My Neighbour Friendly v-drums platform.

Hi everyone

Just thought I'd share the details of the platform I just built for my TD-12KV BK electric drum kit. I am doing so just in case any of you have issues with neighbours below or family members who spend time in a lower levels of the house you play in.

Say goodbye once and for all to neighbours who besiege your home with fitchforks and burning torches. This was the scene outside my house just last night.



I'm happy to report that those days are now gone thanks to my tennis ball riser/sandwich platform. Phew !!!

I found out how to buid it at the V-Drums forum on several old posts from several years ago.

Basically, it comprises:

• Two 4'x4' crash mats.
  
• Two 4'x4' Pieces of 18mm thick Plywood, each with twenty five 1 3/4" holes which I cut with a hole saw.
  
• 25 Tennis Balls
  
• A 4'x4' piece of carpet
  

See the pics of the various stages below.



York Fitness Floor Guard (£14.99)





4'x4' 18mm thick piece Plywood with 1 3/4" holes (£12.99) - The pilot holes were marked 4" from each edge with 10" between each hole's marking.





25 Tennis balls in the holes (£20.00)





Another '4x4' 18mm thick piece Plywood with 1 3/4" holes (£12.99)





Another York Fitness Floor Guard (£14.99)





4'x4' Piece of carpet from my local carpet fitters (end of roll cast-off £10.00)





Roland TD-12KV BK V-Drum Kit on the finished platform.





And again.




Total cost of Platform = £85.96



Note: Although the MDS-12 stand/frame specifies that it requires a minimum of 4' in width, if you have the space I would go with a 5'x5' platform or 4.5'x4.5' if in a pinch. I had to go with the minimum so that I could still squeeze past it etc. However, it still works in the 4'x4' space but I know wish I had a bit more to play with. A slightly wider space with a bigger platform would allow for the MDS-12 to have it's side portions open wider. Some folks may prefer this. I would still probably opt for the 25 tennis balls if using a larger platform but the choice is yours.

Given that any surface you play on will be required to be at least 4' in width and at least 4' or so in depth, this means that the surface area presented to the kit for transference of vibration will be approximately 14884cm squared. However, with the tennis ball riser, the area of transference from the upper platform to the lower one (via the tennis balls) is a mere 94.2cm squared. This is 158 time less scope for transference of vibration than a solid platform would create. Also, with this platform the vibration needs to travel through the carpet and floor guard first before reaching the upper wooden part. It then has to travel through the tennis balls, then through the lower floor guard too. All this before it gets to my own flat's carpets and floorboards etc.

The platform itself is fairly sturdy. However, if you make one I would avoid stepping onto it on its edges just to be on the safe side. In my estimation it would easily hold even the heavier drummers out there, providing that user don't jump up and down on it. Also, it all stores away at around 15 minutes notice.

Like I said, I would go with 5'x5' if I could have and had the space. However, not being an experienced drummer having not been accustomed to a lavish setup previously, the 4'x4' platform is good enough for my needs. I would strongly recommend 4.5'x4.5' though.

It's now 1.59am here and I'm off work this week and am full of life right now. Therefore, I'm off through to do my facial impressions of Keith Moon....


Hope this helps other.

ZippsInc

Thanks David.

I found out how to buid it at the V-Drums forum on several old posts from several years ago.

Thats funny, I just viewed that thread not too long ago and thought it was a great low budget drum riser that would work perfectly for my noise issues as well.

The only thing I would do different is to add some sort of flexible material to connect the 2pcs of plywood together snugly, so like you said, you dont hurt yourself or the kit if you happen to step on the edge. I was thinking of using an inner tube from a tire to make the connection. Now if I could just find the time to do all my cool projects.

Nice work!

wow it looks like it will tip because of the tennis balls. Did you get them to fit real tight in the wholes built for them? That is one cool rig!

Oh man...I just laughed so hard. Awesome!! Had this problem before my vdrums got jacked (sigh)...even in a basement apartment with poured flooring, with the old kick style (reverse beater pounding on a rubber pad - eek), it didn't make my neighbors happy, in the least.

Good work, man :)

Thank you Lance and Taphappy

I have the good folks over at the Vdrums forum to thank as it was their idea. Credit goes to them.

Unbelievably though, I was playing between 3.00am and 5.00am this morning totally unrestrained. Nobody was any the wiser to what I was doing. Totally Ace....24/7 drumming.


ZippsInc

ORIGINAL: ohhey


Or you could put pegs at each corner to act as a stop if the top board tilted when stepped on. They would need to be just short of the full gap so no transfer would happen when the top was fully level but would keep the top from tilting too far when unbalanced like when you step on the edge. I would use 1" dowel with rubber chair leg feet on them.

By the way I love the design, I would not have thought of the tennis balls. You could call it the "Balls to the walls" drum riser.

Nice ohhey.

Ha ha ha ha. Perhaps a patent application is in order.

Funny that you mentioned the corner pegs. Although I don't think it's entirely necessary, I was and still am considering something like this in order to give full peice of mind. Even if they were to be say 1/2 cm below the platform when even distribution is spread. They would undoubtedly prevent anything silly from happening should someone step on a part they shouldn't have. Hell I nearly did it last night as I squeezed past the platform to get to the kitchen for a beer. Mind you I'd had a few by this stage.

Thanks for the dowel and rubber feet idea. I hadn't got that far and thought about the specifics yet. A joint patent? lol


Regards

ZippsInc

Or you could put pegs at each corner to act as a stop if the top board tilted when stepped on. They would need to be just short of the full gap so no transfer would happen when the top was fully level but would keep the top from tilting too far when unbalanced like when you step on the edge. I would use 1" dowel with rubber chair leg feet on them.

By the way I love the design, I would not have thought of the tennis balls. You could call it the "Balls to the walls" drum riser.

Ya that would work, but the advantage of a rubber skirt attached to both pieces of plywood on all 4 sides would allow you relocate or store the platform against the wall (yes, now its balls to the walls) if for some reason you needed to move it. And now that the OP has brought up drinkin beer near or around this platform, stability becomes a larger issue . When I get paid next, Im going to make one.

p.s. Just read your occupation on your profile....lol. Now I'm looking forward to the pics.

Now that you mention it, I really should start a thread on all the things I have made for my studio, including custom desk, home made ekit and various knick knacks that have saved me money and been rewarding at the same time. I really need to get the rest of my acoustic treatment up, then some pics.