How Vic Firth Sticks Are Made:
Part 4 - Centerless Grinding

 

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To become a Vic Firth drumstick, a system of grinding takes place. The sticks are ground in 2 steps where the butt end is ground first and the tip is ground second.

Using a CAD system, a template is designed and fabricated from the hardest steel with an accuracy of .001 inches. It is exactly the shape as the tip end of the stick. The template is used to dress an abrasive grinding wheel to the profile of the stick.
The "Rock" model steel blade and grinding stone.

This abrasive wheel is mounted into a centerless grinder. The dowels are positioned in front of the grinding wheel which is turning at a high speed. The dowels are spun and pressed into the wheel which grinds the wheel profile into the stick.

The process is done underwater so that the stick is kept cool. The water that is on the surface of the stick dries within minutes and does not affect the overall moisture content of the stick at all.
Click to see a full sized picture of our centerless grinder!
The water that is used in the grinder is collected and processed through our filtration system and reused.
Water filtration system.
A close up shot of the steel blade. Notice the profile of the stick tip.
Each stick model has its own wheel for grinding the stick. Click to see a full sized picture!