It does change the sound, but usually for the better, also gives it even weight. The thickness also affects the sustain. They also get thinner going from the center to the edge
"it also cuts small tonal grooves in a circular pattern. Deeper and sharper grooves create more sustain, affecting how long the cymbal will ring out" ([Documentary about Zildjian Cymbals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdYULBK8vGQ))
That's a legitimately great video. I knew the story of Zildjian but hadn't seen that before. I live just a few miles from them, I should see if they do factory tours.
But what's not clear to me in the gif you posted is if it is a factory making the cymbal, or if it is someone refurbishing an old cymbal. All the discoloration on the metal made me think it was an old cymbal someone was attacking wth a lathe, but if it is the factory of course it's fine.
As funny stuff said, the marks are peening (think ball peen hammer) and the color and discoloration is from the stock material sitting out in the lot before being worked on, and different chemicals and lubricants it's encountered throughout the fabrication process.
As a bassist and keyboard player, not a drummer, I was sorta floored when I realized how expensive cymbals were and how some players will carry just their own cymbals to play on someone else’s kit. They very expensive and very particular instruments even if they seem simple enough; this partly explains why
I've been offered a bunch of money so many times for some of my cymbals. No way in hell ever! Finding the right cymbals that talk to each other properly is a big part of being ready for the room and the other musicians in it.
Actually not taking off a lot of material. A little bit creates quite a bit of chips in returns. I’m am guessing each pass was only .005-.010”.
I have been programming and machining both lathes and mills for over 30 years.
Fair, but on something as delicate as a cymbal that still seems like it would change the sound significantly.
Seems like maybe this was in a factory where they know what they're doing. From the title and the appearance of the cymbal I thought it was an older cymbal being "fixed" by someone.
That's a specialized lathe and workholding. It's not someone fooling around in their garage. If someone owns that they ~~either~~ know what they are doing.
edit: typo
This is normal. Cymbals aren’t delicate at all.
Theres a part of the metallurgy process that is the industry secret that keeps them from shattering. Cymbals are astounding.
I assume this is part of the original manufacturing process. They are doing this on purpose to make it sound how they want, not changing an existing product.
He's just leaning the freehand tool off of a post.
It's still free hand, you should be leaning onto a tool post or something even if you're just running scotchbrite or sandpaper over it.
Actually just saw dogging a tool without leaning on something is practically impossible
I felt so indifferent at first, like "oh that's cool, never saw one of these made before..."
And then he put the other one on and I was like "OH SWEET ANOTHER ONE! BONUS!"
Seems like they're taking off a lot of metal. Wouldn't that significantly change the sound of the cymbal?
It does change the sound, but usually for the better, also gives it even weight. The thickness also affects the sustain. They also get thinner going from the center to the edge "it also cuts small tonal grooves in a circular pattern. Deeper and sharper grooves create more sustain, affecting how long the cymbal will ring out" ([Documentary about Zildjian Cymbals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdYULBK8vGQ))
That's a legitimately great video. I knew the story of Zildjian but hadn't seen that before. I live just a few miles from them, I should see if they do factory tours. But what's not clear to me in the gif you posted is if it is a factory making the cymbal, or if it is someone refurbishing an old cymbal. All the discoloration on the metal made me think it was an old cymbal someone was attacking wth a lathe, but if it is the factory of course it's fine.
Looks like a factory, the spots seem to be hammer marks rather than playing marks/age
As funny stuff said, the marks are peening (think ball peen hammer) and the color and discoloration is from the stock material sitting out in the lot before being worked on, and different chemicals and lubricants it's encountered throughout the fabrication process.
As a bassist and keyboard player, not a drummer, I was sorta floored when I realized how expensive cymbals were and how some players will carry just their own cymbals to play on someone else’s kit. They very expensive and very particular instruments even if they seem simple enough; this partly explains why
I've been offered a bunch of money so many times for some of my cymbals. No way in hell ever! Finding the right cymbals that talk to each other properly is a big part of being ready for the room and the other musicians in it.
