DIY: Electronic Drum Trigger
- 1). Take apart a 10-inch practice pad. Unscrew the frame with a screwdriver and separate the foam and Mylar discs. Throw away the foam disc and keep the Mylar disc.
- 2). Use a utility knife or scissors to cut out two circles from a sheet of ½-inch foam. The circles should both have a diameter of 10 inches, so they'll fit into the practice pad's frame.
- 3). Cut the plastic protective casing off of the transducer with a knife and pliers. Be careful not to damage the delicate assembly of the transducer, which is made up of a metal contact and colored wiring.
- 4). Scrape off any silicone that is on the underside of the transducer with the blade of a knife.
- 5). Score the center of a large coffee can lid with the utility knife. Use the tip of the knife to create a deep gouge for the transducer to connect to the lid.
- 6). Attach the black ground wire of the transducer to the black ground wire of the speaker wire. Attach the transducer's red positive wire to the speaker wire's red positive wire. Use a soldering iron and solder to make secure connections between the wires.
- 7). Wrap the soldered area that connects the wires with electrical tape. This will keep the wires from touching each other and short-circuiting.
- 8). Solder the loose end of the speaker wires' ground wire to the ground outlet on the RCA jack. The ground outlet is usually black or clear.
- 9). Apply a thin film of glue over the center of the lid with a glue gun. Make sure you apply an area of glue that is as big as the transducer contact.
- 10
Press the smooth side of the transducer contact into the glue while it is still hot. Use your thumbs to ensure the contact is very firmly stuck to the lid; let the glue dry. - 11
Cut a 1-inch slit through the center of the foam shape you cut out. This will allow you to pass the wiring through the foam. - 12
Place the coffee jar lid and transducer on top of the foam disc. The transducer should face down. - 13
Gently push the wiring through the hole in the foam and pull the coffee lid down so it is right against the surface of the foam. - 14
Apply glue from the gun all over the top of the foam disc and the coffee lid. Quickly place the second foam disc over the first so the coffee lid is covered. Press the foam discs together and hold them until the glue sets. - 15
Drill a hole through the bottom of the plastic practice pad frame with a power drill. The hole should be centered between two of the lines on the underside of the piece. - 16
Make a second hole opposite the first one on the underside of the practice pad frame. Both holes should be ¼ inch wide. - 17
Feed the RCA jack through one of the holes in the practice pad piece. Allow it to drop down enough to solder the red positive speaker wire to the red positive outlet on the jack. Secure the jack in place by screwing a nut onto the underside of the jack. - 18
Lay the foam assembly on the plastic bottom piece of the practice pad, with the wires held between them. - 19
Place the Mylar disc on top of the foam pieces and cover the entire pile with the practice pad frame. - 20
Put back the screws holding the frame together, attach the trigger pad to whatever mounting assembly you have and plug a drum module into the jack on the bottom of the pad.
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