Knocking out bamboo nodes for drumsticks?

[mbaker]

Hi folks!
This has been quite a journey through the various threads towards bamboo enlightenment!
I am not completely enlightened, but serenity lurks!

The question deals with nodes. I still keep the node on the bottom end of the stick. So far after a couple of years of making drumsticks, there have been no problems.
Is there any potential long term issues to consider if we leave the nodes intact?
Thanks!
DrumStick guy in N.S.
PS to Mark. Thanks for the smokin' info on heat tempering! Great!!! :)

[Mark Meckes]

Hi! glad to hear you found something useful. Everything here is still in a process of assimilation, so there's still plenty of mysteries to ponder!

What size diameter and lengths are your sticks?

Generally bamboo with smaller diameter nodes and their diaphrams are less prone to cracking and splitting, increasing in propensity with larger diameter bamboo.
Some tubular instruments become more vocally resonant if the nodal diaphragm is replaced with thin plywod veneer or a thinner type membranes...

With sticks, one would need to consider the material used, length, diameter, wall thickness and density, weight, straightness, balance, durability, (the node makes a tip stronger) and aesthics, etc, all which would affect the character and life of the bamboo stick in some way or another.
:)
Mark

[Mark Meckes]

Hi DrumStick guy!
How do you find a difference in sound with a drumstick with all the nodes knocked out, ie, a hollow tubular drumstick, verses one with all the nodes left intact, or just one node intact?

Hey I'm clueless to the art of drumstick making, though whenever I have any bamboo sticks at hand near a table or bench I like to do a drumstick roll! :)

>Is there any potential long term issues to consider if we leave the nodes intact?

Do you mean ... as in splitting, or something else?

Mark