WCH Custom Drums: Drummning Continued....

That's me!

  Okay, over a year ago I made a change so that I

Sent to customer in Japan

could hopefully be home more and travel less.  What a great year of getting close again with my family.  This also seemed to coincide with an unfortunate total shutoff of any interest or sales for custom drums through WCH custom drums.  Might have been a coincidence...but might have been a gift as well.  All coincidences aside, I have made another career move back to the

First customized drum made by WCH

Fort Wayne area.  Still doing the same work...so there is and always

Octabon sold to customer in UK

will be travel.  BUT...I am a drummer...I will always be a drummer...I will never quit playing drums.  In July this year (2013), despite my love for drums, I decided to take WCH off the web as a full fledged business wanna-be.  It was really always a hobby.  Hopefully I can continue to occasionally make drums as a hobby for any of those interested in the future.  I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to have made some 

pretty cool drums and drum sets (pictured throughout this post).  The coolest by far has been the joint effort to build the Riley Drum Set for the campers at Camp Riley.  With phone calls, contatcts, emails, and lots of asking for donations, we were able to build a complete drum set to be used for the campers' music program.  What an awesome feeling!  

     

Campers and counselors at Camp Riley right after the drop off.  Worked out to be
during the campers orientation day as well...worked out perfect!

first official customer requested custom drum - Marcus Thomas - Tampa, FL

All three of these belong to Tim Newman - Chicago, IL

This drum set pictured to the left, had one of the coolest stories associated with it.  WCH re-covered it and had the custom vinyl made for a firefighter in Monroe, IN.  The custom printed wrap is simulated diamond plate with flames shooting in from the edges.  The short story is this; the drummer sold his drum set some 15+ years ago to pay for his wife's engagement ring.  She promised to someday pay him back.  She contacted me and and worked out all the details and time to drop it off in secret.  He had no idea.  

Well, this post started because I just wanted to post something quick and see if I remembered how to log in  ;)

Thanks, God bless, & keep drumming!

Paul Hunt
WCH

Just a short hello...and drummer comments.

I thought I would take a minute to say Hi!  Just started a new job (2 weeks in now) and starting to get into the groove of the new place.  Still building drums too!  Met a drummer here at the new place that mentioned one of his favorite drummers...Calvin Rodgers.  WOW!  That guy has some serious chops...and in a suit most times too!!  Hey Calvin, Decatur is not that far from South Chicago...maybe we could work out a Calvin Signature drum...maybe throw in a Sabian cymbal give-a-way with the purchase of each drum?  Just  a thought.  Have your people call...well...me  :)
One other drummer out there that I would love to build a drum for...Jen Ledger!  In the amount of time she has been playing, I think she has become a great influence as well a an outstanding drummer.  Not to mention Skillet is one of my son's favorites (mine too)!
Well,  that is all for now.  If you know either of these drummers, pass the word.

As always, God bless.

Paul Hunt
WCH Drums
Decatur, IN
www.woodencrosshardware.com
www.wchdrums.com

WCH Custom Drums News Update June 2012

It has been a little while since my last posting...but it has been a busy and exciting month for Wooden Cross Hardware!

BEFORE...

FINAL...

First off, I finished up and delivered a really awesome re-covered drum set to a local customer (Monroe, IN).  It all started when the drummer's wife, a school teacher, saw the WCH logo on the back of a t-shirt I was honored to help make for the final year at Monmouth Elementary.  She wanted to get her husband, a firefighter in Fort Wayne, a drum set to replace one he had sold years before.  The short of the story, he sold his drum kit he had in high school to pay for her engagement ring.  She promised that she would buy him another someday.  Well, we tossed some ideas around and ended up using a Ludwig kit I had that had never been played.  I worked with the drummer's wife, my "vinyl guy", and Cazdude designs to come up with a great looking wrap and finished kit.  The kit transformed from a standard black wrapped kit to a kit wrapped in a custom diamond plate printed wrap with flames shooting in from the edges.  On the front of the kit was a custom vinyl Maltese cross with his badge number in the middle.

