Garage drums?

[Crogen]

Hi,

I have a 5 piece drum kit and I have been playing it in my garage. Sadly there is no air conditioning unit in my garage. My question is, during the summer with intense heat will it damage my drums in anyway? Will it ruin the drum glue on the heads or anything else?

Thanks!

[Olimpass]

I had left a plastic cover over mine with the garage door open, Sun on my drums when I was grilling and later my floor tom looked like this. Greenhouse effect warped my wrap.



I don't think it's a good idea but maybe if they don't get direct sunlight you may be okay but a controlled temp environment would be best I'm sure.

[Olimpass]

Actually as long as they DO NOT get direct sunlight they should be good. There is a kit that's been set up for years in a friends garage and they are still fine. We cover it with an old sheet. DO NOT use plastic.

[MR. G]

I've had mine in the garage for at least five years ( out of the sun ) And I live in sunny Forida.....no damage....but then again I have a cheap set, not sure I would chance a good set. I'll bet that's where they get the term " warmer tones " !

[doctor dirt]

I'm in Florida also but theres no way I leave my kits in the garage in the summer time. I do have A/C in my garage but I'm speaking as if I didn't. The heads alone are going to be effected, their plastic!! Wraps will bubble in time the summer where I am can have my garage temp go into the mid nineties! Anything above 80d is to high for my taste, I take very good care of my gear because their my working tools. My second bedroom is always my music room and all my gear is stored or set up in there. Drums, mics, hardware, cymbals, stereo, P/A, scores, etc etc......
Isn't there a spot were you could stack them? Stacking takes up hardly any room! Then set up in the garage when you play there. Doc

[longgun]

I'm in Florida also but theres no way I leave my kits in the garage in the summer time. I do have A/C in my garage but I'm speaking as if I didn't. The heads alone are going to be effected, their plastic!! Wraps will bubble in time the summer where I am can have my garage temp go into the mid nineties! Anything above 80d is to high for my taste, I take very good care of my gear because their my working tools. My second bedroom is always my music room and all my gear is stored or set up in there. Drums, mics, hardware, cymbals, stereo, P/A, scores, etc etc......
Isn't there a spot were you could stack them? Stacking takes up hardly any room! Then set up in the garage when you play there. Doc

+1...I know it sounds like a pain the a$$ to move them in and out.....I just think it would be better for the drums

[Jack Keck]

I don't know how this is relevant, but my first drum teacher always kept a set of drums in the back of his covered pickup truck. He had Gretsch Catalina and a Pearl set. He kept one set in the truck in the summer and the other in the winter. He lived a few Bocks west of sunny Detroit, MI.

I never thought to ask what he did about his cymbals and hardware. :-)

[doctor dirt]

Moving drums is part of a drummers life style, up until I was 50yrs old I had a road crew and they handled all the gear and set ups. Now that I'm old and beat up from multiple serious accidents I handle my own set, it sux!!! If you care about the drums integrity stack them in the house away from an A/C vent and if you don't then use a sheet to keep dust out of your bearing edges/head edge/and rims. That accelerates the miss tuning when dust and grim billed up there. Doc

[Crogen]

I'm in Florida also but theres no way I leave my kits in the garage in the summer time. I do have A/C in my garage but I'm speaking as if I didn't. The heads alone are going to be effected, their plastic!! Wraps will bubble in time the summer where I am can have my garage temp go into the mid nineties! Anything above 80d is to high for my taste, I take very good care of my gear because their my working tools. My second bedroom is always my music room and all my gear is stored or set up in there. Drums, mics, hardware, cymbals, stereo, P/A, scores, etc etc......
Isn't there a spot were you could stack them? Stacking takes up hardly any room! Then set up in the garage when you play there. Doc

I could do that, but that would mean packing them up every day, and undoing them every day. Not my idea of playing the drums. Besides they wouldn't last as long.

[Crogen]

I've had mine in the garage for at least five years ( out of the sun ) And I live in sunny Forida.....no damage....but then again I have a cheap set, not sure I would chance a good set. I'll bet that's where they get the term " warmer tones " !

I live in Florida as well. I guess if you have yours in your garage during the summer then mine will be fine.... hmmm.

[doctor dirt]

It takes 5 minutes to set up drums, by the way its called "one niters"!
Not sure why you posted since you already made up your mind to leave them there. I'd guess a couple of grand worth of gear might change your mind? Maybe! Doc

[MartyM]

The only way I can contribute to this is this..." repect your musical equipment " treat any instrument with care and proper storage. for example, would you store your strat-violin, Gibsen Les paul, congas, etc, etc in a extreme enviroment? I am sure you will get your answer

[Crogen]

It takes 5 minutes to set up drums, by the way its called "one niters"!
Not sure why you posted since you already made up your mind to leave them there. I'd guess a couple of grand worth of gear might change your mind? Maybe! Doc

No I haven't made up my mind. I simply am trying to come to a conclusion with ya'll's information.

[slinglander]

$100 AC window unit? No Window? Put it in the doorway, tape and tarp the area next to it.

[dgonzo2]

When i was living in New york for 2 years, i would try to play everyday, and i had to play in my garage. I just took em out and jammed for hours, then took them back in before i went to bed..it was a pain, but i really didn't want to warp my drums especially since at the time, i had a crappy job, and didn't have money to replace anything.

