More Ludwig Dresden Timpani 3D Printing Mods

We’ve Got Stacks and Stacks of Letters

Though it’s been a while since I’ve posted about my Ludwig Dresden timpani mods, I haven’t stopped tweaking them. My latest innovation is printing plastic letter covers that slip over small rare-earth magnets as part of my string gauges. This makes the letters larger and easier to read. I paint the letters with acrylic paint for contrast.



This is what they look like from the bottom. A dab of glue holds the letter in place.

The magnets are available online. Search for 8x3mm rare-earth magnets.

I’ve tried printing the letters as a group, but found that it’s better to print them one at a time.
Here are the links to the 3D models on Tinkercad: A, B, C, D, E, F, G and a # for accidentals.

T (Handle) Time

Another thing that I’ve worked on is 3D printed T handles. The Ludwig handles are very short and wanted something easier to grab from across the drum. My first attempts looked elegant but were not very sturdy. I learned the hard way that the printers I have access to aren’t designed for heavy duty performance.

Version 1 T-handle

The latest version is less aesthetically pleasng, but stronger. So far I haven’t had a problem.

If you want to print one for yourself, here’s a link to the model.

I’ve also also attempted printing clutch pedals and ratchets, but those experiments were less successful. The material wasn’t strong enough for the application. It is possible that they could be printed out of steel or aluminum, but that’s more than I want to spend on vintage drums. If you want to try printing out a clutch pedal, here is a link to the 3D model.
 
Update: there is more info on 3D mods in my latest post.

Posted on: April 1, 2023, by :