Let's cut to the chase: You can make your own drum set with less money, less equipment, less time, and less space. And you can do it all without sacrificing an ounce of sound or appearance quality. So, would you do it if you could? Ofcorse you would. Who wants to blow a ton of money on tools, workspace and time when you don't have to?

Oh... and you can make your own drum set with less research, too. Believe me, learning how to make your own drum set can seam overwhelming, especially with all the resources available on the internet. The first drum making project that I ever set out on took months of research; reading blogs, reading drum making forums, reading articles, etc. Here's the only thing I found:

People were using tools that I didn't have...

They were using methods that seemed all too complicated...

And they were spending money I didn't want to spend....

When you're researching how to make your own drum set, it gets intimidating. Fast. Really fast.

Here are a few tips to make your own drum set with less equipment and less activity clutter. These tips are perfect for the one-off drum maker to do more with less. In fact, these tips are great for all you who are set out to make your own drum set.

And remember, just because you're using less to make your own drum set doesn't mean your end result is sub-par. It's far from it.... you'll be blown away.

#1: Forget the drill press... use a hand drill.

#2. Make your own drum set like the pros: use a Unibit drill bit.

#3: If your budget is low, make your own drum set out with used drum shells.

#4: Group all similar activities together. It takes time to make your own drum set... and this will help speed the process up and ensure consistency in the finish.

#5: If you don't have proper space to shoot lacquer clear coats, call a local car painter

#6: Outsource your bearing edge cuts to the company you buy shells from. Not only does this save money by avoiding the tools, but it helps you make your own drum set without needing hands on experience with dangerous tools.

#7: Order drum supplies when they go on sale.

#8: Have the drum supply companies cut your drum wrap for you.

#9: Practice on scrap pieces of wood. When you experiment with new ideas to make your drum set unique, this is very helpful.

#10: A mini cordless screwdriver speeds up assembly. Borrow your neighbors.

#11: Wrap your drums inside your house if you're workspace is colder than 70 degrees.

#12: You don't need a workspace to make your own drum set, so ignore # 11.

You can drill, wrap, collage, stain, and veneer drums inside your house or apartment.

#13: Veneer exotic woods with a house-held iron. You can really make your own drum set be exotic on a small budget, since veneer isn't too pricy and the materials needed to apply it is barely none. Not to mention, you can do this over used shells.

#14: Check the bargain bin at a local bookstore for Art or Photography books to use as your collage drum. If you stripped down your current set and used the shells and hardware, you can literally make your own drum set into a visual explosion for about $10. It's my favorite finish to do.

#15: Drum makers have large laminate rollers to run drums through to rid the wrap job of air bubbles and to simply help with the laminate bond: use a handheld J-Roller.

Make your own drum set with less and you'll still have a killer drum set without killing your checkbook and your brain.