Applying New Wrap to the Shell

Featured Articles - Drum Wrap Instructions

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Continued from Removing Old Drum Finish/Wrap OR 
go to part 1 of this article.

5. Each piece of wrap (for 16" drums and smaller) comes with a white liner tape on one end (medium bond tape) and a yellow color or glossy white liner (hi-bond tape) on the other end– these pieces should be labeled. The medium bond tape end (flat white liner) is applied first; it is used to hold the material in place while you pull tight from the opposite side. To begin installation, place the wrap around the shell where you desire it to be without removing any liners. Remember to consider where you want the seam to be: over a mount, over two lugs, etc. Hold the material tight against the shell with one hand at the seam. Next, with the other hand, inspect the shell to see how the material lays against it. Use your fingernail to reveal any loose areas, and check the edges for any gaps. If you are happy with the way the wrap lays on the shell, and the seam is in the desired location, let the overlap side unroll while holding the under-lap side in place. With your other hand (or someone helping you), draw a line with a pencil against the under-lap edge the full length of the wrap. This mark will give you a guide where to place the medium bond tape edge of the material.
   
   Once you have drawn your line, peel back the clear peel-off protective top 3 or 4 inches from the medium bond tape side; you do not want the hi-bond tape adhered to the clear peel-off. Be sure not to scratch the exposed finish. Next, remove the flat white liner (medium bond tape) from that same side of the material. (At this time, do not remove the yellow [or glossy white] colored liner.) Line up the edge of the material with the now exposed medium bond tape with your pencil mark and lightly press down on the shell.
   
   Now re-wrap the material and pull tight to see if the material lines up correctly. Do not try to pull the wrap to force it to evenly line up with the under-lap section, but pull the material tight to see where it naturally lines up- the material being tight against all areas of the shell. If the material is not approximately straight on the shell (more than 1/8" off), you will need to lift the medium bond tape and slightly readjust the wrap- according to your pencil mark. If loose places are found (especially in the center of the drum), re-stretch the wrap until the desired results are obtained.
   
   
   Note:
   Glass Glitter finishes are somewhat brittle; they are made of real pieces of glass. If the medium bond side needs to be re-adjusted for any of our Glass Glitter finishes, do not pull up (or back) on the material– use a putty knife to gently separate it from the shell. Pulling on the wrap to separate the bond will crack the material.
   Important:
   Sometimes there are "air pockets" or loose places because the shell is out of square or out of round. If that is the case, there is nothing that can be done but position the wrap as best as possible; when done, those places will not be noticeable. Also, sometimes there are "air pockets" or loose places, not because the shell is out of square, but because one has not put the first taped piece on straight. It can look straight but not be straight. If the first piece is just ½ of a degree off (flat white taped liner end), you’ll have a loose place on one side of the shell. Again, when pulling from the hi-bond side, do not try to meet the ends exact, but pull the material tight and see where the material ends up. If the wrap ends up ¼" or more off center and tight against most all areas of the shell, you have not got the first piece on right. If that is the case, carefully pull up, and re-apply the first end (flat white liner side), and pull again from the hi-bond side to see if the material lays tight against the drum (little to no air pockets) and the ends closely meet each other.
6. Once the material lines up correctly on the shell (when pulled tight from the opposite end), and there are little to no loose areas, remove the hi-bond liner. After removing the hi-bond liner, place it back on the now exposed hi-bond tape, but off centered, so that about a half of the hi-bond tape is exposed (at the rear) and the other half is covered by the liner (at the seam). This will aid in avoiding premature bonding of the wrap to the tape while you are lining it up. While holding/pulling the wrap from that end (holding the hi-bond tape that is not exposed, on the material), pull the material tight against the shell and press the wrap down so that the hi-bond tape is holding the wrap on the drum- but only at the rear of the tape and mostly at the middle of the drum. Be sure you do not adhere too much of the tape to the material because you may not be able to remove it if desired without damaging the wrap (see note below.) This procedure should hold the material on the shell while you inspect the wrap on the shell.
   
