The color image shows stain with gloss topcoat (top) and stain on raw wood (bottom). Color samples were applied to a maple shell. Due to monitor and substrate differences, we cannot guarantee your color results will be the same.

This is a professional quality, water soluble aniline dye powder. We buy in bulk for Black Swamp Percussion and can now offer to you this same professional product used on BSP drums. Net weight is 1 oz. of powder. It is best to mix only what you will use because the mixed product loses its efficacy if left on the shelf for months on end. We suggest mixing at a ratio of 1 oz. powder to 1 qt. water. This means you need to dissolve:
28 grams dye in 1 qt. water
14 grams dye in 1/2 qt. (1 pint)
7 grams dye in 1 cup

Don't worry if you don't get this ratio exact - the stain will still work. However, for color matching on multiple shells or for bigger projects, you should be as exact as possible and keep record of the mix ratio. To stain, use a foam brush or rag. Flood the surface and spread the stain until the entire surface is wet. It is a good idea to wait anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute before wiping off the stain. Use paper towels of good quality to wipe the stain. We don't like to use cotton cloth or t-shirts because they actually leave more fuzzies than a good paper towel. Make sure you wipe the stain off so there's no "wet" surface remaining. Turn the paper towel wad frequently and don't allow it disintegrate. You will need to do two applications of stain for a good rich color. If you are not doing a two color stain process you still need two coats of the same color. Wait for the first application to dry before applying the second.

Water soluble aniline dyes are easier to apply to large surfaces and are more light-fast than oil or alchohol soluble dyes.

The Grain Raising Problem and Preparing the Shell for Staining.
Wet the drum shell surface and allow to dry. Sand lightly with NO FINER THAN 220 GRIT SANDPAPER. One big mistake that people make is to sand their drum shells too smoothly before finishing. Yes, too smoothly! If you sand the shell until it feels like a baby's butt, the pores of the wood are sealed up and stain cannot penetrate the surface. This will result in a very lackluster color. The drum shell should not feel super smooth.

When sanding, make sure you sand with the grain. If you use a random orbital sander, be aware that you can sand through the outer ply in a flash. Pay close attention to the seam area, because sometimes there is residual glue in that area that will not allow the stain to penetrate. If you want to check for problem areas with glue, you can wet a rag with lacquer thinner and wipe lightly on the shell. There will be a noticable difference in the sheen of the wood if glue is remaining.

The grain raising problem is solved by using a sanding sealer. The first two coats of topcoat should be treated as the sealer. Once you spray that on, we suggest using a flexible foam sanding pad (220 grit or higher). The goal of sanding the sealer is to 1) smooth the surface of "nibs" to prepare for the topcoat, and 2) NOT sand through the sealer and stain! The goal is not to smooth out orange peel - this will happen later.