All reputable pipe makers should provide a downloadable or printed manual/booklet for the instruments made and delivered to the customers. If you buy a chanter for $1400, I’d expect the maker to provide a user manual for the chanter, the most important chapter of which should be reed dimensions and reedmaking hints for the particular chanter design the maker delivers. At the same time at least 5 staples with the desirable dimensions shoud be delivered along with all chanters.
Am I missing something?
Miki
You may be. Missing something I mean. Not sure what you want in the ‘manual’. Things are pretty straight forward.
And if the chanter comes with a reed, you have the dimensions right there.
Seth Gallagher gave me a booklet pertaining to his pipes when I got my set. Mostly maintenance info; as opposed to musical instruction. I bought a couple extra staples off him some months later.
There’ s plenty of useful books out there.
I agree with Peter that a working reed is much better than any dimensions.
I supply staples with a new set of pipes on request; they do add a little to the cost of a chanter of course.
I have a hunch about what may be underlying Miki’s post: I recently gave him a couple of larger hand-rolled staples that seem to work better in his Hunter C than tube staples or the staple of the reed that came with the chanter (secondhand?). But here’s the rub: those larger staples didn’t work so well in other Hunter flat chanters at the same workshop at WCSS. All of them were fine chanters, no question… but the other chanters seemed to fare better with tube (or at least, smaller) staples. The fact is, every chanter will have its own personality, it’s just the nature of the thing. For whatever reason, one sometimes finds that a maker’s “standard pattern” isn’t the best for a chanter (or, just as importantly, for a particular player).
For instance different players “blow” chanters differently, and some prefer a more-closed or more-open reed. While a given chanter/reed design may work “best” by the maker’s reckoning with a particular reed stiffness/blowing style/etc., it probably is not reasonable for a maker to expect an experienced player to adopt new playing habits wholesale - in practice player must adapt to the instrument but maker/reedmaker must also adapt the instrument to the player. It’s a compromise, and the more experienced the player, the more preferences are likely to be weighted towards player rather than maker.[*]
This individualism is, I think, at the crux of where the notion of a prescribed formula for reedmaking or adjusting fails. Of course a good maker will observe particular quirks or adjustments strategies that suit his or her chanters, and ought to convey them as best he can, but a manual may be of limited value except for relative novice players. In the case of novices, there are some resources available which should be availed of.
best regards,
Bill
[*] that said, I do think that it takes time for even the most experienced player to “get to know” a chanter, and so it may make sense to wait before deciding on modifications to reed or instrument.
Some of the dimensions cannot be measured unless you take apart the reed, and some other parameters are not visible immediately; sanding block diameter, for example.
Things are not straightforward at all, IMHO, anyway, when talking about bagpipes. If it were so, a reed that works in a good chanter would work in another good chanters.
David Daye gives printed instructions for his penny chanters and plastic rushes in case you need them, very handy.
Sam Lawrence, was very kind and sent me dimensions and instructions in emails for the C chanter he made me, this is what Bill mentioned. Today I am able to make reeds for this C chanter I love so much, if only I had drones for it 
. But I have other chanters from other makers and I have no exact instructions how to make reeds for them.
I am sure Bill gives loads of information for his chanters; if only I had one .
My posting here is to encourage makers to make their customers even happier, especially the ones who are willing to gouge, scrape, sand cane,
by providing, posting detailed informations and instructions about the objects of our obsession.
BTW, books, if I were a maker, I’d send a (free) copy of an appropriate reedmaking guide along with my expensive chanters, just to warn my clien that reedmaking cannot be avoided by pipers living far away from makers or “reed doctors”.
just to warn my clien that reedmaking cannot be avoided by pipers living far away from makers or “reed doctors”.
I don’t know, can’t it?
I started the pipes in 1992 and I have made exactly 2 reeds…and I regret never learning.
Now I am slowing returning to the UPs reed making is going to be a priority. I have the cane. Some tools are on the way…
'kin 'ell.
Mukade
You think so? Sanding block diameter can’t always be determined that way either, as the reed invariably deforms once tied in. I guess staple eye and shape of the staple “flattened” section are easier to see once the reed is dismantled, but the eye can be measured fairly well (with wire probes) without dismantling the reed. If you have a suggested staple size then I am not sure what you’d want to dismantle the reed for. A working reed is good in that it gives you some idea of the stiffness and crow pitch.
