Reply from the maker of Gouge Machine

Uilleann Pipes
1

"Hello Padraig

Reeds & Tools is planning to build gougers for Uilleann pipes. It depends on how many serious potential buyers we have when the machine will become available. Next month we have planned to start building a large series of our compact gougers: versions for oboe, Gaita, Great Highland Bagpipes and maybe also Uilleann pipes. Problem with the Uilleann pipe reeds is their length: for most bagpipe reeds our compact gouger is the perfect choice. Maximum cane length our compact gouger can process however is 100mm and many Uilleann pipe slips are longer than that so we would need to use the base of our large gouger for the Uilleann pipe reeds or make an extended compact gouger base. We have not decided what to do yet. I prefer the extended base but that would mean more time.

Eventually we will build gougers for Uilleann pipe reeds anyway but the more requests we have the sooner we will start developing/building them.

If I can find at least 5 seriously interested potential buyers than I think I can persuade my colleagues to start making Uilleann pipe reed gougers as soon as possible and then chances are that we will have gougers for the Uillean pipes by the end of this year.

The only gougers for bagpipes we have at the moment are one for Scottish and Northumbrian smallpipes and French bagpipes.

If we are going to make the Uilleann pipe reed gouger with an extended compact gouger base it will be possible to convert the machine into one that can process other bagpipe reed types or even oboe reeds.



So here is my question:
Would you seriously consider buying our gouger if it becomes available in January 2013 for a price of about €1200? (no obligation, price including VAT, may vary)

If yes please let me know so that I can ad you to my database. (of course without obligations but we need serious answers because developing and building a new series of machines is very expensive)

I probably already have 5 seriously interested buyers. I may ask you about technical details to be able to make our machine as versatile as possible.



Best regards

Chris van Os

Reeds & Tools
"

2

"The machines we make are designed to serve the users as well as possible.
About our gougers: you will find no other machine that is more flexible than ours, we can make gougers for every reed type that you want and the quality of the end result is unmatched.
About the profiler: this machine is initially designed for bassoon reeds. I know a thing or two about reed making for bagpipes because I build and play them myself and I re-designed the profiler to process smallpipe reeds. The smallpipe reeds are very simple, bassoon reeds are not and our profiler can make complex profiles if necessary. However: whether or not I can make this type of profiler suitable for making Uilleann pipe reeds is not certain. We are developing a completely new type of profiler at the moment, one that works with templates to create any profile you want. This new machine will most likely have no problem at all with making Uilleann pipe reed profiles. It will also be easy and inexpensive to exchange the templates so making reeds with various profiles will be an easy task when working with this new machine.

…I make various profiles for bassoon and contra bassoon reeds for which my machines need much more adjustment than when I would make various smallpipe reed types but all adjustments are done within 5 minutes and are accurate within 0,01mm!
We also make multiple cylinders; the cylinders are responsible for the profile of the reed from middle to sides. The smallpipe machine is however designed to make very simple slips that are of even thickness from middle to the sides. The thickness from collar to tip and overall thickness can be set up any way you want, fast, easy and accurate! Within a few minutes."

Regards
Chris van Os
Reeds & Tools

3

from Youtube:

“Reeds & Tools is planning to build gougers for Uilleann pipes. It depends on how many serious potential buyers we have when the machine will become available. Next month we have planned to start building a large series of our compact gougers: versions for oboe, Gaita, Great Highland Bagpipes and maybe also Uilleann pipes.”