Here's a nifty little idea that's easy to do. Acquire a lid for a rectangular stainless-steel steam table pan, about 13" x 21" (For some reason, the square and round ones don't sound as good). These can be found at restaurant supply stores and online. Remove the little handle thingie that goes across the dip in the center. This can be done easily by gently bending it back and forth with a set of vise-grip type pliers if it's just spot-welded on, or use a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel if it's fastened more securely. Drill a 3/8" hole in the center of the dome, and mount it like a china cymbal, with the top of the lid as your striking surface. Smack the raised rim around the edge like the rim of a china, or ride on the flat surface. A wonderfully obnoxious sound - like a china with the high end removed.
Ever have a call for sandpaper blocks, and you find that the typical version just can't be heard over anything louder than a mosquito? Here's a way to get a little more projection.

Cut a couple of pieces of 2x4 about 4" long - try to minimize the knots. Drill 5 holes between 7/8" - 1" in diameter, evenly spaced on the diagonals as shown. Cut two pieces of sandpaper, of whatever grit is needed, about 4" x 4-1/2" - this should allow the paper to wrap around the narrow dimension of the block about 1/2" on either side. Staple the sandpaper to the blocks in that 1/2" overlap, and away you go! Hold them by the un-sanpapered ends to keep the "sound holes" free. OK, sandpaper blocks are never going to bust your eardrums, but this helps get a little more projection out of them. When the grit is gone, or you need finer or coarser grit, pry out the staples and put on new paper.
If you want to make some great shakers, all you need is a length of ABS pipe, some pipe caps, pipe cement and some plastic BBs. ABS is typically available between 1-1/2, 2, 3, 4 & 6 inch pipe sizes, and the 1-1/2" & 2" are generally best for one-handed use. Cut a piece of pipe 6-8" long, glue a cap on one end, let the glue set (waiting - always the hardest part!), add some BBs, and put (don't glue) a cap on the other end. Shake it, and add or remove BBs until you get the sound you like. When you do, glue the other cap on and you're ready to go. As an alternative, you can use a threaded "clean-out" fitting on one end if you want the option to be able to change the contents.


If ABS pipe is unavailable where you live, drop me a note at questions@spudpercussion.com and we'll see if we can fix you up.)
If you have an idea you'd like to post, send me a note at ideas@spudpercussion.com.

Two of my favorite places for drum-building supplies:

American Drum Parts - www.amdrumparts.com/

DrumMaker.com - www.drummaker.com/
If you are looking for the sound of claves, but don't happen to have a pair handy, head to your local pet store. A couple of beef bones about 6" long will make a nice sharp clave sound. Try out pairs until you find a sound that works. The employees will think you're strange, but given your choice of web sites, you're probably used to that...
Make finger cymbals easier to use with a set of spring-loaded salad tongs. Take the stretchy things out of the finger cymbal holes. Get machine screws just small enough to fit through the holes, o-rings or nylon washers to fit the screws, and locknuts with nylon inserts for the screws. You may also need nylon spacers to put some distance between the cymbals and the metal of the tongs. Drill holes for the screws in the business end of the tongs and mount the cymbals, not too tightly, as shown, using the o-rings/washers/spacers to eliminate the metal-to-metal contact. Lastly, snip off any excess from the screws. You can now play them one-handed on your knee, or two-handed if you need more control. When they're not in use, you can drape them over any horizontal piece of your kit, lay them on a trap table, or squeeze the halves together and slip them into a stick bag.