FINAL AMERICAN GROOVE SNARE

The other recent big project, shipping to Japan here in the next couple days, is a variation of the Riley Rogers snare I did some time back (7x14, 15 ply maple, wrapped in diamond plate, black hoops and Ego Maniac lugs - see picture below).  This project for Japan came from request of a customer at the American Groove store in Kashiwa-City, Chiba, Japan.  He asked if they could order a snare like Riley's with a few different specs.  The shell on this one is something new for WCH.  It is a 5.5" x 14" carbon steel shell (purchased from Allstar Drumworks; California), but also wrapped in the .025" thick aluminum diamond plate, black powder coated Ego maniac lugs (Ego Drum Supply; Oregon), and powder coated hoops (Stealth Black) by Pro-strip in Fort Wayne to match the Ego lugs.  One additional spec the customer had, he wanted a Trick throw.  I finished off the drum with a Dynamicx steel snare exclusively from Drum Foundry.

RILEY'S SNARE

These were, as usual, great learning experiences for me...especially the work needed behind the custom steel shell.  I also want to say that I am really impressed with the operation of the Trick throw, my first.  It is really smooth and I can see the multiple positions might be useful in the right situations.  They also have a version without the multiple stops...but I chose this one as they were the same price.  Now it is time to pack the box and get the shipping arranged to Japan...my second international drum.  The first was the Octabon sent to Michael over in the UK.  Here is a video link of Micheal taking it for a test drive...and a pic to the right.  :)

WCH News Update May 2012

It sure has been a busy April and May.  It has been so nice to have a few projects to work on.  Of course it can't be easy, right?  With the increase in work for WCH also came many hours at the day job office...blah.  But enough about that, how about the projects WCH is working on?
First off is some news on the custom snare being made for a customer in Japan!!  This particular customer approached his local music store about the possibility of ordering a drum like one he saw on the WCH website.  They contacted me, and well then the rest has been mostly a waiting game for the custom parts.  The shell is to be a custom steel shell.  It has been purchased through All Star Drum works.  The shell has been formed and welded and will have the final touches done before delivery to WCH in the next couple weeks.  The lugs are like the lugs used on several WCH drums in the past (Ego Drum Supply).  This will be another round of flat black Maniac lugs.  In the past I have used black nickel, flat black, and also a set of the rounded lugs in tube lug format.  All have been of the highest quality and well worth the price!  The customer wanted a throw that WCH doesn't usually use as a standard...but hey...that is why it is a custom drum, right?!  He specified a Trick throw and I am excited to check it out once it is mounted on the shell.
Another project that has been in the works, a custom wrapped drum set.  I was approached by a wife that really wanted to do something special for her husband.  Well...I had a brand new, un-used Ludwig Accent in my basement...partial that my brother-in-law had purchased from a friend.  But the plain black finish just wasn't enough for this particular drummer...he is a fire fighter and it needed to be much more unique and well...awesome.  So, I started working out some suggestions with the wife and with my choice for all my custom wraps, Rob from Cazdude.  Cazdude did the wraps on the Camp Riley kit as well as other drums WCH has made.  So...now the wrap has been designed (diamond plate with flames at the edges), printed, shipped, and is on the drums as I type this.  On the resonant head for the bass, I had my source for custom vinyl create the FD Maltese cross with this firman's badge number in the middle...it loosk GREAT!  Included with the kit I put in a throne, two cymbal stands, a hi-hat stand, and a snare drum.  The original snare was missing from this kit when I got it...but the replacement is a mint condition Ludwig Accent snare.  I got really lucky to find the same line and in such great shape!  The best part, the snare has Ludwig lugs on it.  I am not too crazy about the lugs Ludwig put onto the accent drum kit...but they look nice and do the job.  This kit will be delivered on Friday May, 25th while the unsuspecting husband is hard at work.  Can't wait to hear about his reaction!
In the middle of these projects my good buddy Tim Newman was working on a project he unveiled at the 2012 Chicago Drum show on May 19th & 20th.  This project was a little different for WCH.  Tim and I have worked together on several projects now but this is the first that I only did the shell sizing and edge work.  The set turned out beautiful!  Tim let me know that he did receive some encouraging feedback about this E-drum/Acoustic drum cocktail kit combination.
Along with the snare for Japan, custom drum kit, and work on the cocktail kit for Tim, I have also been searching for the perfect Slingerland kit for an ex-student of mine that is continuing his drumming journey.  That makes me happy and proud to be a part of that.  I have made a few connections and one in particular in Illinois seems to be where I will be getting something from.  Due to schedules and what-not, I missed out on a couple of sets he had that he sold at the Chicago show (one to Japan and one to Finland).  I will be giving him a call to see what else he had and hope to keep you posted.

