Bagpipes & Bellows |
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Bagpipes & Bellows |
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| I have a great deal of experience with intricate
woodturning where very close tolerances are required. In my spare time, I occasionally make, a
particular type of bellows blown bagpipe called the Scottish smallpipe. The
process of making them is actually more akin to the work performed by a
machinist on a metal lathe and that is the type of lathe that I use in their
manufacture. My pipes and I were lucky enough to be chosen to be in the 1999 coffee table book
entitled "Hearts and Hands-Musical Instrument Makers of America."
I also make and sell the bellows that power these and other bellows driven bagpipes. Also for sale are pre-sharpened reed gouges for Scottish and Northumbrian smallpipe reeds, uilleann pipe reeds and shooting blocks for both. Please see HOME page for contact information.
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here for Bellows Click here for Bellows Arm Strap Adjustment Click here for Bellows Testimonials |
Click
here for Scottish Smallpipes Click here for Reed Making Tools Click here for Projects |
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Irish uilleann pipe / Border pipe bellows If you want to own only one bellows, this is the one! |
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First 3 pictures show the front, side & back views of my large capacity Irish uilleann pipe /Border pipe bellows. The next picture depicts both pick ends of the very flexible connecting hose The second to the last picture is of the silicon bronze sleeve guard. Beneath it is the brass valve flange and black Delrin valve holder. The last picture is of the hand cast silicon bronze name/hinge plate. All of the features pictured above are unique to my bellows. Please see detailed description below. |
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Bellows construction techniques and material. My bellows feature a black fleece pad on the inside (body) clapper and a three part, cushioned black fleece pad on the outside (elbow) clapper. These pads keep your hip, rib and elbow bones protected from the leather covered, hard wood clappers. The fleece is a woven, man made material that is primarily used for saddle and harness pads. It is soft but very strong and durable and will soon conform to your body's shape. After extended use it can be fluffed up with a wire brush. The elbow clapper pad features an inner foam rubber cushion. The clappers themselves are made from, carefully selected, straight grain, flat sawn cherry. The air hose supplied with my bellows is detachable for easy storage and it's length is adjustable to suit your body type. It is made out of 4 mm wall, red latex rubber, is flexible enough to easily conform to the shape of your body and will not kink. A plastic PVC fitting (female) has been forced into one end of the hose and permanently glued to it. The other end has another PVC fitting and it's outside end is wound with waxed hemp and inserted into the bellows cast bronze exit plate. If the hose is too long, pull this male PVC fitting out of the hose and with sharp scissors cut the hose to the proper length, re-insert the fitting and you are ready to go. The hose has a black leather cover. The 3/4" wide arm strap, 1" wide body belt and 2" wide hinge are made out of soft and exceptionally strong nylon webbing. This webbing is nearly indestructible, never stains and is washable. The color is black so now the entire bellows is that one color that goes with everything! Like the fleece, the nylon webbing is used extensively in the harness industry because of it's strong wear resistance, softness, and durability. All buckles are nylon, light weight and likewise very durable. Left handed? Not a problem. A very quick 180 degree rotation of the valve before shipment and your good to play. The bellows valve assembly has three principal components and is designed to be air tight as well as maintenance free. The valve flap is the part that opens and closes and it is made out of durable silicone rubber. It is attached to the black Delrin valve flap holder with two small brass escutcheon pins. The valve flap holder to clapper connection is made through a two piece, hand made brass flange. The cylindrical part of the flange extends down into the clapper's valve hole and the flat part of the flange extends out on the face of the clapper. Softened bees wax is used under the flat and cylindrical part of the flange as bedding to assures a fit that is free of air leaks. All wood moves over time and old fashion wooden valve holes with their rough sides will always become somewhat oblong over time. The same thing happens with wooden valve holders and that means sooner or later you have a poor valve holder to hole fit and air leaks. My custom made brass flange always stays uniformly round and it's inner sealing surface smooth. The valve flap holder is made from bullet proof Delrin and it's dimensions never change so the components never gets a chance to leak. The leather gusset on my bellows is two layers thick. The inside layer is of sturdy 4oz. airtight leather. This inner gusset layer meets at the narrow hinge end