Floor tom conversion

mhdweston

Member
Well i have been looking through this thread for a few days now and i just cant seen to find the thread that i need.. So Im just starting this one, if it is already out there i apologize..

Anyhow, I have an extra drum set laying abound at my house, so i decided to make a small take anywhere kit out of it.. Im planning on repainting the shells, make them look nice.. And its going to be a nice little project for me..

Well my main problem is that im having trouble finding the parts needed to convert my floor tom into a bass drum..

I know i need either a riser with spurs, or a cradle, a set of hoops, and claws from what i have read in the other threads.. But i just cant seem to find anything for a reasonable part, or any variety of parts..

If anyone can help me in this department, or redirect me to a thread that already exists, i would greatly appreciate it..

thank you very much,
cheers
 
If worse comes to worse you could always make a cradle. There are a few places that make them but rather than spend $150 I just made one. Works really well.

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this is something I had made for me, it cost me €15,- at the local hardware store where a carpenter made it for me.
 

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jajaja that for now is the best option i have..

The only things i have found, are:

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/DW-Bass-Drum-Riser?sku=417014

http://accessories.musiciansfriend....or-tom-to-Bass-Drum-converter-Kit-?sku=448440

The DW seems a bit on the pricy side, and the Pearl seems a little too on the cheap/low quality side.. If you know what i mean

I'm pretty sure you still have to buy an ISS mount with the Pearl set up but you still wouldn't have too much in it. I made a riser out of an ISS mount and used the bass drum legs on the floor tom on another kit I have and it works good. I would think the Pearl set up would be fine.
 
Try these parts at drummaker.com Call Andy and tell him what you need...baby kick spurs and riser. Easy. No drilling needed, simply install spurs into f/tom leg brackets and the riser to center your pedal to the batter head. Attach to the hoop as shown. Or you can purchase wood hoops and claws but it's not necessary.
 

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Thank you all for the quick responses..

After doing some more research, and looking at all the risers you guys have made, i tihnk i will just buy, or make, a good quality riser that i can use with either metal hoops or woods hoops..

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something of that sort ^^^

Again thank you very much for the responses, i will keep you guys posted on my project as soon as i start it, hopefully tomorrow..
 
Ok guys, I just had a rehersal for a jazz gig I've got to go to Kansas for @ the end of the month (May). The band leader's wife is driving out (the rest of us are flying) and the keyboard, bass, and amps are taking up pretty much all of the space in the car, so I'm limited on what I can take. I've been rehersing with just a snare, hats, ride and 1 crash. It'd be really nice to take a kick of some sort. I've got a 16" FT that just came with my new Pearl SMX kit. Can either of you that made your own cradle give me a cut sheet or at least an idea of materials list/design? I need to keep this around $25 to $30. I have the tools to make it. What kind of wood did you use? I'd like to stain it black and show woodgrain through to match my kit. How do you keep the tom from sliding due to impact from the beater? What are good head choices?

Thanks!
 
Can you post a photo of your floor tom? I could give you a better idea of how mine would work on your tom if I knew how your lugs and tension rods were set up.
 
Here's what we did w/a 16" FT. the pic is missing the rubber isolation gasket between the aluminum lifter and the shell. screwed to the lifter from in the shell but we're changing that for ease of transport
 

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Can you post a photo of your floor tom? I could give you a better idea of how mine would work on your tom if I knew how your lugs and tension rods were set up.

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Sorry, this is the only pic I have right now. Obviously that's a 10" tom, not the one I plan to use, but it shows the lug/hoop arrangement.
 
I bought the parts for this kit, 18 x 16 floor tom, from Musiciansfriend.
Donnett spurs, rail for tom mount that I use for the cymbal mount, and the riser for the bass drum pedal. The three pieces were 70 dollars at the time.
 

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I bought the parts for this kit, 18 x 16 floor tom, from Musiciansfriend.
Donnett spurs, rail for tom mount that I use for the cymbal mount, and the riser for the bass drum pedal. The three pieces were 70 dollars at the time.

Josh if you could swing the $70 for this set up you'd probably be happier. I made mine on a whim because I had a lot of scrap wood laying around. It works great but honestly it doesn't look as good as actual drum spurs.
 
Hey thanks for all the advice so far. I guess I should have clarified, though, that my floor tom is virgin. It only has the Optimount, no leg hardware, hence the cradle idea.
 
This post has just given me a great idea. Thanks guys. Pics to follow.
 
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