Mike´s Gon Bops project

[seisporocho1]

BNB, the skin you got from your friend is a Bill Confer (that's why it has "BC" on it) Texas Bullhide. I don't know how much it cost you but if you (or anyone else) ever want to buy it again, just contact Bill at Tejas Industries (info is in the "skin supplier list" thread). It might be cheaper without a middle man!
Just to throw that out there!

[buckoh]

Mike, I just purchased my old Gon Bops oak international series with the wood band around the middle. I bought them in 1976 and sold them in 1983 when I bought some Valjes. I have a 9 1/2 inch and a 10 3/4. The 10 3/4 inch has been out of round since soon after the original purchase. When I sold them (100.00 ea.) it had a major split at the bottom and one at the top that went as far as the wood band. Gon Bops used very inferior glue on these. The bearing edge is the same as yours and I don't like it. Matthew Smith recommended that I put a half thumbnail shape on the outside edge. I never liked the way the drums sounded anyway so, I'll probably do it. I bought them back, for the same price, to restore and to have an 11 inch to play while Matthew makes me an 11 inch. I sent him measurements for a stainless upper band(just above the lug plates) and a bottom band. They fit almost perfectly.
The upper split was a glue joint that was in the middle of the lug plate. I put the lug plate screws in from the inside to the outside and used Titebond III and a large wood jaw clamp and let it dry for a week. Then I slipped the upper band on and removed the clamp. I have since removed the band and the glue held. I hate Gorilla Glue. I used it on some professional furniture structural repairs and it failed. I lost money redoing the failed glue joints. If you do use Gorilla Glue, make sure you wet the mating pieces first(which I had done!). This helps the glue cure. The stuff is messy and doesn't take stain(none of them do). It will fill a crack but epoxy does it better and stronger. Acceptable woodworking standards dictate 1/16th of an inch tolerances. I used the bottom band to close the big split that was about 3/8 of an inch wide and went up about 14 inches. I used Titebond there, too. I can post pics if anyone is interested. I'm not rushing to finish the project, since I do this to furniture all day. Besides, I have two recently purchased EcoTones that I just put new Ritmo heads on! Good luck with yours, Buck

[buckoh]

Since we've gotten into a discussion about skins, Does anyone know anything about bleaching skins? I have part of a 1/2 steerhide that I'd like to try bleaching. I always liked the sound of bleached heads. Years ago, all the new drums I purchased had them. Any thoughts? Buck

[Mike]

The upper split was a glue joint that was in the middle of the lug plate. I put the lug plate screws in from the inside to the outside and used Titebond III and a large wood jaw clamp and let it dry for a week. Then I slipped the upper band on and removed the clamp. I have since removed the band and the glue held. I hate Gorilla Glue. I used it on some professional furniture structural repairs and it failed. I lost money redoing the failed glue joints. If you do use Gorilla Glue, make sure you wet the mating pieces first(which I had done!). This helps the glue cure. The stuff is messy and doesn't take stain(none of them do).

Thanks for the shared experience, Buck.

I will not use gorilla glue indeed, Titebond III is going to be my option for the larger cracks.
One of my cracks runs through the sideplate area:

But it is not very deep nor wide, so I wonder how I can get enough glue into the crack?

Bleached skins: I do not have any first-hand experience, but I would guess that there are as many good and bad bleached skins as there are skins that have not been chemically treated. The two bleached skins I had in the past were by far inferior to unbleached ones, but that could have been a matter of quality again of course.

Mike

[OLSONGO]

I would recommend to get light colored skins , to the bleaching of the heads... any sort of chemical starts breaking down its natural composition and elasticity. What I have found out with some skin I have received, is that there is still some xtra fat in the skin, so I put it in the sun and let it dry more, too much fat or oil on the skin makes it wear out quicker.
On the Gorilla glue , I have used it with no recurring problems so far ( knock on wood ) The okonkolo that you may have seen on the home made instruments post, was all put together with gorilla glue. What is good that it will just about stick to any surface.

Paz
Olsongo

[Chupacabra]

Mike,
This type of syringe will help out a lot for getting glue into the larger cracks. Best thing is, TB3 is water soluble so you can just rinse the syringe out with water when your done and you can use it again. You could probably get these at a pharmacy or if you know a dentist he or she could probably give you a handful of them.
At any good woodworking supply store there should be syringes available in kits that have the metal tubes of different sizes, some are quite small, but I haven't tried them yet with TB3.

[bongosnotbombs]

Mike,
This type of syringe will help out a lot for getting glue into the larger cracks. Best thing is, TB3 is water soluble so you can just rinse the syringe out with water when your done and you can use it again. You could probably get these at a pharmacy or if you know a dentist he or she could probably give you a handful of them. .

+1 on this syringe, really an indispensible tool for getting into tight cracks.

As far as glues, both the Gorilla and the Titebond have their uses. For big easy to get at cracks, it's Titebond for me,
but for the small tight cracks, I have had good success with the Gorilla and it's expanding foaming action.

[Mike]

I need more time for the woodwork, I have not done much there. Next week there will be more time.

So, I only made myself some steel backing plates yesterday and brushed up the hardware.

Amazingly the lugs and nuts are still in pretty good shape, I just have to replace one nut that is nuts

Still got a question though: Should I bend the backing plates into shape before reassembling the whole thing?
A thick fiberglass shell would take it to tighten the sideplates and let the bolts do the bending job, but with those frail shells I am not so sure.

[zwar]

hey mike

better you bend it before mounting, cause the holes are pretty near to the margin and the material doesnt look like being bent easily.

greetings

zwar

[Mike]

Thanks zwar! I had already guessed so, but wanted to be extra sure.

BTW, adjusting the backing plates to the shell before reassembling would also include
a bit of sanding the inside areas painted black in my case, as you find some really thick glue drops there and I think an even surface would be required to make sure the 2mm plates sit evenly.

All the best
-Mike

[deadhead]

Great job on the hardware Mike! It looks as good as new, and nice work on the backing plates. Can't wait to see the finished product!

[Victorius]

wow! well done Mike! Can't wait for final show up!

[Mike]

Can't wait to see the finished product!

Neither can I, deadhead & Victorius!

It is only that I cannot really start fully until widsontide
as my job is a total hassle at the moment, I have to work
fully the next 10 days. But otherwise I am glad to have a job
at all...

So please be patient

[Mike]

At last...!
I made some progress mending the cracks and sanding the shells.

With the wood brittle as it still is, I decided to apply one layer of fiberglass inside and then,
to balance the wood forces, to epoxy the whole shell from outside.
I went to a ship builder´s who was very friendly and knew a lot about all sorts of woodwork,
and this is the outcome:

After drying and some fine sanding, I am going to apply a final second epoxy layer, and then,
a couple of days later I can begin to think about the next steps.

With the hardware ready to rumble and two fine mule skins at hand, these congas will
look quite fine I think.

[deadhead]

Beautiful shells Mike! They are going to look amazing when you get that shiny hardware on them. I'm thinking about tackling my oak set here pretty soon, they need a few cracks repaired and I'll probably go ahead and refinish them at the same time.