and is glued in a 2 1/4" overlap, rough side out. The outer layer of black, lightweight garment leather is then glued smooth side out over the inner layer. The garment leather ends once again meet at the narrow hinge end of the assembly and are likewise glued in an overlapping fashion and staggered with the inner gusset overlap. When finished, there is a total of more than 9" of glued, staggered and over-lapped leather at the hinge end of this gusset assembly! This gusset assembly is pneumatically stapled to the edges of both clappers. Another piece of thin garment leather is glued onto each clapper face and down over the stapled edge of the gusset. Brass escutcheon pine are driven into slightly smaller pilot holes that have been pre-drilled between the closely spaced gusset staples. I use contact cement that is designed for leather and all glued surfaces get two coats before they are assembled. In the end, you are left with 4 oz, air tight leather, 4 layers of rubber contact cement and another layer of 2 oz. leather. This gives a gusset that is both flexible, strong and air tight. I have never had a gusset of this type leak. The round, hand cast silicon bronze sleeve guard was designed by me, copyrighted in 1991 and is unique to these bellows. It has a heart motif around the outside edge, and it will keep your shirt sleeve from sucked into and clogging the valve hole while playing. The fancy hinge name/date plate is also my design and cast out of silicon bronze as is the back exit pipe plate. Scottish smallpipe bellows are slightly smaller in overall size and air capacity. However, construction methods and materials are exactly the same as their bigger brother, right down to the fleece body and elbow pads. Many people (myself included) have a very difficult time not over blowing Smallpipes while using the large uilleann pipe bellows so I am once again offering it's smaller brother. A few things to consider: Bellows are at least one half of any set of bellows driven bagpipe. They will work without the pipes but the pipes are useless without them. My bellows will power your bagpipes with more comfort and efficiency than the bellows that you now own. A tendency to over blow will be noticed at first, but this will soon disappear as you get use to the increased volume and efficiency. Your right shoulder will be working less and thus be less prone to fatigue and that horror ailment of all pipers, (short of loosing a finger) tendonitis of the shoulder. After a short time, you should be playing in a much more relaxed fashion and having more fun with the music. I guarantee all of my work against failure due to workmanship and material. This guarantee extends to the original owner only and has no time limit. Naturally this excludes acts of God (kids, dogs, hurricanes & etc.), extremes in temperature and humidity and acts of craziness or negligence by the owner. This includes maintenance on or adjustments to these bellows, which are not specifically, recommend by the maker. Repairs or modifications done to these bellows by persons other than myself or those appointed by me will void any expressed or implied guarantee. Never season the inside of these bellows with anything! I look at each bellows I make as a once in a lifetime purchase. If you have any questions concerning repair, maintenance or adjustment to these bellows then you should be aware that I am a very easy person to get in touch with. If I am not in my shop then the answering machine will be on and I will call you back as soon as I get in. I also answer emails promptly. Below the testimonials, please see the complicated instruction for the easy job of adjusting the arm strap.
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Bellows Prices Prices are as of 4-21-08. Naturally all prices are subject to change without notice. Please contact me for availability. I do try to keep a number of bellows in stock at all times. Either bellows is $520 in my shop. All bellows are shipped within continental USA using Priority Mail with delivery confirmation and take about 3 business days. $560.00 Bellows shipped to anywhere within the British Isles via Priority International Mail takes about 7 to 10 business days. $570.00 I do not accept plastic. Your personal check, bank check or money order is fine. Foreign payment by bank check in American dollars. Architectural
Woodcarving LLC |
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" I needed a large-capacity bellows that would be a comfortable, dependable, efficient workhorse that would stand up to excessive wear and tear. The bellows Mike made for me is an outstanding piece of craftsmanship which is all of these things plus some. You simply cannot do better than a Mike Dow bellows." Jerry O'Sullivan - 2000 * "I have tried the bellows and am very pleased with them. They really are excellent - what a difference to the other set I had. Very nice and responsive. Thanks again." Peter L. - 2001 * "I bought a set of smallpipe bellows from you last year, and was and remain absolutely delighted with
their performance! Seriously: your bellows has brought lovely light to the dark day of my past
bellows experience! It's incredibly comfortable to hold and play, and it's beautiful to look at, to boot.
