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Thread: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

  1. #1

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    Default Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    I mentioned this in a previous thread where someone was wanting a low rider snare stand. I want my ride cymbal sitting just over the bass drum but my stands don't go low enough. DW makes a low rider stand but I couldn't see paying $200 for something I'm pretty sure I can make myself. Here's a DW 5700 Boom Stand set as low as it will go. NOT LOW ENOUGH.



    Here's the base of said cymbal stand:



    See that collar on the top of the base tube? It's held on by an allen screw and a black plastic inner sleeve that you can pop out with a flat screwdriver. All you need is an allen wrench (I forget the exact size) and a couple of whacks with a hammer to get the collar off once the screw is out. In hindsight, it may not even be necessary to remove that plastic inner sleeve, I don't remember.


    Here it is with collar removed:



    Now all you need is a ~$10 pipe cutter for Home Depot. Make sure the legs are collapsed before you decide where to cut. That's going to determine how how much you can cut off the base tube. I want to say it was about 6"-8" but I've been lying about how big 6" is for so long that I don't have any idea anymore (HAR HAR HAR). Once you cut off the desired amount, you may need to de-burr the inside of the base because cutting the pipe will create a lip that the inner tube wont fit past when you try to put it back together. It only took me about 3 minutes to do this with a chainsaw file. Once that's done you can put the collar back on, tighten the hex screw, pop the plastic sleeve in and you're done. The whole process took about 15 minutes.


    And here's the finished product:



    Low enough for me and about $190 cheaper than a new one that I've read doesn't even go as low as this.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    Nice job.......




    Jim
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  3. #3

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    Default Re: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    GREAT JOB! I do that kind of stuff all the time. Sometimes you just have to do it yourself to get it RIGHT!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    Gibraltar boom clamp off the next stand over, or the tom mount on the bass like this---25 bucks and no extra stand to carry!

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    Nice work. That's my kind of plumbing project ! (ie, no moving water involved !)


    When I need the low rider boom, I will go with the tinkertoy method. Standard 3-piece straight stand with 7/8" middle shaft. Bottom shaft not as tall as that of your standard 2-piece boom stand. Remove upper & middle shafts. Drop in a boom assembly with 7/8" downtube (complete unit can be purch. separately, $20-ish).

    [IMG][/IMG]

    [IMG][/IMG]


    Your approach, with cutting the pipe, is not reversible, of course. On the upside, you now have a piece of equipment custom-tailored to your specific needs. That is frequently the trade-off with DIY mods. Enjoy.
    Last edited by JoePasko; 04-12-2016 at 05:59 AM.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Making a Low Rider Boom Stand

    Nice looking low riding stands. Great DIY! Thanks for sharing.

  7. #7

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    Thanks guys! And Joe and Hippy, those solutions work just as well! All better than shelling out $200. Oh, I found the piece I cut off the stand and it was just over 11". Told ya I don't know what 6" REALLY looks like.
    Last edited by SuperFortress; 04-13-2016 at 06:51 PM.

  8. #8

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    Nice and clean. Great work.

    I own so many stands because I like to customize them all to fit my setup. I love a great clean setup.

  9. #9

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    Do you save "scraps" ? I sure do.
    If I have to junk a stand or some other apparatus, because some part of it is truly broken,
    I will salvage any rods, shafts, springs, wingnuts, etc., off it that I can.
    I have several drawers full of this stuff.. filed under 'Dept. of Ya Never Know'.

    (One project on my endless list is to make cymbal stands out of couple of old wooden coat stands that we have in the basement. Each has three scrolled wood legs. Wouldn't be any good for packing up and taking to gigs, obviously. But they would look cool as part of a home percussion set-up, I think.)

  10. #10

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    Excellent job there, Super! I've been taking hacksaws to drum gear for a long time now, and love modifying gear to suit me. But mods need to look factory, and that's exactly what you did. Good work. Good suggestion from Joe, too. And, yeah, I have boxes of stand parts, drum parts, etc., just for the day when I want to make a custom fixture.

    When it comes to locating the ride cymbal above the bass drum, though, I'm a hard-line traditionalist. I've attached an adjustable cymbal arm/receiver to the right side of my bass drum because it just feels so . . . natural. And reminds me of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa!

    GeeDeeEmm

    [IMG][/IMG]

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    But mods need to look factory
    Interesting statement. I wouldn't say it's 100% true though.

    I can certainly see where one piece of homespun hardware might stick out like a sore thumb on an otherwise fancy, modern drum set.

    Some guys need everything to look 'official', and others don't care as much.

    All depends on the player's own sensibility and whatever aesthetic they're going for, if any.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoePasko View Post
    Interesting statement. I wouldn't say it's 100% true though.

    I can certainly see where one piece of homespun hardware might stick out like a sore thumb on an otherwise fancy, modern drum set.

    Some guys need everything to look 'official', and others don't care as much.

    All depends on the player's own sensibility and whatever aesthetic they're going for, if any.
    Agree, but there's a time and place for everything. I would think if your gig was playing drums for a talk show TV band or something, you would need to have everything as aesthetically perfect as you can, but back porch pickers or small dive bands, not so much. Homespun set ups actually add a bit of genuineness and character to the overall presentation.

    all the best...

  13. #13

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    I also like to put my ride extremely low...............right above the bass drum.

    I mount it on a separate boom to get it that low.




  14. #14

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  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoePasko View Post
    Interesting statement. I wouldn't say it's 100% true though.

    I can certainly see where one piece of homespun hardware might stick out like a sore thumb on an otherwise fancy, modern drum set.