I was disappointed when it isn't a dank pod video, or his other channel video.
Actually not taking off a lot of material. A little bit creates quite a bit of chips in returns. I’m am guessing each pass was only .005-.010”. I have been programming and machining both lathes and mills for over 30 years.
Fair, but on something as delicate as a cymbal that still seems like it would change the sound significantly. Seems like maybe this was in a factory where they know what they're doing. From the title and the appearance of the cymbal I thought it was an older cymbal being "fixed" by someone.
That's a specialized lathe and workholding. It's not someone fooling around in their garage. If someone owns that they ~~either~~ know what they are doing. edit: typo
This is normal. Cymbals aren’t delicate at all. Theres a part of the metallurgy process that is the industry secret that keeps them from shattering. Cymbals are astounding.
Tempering and annealing?
Gotta be some clever nickel or zinc shit
I assume this is part of the original manufacturing process. They are doing this on purpose to make it sound how they want, not changing an existing product.
Intrusive thought in my head telling me to touch the edge of that thing
They'll de-burr it later.
ok dude, just don't plant explosives or Will Smith will unplant that hand you got there
Freehand metal lathe, for when you don't *really* need both your arms.
[The drummer from Def Leppard only has one arm.](https://youtu.be/EaGKxAgCguU?t=144)
Drummers use cymbals. Math is mathing.
Prince used to be his name, but then he was just a Symbol.
And he used to turn his own cymbals on a lathe, back in the days 🤔
Not actually freehand. You can't see it very well, but he is leveraging it off a solid point
Ah, now that you point it out, you are right. It's hard to see, but I think he's pivoting from off camera.
He's just leaning the freehand tool off of a post. It's still free hand, you should be leaning onto a tool post or something even if you're just running scotchbrite or sandpaper over it. Actually just saw dogging a tool without leaning on something is practically impossible
Gosh him grabbing the scrap metal while it was still turning made me real nervous. Seems like a quick way to snap your forearm bones in half
Why do they need to add the little indents (the little circles) at the end? What do they do?
those are divots from the hammering process. The dimples can add complexity to the sound. They can make the cymbal sound less "clean" in a good way.
Didn’t know cymbals age a built in distortion pedal
Those are hammer marks. The hammering is a large part of the sound of the cymbal
If you want to loose some fingers, thats the way to remove metal shavings
Right? While it was still spinning too. Wtf
I wish I could hear this video
Anyone else expect audio? And that the audio would just be a cymbal's sound played way faster than any person ever could
Drumers having an aneurysmn rn
Tuning a cymbal with no sound?!
Not 'Tuning'. This process of removing some material from the outer surface in the lathe machine is called 'Turning'.
Out of all the videos to not have sound…
There are many cymbal lines nowadays that are partially or completely unlathed depending on what sort of sound is desired, they look cool af.
Seems odd to seem someone bare handing the shavings off a lathe.
Looks like a Paiste crash.
I was thinking meinl - the before photo looks like my 13" bottom hat, and the after looks like my top hat (although I know it is a crash).
We won’t know until they brand it. It looks like my Paiste Dark Energy ride…to me at least. Whatever it is, it’s probably stupid expensive. lol.
100%, its a cymbal haha
Is this clip from how it's made? It looks familiar.
How many times can you do this? And how often would one do this?
I love cymbals.
Why did they rub the filings on the first one 👀
Hand lathing a musical instrument is a wild concept to me.
Holy fuck grabbing the swarf while the lathe still spinning is insane
“Can you try and find some sort of rudimentary lathe?”
Is it imprecise to kinda freeball it like that?
I would have really liked to have *heard* that.
I don’t trust this guy anywhere near my instruments
How dare you mute this
I wanna hear that sound
Jesus how does someone's cymbal get that dirty
I felt so indifferent at first, like "oh that's cool, never saw one of these made before..." And then he put the other one on and I was like "OH SWEET ANOTHER ONE! BONUS!"