Thanks again." Thomas M. - 2001 * "I am delighted! I received your beautifully crafted bellows
yesterday Edmund Toney - 2001 * I am pleased to report that after 4 years your bellows are still performing wonderfully. I receive many inquiries about them and always direct the people your way. Thank you for your excellent craftsmanship. Edmund Toney - 2004 * "I haven't yet had a chance to thank you for the bellows. Nice work! Excellent! I can't describe to you how much easier it is to play the border pipes, now that I have an appropriately- sized set of bellows. I bought one of Michael Dow's bellows about 2 weeks ago, the big (uilleann) size. Its craftsmanship is excellent:
from the quality of the leather itself, to the cheeks, to the sheepskin pads, to the nice bronze guard for the inlet!
Wonderful! And, who knows why I like it so much, the blowpipe connector is a nice solid copper. These are
WORKHORSE bellows, and the craftsmanship alone is worth the admission price. Stuart Hall - 2001 * "I received the (uilleann) bellows yesterday. They are great! I just need the rest of my set going as well as these bellows. They are the best made bellows I have played. I'm very happy with them. If you ever start making sets of uilleann pipes, put my name down for a set. Regards," Emmett Gill * "The pipes have arrived in great condition. They are beautiful and the tone is great. Your workmanship will be played and
enjoyed for years to come. Harry Nichols - 2001 * "My bellows arrived and we're having a great time getting to know each other! First of all, it's beautiful - a real work of art! I love the padding under the arm strap and the sheepskin on the underside! So as soon as I get the pressure difference resolved and finish adjusting my chanter reed (the drone reeds are doing very well), we should make lovely music together. Thanks so much for getting it to me so quickly!" Ann M. Watson, Chairman * "Thanks for your greeting. I am using the bellows every day and they are great. I use them for my border pipes, which were difficult to play before, at least for me, even after I sealed the leak in the maker's bellows. I am also starting to learn Us. For my Day penny chanter, your bellows is so efficient that you virtually never pump it completely. Thanks, Michael."
* "Michael Dow's bellows are supreme! "I'm quite delighted with Michael Dow's bellows. They are better than one can imagine in many ways. They are a work of art...expertly crafted with great attention to detail and are very aesthetically pleasing. They are also quite comfortable to use. The bellows are the most airtight I've ever played. As a result of this and their size, it is quite easy to keep up with the airflow demands of the full set of pipes. I highly recommend the purchase and find them to be well worth the investment. Best part of it is that Michael is a true gentleman to do business with." * "When my fingers finally thawed (from moving 2002/3 snow) I strapped
them on and they are for lack of a better word, luscious. They make a
wonderful connection for a set of pipes which have soul and on into the
player. Cheers for coming up with a way to make a symbiotic relationship
and connection between piper and pipes. Got them fitted to both the uilleann
and the Sloan smalls I have. Thank you. It's helping me get
into the attitude of wanting to pick up my pipes to play instead of
cranking on rigid and or leaking bellows. Cheers mate!" Chris Pinchbeck Rockland, Maine - 2003 * "The bellows have arrived and they are great! What a difference they make, they can really power
these pipes and make it much more relaxing to pipe
the tunes. I am very pleased with them and thank you much. I don't
understand why I didn't do this earlier. Thanks again" Ed Harrison, Tailors, South Carolina - 2003 * "Finally got my hands on the things yesterday - very happy indeed.
They make a completely different instrument of the pipes. Make it much easier to bash regulators too, so I can make any passing
guitar/bouzouki/mandolin player's life completely miserable. The long term health benefits will be good too - as well as saving my back, the
duty means I won't be drinking for the rest of the month ;) Cheers Mike" Comic Cannon Limerick, Ireland - 2003 *
"About 4 or 5 years ago I was taking piping lessons from Al Purcell (R.I.P.), and I ordered one of your uilleann bellows after seeing the one
he had gotten from you. Shortly thereafter, I went through a divorce and
had to sell my set of uilleann pipes. Unfortunately, the bellows went with
the set I sold. I am now able to get back into piping somewhat, and I
remembered that your bellows was far superior to the one I had with the
original set. Now that I can get back to the pipes I wanted the comfort
and playability of a Michael Dow bellows once again. Once someone
experiences one of your uilleann bellows, the others just don't measure
up. They sell themselves."
Greg Gunner *
" Thanks for the follow up! The bellows are wonderful! I can't get over how well-designed it is. It is such a pleasure and
comfortable to play!"
