dimensions for a rolling mandrel

Uilleann Pipes
1

Hi all,

would someone be able to provide me with, or point me in the direction of, the dimensions for a rolling mandrel for a ‘typical, generic’ Rowsome-style (Dave Hegarty - style if you like) concert pitch reed, ie, for a 14 1/4 inch wide-bore chanter? Need some sort of starting point from which to work.

Thanks in advance

2

‘typical, generic’ Rowsome-style

Haha, that’s a good one! :laughing:

But seriously, for things that are actually Rowsome-like, Benedict K. recommends (imperial measurements, sorry!)
rolling a 0.540"/0.600" wide strip of 0.020" (i.e. 0.5mm) copper, 2" long. I’ve found that to be a very useful staple size. On some chanters you can advantageously increase the 0.540" to 0.550" but a few thousandths can make a big difference. (Only for exceptionally large bores have I had to increase the larger diameter, to about 0.605" or greater; too big a staple in a Rowsome-type chanter seems to wreak havoc, at least in my experience.)

That comes out to about 4.35mm I.D.at the big end, 3.86 at the small end, and 52mm length. Maintain the taper in the mandrel a bit longer than 2" for ease of rolling and/or in case you change your mind or need a slightly smaller or larger staple later on. The taper involved is just under 0.25mm per inch or 1:200.

FWIW, the heads I put on these, following BK’s example, are usually rather narrow, i.e. about 12.3mm wide, and the reeds end up long-ish at 85/86mm. This seems to work for chanters I’ve tried in the 356/363 mm length range. Leaving the eye as open as your chanter allows, without the back D breaking, seems to help with the Es; I tend to range between 1.75 and 1.9mm. It can depend hugely, of course, on your method of forming the slip.

Bill

P.S. - Edited to add, these are just a “works for me” starting point. Others experience may differ. I am in turn indebted to Benedict Koehler for giving me my starting point for these reeds. I haven’t had to stray far from it, dimensionally.

3

Haha…yes…I figured I might get a few laughs with that one…couldn’t really think of any other way to put it :laughing:

Thanks though Bill, that’s very helpful info to start with..

Cheers,

DavidG