Hello everyone.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good accessory rack for the pit?  How many of you guys have gone the home made route?  Do I need to buy a standard Pearl or Gibralter rack and add casters? 

I welcome your input.

Thanks,
Clay Sloan

Many companies make pit racks, Percoco, Jarvis and Pyle are a few names that come to mind.  My school uses all Percoco so I don't know much on the other ones but here are some links:

http://www.pylepercussion.com/
http://www.jarvisonline.com/

I was unable to find percoco online, we bought ours though Kevin Lepper from VanderCook college of Music in Chicago.  I'm sure you can get him email from their site for more info on pricing and such.  I'm very happy with percoco, but a cheaper route maybe to check your community for welders who may be willing to help out and possibly donate the racks for you.  Just a thought, I know some people who have gone that route successfully as well.

Happy hunting

Good suggestions Alex. Clay, you might also try checking in with the good folks at McCormick's who deal with a variety of these sorts of items. You can look them up at http://www.mccormicksnet.com

A great alternative which is used mainly for latin percussion down at the Bridgemen Alumni is to take a bunch of 1.25"; pipe and a punch of gibraltar clamps.  Make your own.  I'll be doing that for the show in the fall, allowing me to use and make it totally to my specs and add or delete as needed.

Thanks for the input guys.  I have seen the Pyle and Jarvis models, and am not 100% pleased with them, as I prefer a standard ";U"; shaped rack with wheels all around (if that makes sense...).  I was thinking more along the lines of the standard Pearl rack with casters or wheels.  I seem to remember seeing someone using this set up somewhere (memory fails).  I can't find the Pearl rack with any type of wheels on their website, so I assume this was a modification made by the group I saw.

I have gone the homemade route with pit items before, and had over zealous parents actually spend more money making something than it would have cost to purchase.  Still, I like your suggestion, Cadet311.  I may have to give it a try.

Anyhow, thanks for your help, and if anyone else has suggestions, I would welcome them.

Clay Sloan

Update:

Jim, I found the picture of the rack in the book ";Up Front"; (p. 28).  I assume that is from your SCV years.  That is along the lines of what I am wanting.  It looks like the top is the standard Pearl rack more or less, but the base seems to be customized.  Is this something you guys made (had made)? 

Thanks,
Clay Sloan

[quote author=csloan link=topic=1768.msg8565#msg8565 date=1180624651]
Update:

Jim, I found the picture of the rack in the book ";Up Front"; (p. 28).  I assume that is from your SCV years.  That is along the lines of what I am wanting.  It looks like the top is the standard Pearl rack more or less, but the base seems to be customized.  Is this something you guys made (had made)? 

Thanks,
Clay Sloan
[/quote]

Indeed Clay. This is something we had made by a local welder in Santa Clara when I was working for SCV Cadets, and the A-corps soon decided to go the same route. For transport, the Pearl rack could be lifted up out of the receivers that were welded onto the rolling rack base. The nice thing about it was that it was a tank. The bad thing about it was that it was a tank. :) I'm not sure, but they may even still be using it.

Decided to go the Casella route on my rack.

I found a Pearl DR-80 on ebay for 80 bucks, bought it, braced it with some pipe, gibraltar clamps and some casters. Casters attached via welded metal plate, all legs secured with pipe from leg to leg.  There's a removable leg at the rear to keep it fully stable when moving it.  I'll put some pics up when it's finished. 

[quote author=Cadet311 link=topic=1768.msg9106#msg9106 date=1183749909]
Decided to go the Casella route on my rack.

I found a Pearl DR-80 on ebay for 80 bucks, bought it, braced it with some pipe, gibraltar clamps and some casters. Casters attached via welded metal plate, all legs secured with pipe from leg to leg.  There's a removable leg at the rear to keep it fully stable when moving it.  I'll put some pics up when it's finished. 
[/quote]

Chris,

I am VERY interested in seeing picts of the final product...

I built 5 pit racks last year. It cost about 250.00 for the materials for all 5. I bought about 40 adjustable pearl clamps and mounted everything. I had a band dad do all of the welding which saved some money.
4 of the racks had a cross bar in the middle to mount snare drums and break drums.

[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/drumrackfront.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/drumrackback.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/cf1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/cf2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/cf3.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.cyfallspercussion.com/cf4.jpg[/img]

Thanks man!!!  That is EXACTLY what I have been wanting to get for my group.  I will use those photos to show my Boosters.  I have a welder or two that should be able to make these pretty easily I would think.  What type of metal did you use?

1 1/2 X 1 1/2 Square Tubing.

gotcha.  thanks again!!!

Looks great, if your boosters have the money I'd definitely suggest getting pneumatic wheels for your racks as they take a lot of shock in transit otherwise--but you can easily spend most of the cost of the rack in 4 wheels. =)  Worth the money in my opinion at least. 

Very nice.

Now, for a second question...

Anyone ever build a bass drum stand? If so, care to share?  I've got a concert stand falling apart on me.