Dan McNamara * "I've been putting your bellows through it's paces for several weeks with mixed reviews. Good news -- smooth, powerful, no-effort pressure flowing through my chanter and drones. Bad news -- no more excuse for playing badly. Good news -- great to have the bellows in the car when I have a flat tire. A few pumps and I'm back on the road." Jim Reilly * "Hello Mike! Stefan Karat * "I got it this morning and all I can say is WOW! I don't have my border pipes yet, but it makes the Smallpipes effortless. I can already see an improvement in my playing. I have blown a lot of my money on less than useful piping gadgets over the years, but this is definitely money well spent. Thanks!" Patrick MacLeod * "Hi Michael -
Ann Wallace *
"Michael - got the bellows and they are magnificent. Like a new set of lungs!
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"thank Michael! they really do make a huge difference! philadelphia, pa - 2004 *
"Michael,
Peter Walker, * "Like one of your other customers, I just took receipt of my second set of Dow bellows, having foolishly sold my first set off with a set of Smallpipes. Your bellows have really spoiled me. I will just never be able to go back to wee puny girlie bellows ever again!" Name Withheld (at piper's request) to Protect Commentator from Grievous Bodily Harm * "Michael- the Smallpipes bellows arrived, and the pipes were singing in
short order. Your bellows extra capacity and efficiency made playing easier immediately, and they
are beautiful to look at to boot. John Levelly 2005 * "Michael, your bellows arrived yesterday. I am indeed a lucky fellow to have a wife who would buy me such a wonder gift. I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy them and what a difference it is to use them on my small pipe and border pipe. I have never before really enjoyed my border pipe much because it just seemed such a weak imitation of my highland pipe. I had to play such weak squeaky reeds. Your bellows are so efficient and comfortable. They now make playing my border pipe look like fun, and I now think I can set up an old set of
Laurie reel pipe to use with them too. I look forward to a long time of pleasure with my bellows pipes because of you and my wife. Your bellows are a delight to use and to look at." Ed Lindsey * "Hi Michael, Matt Willen * "Hello, Just a quick note. My name is John McCarthy. I’m the guy who, in July drove up from Boston and purchased a set of your uilleann bellows. THANK YOU!! The bellows are great and air tight! I instantly noticed the improvement over my other bellows. They make my pipes more fun to play. The 2 day process of ordering and then having them available for pick-up wasn’t too shabby either! Thanks again. All the best, " John M * "Yes, received the blowpipe no problem and
everything is working BEAUTIFULLY - good grief, your bellows is the
greatest! My playing is infinitely better because of it.
Thank you so much for all your help as well! I'll
definitely try and get a recording out to you sometime - currently
working on a couple of projects. Talk
to you soon! Ben Jaber * "Bellows arrived safe and sound yesterday evening, no customs interception! They work beautifully. I will probably shorten the blowpipe by about an inch. Other than that, I'm delighted. If anyone over here is looking for good bellows, I will send them your way." David Power *
"When I first got your bellows, I noticed they looked much nicer than
my other bellows. Workmanship is very functional and clean.
When I started to pump air, I quickly found out I hardly needed to
pump to fill the bag. I soon noticed I was not even paying attention
to pumping the bellows, as the bag was full with much less work than
with my old bellows. I have been able to pay more attention to
my chanter work than worrying about the bag and bellows.
Peter Allen * |
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| Once upon a time,
Northumbrian piper Dick Hensold had a very bad bellows shoulder and
being a person of great determination and creativity, he found a work around. He sat
on a stool, kicked off both shoes and used used his feet to push a
bellows that was made to inflate a rubber raft. A long hose ran
from the bellows to the blowpipe and his music sounded great, as
usual. This happened beck when the Pipers' Gathering was in the North
Hero Village Hall.
