Bellows problem

Fergmaun · Post by **Fergmaun** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:34 am

My Uilleann Pipes bellows made by Lawrence Thomson the brass tube is loose and not fully Secure airtight anymore.

Any tips to fix back in place. I would prefer brass tube with brass plate and then screwed on for better secure fit.

David Lim Bellows The outlet connection is made from brass plate with brass tube soldered on at an appropriate angle

Cheers

Ferg

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:47 am

Buy a David Lim bellows and remove the Brass connection and fit it on to your Thomson bellows, Voila .

RORY

Ceann Cromtha · Post by **Ceann Cromtha** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:52 am

Hi Ferg,

You could get a small piece of sheet brass (hobby store or on-line) and drill a hole in it to accommodate your existing brass tube. Take this to a jeweler and have them hard solder it at the proper angle and you have your piece. (Sheet brass is easily cut with a hack saw, Dremel tool, etc.)

Regarding attaching it to your bellows: you could drill four holes at each corner and fix it with screws. If you don't want to make more holes in your paddle, you could fix it with the four screws already holding your leather hinge and pad (but getting these lined up might be a challenge.

Good luck,
Dan

Pipewort · Post by **Pipewort** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 6:15 am

Araldite. aeronautical industries glue wings on with it.

Works for me for bellows I make.

pudinka · Post by **pudinka** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 7:13 am

Have you considered getting a longer hose (if needed) and re-wrapping the end to simply plug into the hole on the bellows paddle? That is the way my Williams set was made and I prefer it to others i've seen. Fitting two tapers is better, but his was made with a normal parallel sided hole and it works fine...wrap with waxed Nyltex or similar.

The bellows in your photo look a lot like the Williams bellows. I was lead to believe that he sub-contracted his bellows out, perhaps they are the same?

Fergmaun · Post by **Fergmaun** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:02 am

pudinka wrote:The bellows in your photo look a lot like the Williams bellows. I was lead to believe that he sub-contracted his bellows out, perhaps they are the same?

Dave Williams had his bellows made by Lawrence Thomson I was told by Andy May.

My Lawrence Thomson bellows was made around October to December 2013.

bcullen · Post by **bcullen** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:04 pm

Use plumbers silicon, use a grub screw, drill pilot hole on angle,countersink screw, patch and polish
10min done. Only consideration is the size of screw.

Bryan

Fergmaun · Post by **Fergmaun** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 3:07 am

I will be sending my bellows to David Lim in Manchester England http://www.davidlim-uilleannpipes.com

He will add the brass plate to the existing brass tube and screw it onto bellows.

Cheers

Ferg

Seamie · Post by **Seamie** » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:10 am

Gorilla Glue baby! You can repair airplane fuselages with that stuff

Fergmaun · Post by **Fergmaun** » Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:35 am

Got my Lawrence Thomson bellows back today from David Lim who repaired my bellows by attaching brass plate to the existing brass tube and then screw it onto bellows.

Cheers

Ferg

reedmasters · Post by **reedmasters** » Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:00 am

Looks good Fergus. Think you chose the best solution.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

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