wood bending

Uilleann Pipes
1

Hey guys,

I was wondering how many woods, that are used for making uilleann pipes, are known for bending after a while…

Point is that I heard before that boxwood has the possibility of bending, but how does this affect the sound/chanter/pipes?

And…: are there any other woods that bend or can ‘easily’ bend too? soft- vs hardwood for example? or certain woods? fruitwoods? plum/pear/apple etc etc etc :slight_smile:

Kind regards :slight_smile:

2

I think the term is ‘going banana’.

3

While we’re waiting for Bill Haneman, Tim Britton, or Geoff Wooff to weigh in…

I believe the effect on sound & playability is usually negligible. There are any number of old masters’ gently-curved boxwood chanters still in active use, and the bending does reduce the chanter’s value a little, but mainly for aesthetic reasons.

Chanter bores have also been known to flatten into an oval cross-section over time (I’d imagine this would also result from bending). I know Mr. Haneman has recently measured such chanters for NPU, so he could better say what effect that has on playbility.

Finally, softer woods like boxwood, maple, and fruit woods, seem to be more prone to this than harder woods like ebony, African blackwood, and rosewoods. But any wood can warp if it isn’t seasoned properly (moisture-content-stabilized) prior to being worked on, contrary to what sales clerks at woodworking shops say. The guys I respect season their lumber for years, sometimes even decades, before turning it.

That’s enough second-hand wisdom for you. Now let’s see what actual experts have to say. :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Mick

4

Occasionally when a wood shifts enough in the wrong way it can interfere with the action of keywork. Boxwood flutes in particular.

Bob

5

Hey Mick,

Thanks for your answer so far. It clears a lot. Like you said: waiting for the real experts to hear what they have to say but your statement makes a lot of sense.

Thanks again! kind regards.

@AnSeanduine: Again boxwood in particular. seems that many people agree that boxwood is a wood that ‘occasionally’ bends. Thanks for your answer. Hopefully other people can fill me/fill us in about other woods too :slight_smile:.

6

I saw a Leo Rowsome chanter for sale somewhere that was Going Banana, and It was made out of boxwood.

7

Bending is cosmetic issue… inner bore diams does not vary.

8

I have two regulators on a set that are the proverbial bananas. No issues with keys as they have similar curves, but it causes problems when rushing the beasties, i.e attaching wax blobs. These can attach themselves to the sides of the bores, causing problems with adjustments; viz. pins moving in or out, blobs staying where they are. Very annoying at times.

Lesson: where possible, don’t buy banana shaped regs.

Pwrt

9

What are you using for the blobs? If it is blu-tac from North America, then that is part of your problem. It is too sticky and appears to be of a nature different than that sold elsewhere. I use window rope caulk, which does not stick to bores.

10

It is mostly with Boxwood that bent tubes occur. Although other woods do move a little sometimes. I am only refering to those woods that have been traditionally used for the pipes. It would appear that no amount of seasoning can garantee that Boxwood will remain straight but if a piece is going to do the Banana trick it will do it, usually within a year of being made.
One corespondant, a maker of Recorders says his method is to bore and rough turn lots of pièces, and leave them up to settle for a couple of years.. then he throws out the bents and finnishes the straights.

The usual worst culprit for ‘going off centre’ is the Middle (Baritone) Regulator.. this because it is long and skinny.. especially on a Flat set. I try to use a method of working that minimises this problem; I finish turn the Mid reg but leave the key blocks’ round’( un-cut off) , then leave the piece as long as I can… view it for ‘out of straightness’ and cut the key blocks on the side that will give the best line when assembled with the other tubes. And I am not talking just about Boxwood.

I remember an old set of Boxwood pipes that came in for repair (Coyne I think) and the Tennor regulator was really a Banana shape… but the interesting point is that the mainstock had been made with its hole for the Tennor Reg. drilled at an angle to compensate for the bent piece.. so when assembled everything aligned well… the Keys also having been made to do the same… and the mainstock was an original, perhaps not THE original.

Hey Tommykleen; tell us more about Window Rope Caulk Please , we don’t have Rope Windows around here and that stuff sound usefull.

11

It is something like this

http://duckbrand.com/products/window-door-seals/rope-caulk

There are many makers of similar caulk products.

12

Some pipers ,instead of using blue tack use thick thread and wind it around the pin where needed. You can bunch it up by winding on more in any particular spot to bring the reg into tune.

RORY

13

Or bind bits of pipe cleaner on the pin at the right places.

Bob

14

Thats a good one ,Bob

Heres an interesting article about wood bending and instruments
http://www.naylors-woodwind-repair.com/Grenadilla.htm

RORY

15







It may sound very extraordinary to many, but I have always used rushes for rushing my regulators - with good success.
Am I doing something wrong, or does it just mean I’m a dinosaur?

16

I confess… blu-tac. The alternate suggestions are very welcome - thank you very much

Pwrt