How to Remove Any Air Vent From A Drum

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How do you remove an air vent? All drums have them, right? Threaded vents, flared vents, and 2 piece vents. They all have their own little tricks for being removed and replaced. Hopefully this quick tutorial helps you on your next project!
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How to Remove Any Air Vent From A Drum

[@rdavidr]

How many of you have struggled to remove an air vent before? Free Drum Set Maintenance Course: www.drumeo.com/rdavidr

[@frenchonion3359]

This video couldn’t have come at a better time I’m literally about to tear down my set for a rewrap and the only thing I wasn’t 100% confident on was the air vents. Thanks man

[@AfterlifeBlack]

I love that David will take the time in these videos to go over the basic of basics. Like, duh, to remove a screw on air vent you just unscrew it, but there have been times when I'm watching tutorial videos and those 'of course everyone know this' things are skipped over, and I'm completely lost. Great stuff!

[@carletonhoffman]

i agree. i'm not insulted when someone tells me something that seems to be obvious. i can just skip over things i don't need to be told.

[@carletonhoffman]

i'm back again and we all hope for the last time. i found that a countersink just created a flare where there wasn't one on my Ludwig Keystone era 3x13. i made my own punch out of a piece of heavy 7/16" tubing and tapered the tip so it would gradually make its way into the grommet. tapping it with a hammer eventually lossened everything up and i'm glad to say i was finally able to remove the badge and grommet. now we'll see how it goes putting the pieces back together.

[@BEElaine1008]

If you have to use pliers, you can put one of those rubber grippy jar opener things around it....or..if you don’t have one...use a rubber band! The DIY flare..using the screw....BRILLIANT! You go McGyver!

[@stephenbarton2625]

Dude this is pure gold! Thank you David. I know you put time into this so thanks!

[@JennifersEar]

I have no idea what you are doing or why but it was a very calming & beautiful experience

[@adamlock458]

I’ve been waiting for a video for this!

[@malonedrum]

I feel like I've asked for this one so many times, very helpful thanks!

[@luvmedrums4057]

About 6mo ago I pickup a 6"×10" PDP side snare(805?/Turret lugs) W black hardware off eBay for $50. It had this orange wrap on it that wasn't appealing to me. The air vent was a flair&I had no ideal how to take it out.I butchered it.Longer story short,thanks to you David I know how 2 now Thanks for your uploads,I really enjoy your vids. been w/ u since the beginning

[@walterpascual9959]

Hope all they have a drum set..huhuhu me as a beginner i practice in church every Saturday to learn more about drums😍

[@meribor]

We all started somewhere. I started on my friend's kit a couple years before I got my own

[@frankrolandjr.1060]

I'm a Fan. And I look forward to seeing any of your videos. Your not conceited your constantly growing on drums and ideas. We need more Human Beings like you. Thanks.

[@Jdpr07]

5:22 Groove sounds sweet.

[@drumfanatik316]

One thing on the screw on type. Some of them, at least with my DW’s uses a hex wrench to keep it in place while you tighten or loosen it. Other than that, the rest of the video was spot on and informative!!!

[@mikekartje1949]

Multiple 80's Tama air vents/tags to repair/clean/replace on my kit, thanks for these helpful tips!

[@josephmiddleton4422]

My prayers have been answered, THANK YOU SO MUCH rdavidr

[@timonmartinez2564]

if i ever search for babysitter for my kit and gear it would be david! this guy know how to treat drums!

[@alanjameshorner]

perfect vid. never seen ball punches, just ordered a set for just this! cheers.

[@brusselshouts]

Thank you! For real 💯. I assumed that finding this info was going to be a struggle, but I found your video relatively quick and I am very appreciative!

[@NoslenLRac]

Just started doing this on some vintage drums. The countersink bit idea was great and worked like a charm! Thanks for the video!

[@westonnemitz1093]

It’s not working at all for me… just creating friction on the air vent and not taking any metal at all.

[@daviddowdeswell-allaway8241]

Excellently clear, thank you.

[@xabisheridan6429]

I love videos like this

[@andrewvasseur3166]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@bradmuehlenbein]

I love you man you’ve helped me out so much.

[@ianmuessig]

Great topic to cover!

[@paulgriffingatorgrooves]

Thanks - this was very helpful!

[@marscounty]

Thanks for making this, great video.

[@Randy_Servello]

Great video, brother!

[@morganal2644]

Love the "idiot proof" part. Great video! I'm about to refurbish a couple drums that were in a fire some time ago and, after peeling the burnt plastic off, I didn't know what to do with the vents. I'm also trying to figure out how to clean the screws and other metal parts, they got all blackened by soot.

[@gabe1775]

I love your videos man, keep up the awesome work.... I love the content

[@terrydonegan1622]

Super helpful thank you

[@connorcampbell144]

rdavidr please can you make a monster drum kit with all your kits. Please

[@meribor]

Sure, he could, but that seems 10,000% not his style

[@chuckabello407]

Fantastic video! Thanks!

