Where can I get hold of the dimensions of a D chanter, in particular, the distance from the reed to the top hole ?
Any help will be much appreciated.
Why, exactly, do you want to know?
p.s. - That’s a very scary question. (Can you work out why?) Also, there’s no “correct” answer, at least the way you’ve asked it…
I think he wants to make a one holed chanter 
That way he only has to concentrate on Lesson 13 in Heathers Book…
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
No mystery here, I have been given an old (cracked) chanter, less reed, and of unknown key. I want to have a go at making a new one, hence the question.
Whoa…how scary is that ? Be afraid, be very afraid…
http://www.morpethnet.co.uk/chantry/
Pop along here for the day ye are near enough.Ye could fone them aforhand and ask if it will be OK to measure a chanter or two…
Uilliam
So Allen -
I’m not trying to give you a hard time here. But it’s still confusing… you ask only for a single measurement for a “D chanter”, as if that will tell you anything… there is no ‘standard’ distance from the top of the chanter, though you should not assume from this that it does not matter - it matters enormously! But there is a multiplicity of designs for D chanters, all of which have unique needs.
Yet you have given no information about your own chanter - and indicate that you are not even sure what pitch it is designed to play in! If the chanter is “cracked”, and you wish to make a “copy” of it, then why ask the list for this information? Basically we do not have it. However, if you post pictures, length measurement to the nearest millimeter, and other information, someone on this list may be able to help you identify it.
Also, a chanter bore is generally not just a straight cone from minimum at the “throat” to a maximum at the “bell” - many chanter bores are quite complex. This is critical to making any reasonably accurate “copy”.
I would not suggest that a newcomer to the basics of pipemaking ask for a “hands on” inspection of a museum collection. It’s the job of museum curators to control access to historic instruments, so such access is usually limited to persons with the necessary background and equipment to accurately measure and interpret the finer points of the bore. Otherwise, people who are more experienced may be denied access to an instrument on the basis that it has “already been measured”, even if those previous measurements are inadequate for the purposes of the experienced maker.
If you are interested in pipemaking, I would suggest that you investigate the ‘other forum’ on reeds and pipemaking, where there is a considerable bit of information:
http://uilleannforum.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4, or the Pipemaking Forum at the NPU website:
http://pipers.ie/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=4
I’ve seen the work of some people who decided to “have a go” at pipemaking, sometimes the results can be very scary indeed
I wholeheartedly encourage interested people to explore it, but it should IMO be approached with considerable care and thoroughness if you are interested in playable results.
Best regards,
Bill
I think its the whole lenght of the chanter that would give a better indication of what pitch the chanter is ,and then there is some formula (1/8 for every inch of chanter) for the staple lenght.
I,m not sure of the figures ,you’ld have to find them out for yourself.
RORY
As Rory mentioned, it’s possible to estimate the pitch from the length. Between 14 and 15 inches it’s most likely in Concert D. Flat chanters are longer.
Why don’t you measure the chanter and post the results. Also, take a few photos of the chanter. Someone on the forum might be able to identify it for you. Once you know the pitch and maker, someone here will be able to give you measurements for the reed.
On second thinking I agree wi Bill stay awa frae Morpeth also I am not so sure that they have any D Chanters there.It is mainly Northumbrian pipes but I thought they had at least one set o UPs could be wrang…who knows who cares…
Uilliam
ps Rory the formulae is Chanter length x1/8+1/8 to approximate the staple length of the reed.Dave Hegarty.Reedmaking Made Easy(your avin a larf arnt yooo)