Category Archives: Uilleann Deconstruction Blog
Dirk Mewes Shop Pipemaking Blog
Dirk Mewes, Colorado pipemaker, has a blog that details his process.
http://dwmpipes.blogspot.com/
Lately he has taken on regulator key-making.
Highly recommended.
The Uilleann Pipe Reedmaker’s Guidance Manual, by Dave Hegarty
NPU seems to have made freely available Dave Hegarty’s excellent The Uilleann Pipe Reedmaker’s Guidance Manual, third addition.
What I like in particular about this book is, besides giving great advice for making and troubleshooting chanter reeds, it delves in-depth into drone and regulator reeds. Regulator reeds have been particularly neglected, until as of late, in the [...]
Using a Tap and Die
The drawbar in my XJ9525 Mill has M12 (12mm) threads. My new set of R8 endmill holders have M10 (10mm) threads. The answer, turn the rod thread down from 12mm to 10mm using a die.
Here’s how:
http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-use-a-tap-and-die-set/index.html
Irwin makes good metric tap and die sets.
http://www.acetoolonline.com/Irwin-Tap-and-Die-Combination-Sets-s/2823.htm
Medir Cane Online Store
Link to Medir Cane online store where you can purchase cane for UP chanters and drones:
http://www.medir.cat/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=7&Itemid=3&lang=en
Martin Preshaw C 3/4 Set
Martin is turning out some gorgeous sounding, and looking, work. Here is his latest C 3/4 set.
http://martinpreshaw.com/gallery/c-3-quarter-feb2010.htm (Slideshow)
http://martinpreshaw.com/media/feb2010C3-4set_01.mp3 (Audio Sample: Nice!)
I just got tenor and baritone D concert regulators from Martin and I must say that they are really nice.
Tube Bending Video Tutorial
Another excellent tutorial by Curt Garvis, this time on bending brass tubing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ySuxiUvAY
NCH Tone Generator Freeware
NCH Tone Generator is software that generates a sustained tone at a frequency you designate. The tone can be a sine wave, a square wave, and a number of other basic waveforms. Tones can be designates and saved to a list. Playback is with a click on the saved item. One use would be to setup a [...]
Delrin and Cocobolo Wood Penny Chanter Mod
Curt Garvis documents a modification of David Daye’s Penny Chanter design, using Delrin rod and Cocobolo wood stock to enhance the aesthetics of the stock design.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDCMAOmwEME
The use of the Delrin rod drilled exactly to size should eliminate the problem of voids between tone-holes resulting in air-bleed.
Note that metal inside wood can be problematic, but in [...]
Seivane Pipemaking Videos
Susan Seivane is a wonderful Galican piper. She comes from a tradtion of pipers and pipemakers, starting with her grandfather, and now her brothers. She has made available a series of facinating videos that document the Seivane pipemaking process.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tu5KKNrQG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D1LekoOUU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQz5HG11fUg
New C Penny Chanter Home-Build
Here is the C Penny Chanter I just finished. I’m very happy with how it looks and more so, how it sounds. I had a little trouble bending the brass headstock tube, and maybe did not anneal the brass properly. You can see the crimps in the tube, which should not be there. Also I’ve decided to not [...]
Second Octave Troubles
I have a new reed that is having trouble holding the high second octave. Other than that, it seems a good reed; good tone, in tune. What to do?
David Daye has written up some procedures for diagnosis and repair of second octave problems:
http://www.daye1.com/bagpage/upoctave.html
Seán Reid Society Journal Volume III Published
Volume III of the Seán Reid Society Journal has been published, in PDF format, and not as an ISO image.
Visit http://seanreidsociety.org/ and click the image on the right, or on the ‘Journal’ dropdown menu.
Volume III Notes:
http://seanreidsociety.org/SRSJ3/Release_Notes_Vol_3.html
This volume focuses on the life and work of Richard Lewis O’Mealy.
Of particular interest to the pipemaker is the following article:
Pipes made [...]
