. It happens, but if it's happening often, you're doing something wrong. The sad truth is that cymbals cannot be fixed. Chips and chunks can't be put back. Cracks cannot be welded without destroying the temper of the cymbal. But if not attended to, a crack will simply continue to spread until the cymbal is hanging in shreds.

You can have an expert drill, cut or grind out a damaged portion of a cymbal. Or do it yourself if you're skillful with power tools. This can salvage a treasured instrument, but it is no cure -- the cymbal is still broken. But, while such a repair can slow down further deterioration for quite some time, it likely won't stop it. And if the damage is not attended to, the cymbal will soon be lost.

For a crack, the usual remedy is to drill a hole at the very end of the crack. Then, if the crack decides it wants to spread, it has to jump over the gap first. This technique may stop a crack completely, but usually it merely slows it down.

A crack ought to be removed completely. A skilled repair person will use some sort of router to cut a bell shaped piece out of the cymbal that's about 1/2 inch larger then the crack on all sides. As with drilling, this may be a cure or merely a band-aid.

A crack that consumes a large part of the cymbal or that has gone along one of the tone grooves requires a more aggressive approach. Such cymbals are often cut down to a different diameter. Thus an 18-inch cymbal with a 2-inch crack might get cut down to 14 or 13 inches.

Chips and small cracks can be dealt with by excising a large region of the cymbal where the damage occurred. Rather than having a small bell-shaped notch in the edge, the cymbal would look more like a cookie with a bite out of it.

Hopefully this discussion of cymbal "repair" has convinced you that prevention is a far better option. So choose cymbals that can handle the job, mount them loosely on their stands, and don't beat up on them too much.

Once we find a nice comfortable angle at which the cymbals can come together, the cymbals have to come apart. This is an often forgotten part of the crash and can lead to the dreaded air pocket. When choosing which end of the cymbal should hit first in my flam I prefer the bottom hitting first because the natural weight of the cymbals and gravity cause the cymbals to come back apart. The video below shows how gravity can help the cymbals come apart. When the top hits first (my personally feeling is) the hands and arms have to do more work to get the cymbals apart.

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