    Some guys need everything to look 'official', and others don't care as much.

    All depends on the player's own sensibility and whatever aesthetic they're going for, if any.
    I have a pretty wide OCD streak. And good skills. And a well equipped shop. Producing anything that looks homespun, half-hearted, or anything less than production would drive me nuts. I wish I could live with a lower standard, but that's just the way I am. Somebody shoot me and put me out of my misery!

    GeeDeeEmm

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    I have a pretty wide OCD streak. And good skills. And a well equipped shop. Producing anything that looks homespun, half-hearted, or anything less than production would drive me nuts. I wish I could live with a lower standard, but that's just the way I am. Somebody shoot me and put me out of my misery!

    GeeDeeEmm
    Shouldn't it be all about the music ?

    I don't mean to bug you, but you did put it out there. And now I am curious.

    Is your OCD streak so wide that it gets in the way of enjoying other people's music ? If you saw a guy playing fantastic blues on a cigar box guitar, accompanied perfectly by another guy with a washtub bass ... would you have difficulty enjoying the performance, solely because they are not playing store-bought factory-made instruments ?


    [PS - I would certainly not equate 'homespun' with 'half-hearted' ]
    Last edited by JoePasko; 04-16-2016 at 07:06 AM.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoePasko View Post
    Shouldn't it be all about the music ?

    I don't mean to bug you, but you did put it out there. And now I am curious.

    Is your OCD streak so wide that it gets in the way of enjoying other people's music ? If you saw a guy playing fantastic blues on a cigar box guitar, accompanied perfectly by another guy with a washtub bass ... would you have difficulty enjoying the performance, solely because they are not playing store-bought factory-made instruments ?


    [PS - I would certainly not equate 'homespun' with 'half-hearted' ]

    His statement of having skills and a well-equipped shop makes me think he does fabrication work either for a living or at least in other aspects of his life. If this is the case, I think wanting his mods to look factory has more to do with what he expects of himself and his work.

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by SuperFortress View Post
    His statement of having skills and a well-equipped shop makes me think he does fabrication work either for a living or at least in other aspects of his life. If this is the case, I think wanting his mods to look factory has more to do with what he expects of himself and his work.
    This. You're reading more into my off-hand statement than was intended, Joe. I don't care one whit what other people do - I'm talking about my standards for my own work. Thank you, SuperFortress. It gets tiring to explain innocent posts. I know, I know. Internet chat always comes across as harsh, judgemental, and didactic due to the lack of our usual communication signals (vocal inflection, facial expression), and I hate that. But it's gotten to the point that two sentence statements have to be accompanied by two paragraphs of disclaimers in order to avoid misunderstanding. And I'm not blaming you, Joe. It's just the nature of the beast.

    Who wants to bet that two guys who are great friends would hate each other if their only means of communication was a chat board?

    GeeDeeEmm

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    This. You're reading more into my off-hand statement than was intended, Joe. I don't care one whit what other people do - I'm talking about my standards for my own work. Thank you, SuperFortress. It gets tiring to explain innocent posts. I know, I know. Internet chat always comes across as harsh, judgemental, and didactic due to the lack of our usual communication signals (vocal inflection, facial expression), and I hate that. But it's gotten to the point that two sentence statements have to be accompanied by two paragraphs of disclaimers in order to avoid misunderstanding. And I'm not blaming you, Joe. It's just the nature of the beast.

    Who wants to bet that two guys who are great friends would hate each other if their only means of communication was a chat board?

    GeeDeeEmm
    ^ Well said ( or written )
    Last edited by drummerMD; 04-16-2016 at 06:56 PM.

  20. #20

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    Everyone has a good point here and there's no sense in belaboring the issue, but I just want to say that I myself would take some exception to the term "half hearted"

    Some time ago there was a photo placed on this forum of some kid in the depths of Africa, playing on an assortment of overturned pails and buckets with hub caps nailed to the ends of sticks for cymbals.

    For my two cents this guy is as WHOLE hearted as it get's. Passion for music knows no bounds and I'd say that guy was ALL IN.

    Sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to live on this side of the globe, with enough affluence to have the best and shiniest of everything at our finger tips.

    all the best...

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    This. You're reading more into my off-hand statement than was intended, Joe. I don't care one whit what other people do - I'm talking about my standards for my own work. Thank you, SuperFortress. It gets tiring to explain innocent posts. I know, I know. Internet chat always comes across as harsh, judgemental, and didactic due to the lack of our usual communication signals (vocal inflection, facial expression), and I hate that. But it's gotten to the point that two sentence statements have to be accompanied by two paragraphs of disclaimers in order to avoid misunderstanding. And I'm not blaming you, Joe. It's just the nature of the beast.

    Who wants to bet that two guys who are great friends would hate each other if their only means of communication was a chat board?

    GeeDeeEmm

    Understood. I appreciate the clarification. If I am paying a professional to do some work, I certainly wouldn't want a 'cob-job' in either functionality or appearance. As I said, I was just curious as to the extent of your credo.

    Your original statement, "mods need to look factory", sounded like a broad stroke to me, at first. Possibly discouraging to someone contemplating their own solution to a hardware problem, for fear it won't look 100% professional. Personally, I have gotten a lot of satisfaction from thinking up my own percussion instruments and/or mounting apparatus, and then bringing them to fruition, using whatever materials I can gather and with my admittedly mid-level engineering skills.
    Last edited by JoePasko; 04-18-2016 at 11:26 AM.

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