Hockey Sticks

1. Chris Steiner Period 2 Hockey Sticks

2. Trees Used to Make Wooden Hockey Sticks Aspen Trees-Populus (used for shaft of hockey stick) Birch Trees-Betula (used for shaft of hockey stick) Maple Trees-Acer (used for shaft of hockey stick) Ash Trees-Fraxinus (used for blade of hockey stick)

3. Birch Wood Aspen Wood Maple Wood Ash Wood

4. Making the Hockey Stick • There are two parts of the wooden hockey stick that are made separately before connecting them, the blade and the shaft. • Many stick producers purchase these items separately so they can make their own modifications to the products. • Made using wood and fiberglass.

5. Making the Shaft of the Stick • The shaft is the first part of the hockey stick made. • The wood used for the core is first dried and put into kilns to prevent warping throughout the process. • The core of the shaft is made from a form of poplar, most commonly aspen wood is used. • Then two strips of birch or maple wood is glued to each side of the core.

6. Making the Shaft Cont’d • After attaching the birch or maple, the wood is sent through a press allowing the glue to set. • Next, the item is put through a saw which will cut out the shape of the shaft. The shaft is then sanded by a machine. • Glue is then hand rolled onto the two wide sides of the stick. A strip of fiberglass is placed on both sides of the shaft. The fiberglass is used to strengthen the stick. • The shaft is placed in an oven for 12 minutes at 176˚ F to harden the glue. • The corners are then rounded to a finishing touch by a machine. • Finally, a small block is placed at the end of the shaft and then a narrow incision is made into the block in order for the blade to be slid into place.

7. Making the Blade • The blade is most commonly made of ash wood because it is strong and durable, yet inexpensive. • The blade is pre cut into a blade shaped block and then dried out. • One end of the blade is covered in glue and inserted into the block at the end of the shaft. • After the glue sets the blade is cut and sanded by machines into desired shape.

8. Making the Blade Cont’d • The blade is then steamed to soften the wood. The wood can now be bent into its curve shaped blade. • Next, the blade is covered and glue and, again, covered by a fiberglass cloth to strengthen the blade. • The blade is baked in an oven for 24 hours at 90˚F. • Then the blade is removed from the oven and any excess fiberglass around the blade is cut off.

9. Final Steps • The stick is dipped into a wood finish for a polished shine. • Sticks are either painted or left with a natural wood look. • Companies can apply their logos and designs.

10. Where to find product • Hockey is a well known sport and hockey sticks are easily found. • They can be purchased in a variety of places such as: Common retailers such as Walmart or Target, sporting goods stores like Duhnam’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods, and finally on many different sites on the internet.

11. Alternative Products • There are many different type of hockey sticks than just wood. • Composite Hockey Sticks • Fiberglass Hockey Sticks • Graphite Hockey Sticks • Aluminum Hockey Sticks • Kevlar Hockey Sticks • Titanium Hockey Sticks

12. Composite Sticks • Lighter than wood • More expensive than wood • Composed of all different materials: wood, fiberglass, aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium, kevlar • Made as one or two piece sticks • Often 20% graphite and 80% fiberglass or 50% graphite and 50% fiberglass

13. Fiberglass Sticks • Made by bonding multiple layers of fiberglass together • Weakest of composite stick materials • Usually has wood core • Least expensive of composite materials

14. Graphite Sticks • Also known as carbon fiber • Very light and flexible, but expensive • Can be mixed with wood or fiberglass, but is often 100% graphite • Stronger than aluminum or fiberglass

15. Aluminum Sticks • Cheaper than graphite or kevlar • Normally the shaft is made of aluminum with a wood or fiberglass blade inserted into it • Sheets of aluminum are folded into block shape which is then cut and pressed into shape of stick. Then it is heated to strengthen it

16. Kevlar Sticks • Often mixed with graphite but also used alone • Usually very expensive • Very strong and often the lightest type of stick

17. Titanium Sticks • Usually not combined with any other materials • Very strong and light • Often most expensive • Made with replaceable blades

18. Other Facts • Forms of hockey sticks were being created as early as the sixteenth century • For NHL sticks the blades are 12 ½ inches long, between 2 to 3 inches tall, and they have maximum curve of ½ inch • All sticks made are replicas of actual hockey players’ sticks • Companies keep over 6,000 blades to compare their sticks to • Each year a company makes about 1,600,000 sticks

19. Works Cited • Cavette, Michael. “Hockey Stick.” eNotes.com. eNotes, 2002. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. • “How Are Wooden Hockey Sticks Made“. eHow.com. eHow, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. • “How Hockey Sticks Are Made.” NHLhockeyice.com. NHL, 20 Aug. 2010. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. • “How Hockey Sticks Are Made.” Youtube.com. Youtube, 18 Feb. 2006. Web. 9 Nov. 2011.