Thin wall tubing for staples

Uilleann Pipes
1

I’ve noticed makers and players moving from conical to cylindrical tubing for staples. Most sources (hobby stores) I have checked out only carry 0.014" thickness tubing.

I have a Tim Britton reed that seems to use thinner-walled tubing. Does anyone have experience with this? Suppliers?

Also, it just may be that the ends are reamed out a bit. If there is an easy answer, great, Otherwise, I’ll give Tim a call and see what’s up.

Stay tuned!

Eric

2

Hi Eric,
I have three D chanters and one C chanter from different makers and they all have staples made from straight 3/16" OD .014" wall thickness brass tube. This is a common size from hobby stores.

I’ve inquired to several pipemakers and they have told me there are slight differences in chanters designed to use tapered staples. If you are re-reeding a chanter that has a tapered staple you might want to stay with that method as the straight tubing may give you tuning problems in the second octave. I don’t know if rushing the staple would cure it. Best to ask the pipemaker that question.
As far as the Britton staple being a different thickness, I suppose it’s possible to turn this thinner, but why ? Is it tubing or hand rolled ??

For great reedmaking diagrams check out Seth Gallagher’s website. The URL is:

[ This Message was edited by: Tony on 2001-10-12 14:27 ]

3

I’ve since had some time to work on some more reeds for the Britton-friendly chanters and find that the thin-wall versus thick wall doesn’t have much of a very obvious effect. I’ve gotten some nearly-acceptable reeds using the typical hobby thickness reeds to work in a chanter that originally had the thin-wall staple. The jury is still out, though it could be the effect (if any) is more subtle than I will be able to notice with my amateurish reeds.

Also, I know that Andreas Rogge switched over from conical to cylindrical tubing. I haven’t bugged anyone yet to see how he changed his reed dimensions.

4

My Tim Britton pipes (and spare reeds) also all look like thin-walled tubing. They’re not hand-rolled, and look to the eye as though they have been reamed. I don’t remember if it is his book or another’s that suggests reaming the tubing, but someone’s book suggests it as an option.

Dionys

5

I’m not a piper, my primary instrument is the oboe, so I don’t know if this is helpful.
I just measured some english horn staples and they are 3/16" i.d. and of course tapered. There are lots of double reed suppliers on the web.

6

Hi Eric,
Just noticed you are in Colorado, if I’m not being to nosy where in Co.? I live up north in thornton, if you are in the Denver area maybe we could get together for a pint and chat sometime.
As a side note, the Chieftains will be here Jan. 20th and some of us from the board are going to get together to see the show, you would be more than welcome to join us.

Ron

7

i have tim’s book on reed making,“MY Method”, and he says to use 5/32 ID-3/16 OD brass hobby tube, with the burrs caused by the tubing cutter removed with a fluted taperd reamer.you could insert a 5/32 drill bit in the open end to check the size.it’s a really good little book with some sound advice on many prolbems all pipers encounter.somewhere in there he says"ream it and ream it well".
good luck,tansy