As a newbie to piping, I was wondering if there is a set of fabrication standards for bags, bellows, chanters drones. In other words will one makers bag receive another’s chanter, bellows? Are the connections standard in north America and UK?
Standardisation in uilleann pipes - now that is a novel idea.
No, nor in Ireland. There’s always a good chance that things will fit together, or can be made to fit, but no guarantees.
The majority of makers make a bag/chanter connection at something around 3/8".
Thank-you for asking a question that I didn’t really dare to ask, because I don’t know much about piping yet.
But since we’re here now, allow me to elaborate a little on the original question:
So OK, the size of the bag opening for the chanter stock is about 3/8". Next, is there any common size for the stock to windcap connection? And for connecting the windcap to the chanter proper? Because I see a lot of people selling separate chanters here, or separate bags-with-stocks, so I’m curious as to how they expect the buyer to assemble parts from different sources.
The same questions apply to the drones and regulators: are drone stock cups, stocks and individual drones and regulators to a certain amount interchangeable?
It feels quite like a newbie / FAQ question, but I do like to browse the internet a bit, and haven’t found an answer yet.
Well it sounds like it is up to the maker. I would have thought that there might have been some kind of convention. Thanks for the replies.
Matt
I didn’t write that. I wrote that the majority of makers use something about 3/8". Meaning that the air-intake on the chanter top will be of approx. 3/8" brass, but will be wrapped in waxed threat to make it fit snugly into the chanter stock on the bag.
This is what I was referring to, so see above.
This varies more than the chanter stock/air intake. I’ve seen it vary from 15 to 17 mm.
I don’t know of any “standard” used by pipemakers for either mainstock cups or for drones/regulators. You’ll frequently hear that someone has put regulators by maker X with drones (and stock) by maker Y but I imagine that maker X would have checked the dimentions of the stock.
Oh, right, I get it now. I should have guessed it from the given size alone, but I’m not so good with fractions of inches. Never mind!
another project for a worldwide ISO-Standard: interchangeable reeds where ever you stay in the world! Go to a pipes-workshop and buy a reed that fits regarding diameter of staple, lenght, width and cane, unique for all chanters! Same for bag & bellow-joints, chanter connection to bag! How nice would it be to test a chanter with standardized pressure! And what about cane: may the spanish cane be EN-standardised!
What about these measurements in international Millimeters instead of inches? Who uses still inches, pounds, gallons and feet?
Once all humans have been standardised,then there maybe a chance.
RORY
I think we’re more likely to see World Peace and a unified field theory first.
Until then, the world makes do with Teflon tape and waxed hemp 
Right-on Cat! here’s to the H.E.M.P. standard…
Have
Enough
Material &
Patience
Very much in the vein of the old Midas Muffler commercial:“We’'ll make it fit!”
If the teflon and hemp don’t work, get a BFH (Big Frapping Hammer).!
If that doesn’t do it, get a bigger hammer.
And finally, if that doesn’t work, get a Porta-Power. . . 
Bob
The conception of interchangeable reeds seems to have existed in the “flat-system”. All flat chanters (Bb, B, C, C#, NBD) use a fairly similiar taper and (normally) all “flatreeds” are (without bigger modifications) fairly easily interchangeable (a flatreed quite often works in the whole “flat-family” of chanters - e. g. Bb AND NBD). There are exeptions, though. For sure - with the invention of CP these exeptions have become standardized .
One way to look at it is that the uilleann pipes is a folk instrument. Interest in it comes from enthusiasts, most of whom have to seek it out. Every player, or maker, is a king, so to speak. All is a matter of opinion, with no Academy or organization looking over one’s shoulder to say what is right or wrong. There are no standards (“concert pitch” might be an exception).
Some opinions are more widely held or widely respected than others. Some ways of doing things are more common than others. As for an Academy, NPU is perhaps taking steps in that direction, as with the Pipecraft Training Centre and other efforts. If it happens, it will be the work of a generation or more.
As one who makes & sometimes repairs pipes I attest that lack of standardization is a pain in the neck. It is also one of the charms of the instrument, where many ideas have been tried, some smart, some wacky. The final judge in these matters is the individual player.
Nick Whitmer
Where would one find waxed hemp? I never thought of teflon tape. I love this place!
Matt
Waxed hemp - cobblers, shoe repairers or leather goods workshops.
You can also make your own waxed hemp (or equivalent) very easily with some thread and a wax. I saw Benedict Koehler use Dental Floss/tape to which he added wax. I’ve made wax by melting and mixing beeswax, cheese wax (babybell) and a small bit of pitch.
I wouldn’t recommend teflon tape. It shreds, bits get everywhere and it’s also very difficult to remove.
or
The Banba Ireland fellow has it. He has a couple of CPs on this board and a facebook page; PM him for a catalog.
And of course, NPU does too. http://store.pipers.ie/store/product/8005/Hemp---Yellow-----------------/
If that link doesn’t work just go to store.pipers.ie and type “hemp” into the search window and there it will be.
While you’re there, and if you have the dosh, considering joining Na Paiobairi Uilleann. It’s a worthy cause, and they can use the support. I’ve found them very helpful over the last three years, and people who join help make it possible for them to offer a ton of instructional stuff for free here:
http://source.pipers.ie/Default.aspx
(this was not a paid testimonial 
)
(and I still like Teflon tape just fine in a pinch, esp if thread’s too thick)
(and while you’re at Lowe’s, might as well pick up a little electrical tape; you’ll use that at some point too! )