Chanter Stop "pin"

[lordofthestrings]

Hi all

I threw around a lot of ideas for a DIY chanter stop mechanism. I tried a few of these ideas out, and my lack of specialty tools and know how became an immediate problem.

I did get one to work well, though, and will post a pic soon. Here's what it is:

Its a normal looking brass chanter top, with no obsious difference, except for a pin on the top with a maple bead (not at all unlike a regulator tuning pin). When it is pushed down, (normal position) the chanter is engaged, there is wind flow, and ytou play away. When you pull the bead up about a 1/2 inch, the cnater will shut off. This frees up both hands, and makes tuning drones easy. This is not a "quick stop" thing to shuit off faast while playing, but works very well, and is descrete.

Thoughts?

[lordofthestrings]

Here are the pictures:

With the bead "in" (pushed down), windway open


With the bead "out" (pulled up), windway closed


Sorry, I lied, this one is an aluminum top. This is a very discreet was to have a chanter stop, looks sorta cool, and is very reliable. I tend to engage it using my chin to puch in if i need to start playing fast (which I rarely do). Not the best boon for needing to start/stop quick, but if ya like a little to have drones going while playing something else, or want to do a little "reg-ing" this works pretty well.

Now I just gotta sell the idea to someone and become a bajillionaire. Any takers?

And sorry for all the spelling and etc. errors in the prior post, was dodging fireballs and trying to save the princess from the evil Bowser.

[/list]

[PJ]

I think David Boisvert makes (or made) a similar stop valve. However, he may have incorporated a spring in his version so that it clicked open and closed like a pen.

[Elmek]

Sorry but this would be unpatentable as there is nothing new or innovative here as virtually every NSP has the same stop mechanism on its drones.

My own maker experimented with a similar idea around 5 to 6 years ago with the plunger operated by a push/pull rod that came down the side of the chanter top piece to bring it in line with the back 'd' thumb. He didn't like the ascetics of it and has stayed with the rear fitted conventional stop key like the Taylor's

John

[Uilliam]

The keywork looks a bit bulky tho wot does no 9 do?
Slán Go Foill
Uiliam

[PJ]

Sorry but this would be unpatentable as there is nothing new or innovative here as virtually every NSP has the same stop mechanism on its drones.

Apart from that, a patent costs approx. $25,000 to obtain. You'd want to sell a lot of valved chanter tops to make the venture profitable!!

[vanfleet]

Lordofthestrings wrote:

I tend to engage it using my chin to push in if i need to start playing fast

I don't have a chanter stop valve on my set, so I just bite the bag neck to get the same effect . . .

Seriously, though, don't you think a stop mechanism needs to be within reach while you have your fingers covering the chanter holes, such as a stop key or a twist style closure? Ideally, I would like it to be subtle enough to escape the notice of the audience.
JVF

[Elmek]

a stop mechanism needs to be within reach while you have your fingers covering the chanter holes, such as a stop key or a twist style closure? Ideally, I would like it to be subtle enough to escape the notice of the audience

My own maker puts the stop key on the back and would you believe he had a customer a while back come complaining that this was wrong. Why did he say this - because an inexperienced maker told him it was a mistake and it should always be on the front.

Historically the Taylors and those that followed them did but are there any other modern makers that do this.

John

[Brian Lee]

Or you could make the top plug of the windcap long enough to extend down past the inlet tube. Then drill a hole in the side of the plug that matched the inlet, and another up from the bottom of the plug to meet the side opening. All you have to do then is a quick quarter twist of the top cap to shut off or open up the airflow. Simple.

[Joseph E. Smith]

Tim Britton's stop device is probably the easiest to use with the least being obvious.

[simonknight]

Or you could make the top plug of the windcap long enough to extend down past the inlet tube. Then drill a hole in the side of the plug that matched the inlet, and another up from the bottom of the plug to meet the side opening. All you have to do then is a quick quarter twist of the top cap to shut off or open up the airflow. Simple.

That's exactly how the cap on my Gallagher chanter works. It works quite well, but you have to be precise getting the marks to line up. I have a top with a stop key on order.

[billh]

a stop mechanism needs to be within reach while you have your fingers covering the chanter holes, such as a stop key or a twist style closure? Ideally, I would like it to be subtle enough to escape the notice of the audience

My own maker puts the stop key on the back and would you believe he had a customer a while back come complaining that this was wrong. Why did he say this - because an inexperienced maker told him it was a mistake and it should always be on the front.

Historically the Taylors and those that followed them did but are there any other modern makers that do this.

John

I do it either way depending on the customer. I prefer having the stop key on the back, unless the customer is heavy on the thumb-brushed d triplets.

This seems to be the way Egan and Coyne did it.

Bill

[reedbiter]

Yep...for some reason I decided I needed to create something over-engineered and complex..just for the heck of it! Heh...yep, I did a "spring loaded" mechanism...essentially like a Bic Pen. You click the button and it shut off the air supply, click the button again and the air supply was back on....

I've been told that I'd re-invent the stick if I had the time...

[MarkS]

I've been told that I'd re-invent the stick if I had the time...

Well, hey, a chanter after all is really nothing more than a needlessly complicated stick...

[maw]

a stop mechanism needs to be within reach while you have your fingers covering the chanter holes, such as a stop key or a twist style closure? Ideally, I would like it to be subtle enough to escape the notice of the audience

My own maker puts the stop key on the back and would you believe he had a customer a while back come complaining that this was wrong. Why did he say this - because an inexperienced maker told him it was a mistake and it should always be on the front.

Historically the Taylors and those that followed them did but are there any other modern makers that do this.

John

Bay

Where are you. Location might help as there are pipers all over the world and not all annouce their presense

Apprenticeship - depends on the maker as some do and some do not.

Taking on an apprentice can be problematical for some. I was able to watch a lot of my set being made as I lived only 1/2 mile from my maker but he could not take me on as most of the machinery in his workshop was not in line with current UK standards.
John

Obviously your pipemaker was so experienced, his machinery outdates any form of Health & Safety legislation... Hmmm....