   With your fingernail, tap the material all around the shell surface to reveal any loose areas. If there are loose areas, carefully lift the material up and pull the material tight again. Again, only adhere a small section of the tape (back edge) to the under-lap section. This allows easy removal if desired results are not obtained and keeps the exposed hi-bond tape fresh and unused (section near the seam that is still covered by the liner). You can separate the hi-bond tape maybe one or two times and re-apply it if only a small amount of tape is used to hold the wrap to the shell and only at the rear edge (preferably centered). Also, it is best not to touch the hi-bond tape with your fingers, the oils on your fingers will decrease the bond strength of the tape.
   
   
NOTE: If too much of the hi-bond tape is adhered (prior to desired results), and it is too difficult to lift without damaging the wrap, use a putty knife to carefully separate/lift the seam.


NOTE: Glass glitter finishes contain real glass which make it somewhat brittle. If the hi-bond side needs to be re-adjusted for any of our glass glitter finishes, do not pull up (or back) on the material — use a putty knife to gently separate it from the shell or it may crack. Be very careful, even the putty knife can crack the finish.

If the material does not lay against the shell, as you believe it should, tap with your fingernail at the center of the shell in the vicinity of the problem. If the material is tight at the center of shell but loose at the bearing edge (and the material is centered on the shell), then the shell is slightly out of square (or out of round), and there is nothing that can, or should be done. Most older drums (and some newer ones) are that way. When your recovery job is complete, a small gap will not be noticeable. Also, if one side of the wrap is loose, and the other side is tight, you probably have the medium bond side down at a slight angle. If this is the case, the wrap will have to be totally removed and the first edge slightly re-adjusted.

From this point until the heading: "For All Drum Wraps", we have three different sets of instructions. Choose the one that best fits your situation:

Method 1:   Recommends the use of an adhesive promoter– a packet with chemicals on a sponge, which helps to adhere our hi-bond tape to our decorative wraps. This method promotes the best bond for solids, mirrors, metals, pearls, sparkles, and glass glitters. Do not use this method for Satin Flame finishes. This product is commonly used to better adhere molding to vehicles.

Method 2:   Recommends the use of heat (without the use of an adhesive promoter), using a hair dryer to moderately heat the seam. This method results in a good bond, but not as strong as Method 1. Do not use this method for Satin Flame finishes.

Method 3:   Only recommended for Satin Flame Finishes.

Method 1:   NOT to be used for Satin Flame Finishes.

Once you are happy with the results, and sure that the clear-peel-off protective top is pulled back from the under lap side (about 3-4 inches), open the "Automotive Adhesion Promoter 06396" packet. (Note: This packet may have come with your order, if not enclosed [or you need more], you can get these packets at NAPA [a popular automotive store in the USA] for about $2 ea.) Take the small delicate sponge out, and wipe the sponge along the finish side (the under-lap side, now against the shell), right where the hi-bond tape will touch. You will be cleaning off plasticizers (on the decorative side) that tend to work against the hi-bond tape. Clean the area under the seam (3-4 wipes all the way across, especially where the seam will end up), but do not wipe the hi-bond tape side or it’s liner. The promoter will not scratch/mar the finish in any way, it will just allow the hi-bond tape to stick better to the slick decorative surface of the wrap– where you are wiping. The sponge in the packet can be reused until it is dry– even if ripped. So when you have wiped one seam with the sponge (or several seams at once), put it back in it’s original packaging, and store that in a small zip-lock bag. Try to get as much air out of the bag as you can, before you close it. Once the sponge is dry (it dries quickly), it is no longer of any use– you will have to buy a new one (if further needed). Use the adhesive promoter only in temperatures between 60-80°(F).

Once the applied promoter is dry (dry to touch– about 2-5 minutes), remove the hi-bond liner and wipe the entire seam down with a dry cloth.

