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Hey guys, I need a drum part fixed or re manufactured, it's the side plate from my Matt Smith Tumba, I could send it to him of course but I'd like to find someone local for future issues too, I took it to a regular metal shop once and it broke again, I don't think they understood the tension issues with this part. Also I want to have an alma made for my slightly out of round valje quinto before I reskin it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated, I know James in particular has renovated a few drums so may have suggestions, anywhere in the bay area is fine. Thanks guys, Barrie

Hey Barrie!

I'm afraid I have yet to find anyone good in the SF Bay Area to do this kind of work - either to make a side plate or an alma. Geordie possibly has more knowledge than me on this front, and is more in touch with the SF scene (than me/us, in the East Bay) and maybe he knows someone over there that I'm not aware of.

Hope everything is going well with you Barrie. Give me a ring sometime and let's catch up.

James

Yeah man, I don't know, I have a friend that makes bicycles and is handy with metal,
and has all the tools, but he is also hard to get a hold of. That might work for the
sideplate.

Any old metal shop can make an alma, those are just hoops of cold rolled steel
from what I've seen on my skin on skin. Anybody metal shop can make those.
I'd give Ralph Flores a call.

Sadly the SF has lost all of its drum artisans to LA.

bongosnotbombs wrote:Sadly the SF has lost all of its drum artisans to LA.

Peter Musser is a custom maker in Petaluma, does beautiful work.
http://www.pmpercussion.com/index.html

He crafts his own rims and sideplates too, I don't know if he'd be interested in Barrie's project but worth an e-mail.

I have a question regarding almas. How does one measure what size the alma should be? And once formed how do you get the alma inside the drum? It seems to me that the diameter of the opening of the drum is less than the diameter where you would mount the alma. I don't understand how the process is done hence the questions.

Thanks very much guys, I'll will try that drum maker and then Ralph I think, he would of course be my first call if he was more local. I'll give you a call this weekend if you're around James, still at the same place ?

I've had a career change in the last year, so been a bit out of the loop, but things are settling in now and I'm ready for some classes/group sessions, I have kept up on my own of course. Are you guys still hitting the La Pena rumba on Sundays ?

all the best, Barrie

I have a question regarding almas. How does one measure what size the alma should be? And once formed how do you get the alma inside the drum? It seems to me that the diameter of the opening of the drum is less than the diameter where you would mount the alma. I don't understand how the process is done hence the questions

The bottom opening of the drum is sometimes larger than than the one at the top.
I assume they go in that way if retrofitted to a drum.
Measuring would be as simple as finding the diameter at the point you want to mount
your alma and the multiplying by Pi (3.14159265) to determine curcumference.

This thread is about Almas.
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4979&hilit=almas

That is right, I forgot about that drum maker in Petaluma. I've got to get up there.

The bottom opening of the drum is sometimes larger than than the one at the top.
I assume they go in that way if retrofitted to a drum.

Not that I'm nit-picker,, but you must have meant the top opening is usually larger than the bottom, right?

exactly

No.2-1820 wrote:it's the side plate from my Matt Smith Tumba

Would you mind posting a picture of the broken side plate.

Barrie, here's how I made an alma and installed it in a 1975 10.5 inch Gon Bops International oak drum; after gluing all the splits and installing a band just above the side plates, I determined that the drum was supposed to be 10.5 inches. I then cut a 1" by 4" to the correct length (trial & error) and tapped it into the top opening across the narrow side which then gave 10.5 inches across any point side to side. I moistened the top 4 inches of the drum inside and out and left it for about 2 weeks. I took a heavy length of wire from a 'real estate for sale sign' and cut it into the approximate length and pounded it on the top of a 40 pound Wilton metal vise. The vise top is sort of round and I kept feeding the wire until it became round. I then slipped it into the top of the drum(it fit because the ends were not brazed together). I then clipped the ends at the right length and filed them square. I then reinserted the alma (with the ends overlapping) and mated the now squared off ends. I screwed a small sheet metal screw under the alma on either side of the joint. You could possibly braze the alma joint at this point if the wood was protected from charring. The alma was now lower on one side so I tapped it toward the top gently with a hammer and block of wood. Once the alma was approximately level, I put more small screws under the alma to hold it in place. I then put a bead of GOOP under the alma for more holding power. Other good choices could be JB Weld or Oatey's Plumbers' Putty (epoxy). So far its still round and sounds good. I had to move the screws a bit leaving small holes in the wood but, no great damage done. My Bauers had almas installed in a similar manner using something that looked like Bondo. Hope this didn't confuse you. Good luck! Buck

Here is my take on this. It is a very small job for an iron worker to do a side plate; to say nothing about getting it chromed. To have this custom made and then sent out for chroming makes no sense. If I were you I would go to the source for parts, Ritmo, and have it done right for less money.

With regard to almas, any good iron worker can do this. But you have to be the responsible party on dimensions.

Tulio does all my iron work, and I am not talking drums here. However, I am sure he can do almas if given the measurements.

Tulio's Iron Works
1225 Thomas Ave
San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 822-4115

All the best,
B

Thanks Buckoh for the great alma info.

To Brian, I'm sending it to Matthew, should have done that in the first place but wanted to save a bit of time, I only have one set of 4 drums and when they are out of action I'm screwed. I'll sort the alma out when I get the tumba back in action. Thanks for the input. Barrie