Make Pens from Drumsticks!

I made some pens for troops out of my broken drumsticks for James Green's Pen Turning Challenge.  Used drumsticks are a great source of nice wood for pens and other projects.  If you know a drummer, ask them for some sticks!  Watch me make one in this video!

Broken Drumsticks Make Great Pens!

I'm a drummer and a woodworker, so whenever I can combine these two loves of mine, I'm happy!  After playing hundreds of gigs with my local cover band, I have accumulated quite a collection of broken drumsticks.  Most drummers would just throw them in the trash, but I make pens out of them.

I just learned that my drumstick pens are featured in WOOD Magazine on page 14 of the October 2014 issue.  I haven't seen it yet, so I need to go buy a copy or three!  Thanks to Steve Ramsey for mentioning me and my pens in the article.  I keep a few of these pens for sale on my Etsy Store if you would like to see what I have on hand.  Let's look at some examples...

I like to include the logos on the pen if it is still somewhat intact.  This is popular with drummers, especially if it's the same brand they use.

This one is 9" long to make it look more like a drumstick.  I used my lathe to shape the grip end of the pen into the shape of a drumstick tip.  Since this pen is so long, it's more of a novelty desk display item rather than something you would carry in your pocket.

This pen comes from a drumstick that had split along the grain at the grip, so I was able to use the drumstick tip on the back end of the pen.  There were some chips and dents on the surface from hitting cymbals, but I was able to sand these away on my lathe.

Sometimes a stick will be broken such that the logo or tip cannot be used.  In this case, I use my lathe to shape the grip like a drumstick tip.  Any pen turner could make one of these with a regular pen blank, but I like to use up my drumsticks.

Thanks for checking out my drumstick pens.  Please visit my my Etsy Store to see if there is one you like.  The few dollars I make from each pen go toward more pen supplies and materials.  I try to keep the prices low because I know what it's like to be a starving musician.  Rock on my friend!

Recycled Drumstick Pens

I had some workshop time today, so I attempted something a little different with the drumstick pens I've been making. This time I incorporated the tips into the pens.

I went through my stash of broken sticks and found a couple that had broken in the middle. One had a wooden tip and one had a nylon tip. I prefer to play with nylon tips because of the brighter sound they have on cymbals, but they both look awesome on the tail end of a pen.

The front part of the pen requires a set length in order for the pen mechanism to work, but the back part can be any length or shape. Mounting the back section on the lathe was a little tricky since I have limited attachments. I was able to do these using just a portion of the pen mandrel on one end, then the live center on the other end.  I plan to make my own lathe attachments for these.

These are fun to make and each one is unique. I have posted these on my Etsy Store if anyone is interested in purchasing one. I will post more for sale as I have time...and as long as I keep breaking sticks!

Recycled Drumstick Pens

I'm a woodworker and a drummer and I love it when I can combine these two passions of mine.  I play drums regularly in an Atlanta cover band called Riff Raff, so I go through a lot of drumsticks.  I'm always trying to find new uses for broken sticks, and I've discovered that they are perfect for making pens!

I've been making custom pens out of drumsticks for the past 6 months.  I usually turn the pens into different shapes on the lathe which removes the manufacturer's logos.  This weekend I turned a pen for a drummer friend of mine who asked me to leave the logos intact.  I shared the picture on Vic Firth's Facebook page and received quite an overwhelming response.  The pen is a little longer than the regular pen size because I worked around the logos, but it turned out really cool.

Apparently there is a demand for pens made from recycled drumsticks, so I created a listing on The Carmichael Workshop's Etsy Store where you can order a custom pen made from your recycled drumstick, furniture, trees, broken heirloom, or any chunk of solid wood that you send me.

If you are new to my website, thanks for visiting and please check out my Carmichael Workshop YouTube Channel where I feature how-to woodworking videos.  Below is my latest video showing many of my past projects.  As always, please support your local woodworkers and musicians!  Thanks, Steve...