Starting Out Pipemakng

[Wannabe-Piper]

First things first: I KNOW there was a similiar thread started recently, but I just wanted a few question asked........

I ws just wondering where pipemakers get/come up with their measurements for pipes, where they gt materials like lathes and woods, nd how do they get started? I know dave Hegarty and Joe McKenna both made their own sets without being fulltime makers.

Oh, and by the way, I fully intend to start reedmaking in the summer...

Thanks in advance,

W.P

[marcpipes]

Yahoo groups amateurbagpipemakers is a great place to start. Take the time to read through the archives and you'll have most all of your questions answered.

[Chris Bayley]

The recent thread is here

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

Did list some sources but out of these I cannot find the David Quinn article on the Cummings drones but it is available on the Discussion forum for paid up members of the Seattle Pipers Club

http://uilleannforum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=342

[Jumper]

I cannot find the David Quinn article on the Cummings drones

Try here.

[reedman]

Try ebay for lathes, under, wood lathes, woodturning lathe, woodworking lathe, lathes, I got all my gear & tools from ebay, timber supplied by Martin Pidgeon of Grimsby, my reamers I had made to my spec. all the best, hope this helps.

[fancypiper]

I highly recommend "The Heart of the Instrument" set of DVDs from NPU for learning different methods of reedmaking.

The classes at Elkins, WV are good too (I took two of them under Eugene Lambe and Benedict Koehler).

E-mail dmquinn2u@verizon.net for information about his Pipes and Pipemaking DVD that he recently released.

[billh]

If you only have one lathe, make it a metal lathe, not a wood lathe.

(See the numerous postings and topics related to this on the "other forum" www.uilleannforum.com)

Sparey's "The Amateur's Lathe" is a good little book for info on using it. Woodworking texts can be helpful with regard to turning the outside of parts, but many focus on bowl turning etc. whereas spindle turning techniques are mostly what interest us. Bear in mind also that techniques for turning exotic hardwoods are a bit different from those that work for softwoods and the moderate-hardness "hardwoods".

Get your reedmaking up to speed first, read the DMQ and Sean Reid Society CD-ROMS, then you'll have a sound basis.

best regards

Bill

[djm]

Get the Sean Reid Society CD-ROMS from NPU. There are two extent, and rumour has it a third is in the works. Get David Quinn's CD-ROM of his collected published articles - available form Mr. Quinn or through the Seattle Pipers' Club. Get the William Garvin book from NPU for overall aesthetics. Get the Alan Ginsberg plans from just about everywhere in order to make Alan Ginsberg rich.

There are tons of resources. What are you waiting for?

djm

[reedman]

Why? if you only have one lathe, make it a metal lathe Bill? pipes are made of wood not metal, you can do metal turning & metal finishing on a wood lathe with the right chuck and hand tools. Peter hunter, uses a Myford woodturning lathe, Dave Shaw turns on a Coronet woodturning lathe, Davy Stephenson uses woodturning lathes, I suppose if you can't woodturn then you probably are better useing a Metal work lathe, but you'll certainly notice the difference of craftmanship and finish of the wood of a set of pipes made on a woodturning lathe, than that of a set made on a metal work lathe. thats my opinion any way.

[Chris Bayley]

Metal turning lathes have one very big advantage - tool making. They are also heavier and can take off centre boring / reaming operations better.

There is of course no difference in the finish of wood between a wood turning lathe or a metal turning lathe as this comes down to tools and correct sharpening and their application. I use a mixture of chisels and form tools both hand held and captive, as did the pipemakers of old.

It is just a question of choosing a lathe with a good speed range and availability of ancilliary equipment. Myford 7 / super 7, Boxford CUD/BUD/AUD/ME10 all have this including woodturning rests.

The ML8 Woodturning lathe has a metal turning attachent available but it is only recommended (by Myfords) for non-ferrous work.

Several lathes in the workshop all set up to do different jobs would be the ideal but it is a question of room and finance.

A metal turning lathe need not be expensive and as 'Reedman' suggests watch Ebay. Also try the S/H machinery dealers advertising in Model Engineering Magazines and also publications such as 'Loot'. I know of one member of this forum who recently picked an ML7 for an incredibly low sum. Not only was it in good condition but came with a whole host of ornamental turning attachments.

Chris

[reedman]

Your right Chris, a metal work lathe will be needed if you intend to make your reamers and tools, I do all my work on a sturdy Record CL1 Coronet lathe with a variable speed unit 0-2500rpm, all bought for just under £200, plus 2 new chucks costing £250, a total of £450, plus chisels second hand ones £65 in total, a grand total now around £515, all the long drills I picked up on ebay all from the USA for around $90=£45
so we now have a grand total of £560, reamers some I made by hand, and other I had made costing £400 so together it cost me around £950 say £1000 total, not bad to set up, I also have a second boxford lathe which has never been used yet, cost me £250 standing in my work shop, I do all my centre boring work on the woodturning lathe, all the wood turning on the woodturning lathe, and metal finishing on the woodturning lathe with hand tools, reamers are held in the vice when the step drilled chanter blanks are reamed out, then turned, most older metal work lathes only have a top speed of 1450rpm, woodturning lathes have much higher speeds of 2000-2500rpm which give better finishing to the woods with tools & finishing oils & waxes, jobs can be done much more quickly on a woodturning lathe than a metal work lathe, because there is no change over of tooling needed, I just find it much more easier to do work on the woodturning lathe, thats the way I was taught, "but I will say this," before anyone intends to use a lathe for wood or metal work, get some training by someone of experience, lathes are very dangerous machines, but hey! at the end of the day,every maker to there own.

[Elmek]

Any makers professional, amateur or otherwise like to list out what they have in the way of lathes and machinery - what they class as essential and what just makes pipemaking easier - would seem a useful thing to do as I am sure there are quite a few budding makers on the forum who are wondering just how much they need to spend to set up a workshop.

I am guessing that with the advice by Reedman that it will be less than the cost of a set of pipes

John

[reedman]

These might be handy or some good for any pipe makers starting up,or wanting to tool up, these seem like a bargain, sizes are 5/32nd=3.96mm #21. keep a way from the cobalt ones,there rock hard, some of the other sizes are handy thow for step boring.I'm going to try some, all the best.

http://stores.ebay.com/FURRYLETTERS_DRI ... idZ2QQtZkm

[reedman]

Oh' I forgot to mention you will need to have your drills ground up for wood,shipping for five drills to the UK is $9.00.all the best.

[reedman]

This is the sort of lathe I would go for, for beginning making pipes, it has a low speed for centre boring of 250rpm, up to 3000rpm for finishing work, lovely lathes these, you will need a chuck & steadying post for this one, you can pick them up easily,or have them made to fit the lathe for not to much exspence, this is a bargain. all the best.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CORONET-MAJOR-WOO ... dZViewItem