rainy days

sweetone · Post by **sweetone** » Tue Aug 20, 2002 6:35 pm

How do you play on rainy days, humid athmosphere... my pipes leave me in the lurch. What can I do about it?
cheers

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Aug 20, 2002 7:05 pm

sweetone...
I live in Miami, close to the ocean and my pipes are in a room without air conditioning. They seem to love the humidity. It's been no problem playing during the rainy season either.
Have someone make a reed for you in the same environment you will be playing and you should overcome most of the problems.

KenWolman · Post by **KenWolman** » Thu Aug 22, 2002 1:09 pm

On 2002-08-20 21:05, Tony wrote:
sweetone...
I live in Miami, close to the ocean and my pipes are in a room without air conditioning. They seem to love the humidity. It's been no problem playing during the rainy season either.
Have someone make a reed for you in the same environment you will be playing and you should overcome most of the problems.

Told Charles Roberts a similar thing--I live on the Jersey Shore where nothing ever dries, please act accordingly. So he did.

But the summer here has been absolutely brutal: far too hot to consider sitting outside in the humidity and pumping a bag and bellows. And in air conditioning the reed requires adjustments I'm not prepared yet to make, if ever. The other day it was just bearable enough for me to strap on the goodies and go out on the back porch in the late shade of the day and work out the kinks...lovely. Not a stray howling dog to be heard in response...some bridle-movement to keep the thing from jumping between octaves when I don't want it to...but it's definitely a humidity reed and I need to pencil-mark the spot where the bridle belongs.

As for woes of the past...they are fading into the past. Back to work after a terrible several months. Charles is remunerated for his labors. I am being remunerated for mine. Someone said it--whatever does not kill us makes us stronger. If that's so, forget the reed, I should be able to make music through two bricks tied together at the top of the chanter.

[ This Message was edited by: KenWolman on 2002-08-22 15:11 ]

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Thu Aug 22, 2002 2:26 pm

I live in Scotland which is renowned for its desert like climate???A little trick I have learned from Jim Daily for the reed and the moisture problemo is to warm up a little vegetable oil in a suitable receptacle(small ladle will do) and place the reed into it.You will see the water/moisture bubbling away from the reed immediately.When it has finished leave it to dry which doesnt take too long you will then have a moisture free reed with the advantage of a thin coating of dried oil to prevent further moisture attack.Honestly it works!!And it is so simple.Try it on an old reed or bit of cane first if you prefer.
slan go foill.

[ This Message was edited by: Uilliam on 2002-08-23 03:39 ]

sweetone · Post by **sweetone** » Fri Aug 23, 2002 7:41 am

thank you for all your advice.
cheers
erik

sweetone · Post by **sweetone** » Fri Aug 23, 2002 7:44 am

On 2002-08-22 16:26, Uilliam wrote:
I live in Scotland which is renowned for its desert like climate???A little trick I have learned from Jim Daily for the reed and the moisture problemo is to warm up a little vegetable oil in a suitable receptacle(small ladle will do) and place the reed into it.You will see the water/moisture bubbling away from the reed immediately.When it has finished leave it to dry which doesnt take too long you will then have a moisture free reed with the advantage of a thin coating of dried oil to prevent further moisture attack.Honestly it works!!And it is so simple.Try it on an old reed or bit of cane first if you prefer.
slan go foill.

[ This Message was edited by: Uilliam on 2002-08-23 03:39 ]

Thank you for the advice, I'm not sure what vegatable oil is though.

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Fri Aug 23, 2002 2:13 pm

Plain old cooking oil to you and me,but if you say to some afficiandos "oh I'm just gonna cook ma reed"they may think your loco,hence the term vegetable oil as it sounds nicer.
slan go foill
liam

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Fri Aug 23, 2002 3:20 pm

Oiled reeds have been discussed before...
The usual procedure is to soak pre-gouged, lightly sanded and shaped reed slips (prior to final fabrication) in neetsfoot oil for a period of 2 weeks. Wipe the slips gently and continue final sanding and shaping of the tails with normal binding and scraping.
Cane will change shape slightly when it soaks in the oil... including some raised grain. Aside from the bad smell, neatsfoot oil seems to be preferred over almond oil.

If you try this with a finished reed and have problems with raised grain, you should unwrap the slips and sand them lightly and re-assemble.

I've tried soaking a finished reed in almond oil. It dulled the tone slightly. I can't recall any more resistance to humidity changes to justify more experiments.

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Sat Aug 24, 2002 6:31 am

perhaps I should clarify.What I was talking about was driving the inherent moisture within the cane out,hence the heat treatment.The oil should be just warm NOT boiling or to hot,likewise the cane should not be left in too long as this will open the slips too much,(maybe 30 seconds or les) and ideally the treatment should be done whilst making the reed.Talking of reeds whilst I am not advocating not taking good care of them I recently had the bad luck to completely twist a good reed in one of my regs.I was for chucking it as it was completely distorted but afore this I put it in my mouth for a few minutes letting the heat and saliva get to work,I then straightened it out with my fingers and to my delight it was as good as new(when I say it was distorted it was in an S shape)and has been playing well since.It was a Rogge Reed.They (reeds)are much more durable then we give credit for.Slan go foill
Liam