Drilling new wrap?

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Question for all you builders:

I'm about to re-wrap a bass drum of mine and am gonna do it myself. Question: once you get the wrap on, how do you put the holes in the wrap? Do you drill it? From the inside out? I'm pretty sure I can handle installing the wrap (Jammin Sams supplies the two-sided tape and it sounds easy enough), I just don't know how you put the holes in there for the lugs and spurs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
It's suggested to drill from the inside out. Make sure the wrap is on GOOD before you drill, you don't want it moving on you. Depending on the thickness and quality of the wrap, I know some people have used a razor/boxcutter to simply cut through the wrap.

Good luck
 
I have a pencil soldering iron just for this purpose. With a thin enough wrap you can see where the holes are, and go from the outside in. If you go this route do it outside because of the fumes.
 
I’ve done a whole kit. I drilled a small hole from the inside out, then used an exacto knife from the outside to clean up the holes.
Steve
 
Drilling from the inside out...even I can't mess that up.

In my mind there is zero advantage drilling outside in, with a greater chance of messing up.
 
Put a light inside the drum behind the hole, right up against the shell so it's straight-on, and mark where to drill/solder/x-acto. This is especially useful when a drum is too small to fit a drill inside.
 
I have a pencil soldering iron just for this purpose. With a thin enough wrap you can see where the holes are, and go from the outside in. If you go this route do it outside because of the fumes.
This is what I did on all of my drums. Much quicker. Just make sure you ventilate the area. The plastic stinks. I pushed the soldering iron from the outside in with no issues. This will leave small rings of plastic around the holes which you can pick off with a fingernail.

 
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I’ve done a whole kit. I drilled a small hole from the inside out, then used an exacto knife from the outside to clean up the holes.
Steve
This is Bumheads suggestion but it takes forever.
 
Not quite forever, and it turned out very well. ?

And I presume you meant Bumwrap? That’s who I got instructions, and bought my wrap from- good stuff, and good service.
Yes Bumwrap. I watched the videos on their site and modify it to fit my method..
 
The last drum I wrapped was a ten-inch tom, so I could not drill from the inside out, at least using a drill. The drum was too small. Peace and goodwill.
 
I did a Jammin Sams wrap on a 12, 16, and 22 BD using the space age, double sided tape. I recommend 3 things. Clamp the tape edge with a 2x4 and clamps for several days. Longer than they say. Otherwise the edges can lift after appearing to be stuck. When you drill, make sure the bit is the correct exact size, so a tight lug doesn't press up the wrap around the lug hole. Use a 2x4 outside the drum to drill into, for a clean drill hole. Drilling a small guide hole first is always a good idea.
 
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One piece of advice. Try to get the seam under or near a lug. This will insure it doesn't lift. Bumwrap comes with two sided tape on one edge. My advice is to use a bit of masking tape on the first edge, and their tape on the last edge to hold down the wrap. You will have enough hardware on the drum to hold the rest of the wrap down. It's not going anywhere. I used for clamps. Clamp top and bottom to the shell , pull tight , clamp again, move the first set of clamps and work your way around the shell.
 
I did have the seam just after a lug, but still had some trouble with just the last 3/16 of an inch lifting slightly., after a time. I found the BD to be the most difficult. This was my first time, like any craft, I'm sure you improve with experience. I was doing it the winter, so I put a clamp on light over the d.rum and let it sit clamped awhile. If I remember correctly, the tape likes a certain temp to cure properly. Overall I was happy with the job, but did have one spot ever so slightly loose on the BD..It didn't appear until I had all the lugs back on. Not really noticeable, just enough to keep the job from being perfect., and F with me. I've since sold those drums. They did look pretty cool though, black sparkle.
 
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I wrapped a 16" PDP floor tom once. I'm not good at that kind of thing. I had air gaps in the wrap where the wrap wasn't in contact with the shell. No one but me knew. It had no effect on the sound either. So even if you do a bad job like me, no one but you will know.
 
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