Tung oil as a finish for a snare drum.
Stephen Mulholland
I'm about to start building a snare drum, using a Keller maple 10-ply shell.
I intend to dye the shell, then hopefully apply a hardwearing satin finish.
I've been reading up a little on tung oil - how do you good folks think tung
oil would work on this project? The drum will be used at gigs, it's not
going to be an ornament. I'm limited to brushes and cloths, as far as
application methods go!
Thanks for any info
Stephen Mulholland
Walt Akers
Lacquer... use lacquer. My group does ongoing
maintenance on around 30 ash-shelled, rope-tensioned
snare drums, and no other finish even comes close in
terms of durability and appearance. Brushable lacquers
are available on the market and even the spray-cans of
clear lacquer will do an adequate job.
Apply it in thin coats and sand with 400+ grit
sand-paper between applications. After the last coat,
rub-out the finish using automotive rubbing compound.
Best of luck,
Walt
Pictures of drums abound at the link below:
http://www.fifes-and-drums.org
Stephen Mulholland wrote:
--
=============================================================
Walt Akers
ak...@twisted-oaks.org
http://www.fifes-and-drums.org
http://www.twisted-oaks.org
=============================================================
Stephen Mulholland
"Walt Akers" <ak...@twisted-oaks.org> wrote in message
news:3D74CE...@twisted-oaks.org...
> Stephen:
Hello Walt, thanks for responding....
I'll see if I can scrounge a piece of maple from somewhere and try dyeing
and lacquering it. My only worry is that with brushed-on lacquer it just
won't look professional. The oil finish option seems just easier to apply,
using a cloth, and would give me the "sheen" I'm trying for. As I
mentioned, I'll be using the snare at gigs, so I want it to look really
good.
>
> Lacquer... use lacquer. My group does ongoing
> maintenance on around 30 ash-shelled, rope-tensioned
> snare drums, and no other finish even comes close in
> terms of durability and appearance. Brushable lacquers
> are available on the market and even the spray-cans of
> clear lacquer will do an adequate job.
>
> Apply it in thin coats and sand with 400+ grit
> sand-paper between applications. After the last coat,
> rub-out the finish using automotive rubbing compound.
Ok, thanks. If the snare drum project works out, I intend to build and
finish a full kit over the winter.
Stephen
Stephen Mulholland
"Stephen Mulholland" <stephenmu...@OBVIOUSyahoo.co.uk> wrote in
message news:nb4d9.21872$5g6.4...@newsfep2-win.server.ntli.net...
>
> "Walt Akers" <ak...@twisted-oaks.org> wrote in message
> news:3D74CE...@twisted-oaks.org...
> > Stephen:
Does anyone know of a good resource on the internet about lacquering? Best
techniques, polishing methods, whatever.
Thanks again
Stephen
Lee Michaels
"Stephen Mulholland" <stephenmu...@OBVIOUSyahoo.co.uk> wrote in
message news:nb4d9.21872$5g6.4...@newsfep2-win.server.ntli.net...
>
> news:3D74CE...@twisted-oaks.org...
> > Stephen:
>
> Hello Walt, thanks for responding....
>
> I'll see if I can scrounge a piece of maple from somewhere and try dyeing
> and lacquering it. My only worry is that with brushed-on lacquer it just
> won't look professional. The oil finish option seems just easier to
apply,
> using a cloth, and would give me the "sheen" I'm trying for. As I
> mentioned, I'll be using the snare at gigs, so I want it to look really
> good.
> >
> > Lacquer... use lacquer. My group does ongoing
> > maintenance on around 30 ash-shelled, rope-tensioned
> > snare drums, and no other finish even comes close in
> > terms of durability and appearance. Brushable lacquers
> > are available on the market and even the spray-cans of
> > clear lacquer will do an adequate job.
> >
> > Apply it in thin coats and sand with 400+ grit
> > sand-paper between applications. After the last coat,
> > rub-out the finish using automotive rubbing compound.
>
> Ok, thanks. If the snare drum project works out, I intend to build and
> finish a full kit over the winter.
>
> Stephen
Mully. is that you??
Stephen Mulholland
"Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*nada-spam*@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:Ph4d9.124133$_91.1...@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
Sure is, Lee - what brings you here? Want to lacquer a squat rack?
Do you know much about this woodfinishing stuff?
Stephen
Stephen
>
>
>
Lee Michaels
Not a finish expert, but have done a lot of woodworking over the years. (And
I have oil finished a squat (step) rack.)
Stephen Mulholland
(Let's hope these folks don't mind a little chat! :))
You may know, through the banter in The Other Place, that I'm also a
drummer, and gig regularly. It's just a paying hobby, I have fun with it.
I've decided to build a once-in-a-lifetime kit for myself. Well, "build"
isn't strictly true, all the parts, shells etc are easily available, it's
more a question of picking my shell sizes, picking the hardware and
assembling all the bits. The shells, when bought, are unfinished maple,
probably sanded ready for finishing. I'd think they wouldn't be
glass-smooth :)
I'm going to dye the wood (I've already owned a plain maple kit, and I want
something different) and finish it. Ideally, I'd love a really high-gloss,
deep, rock hard, smooth as a mirror finish, but common sense would dictate
that that might be impossible given my total lack of experience with wood
finishing. So, next best finish is a satin sheen, which might be a bit more
forgiving for the neophyte. Hence the tung oil question.
Any thoughts? I'm sort of building it as an heirloom for my boys, too,
something unique if either of them ever decide to take up drumming.
Stephen
>
>
>
>
Lee Michaels
find some maple to practice on. Make your mistakes on those peices. When you
are happy with those results, them apply them to the drums.
Obviously durability will be a factor. Some finishes need to be maintained
on a regular basis if they azre subjected to much wear. Plan accordingly.
Lee
R. Anderson
same question and they put us on to Arm-R-Seal by General Finishes. It is a
blend of Tung oil and Urethane, giving a look like Tung oil with some hard
protection. They did not see Tung oil as tough enough for the knocks of hard
gigging. The drum looks great. Time will tell how it holds up.
"Stephen Mulholland" <stephenmu...@OBVIOUSyahoo.co.uk> wrote in
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