My reedmaking method doesn’t use sanding blocks - should I prescribe a certain reedmaking method for use with my chanters? That seems a bit heavy-handed. As you say, not so straightforward.
Bill
Some things that might help new (or used) instrument owners are some basic do’s and don’ts. How and when to treat or season the wood and metal. How and when to wrap hemp for seasonal changes, how to avoid over wrapping, what type of hemp to use (ie avoid teflon tape). Keeping an eye on the mainstock so it doesn’t go flying across the room when he humidity drops. How to maintain the keys. There are a lot of little things to keep an eye on that I haven’t seen covered in any of the books out there. A lot of this is passed on at tionóils or on websites or wherever, but for someone in isolation it could be handy stuff.
I don’t know if it’s something I’d expect every pipemaker to provide, but if some ambitious soul put together a booklet it might be quite handy much like some of the reed booklets out there.
Re: wrapping materials.
I see a fair amount of heavily waxed, thick “hemp” being used on tenons and other joints on uilleann pipes in my neck of the woods. The yellow stuff that GHBers use on their sets.
This strikes me as not a good choice (it is thick, does not wind very evenly, can be sticky and does not expand/contract very well with the wood), Unwaxed cotton thread is a much better material. Am I right on this?
T
Hi Tom;
The waxed yellow stuff is pretty common over here too…
I think the waxed stuff is fine for drone reed tenons and joints that you don’t want to move; however I would recommend unwaxed cotton or linen for drone slide tenons. I take the stickiness to be an advantage for reed tenons, as you don’t have to make the joint tight enough to hold from compressive/tendile forces alone.
Of course in a climate where things swell and contract a lot, it pays to check joints for over-tightness as well as looseness; probably not a lot of people do that, but it could prevent problems. I could have this wrong of course, regarding the suitability of waxed stuff…
Bill
Sorry, but I can’t help but think this is a bit much. It is enough that pipers have to buy all this foreign stuff to build reeds in the first place, but this is just getting a bit too obscure.
I don’t think any pipemaker needs publish a whole book, but certainly a fact sheet with measurements for the mandrel, all staples and reed material required should be a minimum. If the pipemaker chooses to get more elaborate and expand on how to maintain the pipes, how to fit the pipes to an individual’s build, and any other tidbits the pipemaker thinks would make his product better or improve his customers’ experience would only go towards solidifying the maker’s reputation.
Some pipemakers are quite wordy, and happy to write voluminously. Others not at all. I think it’s great when a pipemaker chooses to discuss what he does, and I am appreciative of any information he chooses to share. I do not think we need to burden pipemakers with a requirement to document everything to do with pipes and pipemaking, and I don’t think that was what was initially being requested on this thread. Just a fact sheet that applied specifically to that set/chanter would suffice, I think. That’s a lot more than many pipemakers provide today.
djm
Look, all you need is a piece of wire. Nothing obscure about that, anyone with calipers can do it. If someone is thinking of dismantling a reed in order to get the eye dimensions, it is totally unnecessary. This is the point (dismantling a reed) I was responding to.
I still say, a working reed is better than dimensions - it tells more about what the chanter wants than a fact sheet. Nothing wrong with providing both.
Bill
Bit of a “Catch 22” situation in that if you need a manuel for your pipes you do not understand them and if you do not understand them you should be medling with them so therefore do not need a manuel 
Peter Hunter maintains that exactly e.g. unwaxed cotton. He also related to me incidents were other thread etc., caused damage to the wood.
ps. I think for newbies …well perhaps not a booklet, but at very least a conversation regarding staple dimensions and reed dimensions…
I agree with nemethmik that some basic reed guideline should be given with every set of pipes.
It is no major inconvenience for the owner to supply a mandrel and draw up some basic guideline that they would go by when reeding the pipes being supplied. I demanded this on everything I have purchased or I would not buy the pipes. My new set was from humid Ireland coming to a desert home with %15 average humidity. I knew all the reeds would die quickly and they did. But I was able to quickly reed up the set and found the info I was supplied VERY helpful.