Thanks for keeping up with news from WCH Custom Drums!!  God bless!

Sincerely,

Paul Hunt
WCH Custom Drums
Decatur, IN
www.woodencrosshardware.com
www.wchdrums.com

WCH Custom Drum Update April 2012

Hello again.  Thought I would take a few minutes to update anyone interested in the current happenings.

Still working with Tim Newman on the next project hopefully to be unveiled at the next Chicago Drum Show.  This next project is going to be a Cocktail Kit.  I am kind of bummed that WCH will not be doing the whole build as this will be the first Cocktail kit for the company...but I trust Tim and his vision and will be happy to do whatever I can to help in the build of this unique set (acoustic/electric combination possibly).  Unfortunately, because of my own schedule, I will be unable to attend the drum show this year.  But...since Tim is so awesome (check out the blog posting about Tim), he will be hosting his own booth again this year with some sponsors and his WCH drums will be on display.

Recently I also received a request to quote a drum for a Japanese store.  It seems that a customer of the store wanted to know if they could order a particular drum that they saw on the WCH Drums website.  It was a little different than what I have done in the past, but it opened WCH up to a supplier of metal shells and hopefully, if the price due to shipping isn't too high, a door to more international sales.

One more exciting piece of news developing...WCH may be sponsoring a little league team to help support a growing baseball association!

Well, this is just a brief update for now.  More to come!

Thanks and God bless,

Paul Hunt
WCH Custom Drums
www.woodencrosshardware.com
www.wchdrums.com

Customer Highlight January 2012 - Tim Newman

TIM NEWMAN…what a guy!  On the outside, he is a typical every day drum lovin' “Joe”.  But on the other hand, I couldn’t imagine working with a customer who is just so, well, for a lack of a better term, awesome!  He’s laid back, knows what he wants, always eager to try and get every bit of uniqueness squeezed into a project, and is a good friend.  He knows what he wants but is always open to suggestions I have for his projects.  The way WCH does the step-by-step design process…at the end of the project, it is always the drum the customer wants.  That piece of hardware that is definitely an extension of the drummer’s style and still a musically beautiful instrument. 

Here is what Tim had to say about dealing with WCH when we started working together:

"Every step of the process, the hardware and design choices were easy and painless. This guy (Paul Hunt) knows how to give a customer exactly what they are looking for in custom made drums. You have virtual total control of all aspects of your customizing choices. I needed a piccolo snare to match a Sea Green Lacquer DW Kit I play out with every other weekend. WCH fit the bill perfectly. Affordable! I mean very affordable!  Paul’s personal touch and customer contact was awesome! I didn’t feel like just another one of the masses buying drums from one of the big companies. I plan on going to WCH for all my drum building needs."

He has done just that.  We have done the snare he mentioned in the review above, a customization of a standard off the shelf drum to something extraordinarily unique, and taken an old unfinished Slingerland copper shell and transformed it.  As for drum kits…I worked with Tim on his Chicago Skyline kit.  This kit was on display at the 2010 Chicago Drum Show.  The night before the show, I drove to Tim’s house in Chicago with the shells he had shipped me.  At this point, I had already done the edges, drilled the mounting holes for all the lugs, and finished the hoops with an Onyx stain and glossy clear coat.  So, there we are in his basement, the night before the show, putting on the wrap, putting on the lugs, mounting the tom suspension systems, and drilling holes for the spurs.  It went together beautifully. 

