Electronic Drums.com

[snared]

Hey guys! Has anyone attempted to build their own e-drums using the plans on Electronic Drums.com. I was looking at that site and maybe I should just do that. Instead of dropping 3-4 grand on practically the same quallity product.

[animal]

I haven't tried those plans. I'm sure they are excellent. Actually, we usually share as much information as possible around here. Beatnik has excellent plans available free online. They can be found at:

http://www.derksens.com/Beatnik_mirror.htm

I have some plans up (that still use Beatniks methods) that tackle stuff like building shells for mesh head toms, refinishing, trigger mounting...etc. I am far from done. I hope to add a lot to my site in the future. Here is mine...

http://geocities.com/diyedrums

[drumguru]

I've had good luck with the designs at ElectronicDrums.com's site. I would go for their more advanced, mesh-based triggers if you want the best performance. They are fairly Alesis heavy in the forum, but now that Roland has an entry level module (the TD-6) the base of Roland users has grown. It sounds like people who have built pads that are tweaked for the Alesis modules are even more impressed with them when they hook them up to a Roland. They charge for access, but they provide a lot of insight for $20. It was around long before it went 'dot com'. The free design is here. You might try it out before you join:
http://www.electronicdrums.com/pads/index.htm

[snared]

Cool site Animal! Very informative. I also enjoyed the link to Beatnik's web site.

[luvtheartz]

Yeah animal, you are an...animal! You're website is awesome. I can't believe you guys really make these things yourself...very impressive.

[Pleiadian]

WOW!

This morning I saw the converted practice pad on http://www.electronicdrums.com/pads/index.htm and I remembered that I still had a couple of those lying around.

I found a piezo element in a christmas-card-with-music. Did some soldering... Now I have an extra pad! Total cost 0$.

The sensitivity is excellent and I had to make just some minor adjustments to the TD-8.

The best thing is... I never left my home.

Thanks to all the pioneers out there!

[This message has been edited by Pleiadian (edited August 30, 2001).]

[animal]

I buy old 10" and 12" toms off of ebay and cut them in half. Buy some mesh heads from a local music store and the piezos from radio shack. I cut some aluminum flashing the same size as the piezo and glue it to the piezo. This thickens the vibration plate and makes it more responsive and durable. The foam that contacts the head I am still experimenting with. I have 25 well nuts on order from mcmaster-carr to mount the piezo plate to my crossmember. I am using all ludwig drums at the moment for this project. I am making my shells 4" deep instead of 3.5" like the rolands. This allows me to use standard rocker lugs. The remo bravo lugs that match what roland uses have been discon tinued. I did get an email from remo telling me the part number so I could special order them. The still use them on some martching snare drums. Anyway, the point is that I am currently building my own meash pads for about $50 a piece.

[snared]

Hey animal, does that price($50)include what you pay for the shells, too? What search do you use on ebay? I had trouble narrowing down the 900 or so ads for drums.

[animal]

I search for brand names, sizes, etc...
ex:12" tom,ludwig lugs,etc...

I searched 12" tom to see what I came up with. I found this

$3.00 so far... buy the drum, saw it in half, buy 2 mesh heads, make a trip to Lowes and Radio Shack and you have 2 12" pads. It doesn't really matter what shape the shell is in. Sand it down, recover it, plish the chrome and you're in business.

[animal]

if you are trying to match existing V-drums, you will have to cut the shell to 3.5" and find some Remo bravo series lugs. The information of these lugs is on my web site.

I am building all of my pads, so I am using 4" shells. This allows me to use standard lugs. I am currently using Ludwig parts to build my set.

[snared]

Anyone tried to build a quiet high hat for quiet, late night jammin'? Maybe something to attatch to a regular high hat stand.

[RumDrum]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by animal:
[B]I buy old 10" and 12" toms off of ebay and cut them in half."

I have done the same except with keller shells and lugs from www.drummaker.com. I never thought of finding cheap shells from ebay. From my experience you need to have the shells 3.5 to 4 inches deep (after cutting in half on table saw) to accommodate the tom bracket. However, if you were not concerned with mounting the drum (???), you can buy shorter tension rods to use with standard tom lugs for very shallow drums. Even with the expensive shells I only have about $60 per drum invested.

I also use the Pearl Muffle heads which are extremely cheap, silent, and durable.

My current design is not very sensitive though. I have to turn the sensitivity all the way up on my TD-8. I may have my foam element pushed too hard against the head, or not hard enough... I don't know.

[animal]

I am having a problem with sensitivity also. I think I am going to have to find something that works better then a can koozie bottom for a foam cone.

[RumDrum]

"works better then a can koozie bottom for a foam cone."

Right. I am using the koozie bottom (closed cell foam) as well. Beatniks page suggests that the foam should be about 1/8 of an inch above the drum bearig edge. I didn't check that; I just threw the head on in a rush to see if it worked. It does work but moderate strikes away from the center "cone" do not trigger consistantly. Harder strikes are never a problem.

My piezo is attached to the drum crossmember with two-sided foam, then the koozie "cone" is attached to the top of piezo with carpet tape. I wonder if the two sided foam (under the piezo) absorbs some of the vibration, thus making it less sensitive?

Also, do you attach the koozie cone to the copper side of the piezo or the ceramic side?

[animal]

I wonder if the two sided foam (under the piezo) absorbs some of the vibration, thus making it less sensitive?

I tried puting foam under my piezo on a previous design and it hurt the sensitivity bad. My thinking was that it would help control crosstalk and mistriggers.

Also, do you attach the koozie cone to the copper side of the piezo or the ceramic side?

I use carpet tape to secure the brass side of the piezo to the plate. There is a disc cut from aluminium flashing super-glued to the piezo. This thickens the vibration plate and makes it more responsive. The koozie is cut into 3 circles, each one getting smaller. These are attached with carpet tape as well.