[@barberjeff67]

Great video, thank you!

[@binkwood]

Very cool, thank you!

[@theghostofsw6276]

Important video right here!

[@sonicacoustics9176]

That's a really cool content! Really helpful! :)

[@luisfernando-mm3jt]

Nice work

[@jonr3891]

Nice. I like the dental floss idea for removing the badge. I have a '70's Rogers kit with one of the rack tom badges installed upside down from the factory (!?) This vid is a good reminder/motivator to fix it...

[@bohdaaanek]

you sure your rack tom is not upside down? :D

[@Paracule_]

Thanks man, with this skill I'm able to find the imposter more easily

[@drummattk]

You can also cheat for replacement vents and buy hollow threaded rod they sell for lamps, cut it down in size and use the appropriate nuts/washers to make it look nice. Weird cheat but it works haha

[@nothingtoseehere4494]

Came looking for something like this. Thank you.

[@carletonhoffman]

thanks for that idea. do they sell pieces that create a finished look on the exterior of the drum (rounded edges, not just a flat hex nut)?

[@theopinson3851]

Yes! This worked!

[@stevepuntolillo9849]

Thanks!

[@weschilton]

Nice video! One style you didn't cover are the ones that are split and folded over like leaves instead of flared. Admittedly those are rare these days, but a lot of vintage drums from the 50s-the 70s had those. I recently finished restoring my 1971 Gretsch 5x14 model 4158 which had one of these grommets and it was a Royal pain in the ^%$# to get off. I nearly destroyed it, but managed to salvage it and put it back on after refinishing and the drum looks and sounds great.

[@meribor]

3:07, no?

[@johnbchet]

I used a gromet from hardware store for replacement, glued it in, worked fine.

[@carletonhoffman]

yes i was wondering if they would sell something i could use instead of paying the outrageous prices i've seen on ebay.

[@edwardfrench7893]

Hey have a good day bro 👍

[@alanduncan1980]

Ever put a piece of hose pipe into the vent hole of your floor tom? You can blow into it and change the pitch of the drum. Give that a try.

[@todds6048]

Thanks for the advice, David! I just did this on an old Monroe NC Ludwig, and it worked perfectly! One questions though... do you use some kind of tack behind the badge to insure it doesn't spin after reinstalling it? Mine still has a little tack left from the factory, but adding a little more might be beneficial. What do you suggest (if anything). Rubber cement/contact adhesive?

[@ronmyers2317]

This would have been helpful when I had my old Pearl export double bass drum set. One of the bass drums warped and became useless so I decided to strip the shell of the hardware and scrap it then sell the hardware. But in doing so I ended up trashing the air vent. I just could not figure out how you would get that thing out of the shell.

[@dimitrik1917]

Genius!!!!!!!

[@blackgamerbrasil]

Hello.you could give us some tips on how to fix some damaged dish racks,that would be incredible

[@johnny_chouinard]

video idea for Davidr- Craigslist Frankenstein kit build... all pieces of the kit are different pieces from different people through craigslist (or ebay/reverb...) .

[@mikeevans1952]

I love David's videos but the amount of tools and equipment needed are way beyond that anyone I know has. I have to remove and reattach some Premier P badges and I'm going to try the countersunk drill bit method. (I do have those). But to reinstall them I can't find anyone in UK who is selling the ball headed punch. And to do the other method I can't buy single items so have to buy a packet of countersunk screws and nuts plus packets of rubber washers (I do have some metal washers that may be ok) but I don't own a socket set so have to buy those as well. That's an expensive outlay for a one off job. So I'm thinking instead of using a junior hacksaw to cut slots in the new grommet the bend them over inside somehow. Properly using a pliers and hammer.

[@carletonhoffman]

thanks a lot for a great video. so you're saying Ludwig badges use flare-type vents? i want to remove one from a 1960s keystone model but it looks like there is just a tube fit tightly inside another tube without being flared. i don't want to damage this thing by using a countersink unless it is absolutely necessary and if there are 2 tubes i don't want to destroy both of them. i see some (overpriced) vents on ebay but before i decide whether to order one i have to remove the badge to get an accurate measurement of what the hole diameter is.

[@kylegendreau1801]

Could you maybe do a tutorial video on the best way to clean drums?

[@rjrfletcher2355]

What are your thoughts... I have seen people sealing the internal surfaces of a drum shell.. it seems Tung Oil/Danish oil are the best choices. (Also DrumDial Bearing Edge conditioner, is it any good... it seems hard to get hold of in the UK)

[@stillphil]

.: The Bob Villa of The Drumset :.

[@pranavs.4589]

I lost one of the stainless steel bolt used to mount my rack tom on top of the base drum. I am not able to find it. But recently i found one iron bolt which gets the work done. Can you tell me if Its ok to use the iron one or not ?? Thanx buddy.

