pipemaking is easy

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:40 pm

OK maybe not easy , but not as hard as some people would make out. The two main skills involved are woodturning and metalwork. If we take woodturning first and actually break down what involved in turning a chanter we will see that all there is to turn is straight lines for the main body length and then some beads for the mounts (beads forming tools can be bought over the counter ) ,turning the ivory mounts considering it is already round when you buy it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Again over the counter tools that practically do the work for you can be bought In fact if you look at some of the stuff turned out by woodturners in any of their magazines you will see that what is needed to turn chanters is very basic.
As far as metal work is concerned I’ve read that you need all the skills of a silversmith and some other smiths as well, I just don’t see it! Again if you look at the work silversmiths do and look at a set of pipes where are all the skills of a silversmith . Ferrules ( 99% of makers) are just tubing cut to size with maybe some lines cut around .A bit of soldering is involved but again its not rocket science. Making keys may take a bit of practice but with a bit of effort can be mastered if you can use a hammer a hacksaw and a file your half way there.

If anyone fancied having a go, go for it don’t look at a full set of pipes and think how am I going to make them but break it down into very small tasks and approach it from there I am a professional carpenter my self and this is how I was trained to work one step at a time

RORY

Ps get a reamer on e-bay and that’s your bore sorted out

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:59 pm

Yeah, buy any old reamer and it'll work for sure. You don't need to have any plans or concept of what you are trying to accomplish in a well thought-out design. Just slap it together and Bob's yer uncle! Hard to believe how the current crop of pipemakers could be jerking us around and stringing us along for months or years for delivery when they could be cracking them out like tarnsistor radios from some third word country.

djm

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:15 pm

THis is always a popular subject. When you're done here, you can move on to the flute board and use the same arguments with "flute making is easy". Then try the whistle board... endless entertainment.

A popular variation on the same theme is: pipes (flutes, whistles) are overpriced.

marcpipes · Post by **marcpipes** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:44 pm

Sure. And since I know how to work metal already, I'll get started straight away on building that Spitfire. I mean come on, it's only metal. Wait, I can work with wood too....I can make a Hawker Hurricane!

The Sporting Pitchfork · Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:53 pm

Yeah and once I finish up the Messerschmitt BF 109 that I've got out in the garage, I'm knockin' yer ass outta the sky, Marc.

Them Spitfires are nice and all, but put 'em in a dive, and the engine stalls...

Excellent post, Rory. I look forward to taking your first expertly-made set of pipes out for a test drive. Make 'em super cheap while you're at it.

Luke Skorniakoff · Post by **Luke Skorniakoff** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 4:00 pm

In all fairness, I agree, to a point, that pipemaking isn't as hard as some make it out to be. My first time using a lathe (or even working with wood) I managed to turn out a set of drones that sounds better that any "professional" set's that I've heard. I am still pretty new to all of this, but the woodwork is pretty easy, and metalwork (especially keys) can be tricky.

The hardest part of making pipes is making reeds and proper tuning. I think the key to making pipes is practise. Making them look good isn't hard but making them work properly is. Brad Angus' first set is a lamp now because is didn't work properly, but it looks good. Look at Pakistan pipes. They are asthetically pleasing (at least to me) but don't sound like a Woof, Angus, Lynch, ect.

If you dont thin'k it is that hard, go try to make a nice in tune set, and don't let anybody discourage you.

regards,

Luke

tompipes · Post by **tompipes** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:03 pm

Rory is kinda right, to a degree.
The wood turning is not rocket science and the metal work is not impossible,
But the secret of a great set of pipes is the measurements you use.
You have to have accurate bore dimensions and hole sizes and spacing measurements.
I'm sure we've all seen pipes that look beautiful but sound awful. Rory, you said your a carpenter so you'll know that there are specialised tools that you can buy over the counter that could make the job of making a set easier. There may only be 1 of these shops in your country but they are there.
But if you don't have measurements your screwed.
And you really have to know how a bore will react to each cut. How to compensate for extra keyed noteholes in a chanter, the effects of undercutting, etc.
Doing it is not hard but knowing what to do to make a chanter play in tune is the trickey bit.

Tommy

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:16 pm

I'd love to have a crack at making a set, but there's a few questions I'd like to ask -

1) Are drone bores straight or conical?

2) How do you determine the finger hole placement and size - experimentation, ie start with a reed in a chanter with no holes and get the bottom note playing and then work your way up?

3) Where do you get drills and reamers from apart from paying an engineer hundreds of money to make them for you only to find they are of the wrong dimensions?

Cheers,

DavidG

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:02 pm

Ausdag, there are lots of sources of drawings of existing sets (classical, historical, etc.). Most people start there. Why re-invent the wheel? There are books on reed design, woodwind design, musical instrument design. There are the CDs from the Sean Reid Society available from NPU. There are many useful articles in back-issues of the Seattle Pipers Club newsletter and in the NPU newsletter.

1). Drone bores are conical.
2). Finger hole placement - see resources listed above.
3). Drills you buy. Reamers you make yourself from tool/drill rod.

djm

marcpipes · Post by **marcpipes** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:56 pm

djm wrote:1). Drone bores are conical.
djm

News here.

Paul Reid · Post by **Paul Reid** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:51 pm

Maybe before one spits out a blanket statement about craftsmanship that not only involves "just" the talents of a fine jewelry maker, "just" the talents of a fine wood worker, "just" the talents of an impeccably trained ear, "just" the patience of a saint, "just" about the most modest - not in it for the money - attitude, "just" the most well-read research driven junkies on wood, history, architecture, harmonics and 12 other things, (pause) maybe he should "just" go and talk to some of the best pipe makers in the world and get their opinions.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 2:36 am

Typically nobody seems to mention the fecking ear you need to set them up and make them work well. :roll:

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:02 am

In addition to the ear to set them up, how about the knowledge and skill of reed making to set them up with? If you can't make reeds, you probably shouldn't make pipes.

DMQuinn · Post by **DMQuinn** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:49 am

No, no. Rory is quite right. The less you know about it, the easier it becomes.

Ailin · Post by **Ailin** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:18 am