After sealing the seam, use a 1"x2" board, up on edge (any bow of the board face toward the wrap- NEVER use a 2x4 and never a board laid down) and C-clamps to clamp down the seam for 24 hours (do not use spring loaded clamps). Center the board over the edge of the seam- the edge being most important for added strength. (Note: It is best to use a small piece of wood between the C-clamp and the shell [inside] to protect the shell from the clamp.) Understand completely, we do not want you to use a board & C-clamps for the overlap area (it will never separate on it’s own), but just the edge of the seam– that might lift in the future, if you do not clamp it. If you are unsure what we are explaining here, give us a call.

Now go to heading: "For All Drum Wraps" and continue.

Method 2:   NOT to be used for Satin Flame Finishes.

Once you are happy with the results, remove the liner (covering half of the hi-bond tape) and rub the entire seam down with a dry cloth.

After the seam is sealed, put the clear peel-off protective top, back over the seam. This will protect the material until the hardware is replaced. The seam will reach it's full bond in about 24 hours, in a non-humid environment.

Next, use a flat, clean surface (like a table or hard floor) to further adhere the seam. Use newspaper between the wrap and whatever hard surface you are using. Use your hands inside the shell, at the bottom, and, with a rocking motion, push the seam hard toward the hard surface. This will aid in the seam adhering even better.

Be sure the wrap is on right, because there may be no going back to the prior step, after this procedure. After the hi-bond tape is adhered, use a hair dryer (nothing hotter– about 30-40 seconds) on the seam until the plastic is somewhat warm– the heat will allow the hi-bond tape to slightly gel. This procedure of heating will give you a greater bond. Next, immediately place the board and two C-clamps on the edge of the seam. Use a 1"x2" board up on edge (any bow of the board face toward the wrap– NEVER use a 2"x4" and never a board laid down) and C-clamps to clamp down the seam for 24 hours (do not use spring loaded clamps). Center the board over the edge of the seam– the edge being most important for added strength.

Understand completely, we do not want you to use a board & C-clamps for the overlap area (it will never separate on it’s own), but just the edge of the seam– that might lift in the future if you do not clamp it. You will only need to leave the clamps on for 24 hours. If you are unsure what we are explaining here, give us a call.

Now go to heading: "For All Drum Wraps" and continue.

Method 3:   Use this method only for Satin Flame Finishes.

Once you are happy with the results, remove the liner (covering half of the hi-bond tape) and rub the entire seam down with a dry cloth.

Next, use a flat, clean surface (like a table or hard floor) to further adhere the seam. Put newspaper between the wrap and whatever hard surface you are using. Use your hands inside the shell, at the bottom, and, with a rocking motion, push the seam hard toward the hard surface. This will help the seam adhere even better. Be careful not to scratch these finishes-they have no protective top. Allow the tape to cure between 1-3 days.

For All Drum Wraps
(Drums That Take Two Pieces of Wrap)

If your kit came with material for a bass drum (or 18" - 20" floor tom), two pieces of material will be required to recover the drum(s)- a large piece and a small piece. The small piece will be marked: "bass bottom" (or "side" for toms). The smaller piece will be put on first (at the bottom for bass drums), then the larger piece last. First, take the small piece, and remove about 3-4 inches of the clear peel-off protective top, on each edge (where it will be taped). The smaller piece is usually very easy to install. Remove the liners and place the bottom/side piece in its desired location.

When installing the larger piece, it is very helpful to have a second person assist you- especially when pulling the material tight against the drum. Make sure equal amounts of overlap are present (on each seam) when adhering the larger piece to the smaller one. When installing the larger top piece, line the piece up on the drum. It is best to have a second person to help hold the material against the drum. When the material is centered and lined up on the drum (with equal amounts of material at the 2 seams), use the prior instructions (before the 3 methods) for lining up the wrap. BE SURE YOU ARE NOT ADHERING THE TAPE TO THE CLEAR PEEL-OFF (it should have already been pulled back about 3-4 inches). Then follow with your desired method. With one seam is adhered (of the larger piece), pull the material tight against the shell and bond the other seam.

This article continues with ... Installing Inlay Strips