WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING BADGES Maybe we do need that stinking badge. Resale value is a major factor but just having that badges on there, at least for me makes the drum complete. A crack or scratch is one thing but without that badge you just have a "No Name"drum. Removing or repairing loose, bent or otherwise damaged badges is a scary thought but hey, it’s already screwed up. Just remember in most cases the badge is aluminum or tin and very delicate. If You can live with a loose or bent badge that’s great but if You’re the type that needs a tight badge then here is a tip on gluing it back down. Removing and reshaping the badge may be the only way to get it to stay down on the drum.
Remove the heads and any other obtrusive hardware. Remove the grommet using a countersink drill bit and discard the remnants. I took a chuck from an old drill and made it into a hand held bit holder for better control.
Make sure to clean up all the debris as this may scratch the surface of the drum.
Carefully lift off the badge (a hair drier may help loosen the glue a bit). Clean both the back of the badge and the surface of the shell (if you are using any type of solvent, make sure to use some rubbing alcohol to clean that off when you are done). Place the badge back on the drum loosely and tape the area off overlapping the badge slightly. Use a new grommet to position the badge.
Remove the badge and set the tape in place. Tape off the rest of the drum and continue. Shaping the badge. First you may want to flatten the badge to get any wrinkles out or make cleaning easier. I use a small rolling pin.
Place the badge on a hard flat surface with a couple of sheets of newspaper under it and roll it out face up (not too hard remember the serial number is there). To shape the badge, turn it over and roll again. The badge will take on the shape of the pin slightly.
Once the desired shape is achieved, paint the back of the badge with some contact cement (be careful not to get glue in the hole close to the edges as possible is best) and set aside to dry. Paint the shell with the contact cement and allow it to dry (if you get some cement on the drum, leave it there and clean it up later with some solvent.
Once it is dry remove the tape and place the badge back on the drum. The contact cement will adhere immediately and you WILL NOT be able to slide it into position so be careful to get it right the first time, you DON'T get a second chance.
Now for the hard part. To install a new grommet you will need a grommet tool (available at many drum shops that do repair work, they may have to order it for you, I may have one or two hangin' around also).
This tool rolls the grommet into the badge and presses it into shape. When all this is complete you have a nice badge that is tight and flat.
Here are the tools and chemicals I used for this project. Rubbing alcohol, citrus solvent, contact cement, blue shop towels, standard screwdriver, small adjustable wrench, electrical tape, drum key, drill bit chuck, countersink bit, marble rolling pin, adjustable plyers, razor knife, grommet tool.
Good Luck,