[late8]

Catching up on some threads...bumping up:

All garages aren't created equal. My home is less than 10 years old and I planned ahead of time while the house was being built to include the cost of insulating and finishing the inside walls of the garage.



The heat in Nor-Cal can climb above 100 degrees F and can dip below 32 degrees F so to adjust for these temps, I point a fan that runs constantly in the summer at the backside of the kit and I keep a light poly-urathane cover over the kit to capture the breeze. Humdity is not and issue in my region so in the winter, I just leave the kit covered.

Is my kit worthy of a better environment? Sure, but the benefits of playing undisturbed beyond the quiet zone has saved my sanity and I'm sure my wife feels the same way and my neighbors aren't an issue as I reside in the country. Pictured at the back of the garage is the acoustic kit under the tarp.

Would I stick a DW Collectors kit out there...nope but my Pearl ECX can handle it okay...

[Northern Redneck]

As long as they are kept dry DO NOT COVER WITH PLASTIC use an old bedsheet ti keep the dust off and not in direct sunlight and your kit will be fine.

[Russ]

I'm going to echo the above, pretty much. They can get hot or cold, as long as they aren't in the direct path of sunlight or snow. Try and keep them away from anywhere that dust can shoot inward during duststorms as well. As a rule of thumb though, assuming they are covered and away from rays of heat or frost - the temperature in the room would have to be extreme enough to melt or freeze your skin before it would do the same to the drums and cymbals.

[Pearl MCX Man]

I basicaly built a bunkie ( shed) as my studio which is insulated and have 2 good lowE windows and a heater for the winter cause up here in the north it gets cold. In the summer it is ok if it gets too hot and humid I just keep the windows closed but on nice hot dry days I open them a bit. I built it 7 years ago and never had problems or damage to my drums. Now if I was in a garage I would make sure they are on piece of carpet over plywood so the moisture from the concrete floor would not do any damage and cover them up with a drape or sheet. On hot humid days probably have a dehumidifier and a window open just a little for circulation. Follow any one of these tips and you will be ok.

[Russ]

I basicaly built a bunkie ( shed) as my studio which is insulated and have 2 good lowE windows and a heater for the winter cause up here in the north it gets cold. In the summer it is ok if it gets too hot and humid I just keep the windows closed but on nice hot dry days I open them a bit. I built it 7 years ago and never had problems or damage to my drums. Now if I was in a garage I would make sure they are on piece of carpet over plywood so the moisture from the concrete floor would not do any damage and cover them up with a drape or sheet. On hot humid days probably have a dehumidifier and a window open just a little for circulation. Follow any one of these tips and you will be ok.

I did something similar for my drums. They are in a room covered with soundproofing blankets for a little insulation(I didn't want too much, just a solid middle ground) and it helps keep it not too hot but not too cold either. The only real problem with a completely closed off area like that is first of all seeing in there(it's always dark) and also getting power to it. My extension cords keep dyin on me haha.

[Bish]

I know this is unheard of but I leave my drums in my SKB cases when not in use. In the garage or in the truck from winter to summer. I'm not a bang around abuser but can tend to care less about the overall environment they sit in when not in use.

Mostly by being in the cases the temp change will be so gradual, I'm counting on that fact so nothing gets extremely damaged unnecessarily. I have kits with wraps and lacquers and so far so good.

[Pearl MCX Man]

I have never mentioned this before that my drums never leave my studio so they are in a well climatized room with no risk of damage from humidity,cold, heat etc. I see where that would be a problem for those who move their kits around alot or do not have the right place to store them .

[Drumbledore]

I'm lucky. I have a large loungeroom at the back of my place which has a reverse cycle air-con, carpeted floor, plenty of powerpoints, etc. It's also a flat-load from the back door straight to the carport, less than a 10 metre walk. I stack a couple of drum kits, snares, cymbals and hardware in their cases in one corner, another corner has my marimba, xylophone, etc, yet another corner has my co.cktail set, Ludwig Epic kit and a few more snares and some percussion stacked, plus various shelves have my other percussion gear stored in them. And I have the added plus, very tolerant neighbours. Mind you, I have the advantage teaching with electronic kits when I get over-enthusiastic students coming in......I can always turn the volume down a notch, lol.

[inthpktplayer]

Not sure I'd leave gear worth thousands of $$ in an uncontrolled environment. I'm sure there are plenty of stories detailing that it's done without any adverse effects, but, I'm no doing it. Just me though. Interesting how you have people asking about details on drums types, designs, spec differences, how to clean and take care of gear.........almost to the point of being obsessive (and that's ok cuz we love our drums) then you get this.......the other extreme. To each his/her own.

[Pearl MCX Man]

Not sure I'd leave gear worth thousands of $$ in an uncontrolled environment. I'm sure there are plenty of stories detailing that it's done without any adverse effects, but, I'm no doing it. Just me though. Interesting how you have people asking about details on drums types, designs, spec differences, how to clean and take care of gear.........almost to the point of being obsessive (and that's ok cuz we love our drums) then you get this.......the other extreme. To each his/her own.

It is an obession to me too cause my drums are my babies and I tend to care for them in the best possible way I can cause they are an instrument and need that TLC. To some people they are just material things that can be replaced . Everyone has a way to treat their belongings the way they choose and sometimes they tend to do more damage in the long run. At least I can sleep at night knowing that my babies are in a well protected invirenment.