PVC Shell
by Jesaipa
First, here is what you need :
You need a 10″ drum hoop, 10″ mesh head, 6 lugs, 1 tom mounting bracket and 10″ PVC tubing
You can get lugs from an old drumset, since lugs are not so cheap.
You could also use L brackets… just not as sweet and efficient than a real lug, but a lot cheaper.
As you can see on this picture, I’m using an old carpet to keep PVC away from scratches 😉
My shells height is about 11cm but it could be 9-10cm
To mark height, I mesure from the side I didn’t cut yet, ’cause the other one isn’t regular.
Total length minus 11cm…
Mark several points around the tube using a permanent marker.
Then I’m using a flexible saw blade to mark a line following points.
Drill small holes so your jig saw blade can be inserted.
Here I’m using a special blade for thick plastics, but I think it’s not different than those for wood. My blade was found in a pack, so ask a specialist to make the best choice 🙂
Cut slowly to let dust go away. Don’t make it quick, PVC is easy to cut.
Try to cut your shell in one time (that’s why you’ve gotta cut slowly) to get a regular edge.
Sand edge to get it smooth and ’round’ so your mesh head can ‘slip’ on it
Now you’ve gotta fix lugs :
Distance between lugs = PI * Diam / 6(lugs)
Mark first point where you want, then others each (PI*Diam/6)
Draw square lines using a triangle.
From shell’s bottom, a=2.7 cm.
b is the distance between two holes used to fix a lug : here, b=3.8cm
a+b=6.5cm. Second hole’s gotta be drilled at 6.5cm from shell’s bottom.
(lugs dimensions may vary)
Holes are 6mm for lugs, 8mm for mounting bracket.
Use a needle before you start to drill 😉
Here’s my finished shell :
Next steps :
– Build an internal trigger
– Paint this shell
Thanx Jesaipa for this great idea!
Best.
www.eareckon.com
Very cool–leave them longer for the octoban look!! Does PVC tubing come in 8″, 10″, 12″ and 14″ diameters?
8″=20,32 cm
10″=25,4 cm
12″= 30,48 cm
14″= 35,56 cm
pvc pipes have standard diameter… so if if you find a piece of pvc pipe which is smaller than drum shell diameter, it’s good!!
for example: pvc pipe 250mm good to build a 10″ chell pvc pipe 200mm good to build a 8″ shell…
pvc pipe 315mm impossible to build a 12″ shell… you have to reduce the diameter… difficult to do…
i have not found upper size for pvc pipe…
and you should have to find them yourself because these pipes are very expensive (250,315) just for one or two shells
if i remember (but not sure), Jesaipa (guy who has done this design) had tried to reduce pvc pipe diameter… by cutting the pvc pipe in diagonal…then he slided it, and glued it… when it’s dry, you have to cut one more time in the shell …so you have to begin with an deeper shell than you finally want
Anyone knows an international seller that would sell enough rims and lugs to build a complete DIY drum set just like this one … At the lowest possible price!!
Thanks!!
Kim
Depending on the price of rims and lugs it’d possibly just be cheaper to buy 10″ and 12″ toms and cut them in half to double the yield. Most come with lugs and hoops on both sides so one tom could yield 2 drums. I’d be curious to know the total cost of buying PVC, hoops, and lugs to create 6 full drums which is how many you’d need for a 5 piece kit. Then note you’d still have to buy/build a rack, mounting hardware, cymbals, stands, yadda yadda.
Not knocking the PVC drums. Just asking for some total cost estimates for comparison to buying a used kit or toms and cutting them.
Christopher Graham
i think some design are not destinate to build a full kit… but can give some ideas…
a pvc pipe is not cheap… so you have to find it…
for lugs it’s the same…
some can find new 10 and 12 toms for 35 or 40 euros at thomann’s store… ok you’re kit will be cheaper… than a pvc pipe drum with lugs and hoops bought separatly… but where is the DIY spirit!!!!!???
I just priced out some 10″ PVC, it’s $15.79 a foot and sold in 10′ joints. So you’re lookin’ at having to build a lot of drums to make it worth one’s while.
But let’s assume you have 3 friends, or a few people want to go in together and build a few kits. It’s not incredibly cost prohibitive.
It ships from Lima, Ohio and shipped via drop freight. 1390 Neubrecht Rd, Lima Ohio, 45801-3196 Phone:1-800-809-4217
So you’re lookin’ at 20 toms/snares out of a 10′ joint + cost of hardware. Assuming 3 toms+1 snare, you’re lookin’ at 5 kits per joint or 4 kits per joint if you make one of them into a bass trigger.
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