I recently sold a bellows to a piper in England and he sent me the two pictures with the explanation below. By the time he gets his half set his thigh muscles should be ready! "The reason I did this was my shoulder was not feeling to good from arthritis or bursitis. Hell, it just hurt. It rains here a lot and that does not help. I was looking for ways to make things more comfortable and started experimenting with different positions of the bags and bellows. I even went from a lefty to a righty for holding the chanter. When I put the bellows between the knees, it took all the stress off my arms. I found I was able to concentrate more on the fingering than keeping the bag full. Keeping the bag full with the legs seemed more of a natural motion than with the arm. My arm no longer ached after a practicing." |
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* Hello Michael, Colin Everett * |
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Shooting
Blocks |
These
cherry shooting blocks are made by me and have the arc of a 1" diameter
circle
uniformly milled along their length. They have been made long enough for
either
uilleann or smallpipe reed slips. The vertically grained chisel stop end
is held on with two screws and is replaceable. The bottom is surfaced
with sheet cork as is the table edge stop. The cork helps keep the block
from shifting on the table when in use and also prevents table top
scratching. They are 5 3/8" long, 1 3/8" wide and have a
4 7/8"
long slip trough. They look so good that you'll almost hate to use them!
Tung oil finish.
Price includes shipping anywhere in the continental U.S.A. $30.00 I do not accept plastic. Your personal check, bank check or money order is fine. Michael
A. Dow |
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Reed Gouge By definition, this reed gouge is really a short patternmakers paring gouge. As you can see in the picture below, it is sharpened with the bevel on the inside rather than the outside like a traditional carving gouge. The advantage of sharpening a gouge on the inside of the blade is that the resulting chisel cut in the material is long and straight in length with a uniform arc in its width. A traditional carving gouge is sharpened outside and designed to take off a much thicker piece of material with the resulting cut having a pronounced arc in length as well as width. Thus the reed gouge is used in conjunction with the shooting block (above) to quickly remove long, thin and uniform pieces from the inside of the cane slip in preparation for finish sanding on appropriately sized cylinders.
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As a professional woodcarver, I have always been on the lookout for high quality hand tools that will take and hold an excellent edge. I believe that the DASTRA brand chisels I offer here are the finest available. These chisels have been made in Germany by the same family since 1835 and utilize a patented secret formula steel. Each chisel is forged, deep hardened and annealed to exacting standards (R-62 on the Rockwell scale, see below) and will take a great edge and hold it longer than any other commercially made chisel that I have tried. They are beautifully made and a pleasure to look at, hold and use. Each tool has a deep 4-sided tang with a large shoulder, strong ferrule and is fitted with an octagonal European hornbeam handle. They come to me (and other dealers) in a rough ground but not sharp condition. Even a quick examination of the other pages on this site should convince most that I rely on ultra sharp chisels every working day of my life. I hand sharpen every one of these fine tools with the same careful attention that I give my to own personal carving chisels. They are carefully checked to see that you receive the sharpest reed gouge available. On both sizes, the overall length is about 10 1/2". The #6 sweep X 16mm wide (below left) is the correct size for "D" uilleann pipes. The #8 sweep X 16mm wide (below right & pictured right) is the correct size for Scottish Smallpipes, Northumbrian Smallpipes and some "flat" uilleann pipe reeds. |
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| Price includes
shipping anywhere in the continental
U.S.A. $65.00 I do not accept plastic. Your personal check, bank check or money order is fine. Michael
A. Dow |
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Rockwell hardness testing is an indentation testing method used for measuring the bulk hardness of metal. An indenter is impressed into the test sample at a prescribed load to measure the material's resistance to deformation. A Rockwell hardness number is calculated from the depth of permanent deformation of the sample after application and removal of the test load. Hardness correlates with the metal's strength and wear resistance, among other properties and the harder the material the higher the number |
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Here are some interesting past projects. |
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This is the last set of Scottish Smallpipes I made. They now belong to a piping friend of mine I met at The Pipers' Gathering many years ago. I show them here because I think they are pretty interesting. |