I think it is easy for a pipemaker or advanced reedmaker, or player who has never made reeds to assume that the owner will just know. Well of course you use a #/## staple and a # gouge or #? shooting block it should be obvious, Right??..? ← note sarcasm When you are learning to reed your own set it really helps to have some pointers and starting points. Learning to make reeds is tricky enough and it does help to at least start on the most sound footing possible to avoid mistakes and frustration and get the best from your pipes. Why would the pipe maker not want the player to not be able to maintain their own set and not start out on the best foot possible in this endeavor.
I think a piper who can maintain their own set and reed it up in tune is the best kind of customer. Much better than a customer ignorant of making reeds and pestering the maker.
I agree with that too.
But:
It is no major inconvenience for the owner to supply a mandrel …
I can’t really agree with that. Making identical eye-forming/flattening mandrels , or worse, making rolling mandrels, is not really a trivial task. The ones that I have seen offered for sale have not been particularly uniform, i.e. there has been a lot of variation within a lot, so it’s not clear that it would be feasible to offer those in lieu of, or to supplement, staple dimensions. In terms of skill, it’s easier to make a flattening mandrel from an old screwdriver and a file than it is to embark on reedmaking. If a customer really doesn’t want to make his or her own, the NPU flattening mandrels will do the trick.
Tapered rolling mandrels are not so standard - every maker’s is different. While it doesn’t require great skill to make them, it is tedious and time-consuming. Do customers want to pay extra for these? Or should I charge extra to “non reed-making” customers, and include the mandrels in the standard price?
I do have an “about your chanter” sheet that I usually give customers - probably I should just post it, in updated versions, to my website. I’ll supply any customer with reedmaking equipment, and for that matter reedmaking advice, on request.
Bill
[Edited to add: ‘fact sheet’ has been added to my website. However, since I make such a variety of models and styles, it’s really still up to the customer to sit down with me and chat about the specifics.]
You are right it is difficult to make a mandrel and I did make an over generalization here. But if it is difficult for you with the proper tools knowledge etc. How is an average person going to go about it without undue distress or an incorrect outcome. I do think pipemakers should charge for a mandrel and make it known that they are available to purchase. I would gladly pay for the pipemaker’s time to have a proper mandrel made. My pipemaker was kind enough to give me a flattening mandrel on request for my set which I am VERY greatfeul for. I would also kill right now for a tapered mandrel but I don’t have the tools and I don’t trust that I would have proper dimensions. I do think the mandrel is one area where a reedmaker would really benefit from the pipemaker’s assistance.
I feel passionate about this because it was such a struggle when starting out to make reeds to keep my pipes going. Things like a mandrel and some basic info to go by were really helpful.
Cheers,
- Jason
OK, I basically do agree that some basic reeding - and where applicable fingering - info should be available. The reasons I haven’t got around to it yet are threefold;
1Time - Not enough of it!
2 I believe that you can give two people the same dimensions and they will make a different reed . . . . still a starting point would be good I admit
3 I keep changing my mind as to what’s the best way and I know I haven’t got time to update a page every time I change my method a bit. Also I go with the Benedict K method and feel more than I measure. I can’t tell you what diameter sanding cylinder I use - I don’t use one.
We’ve always given reeding info to anyone that asks - Peter has spent long hours with many folk talking reedmaking. A lot does depend on the particular reedmaker and chanter so dimensions are only a starting point.
I love the idea of every chanter / set coming with a little booklet beginning “congratulations on your purchase - with a little care and attention your lovely lovely handcrafted pipes will last a lifetime”
Trouble is it’d bump the prices up a bit as each booklet would have to be slightly different . . . one of the reasons we really really like people to come and collect the pipes in person is so we can natter about reedmaking and maintenance / playing.
I’ll try and make a start on this tomorrow, and post stuff up as I do it, starting with the banjo blaster widebore chanter.
The chanter in question was reeded up with tube, as are all Hunter flat chanters, and was perfectly in tune over both octaves when it left the shop. I’ve tried rolling staples but never got as good results - horses for courses! Of course the concert stuff won’t work perfectly without hand rolled staples (at least for us).
But here’s the rub: those larger staples didn’t work so well in other Hunter flat chanters at the same workshop at WCSS
What pitches out of interest Bill? I know about the 3/4 B set but not the others.
I do not really know why the question has been asked as some pipes do come as standard with manuals i.e. the organ and of course the pipes are also known as the Irish Organ 