I often wonder what equipment people are using for their homemade sets of pipes(chanters and/or drones)…and there’s getting to be quite a number of them. And where do pro-makers get their tools?
Years ago, rumor had it that Pat Sky paid $2,000 to have a reamer made for making his chanters…what must it cost today? But, I’ve also heard a funny rumor that even soldiers use to make crude chanters by boring them out with a sword tip or dagger (probably not super-hardwoods, if true).
I’ve not seen any website pictures of drills and reamers used by the various pipemakers for boring out a chanter. I’m wondering if anyone has a link for a good close-up picture of what some of these tools look like excatly, or where they could be purchased. The various inside dimensions are fairly well known, but the particular shape of a fine fluted, tapered reamer? There must be several designs, some better, some worse.
I’ve heard the soldier theory. They were supposed to have used a Napoleanic era French rifle bayonette as a reamer. Sounds a strange connection, but the French did assist at the 1798 rebellion of Castlebar and the Irish were a constant source of horses for French cavalry regiments. Stranger things have been true.
Marc
[ This Message was edited by: marcpipes on 2003-01-24 21:19 ]
I bought the one that I have from Tim Britton. It was made by a firm in Rhode Island–I believe he and Kirk Lynch went in on a batch, but I can’t remember where I know that from, so take it with a grain of salt. I’ll see if I can get a picture up. Tim said he had to look for awhile to find someone who could make reamers to the specs and standards he needed–others seem to have little problem making their own with a metal lathe and files.
I spoke to Ian Mackenzie last night and he had finished a new set of reamers for regulators the day before. Seems it’s important for a maker to be able to make their own tools.
This reamer is on Kevin Scotts web page: http://redhotwebshop.com/scott/page3.html
Apparently, much reference is given to “D” drill bits for pilot holes. Casey Burns has a page of bagepipe making tools and procedures…good reading. Chris Bayley shows a diagram of such and describes it’s use: http://www.bagpipeworld.co.uk/MakingBagpipes/Drill.htm
I somehow pictured a sophisticated looking, reverse-spiral tapered fluted reamer like this only longer shaped like the one in the top pic: http://www.unionbutterfield.com/UB/technical/reamers/nomenclature.htm
I originally wondered why the best reed makers/pipe-players couldn’t have a hand-held reamer to correct (in their estimation) what was wrong about some chanters. Of coures this would have to be approved and endorsed by some of the best pipers.
[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2003-01-25 01:48 ]
…I originally wondered why the best reed makers/pipe-players couldn’t have a hand-held reamer to correct (in their estimation) what was wrong about some chanters. Of coures this would have to be approved and endorsed by some of the best pipers.
[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2003-01-25 01:48 ]
Oh Lord…can o’ worms, my dear Lorenzo, can o’ worms.
Lorenzo,
BIG can o’worms! The world is littered with reworked chanters. Say Joe reedmaker feels that some note(s) can be improved on a chanter to fit HIS style of making. In goes the reamer and away goes the chance for the chanter to perform with its optimal reed such as the type the pipemaker used. Some Pakistani chanter might be made to work better by someone who knows what he is doing. But for me to say some Egan, Coyne or Rowsome chanter needs rereamed would be the height of arrogance. I’ve reciently seen a well known reedmaker change his style of reedmaking based on carefull study of original reeds by a noted pipemaker. These changes cured tuning problems he had previously had with chanters by this maker. Had he decided to move holes and/or re-ream the chanter based on how he used to make reeds, the chanter’s tone would probably have been altered, and the world would have again lost the knowlege that was built into the chanter in the first place. We are in the process of rediscovering many lost techniques in the art of pipemaking. Yes there are bad chanters out there, but almost no one with the knowlege to sort them out.
Reminds me of the old urban tale
“Fella finds an old set of Coyne Bs and ask the pipemaker to recondition them.
Phones up a couple of months and asks how it’s going.
“I’ve nearly got them in concert pitch” he replies.”
Alan…that was me, the urban cowboy, that called you up a while back to see if you got the set of coins I pitched out at your last concert!
Ted, I think you’re right…that there is almost no one with the knowlege to sort out the bad chanters. And of course, best to leave the good ones alone alright. The bad ones (or puzzling ones) just need the right reed which perhaps no one can make.
I had my old McFadden narrow-bore D chanter rebored (it had plenty of wood) with cooresponding new finger holes, and it totally changed from a muffled constricted tone to a open free sound which is really quite fine now.
[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2003-01-26 22:24 ]
I don’t see any point in making a good reed for a dud chanter . I wonder If there was a time when pipemakers did not send off the bad chanters , as they would not get paid .
Tom .
[ This Message was edited by: tok on 2003-01-26 23:39 ]
On 2003-01-24 21:18, marcpipes wrote:
I’ve heard the soldier theory. They were supposed to have used a Napoleanic era French rifle bayonette as a reamer. Sounds a strange connection, but the French did assist at the 1798 rebellion of Castlebar and the Irish were a constant source of horses for French cavalry regiments. Stranger things have been true.
Marc
Yes mark you may be interested to know that I make my chanters using a french baynot from a Lablle rifle from 1876. These were used right up until the end of the first world war by british soldiers. Unfortunately most of them had the top 5 or 6 inches removed and the end turned into a screw driver to fit all the screws on the rifle. I was lucky enough to purchase one of these that had not been modified in this way.I just had to file it to the correct size of the bore. It cuts like a dream and can completly ream out a bore in a few minuites leaving a beautiful finish
All the best
John
[ This Message was edited by: marcpipes on 2003-01-24 21:19 ]
I often wonder what equipment people are using for their homemade sets of pipes(chanters and/or drones)…and there’s getting to be quite a number of them. And where do pro-makers get their tools?
Hi Lorenzo
You can see what kind of long boring drills I use, I was shown by Peter and apparently this is how Coyne did his drilling too, its a longer process than a gun, about ten minutes or so for a D chanter, but when the drill comes out spot on centre the other side, it ain’t half a good feeling, AAAHHHHHH, check it out cut and paste, done as in the days of old.
C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Webs\bagpipeworks\drills.htm
In the pic above, the reamer is stationary,
perhaps locked in another chuck,
while the metal lathe turns at a slow rate…
to keep the reamer cool, right?
What does the edge of the tapered reamer look like,
I mean the cutting edge(s) all the way along,
about 15 inches in length, or more?
I just can’t see it in the picture very well.
Hi there,
I’ve made some drills and it worked perfectly but I’m wondering how is the pilot hole done on the metal rod :
I see from davey web site :"
To make your long drill select a section of silver steel rod in the require
diameter/length and drill a pilot hole about a third or nearest the size of the rod, IE, if you have a 3/8" rod then the pilot hole needs to be 1/8".
"
Ok bu how do you do that precisely
The timber revolves and the (drill rod) not a reamer is stationary.
To start the pilot in the rod, you must start the hole with a standard engineers centre, then use a normal drill bit for metal not a wood.
My reamers are made from flat gauge plate and filled into the correct rate of taper which I have several different sizes, its down to the good old hand file using the draw filling method and sweat to make them, treasured items, for only 10 Dollars each.
Someone said to me once, what do you need to do to become a pipe maker, you need to be woodturner, metalworker, engineer, silver smith and sadler all rolled into one.
But for many its difficult to be a master at both trades, there are very few I believe to be masters at piping and making, one is Peter Seaborn Hunter.
I spoke to Ronan Browne a few months ago, he said to me that he thinks that Peter is one of the best pipe makers alive on the planet today.
After drilling the billet, it is best to let the timber settle and let the air get to work on the middle of the timber, six months between stages is what I recommended, a chanter is a year in the making.
Tony, if you have never made a chanter but are interested in seeing how its done, contact me off list and I will gladley show you how to do it using my methods.
Davy, I took industrial arts (woodshop) a few summers when I was a kid… I suppose that qualifies me as dangerous, but I have no desire to build pipes.
I’m still working for two companies and have little free time right now, but let’s see how my workload is this summer. I might take you up on the offer for the knowledge of how pipes are made.
Thanks
You’ve been most generous sharing the secrets of your trade.
