Chris M on Constructing a Drum/Platform (How to)

[libba]

Hi everyone im new to this forum and i apologise if i have brought up some issues that have already been discussed ive had a look around and havent found much. I was wondering if anybody could give me any tips or advice in regards to making my own platform i am looking at 30" diametre and 1-3/4" thickness, similar to the everlast pro speed bad platform. Would there happen to be any instructionals on this? Any help would be much appreciated. thanks!

[Tim]

Check out this thread: http://www.speedbagforum.com/forums/...read.php?t=105

There some pictures and description...

[Chris M]

I made my own drum with a bunch of cherry that I had laying around, but using the technique below, you could use just about any type of wood.

I did have a little bit of an advantage because I have my own woodworking shop, but if you know anyone with some woodworking tools or access to some such as at a high school or community college, anyone can do this.

I started off by ripping all the 7/8" thick cherry 1 3/4 inches wide (to allow for planing later) and cut all those 1 3/4" wide strips to 36" long. After I cut them all to length, I laid the strips on the 7/8 thick ends and glued up three 12" widths. I then had three pieces that were 1 3/4" thick by 12" wide by 36" long. I put them all in bar clamps and let them dry overnight. When they were dry, I planed all three pieces to 1 1/2 thick so they were all the same thickness and removed all the glue. I then took the three pieces and using biscuits to align them, I glued them all together. After putting them in bar clamps overnight, I sanded my final piece which was 36" x 36" x 1 1/2" thick with 150 grit sandpaper. I then went to 220 grit and using a big compass, I drew a circle approximately 34" in diameter. I then used my bandsaw to cut out the circle. I smoothed out the edges with a sander and using a router I rounded off the corners using a 1/8" roundover bit. I then put several coats of boiled linseed oil on the drum to protect it, then mounted it up to my el cheapo Everlast set, put a sandbag on top, and I had a pretty nice setup for my indoor speed bag.

I've attached some pictures below.

As I said in the post that Tim linked above, I had planned on making my own frame out of old bed rails and making another drum for an outside setup, but I found a deal on a Ringside set.

If I can be of any help, let me know. Most of what I've detailed above can be made with less expensive tools, I just told you what I used. For instance, you could use a jigsaw instead of a bandsaw to cut out the circle.

Chris

[Speedbag]

speed bag drum

I made my own drum with a bunch of cherry ... then mounted it up to my el cheapo Everlast set, put a sandbag on top, and I had a pretty nice setup for my indoor speed bag.

That is one beautiful Drum also. Bet it has a nice sound.

[Teetu]

I made my own drum with a bunch of cherry that I had laying around, but using the technique below, you could use just about any type of wood.

Chris- I REALLY like the thickness of your drum. If I had the patience and skill I would have went that thick too. Cherry is a nice choice as well.

libba- there really isn't one way to do it, I'd say do it based on your resources and skill. I was thinking about doing mine like the everlast pro platform too (the one with the V shaped support), and I was going to use 2X6s. In the end I went with a more straightfoward design because I was so anxious to start speed bagging, but I may make another one someday and go with the everlast pro design. How much woodworking experience do you have?

[Chris M]

Hi everyone im new to this forum and i apologise if i have brought up some issues that have already been discussed ive had a look around and havent found much. I was wondering if anybody could give me any tips or advice in regards to making my own platform i am looking at 30" diametre and 1-3/4" thickness, similar to the everlast pro speed bad platform. Would there happen to be any instructionals on this? Any help would be much appreciated. thanks!

As has already been said above, there's not any real instructions or right or wrong way to do it.

The only advice I can give is to make sure and make it very sturdy so as to eliminate vibration and make the drum as solid as possible. The best option in my opinion is to make it out of solid hardwood at least 1 1/2" thick. The best woods to make the drum out of would be hard Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Ash, or Oak, pretty much in that order of preference. I picked Maple and Cherry first because they are hard and very dense. Oak is the least dense of the woods that I listed.

That being said, I am sure that a double thickness of 3/4" plywood (not MDF or something similar) would be just fine. I would highly recommend using Gorilla glue to glue the two pieces together and using screws or nuts and bolts in several places in the middle and edges to hold them together tightly while the glue dries. Yellow wood glue also works well, but that stuff is slippery and it can make aligning two pieces together while wet very difficult. If you use Gorilla glue, wet both sides of the wood with a sponge before applying a very thin coat of Gorilla glue and spreading it out with a stiff brush.

If you can figure out a way to make it adjustable for height, that's better yet, but not absolutely necessary. 2x4's and 2x6's, if constructed with screws and bolts would probably do the job well.

The platform that Teetu made in the link above would suit you just fine and I'm sure it will last him many years, and it looks great!

Let me know if you need any assistance or advice, I'll be glad to help out!

Chris

p.s. If I were in the market or considering buying a new platform and drum, I don't think there's a better bargain out there for a quality platform as the Balasz Ibox: http://www.balazsboxing.com/cgi-bin/...ge&page=MS0433

[Chris M]

That is one beautiful Drum also. Bet it has a nice sound.

Thanks Alan. I take a lot of pride in my work. Another one of my hobbies is making antique reproduction furniture with 100+ year old plans. It's also a very rewarding hobby that teaches lots of patience.

I recently moved last month and I have not remounted my indoor set up yet. Since fall and the cold weather up here is just around the corner, I need to think about getting this one remounted soon.

That picture was taken in my old house which was 100 years old and it's funny that you can see in the photo that the wall is not exactly perpendicular to the floor. The wall in that picture was brick covered with about about 2 inches of plaster. (Try to find 6" Tapcon screws, it's not easy!) Those old craftsman of yesteryear knew how to do things to fool the eye to make things look great but when you put a level or square on it, it wasn't even close.

Hopefully my new house which is only 80 years old has straighter walls. I have a spot picked out in the basement on a solid brick wall so I'm hoping that it's level and perpendicular!

[Speedbag]

speed bag drum

... Hopefully my new house which is only 80 years old has straighter walls. I have a spot picked out in the basement on a solid brick wall so I'm hoping that it's level and perpendicular!

Somehow I believe you will overcome the "level and perpendicular" part. You are far too good a carpenter to let that stop you.

Can't wait to see your new set up when it's done. It really is a joy to punch on a home made, super sturdy quality drum, instead of some store bought unit. Nothing beats the sound of a well textured piece of wood, oiled and finished by hand.

[ronaldo]

Good job Chris, Nice piece of solid wood, I wish I could find something like that but I live in a dry and hot place with only palm trees.