Drone switch 'slop'

[lordofthestrings]

Since I got my set new from the maker, there has always been some 'slop' in the drone switch lever; I can see that the hold bored in the brass switch lever itself is quite a bit bigger than the brass pin that holds it in place, thus creating some play. I always assumed this was just so it wouldn't bind up. However, it got me thinking today. I've never played another set of drones besides mine, so I don't have any personal basis of comparison. The slop allows the lever to to move just under 2mm back and forth in the connection mount to the rod, and this is magnified at the top of the lever, so much so that there is a good 5mm of play in the lever before it engages the rod one way or another. The mechanism works the drones on and off just fine, no problems there, I was just wondering if anyone else has play like this, if it's normal, etc, as I wouldn't have a hard time correcting this. I also realize that there are different types of drone switches, some with the lever being an intergral part of the rod, so that everything is just one piece instead of a rod with a seperate lever and a pivot, and these wouldn't have any play. Anyone who's tried both have any preferences to share? I've attached a few pics to show what I'm talking about with 'slop', the first picture shows the lever pushed back, and the second pushed forward, without moving the rod but just taking out the play.

[Pipewort]

I guess its slot width just made it easier to get the fulcrum pin across the lever and shut off rod.

If it opens and shuts off easily enough, without too much travel, and moves easily, and is airtight, don't worry. One tends to work these things fairly smartly, as one is playing most often at the same time - so not much subtlety of use in action.

Pwrt

[ImNotIrish]

Hi.
I have just the opposite problem where the rod itself is difficult to move. I can switch the drones on an off, put I am not really able to do this while playing as it takes a fair amount of pressure. The rod seems to be housed in cork, maybe not all the way through the stock, but definitely on both ends. Hoe do I lubricate it, or loosen it up so I can use it in the middle of a tune?
Arbo

[Pipewort]

Arbo,

First off, the switch should move easily, but to do so whilst playing is a skill that has to be learnt, like everything else in UP! If you have to stop playing altogether to opperate the switch, and if it is still very stiff to opperate having blown up the bag to get the drones in, just sounding one note on the chanter, I would say you need to service the switch.

This is a pain, as you will have to remove drones and regs (if fitted), and uncouple from the stock in the bag. Then disconnect the drone switch lever from the rod, also the seal from the rod at the other end of the drone stock. Then withdraw the rod and grease (cork grease).

Try the movement of the rod, to see if the greasing has been effective, vis a vis prior movement, and if OK, reassemble. It should improve things, and may need more regular treatment, though more frequent use of the switch will free up the movement in time too.

Try this, and if it doesn't work, post again. The stiffness may be due to too tight a fit between rod and hole; a more complicated fix.

Its also a pain as disturbing the drone stock joint can cause issues too - leaks there, and leading to even a tendency for the stock to fall off whilst playing.

Pwrt

[PJ]

I have 2 sets of drones (D and C) made by Nick Whitmer. His drone switches are very smooth and require only the slightest movement (2mm) to open/close. I've played some sets where the drone switch needed quite a bit of effort to open/close or needed to be moved half an inch or more, making it difficult to turn on/off drones on the fly.

By the way, curious use of the word "slop". When I first read the thread, I was expecting it to be about something leaking out of the pipes.

[CHasR]

Then withdraw the rod and grease (cork grease).

Try the movement of the rod, to see if the greasing has been effective, vis a vis prior movement, and if OK, reassemble. It should improve things, and may need more regular treatment, though more frequent use of the switch will free up the movement in time too.

Try this, and if it doesn't work, post again. The stiffness may be due to too tight a fit between rod and hole; a more complicated fix.

yes, you're of course 100% spot-on in that remedy To refine it just a tad, I'd recommend "slid-eze" by Leblanc, formulated for brass instruments, but works A-OK on cork (& hemp too btw)....better as it dosent clump up like regular WW cork grease, comes in a pointed dispenser so you can get it exactly where it needs to go. Ive kept a tube in my pipe-case for years. Some folks might also swear by smearing graphite on a stubborn rod. but, frequent use of the switch is still the safest remedy.

[ImNotIrish]

Thanks for the replies. I should mention that this is a Hughes set. I have disassemble the rod before, so I know the procedure. I tried using cork grease to no avail. Where do I find the grease you mentioned? It is not a problem with the
distance of movement with the switch, just the resistance making it tough to move with a flick of the hand (I also have a Whitmer set and his switch is painless to use). If I wanted to clean the rod and cannel way, what would I use and how to go about it?
Arbo

[Pipewort]

My reply assumed it was reference to resistance.

Try using a little bore oil (musical stuff) or even some refined olivce oil sold by pharmcists, along with the 'grease' of your choice, to soften the latter. It may be that the bore of the shut off system needs a gnats width widening.

Better too tight than to sloppy - I have had both, and the latter took a lot to fix. For the tight condition, you will either have to take some material off the surface of the bore, or off the surface of the rod. I had this dealt width by a pipemaker.

Pwrt

[Cathy Wilde]

When we speak of "slop", are we talking about extra play in the drone rod/plunger assembly, or "wiggliness" in the switch lever itself? Just checking ... my switch lever got a little wobbly a while back so I pulled the pin and put a bit of teflon tape around it. Then when it got wobbly again I made a bigger pin out of brass wire; I made this new pin slightly longer so I could turn the ends down with a pair of pliers and tighten it that way, too. That's worked great.

As for the plunger-rod assembly itself, when mine got loose (when you've got a boxwood mainstock, shrink happens), my maker recommended running a bit of teflon tape lengthwise (i.e., one long strip) down one side of the rod. I think you could definitely do what Pipewort mentions, too, but so far the tape has worked for me. I do hate taking all that apart, though. But that's piping for ya.

And if we're talking extra travel of the plunger rod before the drones "engage" (I'm comparing things like a clutch pedal here), then I have no clue if the switch lever's not loose.

[lordofthestrings]

When we speak of "slop", are we talking about extra play in the drone rod/plunger assembly, or "wiggliness" in the switch lever itself? Just checking ... my switch lever got a little wobbly a while back so I pulled the pin and put a bit of teflon tape around it. Then when it got wobbly again I made a bigger pin out of brass wire; I made this new pin slightly longer so I could turn the ends down with a pair of pliers and tighten it that way, too. That's worked great.

That's exactly what I'm talking about, and exactly the fix (installing a thicker pin or filling the lever hole and re-drilling) I had in mind. I may even tap the slots on the push rod so I can use a removable machine screw. We'll see. My major question was 'is this play/slop normal?' and based on the responses it seems like it is and that there's everything from really loose to really tight, so I'm not going to stress about it.

Thanks for all the input everyone!!

And 'slop', well, when I used to converse with machinests more I picked up this term, which I gathered meant the same thing as 'play'.

[Cathy Wilde]

No worries. Being a female of the species, I tend to need extra words.

Mine still wiggles a bit, which is no trouble. But when it was slowing the response of the plunger, that was a problem.

I'm laughing to myself ... I'm just now realizing how much like a toilet-flushing assembly this crazy mechanism is. "Jiggle the handle" ...