Fixing scratches/dings in finish

I have a Yamaha Recording Custom Power Tom set in Cherry Wine Finish which I bought new in 1989 . Over the years it has gotten a few bad scratches dings(Some not even from me) but a few from the Toms hitting the BD(Since everything is oversized).

I am on this kick of trying to fix it up again. I was wondering if someone could direct me to some info on how to repair these dings/scratches so they aren't as noticable - Some are all the way to the bare wood and some are just depressions in the clear coat. I have done finish repairs in the past to my guitars(polyurethane finish) using super glue and various automotive rubbing compounds and sandpaper after reading a lot of material on the process Results were excellent. Not sure if it is the same process on drums. I know matching the color might be a challenge, but I am sure I could get a close color match from an automotive paint if I took a drum to a paint matching company.

Also curious how to clean up my cymbals from all of the dirt and tarnish over the years.

Can anyone direct me to some specific info or recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

Michael

There are a few companies that re-finish drums entirely. Maybe if you deem it worth it, get the whole kit re-finished.

I'm not certain how to do touch-ups so I don't really have anything to suggest there.

Need to know what type of clear is over the color?

check this out:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Dunlop-System-65-Cymbal-and-Drum-Care-Kit-425272-i1134782.gc

This is going to sound crazy, but we used to do this in the Coast Guard for wood railings & trim pieces on boats & such. Lots of decorative stuff that is supposed to look like polished furniture at all times. It works really well, but can be a bitch to get right, and is best to try it out first on scrap before you commit.

You can make your own color mixes of wood filler, then clear coat them and you will never know they were there, except for the fluctuation in grain patterns. That's the hard part to get to look good, and some times it is easier to just rip the whole thing back down to bare wood & start over. It depends on the size and importance of the piece.

Use RIT dye (in serious moderation), and experiment with color combinations until you get close. Remember the color wheel, there are only 3 base colors, and variances of "shade", ranging from pure white to pure black, grey in the middle. You would only need red, blue, and black or grey. Make a mix of this, keeping count of how many "parts" of what color, and try to stir it into a soft wood putty (warm it up in the micro for a few seconds).

You would need to sand down the area around the ding, very lightly through the top coat but not too much into the stain. NEVER EVER EVER deviate from circular motions when sanding. If you do a single back and forth motion, it will show. Fill the ding with the putty, and let dry for as long as recommended on the container, plus 12-24 hours. Sand that down just a wee bit, ever so lighter than before. you just want a smooth, colored surface at this point.

When applying a new patch of top coat onto an already established and hardened top coat, you will get an overlap no matter what. Two things you can do to help with this, is to first add this product Penetrol to your poly or varnish, just check the label, and accept no substitutes. We spent a year trying to cheaply replace what this product does, with worse reuslts. And secondly, buff the finish with a high-speed orbital wheel after it has set. Use a rubbing compound or wax to help with the shine.

This will be a project of serious proportions, so be prepared to have them non-operational for a few days while you are doing it.

{censored} it. Wrap 'em.