Some conductor's batons I made this year. I got started when a girl asked me if I could make a graduation present for her boyfriend, graduating as a band director. How much? No charge if you come to the shop, pick out the wood and try your hand at turning. This way you have a personal connection and can tell him you helped make it. She liked that.

I didn't get a photo of the first one, holly shaft with a cocobolo handle with orange, red, and black. I made some more after that:





From left to right they are

- Kingwood handle, holly shaft
- Dogwood, one piece
- Cocobolo handle, green holly shaft
- Argentine Lignum vitae handle, dogwood shaft

The one on the right is a sturdy "tapping baton" made to withstand tapping out time on the music stand, with a drumstick end. Good for working with kids!

I did some research first on length, handle size and diameter, weight, and balance and looked at a lot of pictures. Most had cylindrical rods glued into the handle. I didn't see any with the shaft tapered to meet the curve of the handle so I decided to make mine like that.

The long, thin shafts can be a challenge.

JKJ