Where (or how) do you store your pipes??
In a case, under the bed, on a table, hung on the wall… ?
My bellows came with a ring on the last hole of the elbow strap, probably for hanging, but I had to remove it to keep from snagging the regulator keys.
Tony, the ring is there because, if its not included, most pipers will add it anyway. The idea is that, when you are unbuckling/adjusting the bellows, you are usually doing it one-handed, and if the tail comes out of the buckle, it is a real bitch to get back in again. The ring prevents the tail from coming all the way out of the buckle.
I would not store them on the wall.
I would not store them in the hall.
I would not store them 'neath the bed.
I would not store them on my head.
I like to keep them in a case
shaped like a rectangle, not a vase.
djm
Ahhh… it’s a retaining ring and not a ‘reg-buster’
I used to undo the strap everytime… until I saw Eamonn Dillon play the ‘lazy man’ technique. Just set it a little loose. I suppose this won’t work in cold climates where you’re wearing long sleeved shirts or jackets.
This brings up another quirk. The waist belt with the buckle in the front… rubs against the rubber hose leaving ‘black parmesian’ flakes on my clothes.
I’ve reversed the belt so the buckle is in the back.
Hi Folks,
I keep mine in a case which stays in the room here, below the table. About the ring on the arm strap, I put one on mine to avoid what DJM just mentioned, I also turned the strap around so that the buckle is towards the “non hinge” end, it means that I can pull the loose end forwards to tighten the strap rather than trying to reach around. Also it lets the loose end hang to the back rather than the front where it could catch on reg’s, if I had any.
Cheers, Mac
Tony, just read your last post, to be clear it was the bellows strap that I turned around.
edit, I meant non hinge end.
in one of two cases, on the floor.
one case is large enough and padded that I don’t have to disassemble regs or drones to put it in there, just take off the chanter and bellows. unfortunately, it is huge and weighs a ton.
the other is the one that came with the pipes and requires 2 drones and the bass reg to be taken apart, leaving me with a loose reed. it’s a b with an itch, and i hate it, but it’s a more manageable size/weight.
You know, I’ve never seen a player with a ring…and such a thing never occurred to me.
A few shots from ‘the obsession’ showing the ring attached to the elbow strap
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/photos/langan_2002/kelly_church.jpg
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/photos/langan_2002/giles_church.jpg
I keep my chanters and reeds in a closed wooden box in the bedroom under a table. everything else lives on the dinningroom table. kind of a constant reminder and its quick to plug in a chanter to play, the drones always ready 
i keep the chanters in a closed box to slow down climate changes to the wood and reeds.
I usually have mine lined up on the back of the couch.
The back is wide enough and long enough to hold both D and C drones and the chanters. The bag and bellows usually get dumped on the floor at my playing stool, unless I have company, then they get stored in my gig bag (a drag around soft-sided luggage bag with wheels).
Living in earthquake country, my pipes stay in their hard cases when I’m not playing them. Just before I moved out here a friend told me about someone she knew in California who kept his $20k Gibson flying V hanging on the wall where he could admire it. A fairly minor quake left it in two pieces on the floor. 
As I also live in an area prone to earthquakes, I keep my pipes in a case at all times…even when playing them (kidding…).
This brings up another thing for us to bitch about: has anybody ever actually seen a case that has been molded and lined on the inside specifically for uilleann pipes? I certainly haven’t. Most every other instrumentalist in the world has cases that are specially designed to protect their instruments, while pipers generally just throw their pipes in nice looking boxes with hinges and let all the parts bounce around inside. Okay, most of us are lucky and besides, we usually don’t take our pipes offroading. But really, if I’m going to spend seven grand on an instrument, I want to get a case for it that is specifically molded and lined for the instrument so that it fits snugly inside(and maybe also has a humidity gauge to boot).
The best pipe case I’ve ever seen was a viola case modified for a set of highland pipes. The guy who owned it had gutted it and added his own fittings so that the pipes fit perectly inside and didn’t shift around…just like what you see with the cases for any orchestral instrument.
The “Froment” pipe case holds things in nice and tight - no worry about damage. One thing to consider adding to your pipe case is a chanter bag that prevents it from any marks, etc.
A good point about cases is made here:
Is anyone familliar with a company that produces cases for things like fiddles, guitars, flutes, oboes etc.?? I would think there would have to be one somewhere. Not only do they have cases made to fit their instruments exactly, but they almost always have one or more compartments for accessories. Not that we would ever use such an extravagant and useless addition! LOL 
I would have thought the pipe-case issue had been done to death by now. There are several threads on this board citing many sources. Perhaps trying to do a Search would help.
djm
I store mine in a hope chest. I don’t have a case so I put the chanter in the tray in chest and the rest with music and other stuff in the box part. Helps keep the moths down too
djm-
A lot of these posts are from America, and americans recycle everything.. Even tired movie plots.
Dionys
My pipes get “stored” by lying them on a table… the case is usually off on the floor. But I always keep them in the basement, as the humidity is slightly better (higher) there than the rest of the house. As of last night, the basement humidity was 27%… upstairs was probably on the order of 17% - there were static electricity shocks aplenty upstairs.
Stay tuned,
BrianC
FWIW, I usually store my pipes assembled, on top of the case with a towel draped over them. The towel keeps the dust off, while leaving the pipes ready to play. I make sure there in a place where nothing can fall on them (earthquake country) and out of any direct sunlight.
YMMV,
No E