This is the original state in which these instruments were before the restauration process.
As you can see, kettles were dented and almost black because of the dirt, heads had holes, metallic parts were matt, paint was scraped...
It was more than a cosmetic issue: these timpani were in serious need of a restauration.
First thing we did was repairing the kettles. For this, heads, rims and hardware were taken off, leaving the kettles "naked" (observe the difference between covered parts and those exposed to the elements).
All dents and imperfections were hammered out with a rubber hammer.
Once they were completely even, the cleaning process begun.
For this, we used a de-rusting product applied with a very thin metal wool. Next photo shows one of the kettles half-way the process.
Once they were clean, a polishing product was applied with the help of a cotton wool attached to a drill.
When finished, all traces of remaining cleaning products were taken off with water and soap. After this, a spray protecting lacquer was applied to enhance their shine and to protect them from scratches.
Next photo shows a finished kettle and a still to clean one.
Next thing to be repaired were tunning keys and all golden hardware (we knew they were golden once they were clean!).
They were inmersed into a de-rusting solution for a whole day and then were polished. There was no need to replate them, as they are made of brass, which has a natural beautiful golden colour which was brought to life again with a meticulous polishing process.
You can see the final result in the next photo.
Counterhoops were in the state you can see below.
All paint remains were taken off with the help of a wire brush attached to a drill. We can see the result in the next photo.
Clean again, they were spray-painted in black, leving a very nice smooth and glossy finish.Next photos show the final result.
Once all pieces were repaired, drums were re-assembled.
Original hoops were made of wood and, due to the age of the instruments, were bended and even cracked. A local blacksmith made an exact copy of the original ones for us (steel), resulting in a pair of sturdy and durable hoops.
On these hoops, we mounted a pair of excellent "SuperKalfo" heads. To the present day, no other manufacturer has even ecqualed the craftsmanship of these fantastic calf heads. They are superior to other brands in terms of tone, quality, finish...
As a final touch, we added leather rings between the counterhoops and the tunning keys (red arrow in the lower photo). This avoids any metal-to-metal contact, resulting in a noise-free mechanism. It also facilitates turning the keys.
Before being repaired, these drums had retractable legs (very similar to those in violoncelli). This was not practical at all because was noisy and, secondary, was not beautiful.
A pair of "quadpod" stands were built, allowing the drums to freely resonate.
For this, a small cilinder was drilled every 90º. In each of these holes, a segment of threaded rod was introduced and then welded in order to form a cross which could be the base for our "quadpods".
Two curtain poles measuring 2,5 metres were cut into eight parts, each of these parts being drilled in its centre. These rods were then mounted on each arm of the crosses.
In order to avoid any extrange noise, piano felt was used to pad both sides of the rods. We also used adhesive felt to cover the part that was intended to stay in contact with the instrument.
These stands stay in position and fold thanks to their wing nut system.
In order to protect the instruments during transport or storage, a pair of custom-made bags were ordered to the Valencia based company Ortolá S.A.
These are padded bags, with handles to facilitate transportation and with a compartment to keep the stands.
With kite hilts and velcro, we made attachable handles. This way, we can avoid the very bad practice of moving the drums holding them by their tunning keys (lower photo).
Once timpani were restored and all final details were ready, we finished an artisan restauration project which lasted from April to December 2005.
Move you mouse over the photo to see the "before" and "after".
In order to safely move the instruments, a new pair of custom flight-cases has been ordered:
