Bay
Where are you. Location might help as there are pipers all over the world and not all annouce their presense
Apprenticeship - depends on the maker as some do and some do not.
Taking on an apprentice can be problematical for some. I was able to watch a lot of my set being made as I lived only 1/2 mile from my maker but he could not take me on as most of the machinery in his workshop was not in line with current UK standards.
John
Hello bay,
Depends on where you are, how close to a pipemaker you are, and such. Get a hold of pipemakers in your area and ask if they are looking for help. Like Elmek pointed out, some are ok with it and some are not looking for any extra help. My suggestion is to let them know of your interest and whatever skills you might have. Be aware that if you do find a maker who is interested in passing on their knowledge at this time, you’ll likely start out by working for little to nothing doing menial tasks, but in the long-run achieving your goal. It’s a work of passion, keep that in mind. Pipemaking will not bring you an outstanding living, but it may bring you the feeling of satisfaction you desire. Anyhoo, good luck with your search.
-mike
i can’t imagine there’s TOO many hot metal chips in pipemaking… i could be wrong… but from what i hear it’s the allergic reactions to exotic wood dusts that’ll get ya… if you want the hot chips i vote for becoming a tool and diemaker… getting a couple of those hot chips of tool steel stuck in your facial hair is awesome especially when the burnt hair smell lingers… 
well, maybe not so much awesome as… suck…
There’s plenty of toolmaking in pipemaking (or should be 
).
Reading the several recent threads about pipemaking, queues, etc. should give numerous perspectives.
I think the first step in pipemaking is spending a long time - I mean a number of years - getting to know the pipes…not just playing your own instrument, but listening to many players and devouring all the information you can find about historic pipes, makers, and players. And then reading/listening all over again 
!
I spent a long time as an “armchair pipemaker” before I finally took the plunge and picked up a chisel. I also spent six years in engineering school (ironic that I never used my engineering education, other than software and general maths/physics, in my previous 25 years of work!)
I am not saying that you have to go to engineering school, of course (though at least one well-known maker does say that, I am told). You can pick up what you need by careful reading and practice, if you learn well that way - I recommend books on “model engineering” (good for small scale machine shop practice), fine jewelry making/goldsmithing, wood turning, and - if you can find them - instrument making. Beware of “amateur instrument making” books and advice; they can give interesting ideas but all too often they suggest methods which yield second-rate results. Books oriented towards the professional in that field would probably better.
Of course the Sean Reid Society Journal volumes are a must, as is David Quinn’s CD-ROM; they represent the most highly concentrated high-quality pipemaking information ever published. I owe a tremendous amount to those sources, and to the hundreds of emails I have received from generous people in response to my queries and comments.
From what I hear, the NPU course could happen sooner than you think. But like every aspect of this business, it’s best not to rush things…
Best regards,
Bill
BillH wrote:
But like every aspect of this business, it’s best not to > rush > things…
Except maybe pipemaking!
Sorry Bill, at the risk of re-opening a can of worms,couldn’t resist the opportunity.