Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hey, do you have any proven reamer makers? I am looking for someone who will make a solid and affordable reamer. My lathe is too small ...

You can/should(?) make the reamers in multiple sections. So, unless your lathe is very small indeed, it should be possible.

Seth Hamon from Texas was selling Uilleann chanter reamers. He as a video on YouTube titled Bagpipe Chanter Reaming. It's the first kind used that isn't fluted that he was selling.

elbowmusic wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:48 am You can/should(?) make the reamers in multiple sections. So, unless your lathe is very small indeed, it should be possible.

At least a few known makers do not make their own reamers. There are many reasons. Making perfect reamers requires a precise machine or a lot of experience that I do not have. I wrote to Boehm tools. They seem approachable. For example, Cillian O'Briain uses Josef Boehm's reamers.

reedmasters wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:58 am Seth Hamon from Texas was selling Uilleann chanter reamers. He as a video on YouTube titled Bagpipe Chanter Reaming. It's the first kind used that isn't fluted that he was selling.

Texas is sooooo far away. Europe is enough for me: D

zone1987 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:43 amMy lathe is too small ...

Does your lathe have a hole through the head stock, most metal working lathes do. If so, there is a reamer making technic that utilises the hole by advancing the metal bar through the stock.
RORY

You can get your reamers made if you want. But the only precision tool you really need is a micrometer or even just good calipers. The lathe can be pretty crap, honestly.

You better hope the numbers you supply the reamer maker will produce exactly the right bore....

I buy my reamers at Boehm
The make perfect reamers and solid.
Value for craftsmanship

https://www.boehmtools.com

pipemaker wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:53 am I buy my reamers at Boehm
The make perfect reamers and solid.
Value for craftsmanship

https://www.boehmtools.com

Yeah, You are absolutely right. But .., Boehm has not been accepting orders for handmade tools for a year due to the employee's illness. It remains to wait for them to start making them again or buy a good lathe and start making them yourself.

Gammons Hoaglund also makes custom reamers for uilleann pipes. I got a quote from them once (but wasn't ready to make the purchase at the time). They were very helpful and will make a precision ground HSS reamer for about the price of a good chanter.

Hmm. One of the absolutely first projects I was tasked with when being instructed in the operation of a lathe, was to make a ´step pin´; that is, a spindle of metal cut in successivel smaller diameters along its length. Then we were shown how to smooth down the steps into a tapered pin. This was before we were allowed to use anything like the taper attachment. It´s not that tough, gentlemen.
One of the joys of machining is the challenge of setting up an operation. Minimalism and elegance are all part of the game. Instrument makers have been successfully making taper bored musical instruments since we had pole-lathes. Henry Maudslay made the first screw-cutting lathe by hand cutting his original lead screw. As an amateur or part time instrument maker you have the incredible ´luxury´ of not working against a clock. In the parlance of the machining world, you do not have to ´make blue chips.´

Bob

An old thread, and I know this reply will make some here cringe.. but life's to short to apologise for everything so...

Being very cash-strapped at the time, I made a full length (concert )reamer out of a piece of crappy "hot rolled steel" for about $8.00 USD bought at a big box store, and by using a grinder, a basmati file, and a lathe bed(for eyeballing progress).
the reamer produced a chanter out of a somewhat softer wood species, and the thing actually does play in pitch, in both octaves....

just thought i'd toss that out there