This may seem simple, but when adding hemp
to the joints in my instrument, it keeps
unravelling, any suggestions as to how to
keep the hemp thread in place?
Beeswax
I thought real aficionados secured their hemp in the soundbox;-)
On 2003-02-01 12:53, Roger O’Keeffe wrote:
I thought real aficionados secured their hemp in the soundbox;-)
I wonder if you could make a soundbox out of a rizla rolling tin?
Mac
I use waxed dental floss, as it tends to shrink and expand less with humidity and the wax acts as an adhesive making it stick to itself.
Marc
Hemp…and joints…in the same post???
Yeah…beginner question. Ready?
What does putting “hemp in the joints” mean? I imagine we’re talking about binding some part of the instrument…somewhere around the tuning slides? Just a guess. One thing I know. Uilleann pipes make my Calculus seem easy.
Joey
edit: 'spelled UILLEANN wrong. See, even SPELLING the word makes calculus seem easy…
[ This Message was edited by: joey_schu on 2003-02-02 16:59 ]
Hi Folks,
I was wondering if anyone finishes off the thread end the way you would if you were whipping the end of a rope or putting new rings on a fishing rod. It would keep the thread from unraveling.
Cheers, Mac
Some tiny bit for clarity . I think it is tenon joint .
All joking apart, my life has been changed since I discovered waxed dental floss.
Johnson & Johnson’s is excellent both for joint winding and for reedmaking because it’s actually a very fine ribbon, so by winding carefully you can control the thickness and also get a good air seal.
For joints I suggest first winding with hemp for bulk, then finishing with a couple of layers of floss to get an even finish.
Beeswax works…tried and true method.
I wouldn’t “knot” it as this would cause problems
One of our local boys puts CHAPSTICK on his hemp tenon joints to “glue” it down..and add lubrication to the joint…I’ve not tried this method..quite frankly it creeps me out!
Along these lines, every so often my “joint” pops off (and please, no pun here) the bag. While I’m at it, what is the tube called that connects the bellows to the bag?? The seals on both ends are cork, and I’m wondering whether cork expands and contracts as well. Is there anything that I can use on these cork seals? I bought a chapstick looking thing called VITO, cork and neck grease… should I use this to condition these seals?
Of course, I could just be squeezing too hard sometimes.
Hi Elbogo,
AFAIK the parts from the Bellows to bag are as follows, Metal pipe connected to bellows - OUTLET, flexible pipe - OUTLET PIPE, wooden pipe going into bag - BLOWPIPE, wooden part tied into bag that the blowpipe pushes into - BLOWPIPE STOCK. I assume the part that you’re referring to coming apart is the blowpipe coming out of the blowpipe stock. I don’t think cork grease will help, I think it’s used to prevent the cork from abrading and becoming loose. Yours appears to be loose already so I’d try to tighten it with beeswax or dental floss (tape) or even PTFE plumbers tape. The blowpipe to blowpipe stock isn’t normally taken apart. I should remind you that I’m a novice myself so you might want to double check what I’ve said although I don’t think anything I’ve said is likley to damage your pipes 
Cheers, Mac
When you are satisfied that the whipping is tight enough in the ferrule, beeswax the last three feet or so of thread, then with a couple of half hitches pull it tight.
Try not to beeswax too much because beeswax tends to be very sticky and when it
hardens can make the stock so secure that it might take some getting out again, if this happens, give the whipping a light rub with a normal candle wax, this will lube it enabling it to come out of the stock easier.
Davy.
Useful clarification, a Mhic Eachain.
One word of warning: if the inlet valve on the blowpipe is the usual leather clack valve type, you’ve got to be very careful to position the blowpipe so that the hinge is at the top when the bag is in the normal playing position, and that you don’t pinch it between the blowpipe and stock, as otherwise it won’t close properly and you’ll get back-pressure into the bellows.
Good advice from Davy there…Beeswax can become almost like superglue and can make it darn near impossible to get a drone out of the stock…I can tell you from experience on this one!..poor drone…sniff…