18 S T U F F • 2 0 1 8 • StuffMadeinMA.com
year-long instrument repair program at a tech
school in Minnesota. Now, as a body maker at
Acton flute manufacturer Wm. S. Haynes Co., she
tackles the earliest steps in the production process,
working on raw metal tubes with both small bench
tools and powerful machines.
"I really like working on machines," Smith says.
"You have to be very focused. It brings you into this
state of mind where you're really in the zone. I feel
like I get my best work when I'm in that headspace."
The bench work, meanwhile, is "kind of the same
skill set as jewelry making."
Indeed, the flutes are made with precious metals
– silver, gold and even platinum – and the two
brothers who founded the company, William and
George Haynes, were originally jewelers. They built
their first flute at the request of a member of the
Boston Symphony in 1888, making Haynes the
country's oldest flute maker.
"It's really cool to be a part of American history
and music history," Smith says.
Starting in the basement
SJC Custom Drums in Southbridge was also
founded by a pair of brothers – a lot more recently.
Scott and Mike Ciprari started building drums in
2000 as teenagers working out of their grandmother's
basement. After high school, Mike went on tour with
his band No Trigger, bringing the drum kit Scott had
built for him on the road (and drumming up
business).
"Just by me being out there, kind of as a traveling
salesman on the band's dime, I met a ton of drum-
22%
Increase in the average
annual pay of Worcester
County manufacturing
employees from
2007-2017
Source: U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics
Katharine Smith, 28
Body maker
Wm. S. Haynes Co., Acton
Products: Flutes
Education: Bachelor of arts in music education
and a year-long technical program in band
instrument repair
Favorite band: "The Shins. I saw them last year
in Boston, and it was so amazing."
Average salary for her position*: $39,040
*Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data
Continued from page 17
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