Thread: Timber choice for drum sticks

They're 19mm boards, so hopefully that's thick enough, I doubt laminating would be any good for it

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

Not sure. He plays in a band sometimes. Sometimes he gets 2 hr from a set sometimes he gets 20

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Dave,

This may be of interest, especially the wood hardening suggestion.

Peter.

G'day thanks Peter. Interesting read.

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Silver ash is a good Aussie replacement for hickory in many uses - should be OK for drumsticks.

Good to know. I will try and source some ad a sample for him

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Dave, I have been playing drums for over 50 years and making sticks for a bit less than that.
We are blessed with some of the best timbers for the job in the world. Almost all our native timbers
lend themselves to one style or another. Some not so well known species but excellent performers are Mulga and Brigalow. Both can be fire hardened at the tip if required or a chemical tip hardener can be used. These treatments are often necessary for heavy rock work, but these days synthetic tips,or for that matter, synthetic sticks are commonly used. Good sticks are produced by using split rather than sawn timber. Sticks should be paired from the same blank. Use a magnifying glass to visually inspect blanks before turning and again when they come off the lathe. Sticks should be weighed on a sensitive scale for accurate matching. All dimensions should be accurate.
And here is the big one... No sharp angles, radius out of all profile and angle changes, this helps to produce a long serving set of sticks.
You may also wish to master the art of ear plug manufacture.

Guys some excellent infomrmation. I asked my nephew last night
"How long till I get some answers do you reckon?"

He said "this time of year, maybe a few weeks"

You guys are awesome



Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

I've become a pack mule
Bugger
And I did nothing nothing

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I've become a pack mule
Bugger
And I did nothing nothing

Wait till you do smething. This is just rhe beginning

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

I won't do nothing then

Thats what they tell me

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Lol

😉

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Mmmm Drumsticks, chicken drumsticks....yummy.
How about using some "Jichimu" , which literally translates into (chicken wing wood).
Then you could have "chicken wing drumsticks".
On a more serious note, Tasmanian Horizontal Scrub might be an interesting option. It is very hard to break for one.