Drum riser time!

I am building a drum riser. I'll be using 2 3/4" 4x6 pieces of plywood. Anyone have any ideas on how to make this thing LIGHTER? Any tips would help. I've never done this before. Thanks alot in advance.

I made one years ago using the same material and same size. It weighed a ton. Mine was framed with 2 x 4s and had folding steel legs under it too....

My suggestion is to avoid a drum riser if at all possible. Most clubs have something you can setup on. I actually prefer being on the stage with the rest of the clowns I play with.

Believe me, I would if I could. Long story

This V2L rack would rise your kit 5" off the floor. Dunno if it's enough but it would be less of an hassle.
http://www.drumframe.com/index_products.html

I like the idea of the drumframe but very handy for the jobbing drummer [img]graemlins/thumbs_down.gif[/img] Drumrisers are often too heavy and I must admit that I am happy that I don't have to transport it. How many times do you use it? For big shows the P.A. guys have it available or will take it with them for you. For smaller gigs you probably won't need it or are you that good looking? [img]wink.gif[/img] Better impress the girls inbetween the sets [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/martini.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/kiss.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

There are companies that sell portable drum risers. Probably not cheap though.

Years ago my rock band had a huge riser (with mirrors on the sides) for me. We used pipe flanges for legs. I'd use a small diameter to save weight. I've seen risers with milk crates placed underneath used as legs too.

I was in a touring situation for almost 10 yrs where we'd often be on stage between other types of acts [musical AWA others].

After the first tour of tearing down / setting up / moving the mic'd kit between the staggered sets, I was pulling my hair out [not only the ridiculous extra work, but the kit would never be 100% stationary & comfortable for each set, even using a rack [often only about 10 min time btwn sets to re-set up].

I looked around for pro built risers & realized I could prob make my own for a fraction of the ridic cost wanted for most all that were out there.

So I thought about it & decided to build my own rollable riser. I thought it over, drew it out on several pieces of paper until I ended up with just the right way to do it.

1/2" high-grade [straight] wood, cut into in 2 even pcs, hinge-locked on each end of the top seam surface [out of the way of where the pieces would 'sit' & not visible from the sides], so that when separated it made for easier transportability, using lightweight aluminuim siding [any larger hardware or home care center store] as underside support for the under-edges of both segments. Also with ripped 1x4s as edging around the sides [hiding the wood riser itself AWA the heaviest industrial die-cast wheel casters I could get, same store]. Finished with waterproof outdoor wood stain.

Use drill, also large bolts to fasten items together...& do NOT attach the wheels directly to the underside of the riser itself, but fix to a sturdy block of wood first, & then attach these to underside...the wheels would be around the circumference of the underside of each piece, 5 total per each of the 2 segments [10 combined-total]; 1 at each corner, & 1 on the inside edge of each segment side [in middle-center, as it would sit, for added center support where you'd sit].

One of the best investments I ever made. All of somewhere between $110-130 for materials. Still somewhat a little heavy, but the trade-off far outweighed any weight, as between sets was pretty close to a breeze after that. [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 06, 2005 02:01 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

I actually built one of these 5 years ago.

http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3...Q3439O253UBFTH

It worked great and was "relatively" light weight and easy for 1 person to set up. The guys that worked on the equipment truck didn't feel like messing with it though. (lazy bastards)

I hope the above link works correctly. I can't guarantee that it will.

For once I understood Fuse....I agree. Basic design as described with foldability at the center. I have been planning one for quite some time

Ha ha, sjj

Actually, mine is in 2 sep pcs that can be affixed/adjoined tightly to each other [via 2 large hinged clasps, out of the way of you or the kit or it's stand-legs, at the furthest ends of the "vertical" seam as you look down at it when set up], in order to lessen the weight overall; thus it is in 2 pcs when separated, so one only has to carry 2 lighter pcs instead of 1 much heavyier. Easier that way, esp if i'm in a sit where it's just me carrying ;-), which is every so often on a sub or 1-off'er.

I couldv'e gone the extra, & perm hinged it so that it folded upwards as you implied, still standing on wheels for rolling; but you never know when it's just you, & some sand, dirt, or grass to have to trapse across from the van to the gig... [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

I wouldn't've even bothered if it didn't roll. If you're in a sit where you don't have roadies at the disposal, & it doesn't roll, what's the point? Just MORE added work, which totally defeats the purpose. This is where the conventional risers are left in the dust, in this respect.

I believe it was [either] the cat from Blues Traveler [or Mavericks] that had his entire kit "perm" affixed to a 1 pc [unhinged] rollable riser that also had an entire hvy-duty locking "lid" case for around/over it when not in use, like "walls w a roof" [obv moreso for the large venues/ampht's where you have a steel rolling garage stage door w ramp entrance]. Now THAT's "happenin'."

Rollable risers are the Shed. IMHO one of if not THE working drummer's "best friend." [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 06, 2005 02:21 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

We gig for fun, not employment and overall will play maybe 10-12 gigs this summer outdoors...this is when the riser would come in handy. My 5 piece kit actually does not take up too much room so I was going to make something out of 2x6 with a plywood or advantech surface that hinged. I intended to take a large hole saw bit and drill out holes all along the framing underneath to reduce overall weigth. I suppose it could be done on the surface too in strategic spots.

I liked Pearts riser where the hardware all went into holes and nothing had legs...I'm sure you've noticed that in pics. I can get so much on a single DW stand that it only takes 2-3 stands to hold everything

Good points.

The alum siding i used already had manufacturer holes in strategic spots, but you bring up that, if i'd thought of it in foresight, i would've put more to indeed reduce overall weight. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

Yes, great point about rack & submerged base hole attach's. Of course you'll have to take into account the slight lowering of the overal rack when positioining/setting up the kit. I didn't do this to my riser, but i suppose i could still do it if desired. [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 06, 2005 03:24 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>