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They were made with tung oil impregnated domestic apple wood and mounted with fossilized walrus penis bone (see explanation below). The mount material is a beautiful mottled caramel color and these might be the best looking set I have made and certainly the most unique! The last picture on the right shows three sets of blow pipes, their stocks and an exploded view of the silicon rubber valve that I use on all sets. Also, on the right in the picture are three different views of the detachable chanter stock. This allows the chanter to be removed from the bag for storage without exposing the reed. Fossilized walrus penis bone? You must be kidding! Nope, that is what it really is and here is the story. Many mammals have a penis bone and the walrus, being a large animal, has a pretty good size one. The early indigenous cultures in Alaska used them was as clubs and other different types of tools. This interesting material along with fossilized walrus tusk and mammoth tusk can only be harvested by these indigenous cultures and in many cases, is a substantial part of their yearly income. After it is collect, the material can be sold to anyone who wishes to buy it. Some of it is collected on remote islands and other pieces are actually mined from old village sites. All of the pieces are hundreds (sometimes many hundreds) of years old and look like it. The custom knife making trade uses these and other interesting types of natural material for use as knife handles. I am the only pipemaker I know of (and I know a lot of pipemakers) who use it in the making of bagpipes. Both moose and deer antler are other natural products that I also use from time to time. Antler is shed every year after the rut. I like the idea of using these interesting natural products in the manufacture of my bagpipes rather than the chemically produced, imitation ivory that others use. I have always looked upon music as an art form and the instruments that man has devised to make music are objects of art. So you have an artisan who makes the art object (musical instrument) which, in turn, is used by a musical artist (musician) to make another art form - music. An interesting circle. If you find yourself being curious about alternative bagpipe forms then you may want to consider checking out another interesting web site and the event it is devoted to. The site is located at: www.pipersgathering.org |
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Uilleann Pipe Bass Drone in the key of "B"
It was a long winter (2004-5) on the Southern Maine coast and I used part of it to complete two bass drones for two half set for two Bill Thomas "B" chanters. One is mounted in moose antler for my piping pal Tom Wilsbach and the other mounted with fossilized walrus tusk for myself. Other than the material used for the mounts, the bass drones have another interesting feature: they are, in the words of pipemaker Bruce Childress, "serviceable." That is to say that both the tuning and standing portions of each drone can be completely taken apart and put back together. The pictures are of the tusk mounted drone and show how. |
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Common stock I made two common stocks for the two sets of "B" drones made last winter, both out of American Honey Mesquite. When I was making a lot of Scottish Smallpipes I made most of them out of this material as it is more stable than any other domestic wood. Mesquite common stocks I have made have never shrunk enough during dry, Northeast winters to throw off their ferrules. The switch shaft is solid 3/16" brass rod. Although the pictures do not show it, that rod runs snugly up through a piece of brass tubing pressed down into the center hole. This gives a very nice, smooth on/off motion and the fit is so uniformly snug, there is little if any air leakage. On the other end, the valve is made out of a faucet washer with a bit of leather glued onto the flat face. It seats against a 1/2" diameter X 1 1/4" long piece of brass tubing that has been sunk into a counter bored hole. The traverse holes that feed the drones are cut through the tube after it is in place. As you can see, this tube sticks up proud of the end of the stock by about 1mm and provides a very positive seat for the valve. I stole both of these ideas off the stock of my 1933, Patrick Hennely "D" set. I think these modifications were made by a pipemaker after the set came into the possession of others but can't be sure. Hennelly, like every other pipemaker I have known, liked to experiment. One way or the other, both are good ideas. I incorporated another worthy idea from that Hennely set. The hole for the tenor drone is 7/16" diameter. Holes this small can sometimes be a pain in the neck to the reed that has to fit down in them. The reed can hit the side of the hole if it is not very straight in it's seat. Also, if weight is added to the end of the tongue, this can sometimes hit as well. This problem was solved by making the 7/16" hole only as long as the pin on the drone. The rest of the hole was bored out to 1/2" diameter. A 3/16" hole was gun drilled as a pilot for each of the five and the holes bored with a piloted countersink or piloted end mill as they are sometimes called. |
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Testimonial From Tom |
| From the Irish uilleann bagpipe chat
list
Many if not most on this list are Yanks; for those who are not, this post was inspired by the recent American Thanksgiving holiday. The holiday's purpose is self-evident, and its celebration includes a huge harvest feast often accompanied by some thoughts on "what I am most thankful for this year." Very high on my list this year are my new drones for a B set, made by Mr. Michael Dow of York, ME, with whom I have been playing tunes and swapping lies now for a good ten years. Michael has some photos and details on these drones and the similar set he made for himself on his website (www.archcarving.com), but I have to say loudly and publicly that these hummers are outstanding. If you had kittens that purred in three octaves, that would give you an idea of their sound: not overwhelming in volume, but perfectly blended. And the workmanship is of the highest order. Thanks, Michael, for this wonderful set! My hat's off to you. Tom Wilsbach, Portland, ME - November 11, 2005 |