From the custom wrap he had made (by Sic•Skinz) with a picture of the Chicago Skyline to the custom made Bass Drum Resonant head with his own signature made into a custom monogram (printed by Cazdude Designs).  I only wish I had taken more pictures.  Back to Tim; Did I mention he is a VP where he works (Blue Thunder Transportation)?  But going way back, Tim used to jump in and follow the marching bands in the parades with his homemade band uniform that his mom made for him (age 5). He started private drum lessons with the Bill Mueller studio in Joliet at age 6 under the direction of Dean Minuth.  A native of Illinois, Tim lives in Berwyn with his wife and two sons.  His daughter has three kids making Tim a grandfather also. In the not so distant past, Tim attended a Future Drum symposium and is expanding his expertise in electronic drums with Roland V-Drums and a number of Alternate Mode Midi Controllers as well. Amateur home recording has also become a passion of Tim's.  Tim has also enjoyed  experiences from several bands over the last 30+ years.  He’s played with The District 92 Grade School band from 1973 through 1976, Lockport Township High School Marching and Symphonic Bands from 1977 through 1980, then with Uncle Fester, The Recliners, Joe Batters, The Famous Nobodies, and with August Burn.  All of which are from the Chicago area. His music inspiration is drawn from the masters, Neil Peart, John Bonham, and Bun E. Carlos, to name a few.  Tim also participated as a big donor in the WCH Camp Riley drum kit.  His drum shell donation helped make the whole project possible.

The next project for Tim and WCH…WCH is going to step out of the comfort zone and try to make Tim a killer Cocktail Kit.  He has made some suggestions on the wrap he would like.  He has the shells (minus one) already at WCH.  Now we need to finalize the wrap choice (or finish) and check out the hardware options.  I will be sure to write more about Tim and this project in the future.  You know what? In line with a suggestion and idea from Tim…let’s see what kind of feedback I can get to make this cocktail kit really something else!  WCH will be putting together some suggestions based on what Tim would like to see in this kit…you simply say “Yay”, “Nay”, or make your own suggestion.  This may get started slowly, but as the build gets closer and gets started, it might turn into a daily (at least weekly) event and possibly into a giveaway of a custom snare…hmmm...you help design the kit, you custom design a snare, and then you might get one for free….sounds like a win-win situation!  The finer details are pending and will be up in the near future. 

I am also planning on using this posting as a basis for Tim’s new "solo" page at the WCH Website.  It will also be a place to go and keep an eye on this emerging cocktail project.  As well as future projects WCH will be working on with Tim.

Thanks for reading.  I would appreciate any comments as well as any word of mouth advertising for WCH.

Paul Hunt
Owner/Builder

 (260)701-5496
Web : http://woodencrosshardware.com
Email : phunt@woodencrosshardware.com

Professional pictures of WCH drums taken by Corey West at Westworks Photo.

www.westworksphotography.com

Preferred choice for all powder coating is Pro Strip.

www.prostrip.com

Check out other links like one to Cazdude here!

Where to go...

Forward...that's about as good an answer as I can come up with.  The drum-building business just is not doing as good as I had hoped...but I am still hanging on.  It will happen when the good Lord wants it to.  WCH is still up to the challenge to create any drum you have imagined whether it be wood, acrylic, metal, or any hybrid combination.  While being a husband, dad, and doing the day job keeps me pretty busy...the way WCH does the one-on-one correspondence to be sure you have the unique design you deserve still makes it possible.  With emails, mock-ups that some great suppliers I use offer (and some cheesy ones done by myself), you will get that well deserved custom drum (or drums) that you have been wanting.
With business being slow, I have decided to focus a little more on some subtle changes to the webpage, a html based newsletter emailing, and now...I think it is about time I enter the blogging world.  Of course, any comments or word of mouth advertising is greatly appreciated.  As in the emailed newsletter, I will be posting pics from time to time and discussing who they were for, as well as other miscellaneous information about that particular drum or set.
If you are interested in being put on the newsletter email list, just send an email to phunt@woodencrosshardware.com and ask to be added.  Check out the webpage and be sure to leave comments (good or bad).  Also, use the email above to let me know any desire to join the WCH family for the possibility of having your own page or section highlighting you and your drumming life.

God bless & keep drumming!