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what can be done with old cracked cymbals :-)

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Igor

Igor

Asaph

Asaph

I have modified cracked cymbals (and not cracked) for decades. The player shows things stacked, which works if you like that white noise sound. Other things you can do -

You cut a cymbal down with a jig saw and metal blade. Bronze cuts quickly with a good saw w/omni position on the cut (not just up and down, but forward blade motion as well). Go slowly at first because the saw will eat through material faster than you can control your cut along your line if you aren't in control.

You can use a smaller cymbal to trace a line with a fine marker, or use a tape measure. Place the blade hook in the mounting hole. If you cut the cymbal down to, say, 14" drill or pop a tiny hole in the tape measure at 7". Put the tip of the marker in the hole and mark your circle. Just be sure to keep the tape measure taught and move evenly around the cymbal. You can do the same thing from the cymbal edge with a different measurement, but if the cymbal has a chunk taken out of it the tape measure then has no guide at that point.

Be warned that small thin cymbals, say a 12" splash, will exhibit great flux as the blade goes through and the saw will move very quickly, even at lower speeds. You can recrack the cymbal if you don't keep pressure downward and go slowly. Your guide line will also be wobbling in front of your eyes making a close cut really difficult.

I have cut down cymbals right to their bells and every inch outward. Interesting results can happen.

Any cymbal cut down will darken in sound. The more edge you take off the 'gongier' it will sound. In some cases it sounds cool, in others ... you be the judge.

Heavier ride cymbals, because of the tremendous pressures the metal is under at the bows, will actually curl up and do a 'china' thing. I have cut down 20" rides to 10" and the bow turns upward as you cut rendering you an ear splitting china bell sound. Fantastic sound. Like cup chimes on steroids.

One of my favorite cymbals is a 12" B8Pro splash I cut down to 10" then popped inside out. It is the loudest cymbal in my set-up. Bites like a Chihuahua on acid.

Recently I got a cracked 16" Sabian x-plosion crash. I wanted to try it as a top hat, but it was way too light. It did, however, render a terrific crash sound so I replaced a position in the set with it, and love the darker sound. The larger bells on those cymbals really create a volume difference.

When you cut a cymbal down you'll have a seriously rough edge. For me, I use a good metal file, a mill file, to smooth the edge out. That means a lot of passes and rotation of the cymbal in my lap, but once you are done the edge can be smoother than a factory edge. You will have to place the file at an angle and *gently* file down the sharper edges you will create. Once done though it is unnoticeable the cymbal has been cut down.

Ebay always has plenty of cracked cymbals. Some are better bargains than others. Just make sure, if the cymbal is cracked horizontally (with the grooves) that you can pretty much be certain what kind of metal you'll have left when you cut the cymbal down. The closer to the bell the less you have to work with for sound. They can be difficult to see in a picture. If the seller hasn't stated how far in the crack is, ask. If you are just using a cracked cymbal for stacking, as in the video, you don't have to cut it down at all.

http://drumsinhisheart.weebly.com

Asaph

Asaph

I might also add the pieces of cymbal you have left over can be used to make your own effects crasher, a la 'ribbon crasher,' or even a cool set of wind chimes. Very delicate sound.

The ribbon crasher I made sounds every bit as good or better than the one on the market. I actually have enough pieces from projects to make a few more of varying sizes.

http://drumsinhisheart.weebly.com

Igor

Igor

Asaph,
thank you very much for the advice. I'll definitely try to do something with the cracked cymbals in the future.
Igor

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