I got some nice mandrels and other tools in the mail yesterday, made by John Ward (aka J-dub):
It includes includes a rolling mandrel, a flattening mandrel and an eye-making mandrel. Also include (a nice surprise) were a groved block for bending the copper sheet and tapered block for tapping the mandrel.
Very nice work. Cheers John.
PJ,
I like your gizmos. What do you use a flattenning madrel for?
Miki
Once you’ve rolled the staple, you need to shape the upper part of it so that it tapers off into the eye. That’s what the flattening mandrel is for.
djm
You should see his bodhráns and pipes hes turning out now too.
Theres something not right about an ape that makes bodhran’s and also makes pipes.
RORY
In fact, it’s a blue-faced baboon (aka a Mandril baboon).
Clever one Dave. Click here for my reply 
Sorry, PJ, didnt mean to make you the butt of the joke. 
djm
I hope John does not mind me saying but he is one bright guy. Over the last 5 years he has been a tremendous help to my pipe building hobby. I was going to post a photo of him playing pipes with oven mitts on but I decided against it.
Dave
The…
pic…
is…
fairly…
big… 
Ah Mr. Ward.
If only you all could hear the sound of gas rushing out of the burners as we tried to light the oven for our first tionól. He came to our rescue…and only had to sacrifice two little eyebrows in the process!
Brian,
That is funny. I remember John came in that day wearing a paddy cap and a green plaid suit coat. Since he is off in the desert probably burning something else I figured I would post the mitts anyway.
The force is strong with this one…
Dave
Great photo! 
great hole coverage
What was he playing? The Pipe on the Hob? The Devil In The Kitchen?
It’s not only highland pipers who get to dress up.
Mukade
Thanks PJ! I hope the tools serve you well. In case anyone is wondering, the tool with the knurled wooden handle has one end that I find useful for shaping the eye after flattening, the other end is a reamer that comes in handy for de-burring and chamfering the ID of the rolled staple tube. Certainly not absolutely required tools for reed making, but I find them helpful.
Yes Dave, I was indeed burning in the black rock desert but I’m back in the supposed real world now wishing I was back in Black Rock City, which is only a memory at this point, at least until next year. I am glad I brought my C set to Burning Man, inspite of the harsh enviromental hazards, 'cause it turns out that there were 17 dudes from Ireland camping accross the street from me. Leave it to the Irish to throw a Mojito party in the middle of the desert complete with a misting sytem, a sound system and DJ and lots of pretty girls! When they found out I had my pipes, well it turned into one hell of a party. I’m still on the road right now, but I will post some photos (if I have any appropriate for the PG audience that is!) when I get back home. Who would have figured that so many half naked girls really dig the pipes 
But such is the magic of Black Rock City.
John
You know there was a request for photos of a nude piper a few years ago… 
