What size of sandingblock ( diam.mm) you use when making D-reeds?
blocksize for staplechamber(diam mm)
cheers
I don’t have my calipers here to make the conversion, but for a D chanter reed anything from 2.5" to 3" seems to work pretty well in most cases.
As for the tone chamber above the staple, I don’t sand that…just gouge it out. I suppose if you really WANTED to sand it though you could. Probably the easiest thing to do would be to wrap the staple itself in sandpaper and just go nuts with it that way.
Bri~
http://home.planet.nl/~HartDD/Reed/reed3.html
“Sanding block ± 58 mm diameter. Just to smooth the chambers.”
http://www.uilleann.com/reeds.html
“Finishing the slip requires a round sanding block. I find that a 2.25-2.50” OD PVC pipe section works well for the D reed…"
1" = 25.4mm
I use anything between 72mm - 82mm block. My specific block is an 82mm and would normally use that (for concert pitch anyway), and I use any old bottle that suits if I need anything different (Hungarian Chilli Palinka at 75mm is a favourite at the moment for C chanters). anything more than 72mm (i.e. 72mm - 0mm) causes the reed to be prone to collapse as it creates too big a chamber and requires more closing down than I like (I think this also has a detrimental effect on the tone). The piece from Ted in the ‘Ted Thread’ about the soft(er) cane used by Cillian O’Briain and the lips being thicker due to less scraping and being more stable, is something I lean toward. And a thicker slip/less scraping etc., does not automatically mean a hard to blow reed… The inner chamber of the reed can as easily be reduced/ enlarged by the staple shape to help playability
Alan
I use a 2.54" stone rolling pin that makes great reeds with the Whitmer Spanish cane I have. I have just gotten some French and California cane that I haven’t used yet.
Benedict Koehler recommended 2.75" at his class in '96.
Whoops forgot about that! Yes, just a gouge, though an old wine cork can be used as a former. I almost thought I noted a difference between plain gouged and gouged/sanded, but not enought to remark on. Which I just did, so… ummm. Anyway, if your gouge is sharp enough, it shouldn’t really need sanding.
On a gouging note, C O’B is making his ger deers without a gouge (breaking news, subject to change 
). They are flat chiselled and the scrape formed mostly with a cannelled gouge (No5?). The staple makes for producing the cavity, and the lack of ‘concavity’ should discourage overblowing I would have thought (Though squealing would seem a likely by-product?) Makes sense. And my new gers are great. I haven’t tried that method yet. I reckon Cillian could make a reed out of glass though.
Was it Ted who mentioned PK burnishing with a thumbnail? There’s a thought. Reedmaking with your bare hands. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
Alan
I have heard that PK uses a longneck beer bottle for a sanding cylinder.
The burnishing comment was made here:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=17398&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=378addd777ed1e3d41a206852c6b6b64
and here:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=8219&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=378addd777ed1e3d41a206852c6b6b64
uh… and here:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=12998&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15&sid=378addd777ed1e3d41a206852c6b6b64
Result?? some of the best made reeds had been made with 220 grit paper and not necessarily with a smooth burnished inside.
Yes that’s it Tony! I note that I am repeating myself, save that I have progressed from sparkling herb drink to distilled pear spirit. Let this be a lesson in reedmaking!! Hic!!!
FP, The burnishing is a post-sanding technique. (which I must add doesn’t do it for me). But I’m not going to waste a £25 manicure on a reed… 
Alan, thanks for bringing it up. I really like the search feature as there’s way too much information to recall without it.
I have been searching for a sanding cylinder that is ~80mm in diameter. Where can someone get a circular piece of wood that large? None of the big-box hardware places have anything like it. The two custom wood shops I went to did not either. Hart and Rogge use what looks like segments of hand railing. The hand railing material sold around here (again, big-box retailers) is too narrow in diameter. Any suggestions?
t
Any woodworker with a lathe should be able to turn you one of any diameter.
Tommy, that’s just over 3 1/8" diameter.
You should be able to find something suitable for this in PVC. plastic or metal.
Try contacting some tubing supplier for a (free) sample.
http://www.smallparts.com could be your source.