[@Imabassplayer2]

Why haven't screw air vents become the standard? I guess flares are cheaper, but all high end drums should come with a screw vent right? Great video and nice to see how to unscrew a screw and remove the annoying flare vents. Joke aside its great you mention the obvious because sometimes it's so obvious it not. The bolt tricks were genius by the way.

[@theadamwade]

What size countersink bit are you using? Thanks

[@billymoretti8437]

Hi What size counter sink bit for flared vents? Thanks

[@charlespagano9812]

What kind would I have on a Yamaha bass drum? THX

[@juhapeltola8232]

Is there any good working solutions to remove tama t-badge air vents? Haven't found anywhere...

[@Daves1world]

What size counter sync bit do you recommend?

[@aceinthehandtv2805]

Very useful - but David has more tools than Home Depot.

[@TheDrumhead54]

What size countersink bit is that that you used?

[@JACOBBULLARDMUSIC]

what size countersink bit do you recommend?

[@stevemccarty1581]

How about putting a fan in a shell (that resembles the kit) so it looks like an extra drum but blows air at the player. I imagine it would need screens replacing heads but might look pretty cool.

[@meribor]

Wut?

[@allthingsawesome2]

What do they call the ball end punch, i can't seem to find one

[@alexlapiz]

Was that Mapex a pro-M caramel fade?

[@endymion4078]

What size countersink bit?

[@aslearntzen6221]

Thanks man!! Where can I get flare vents for Ludwig drums from 1978?

[@meribor]

Try Drum Factory Direct

[@aslearntzen6221]

@@meribor Thanks Samantha👍🏻😃

[@anttil9412]

What a great tip to use dental floss! Thanks man!

[@meribor]

I'd love a video series on advanced drum hardware replacement. Not the easy stuff where you just buy a bright and shiny version of the scuffed up, roughed up hardware that was already there. Like when holes don't line up and I have to drill new holes that are too close to the old holes. And where and why to place the new hardware when it is a different design from the old hardware. Please help me atone for the crimes I've committed against Drum Kind.

[@LaceChaser]

What does this actually do though? If you don’t seal it? Just wondering. Thanks for all the videos by the way.

[@carletonhoffman]

in my own case i have an old aluminum drum with chrome peeling off and i was thinking of rewrapping it. i didn't want to try to cut out a hole in the shape of the Ludwig keystone.

[@pauldavidmoran]

What size countersink bit did you use?

[@DAVO0621]

Did you ever find out what size?

[@bluesalamander5527]

Hello

[@mattronaldholloway3428]

I actually have a question here about this very topic What would the drum sounded like if you took out the air vent and plugged the whole? Note (and you are not going to put the air vent back in) And two it would not hurt it would it if you was to do this?

[@carletonhoffman]

well i always wondered why Gretsch didn't have vent holes in their toms. not to mention using only 5 lugs for each head.

[@RobbyRhea]

First! Gotta love it.

[@eyesoftheworld73]

mine have tabs that u pull the tabs back to remove

[@meribor]

3:07?

[@absolutelyfilthy5118]

hey can I have your opinion on the band Lightning Bolt?

[@calebg109]

Notification squad

[@itamarzibziner8385]

Can anyone tell me why would you need to remove the air vents?

[@rdavidr]

Mainly when rewrapping or cutting down the shell.

[@frankspikes7858]

Also helps if you're planning on painting or staining a drum or drum set.

[@BanBanChi]

What if te only tools you own are a screwdriver, a pair of pliers and a hammer?

[@carletonhoffman]

that's how i destroyed my first snare drum when the lugs got stripped and i just hammered the rods in. we had pretty much the tools you mentioned plus a hand saw.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

Why would you want to remove this?

[@RickK1988]

"Just push it in." 😏

[@carletonhoffman]

that's what.........o never mind...

[@freddyvanfossen3009]

What’s the point of taking these out? Just curious

[@JazSoda]

I've taken them out to rewrap or refinish drums! :) also if they are rusty or even badly nicked

[@meribor]

My drumset is a literal curbside rescue, so I had to replace them all

[@rensjanssen1172]

You also have rubber air vents, these are not very common. If you want to remove them you neet to cut it with a Knife. You van glue it back in, buy it’s better to use a different air vent

[@kailiw.8462]

Did you ever notice that your voice slowly got higher in pitch throughout your videos???

[@hikikomori7545]

Guess I'm an Idiot the grommet spun and cut into the badge damaging it

[@hikikomori7545]

Let that serve as warning to other idiots make sure grommet is not spinning while drilling it out hold the outside grommet with plier or fingers might suffice

[@carletonhoffman]

sorry this happened to you and i'll try to be careful about that.

[@tommo4449]

First comment

[@bluesalamander5527]

The wolf fax’s

[@luvmedrums4057]

Ain't you special Daddy D

[@JailDoctor1]

Oh yeah, good tips I can apply elsewhere. Idiot proof? You haven't met me have you?

[@carletonhoffman]

or me