Preparing for Regulators
With regulators coming soon, I probably should try and get a handle on how to reed and tune them.
Here is Geoff Wooff’s excellent article on the subject:
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/extras_geoffwooff.html
Dremel Stylus
The Dremel Stylus rotary tool is a lithium-ion battery powered no-cord, ergonomic revision of the standard Dremel tool which most of us are familiar with, and probably use a good deal. I have to say, it is the most useful little tool that I’ve come across in quite a while. It is perfect for tasks [...]
First Chanter
I made my first successful chanter this last weekend. What a feeling of accomplishment, and it took a long time to get here. It is based on David Daye’s C Penny Chanter design, for which I am eternally grateful to Mr. Daye for making available to the public, and to all his patient help. I [...]
Vinyl Bag HOWTO
Eric M. Wilson over at the Arizona Uilleann Pipers Society has posted a very thorough tutorial on making a Vinyl bag.
http://azuilleann.org/resources_vinylbag.htm
David Daye’s Reed Adjustment Chart
I’m always hunting on the net for a reed symptom / adjustment summary. David Daye has a good one on his extensive website:
http://www.daye1.com/reeds/reedadjust.html
Two Books for Makers
Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics: Second, Revised Edition:
http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Musical-Acoustics-Second-Revised/dp/048626484X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255535096&sr=1-1
How Equal Tempermant Ruined Harmony:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393334201/ref=s9_cxhsh_co_tr01?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-3&pf_rd_r=14P80E027A6X7WR772KK&pf_rd_t=3201&pf_rd_p=493495431&pf_rd_i=typ01
Delta X5 Wood Lathe Review
[Note: I posted this review about two years back on Uilleann Forum. Thought it might be relevant here, as the topic seems to arise frequently for beginning makers. One year later I still like it a lot, though am having problems with headstock vibration at a few speeds. I can't seem to clamp the headstock down as tight [...]
Interview with Cillian Ó Briain
Facinating interview with Cillian Ó Briain:
http://www.pipers.ie/news/newsitems_090721COBInterview.htm
“Stick with the reedmaking, and stick with the playing. The two of those compliment each other. As you progress with one, you tend to progress with the other. They are the pre-requisites… Anyone attempting to make a set of pipes who does not have those skills, the chance of success [...]
Brass Source
An American source for brass tube, rod and sheet is here:
Lewis Brass and Copper Company, Inc.
Catalog:
http://www.lewisbrass.com/newCatalog/NewCat.pdf
Phone:
1-800 221-5579 (U.S. only)
Phone:
(718) 894-1442 (Outside U.S.)
Fax:
(718) 326-4032
Email:
sales@lewisbrass.com
The Seán Reid Society Journal ISO’s
The Seán Reid Society Journal Volumes I and II are available as ISO images here and here.
Journal articles provide invaluable information on topics ranging from reamer making to a photo documentary of Geoff Wooff at work in his shop.
Burn the ISO’s to CD using software like the free InfraRecorder.
I’m not sure what the status of Volume III [...]
Pipedreams Ezeedrone D Composite Uilleann Drone Reed Review
Available from:
http://www.pipedreamsreeds.com
Living in a high-desert climate with rather extreme humidity swings, I find that cane drone reeds are problematic for day to day usage. Sometimes getting them to play at all is a real challenge, and tuning is a constant chore. I was looking for a more stable alternative, and have had good results with [...]
Zoukfest 2009
Zoukfest 2009 is over, and it was both great fun and informative. Zoukfest was held in Albuquerque for the first time, over three days, at UNM, June 12-14. This is a shorter Zoukfest than in the past, but my understanding was that attendance was up, probably due to the easily accessible Albuquerque location. Attendees came [...]
Note to self: Drilling Ebony
Note to self: when drilling ebony, go slow, in tiny increments, and use some sort of lube, lest it crack! 100RPM drilling seems too fast. Cracks develop internally and you don’t even know they exist until they reveal themselves during turning.