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Drone Reeds When I started making Scottish Smallpipes in the early 90's, I made a drone reed model and for the sake of consistency, started having all drone reed bodies hand cast out of silicon bronze. They come to me in one length so if I need something shorter, I cut to length and silver solder on an end. The lay (the part the tongue beats on) is filed and sanded flat. I end up with 600 wet or dry paper glued onto a piece of glass with double sided tape. Top left is the bronze reed body just as it comes to me. Right under it is what it looks like just before I start turning it into a reed. In the center is a not very clear X section of one. On the far left is a rectangular piece of brass tubing that I used for the tenor drone on the bottom right. Below the ruler on the left are the three reeds for the "B" uilleann drones above. The bass and baritone reeds have had a smaller, extension tube slid into the exit hole. This adds impedance and thus lowers the pitch. The bass drone has had an extension tube soldered onto the tongue's beating end. This adds internal volume and lowers the pitch. The bass and baritone tongues have flattened solder stuck onto the beating end. This lowers pitch and adds stability. The tenor has tongue weight as well. Some of these modifications have a desirable effect on tone as well. As you can see, I still experiment with bridles. "O" rings and a X cut section of silicon, model airplane fuel line are the current favorites. "O" rings last the longest. Below the ruler on the right is a set of reeds for my uilleann drones in "D." Once again, the bass drone has the volume extension. Both it and the baritone have tongue weights. The tenor reed is made from the telescopic, rectangular brass stock and is about as deep but a bit thinner than the other blanks. All the tongues are CA impregnated cane. I use a foot of silicon, radio controlled helicopter or airplane fuel line tubing and slide one end of it over one end of a piece of cane that is just a bit longer, wider and thicker than what you need. Fill a very small container with thin CA glue. Put the unoccupied end of cane in the CA and the free end of tubing in your mouth. Such in while looking through the tubing at the end of cane. When you see the CA glue bubble up on that end, stop sucking. The tongue will have more strength, mass, stiffness and moisture resistance when treated in this way. The tongue is then planed, filed and sanded to shape. The wax I use to weight the tongue ends is called Sticky Wax and it is sold in jewelry supply stores. It is used in lost wax or investment casting model making to hold different pieces of wax together - sort of like what glue is to wood. I put it on with a cheap soldering iron with a fine end. This is hitched to a light rheostat to control heat. Works great to voice chanter holes that are too sharp. In the end, there are many ways to control the pitch and tone of the sound that comes out of the end of any drone. The size of the expansion chamber that is formed within the tuning slide and tuning pin is another factor. Sometimes a choke of brass tubing inserted in the end of the tuning pin and sticking out of it's end can favorably change what you are hearing. To my way of thinking, the sound the drones make is a bed which the melody is laid down upon. It needs to be both supportive and subordinate at the same time. Never harsh and overpowering. They are the orchestra behind the singer. In believe that a good balance between individual drones is very important too. I want to have to listen very hard to pick any one out of the three. They are, to my way of listening, a team that has been assembled and trained to do a particular job and all have an equal roll to play. |
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Drone reed
collection I have a box labeled "Old drone reeds" and this is what I found in it. I don't care what anyone says, bagpipe makers are all mad scientist at heart. Helping to run the Pipers' Gathering for so many years, I have met a bunch of these people and they all share that same, nearly insatiable curiosity. Bottom row, last two are elder from an old "Taylor like" set and are the only two I did not make. They are made from box elder. The last one on the bottom, far right column is an inside view of the cast, silicon bronze reed body I now use. |
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Tubing bender |
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Many thanks to Hans-Joerg Podworny for the drawings of his tube bender and the inspiration they brought. |
| My friend, Bill Thomas, has kindly provided pictures (below) of his newest tubing bender. One great thing about this design is that it solves the spring back problem I encountered with mine. The bearing block Bill used is metal and as with all benders, if you anchor one end you will notice that the tubing stretches as it is bent. Some creative problem solving at its best. |
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| I first met Bill
years
ago at The Pipers' Gathering when the event was held in the North Hero
Village Hall. I had my pipes and bellows out on my table and decided to
take a walk around and see what other makers were up to. Many things
caught my eye and one thing that really stuck in my head was how Bill worked his brass tubing. If imitation is the
most sincere form of flattery then he just better be flattered because I
have shamelessly tried to copy (to the best of my meager abilities)
his superb work.
Bill is an artisan in the truest sense of the term and is a member of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters. |
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