How to make pipes . .

[Francis Wood]

How to make pipes . . . and a few tune books at the same time:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/articl ... -d-printer

Francis

[Barry Say]

Perhaps they could make a chanter reed?

[Francis Wood]

It could be done with an infinite number of monkeys and one dolphin.

Francis

[Richard Evans]

A well-known maker of uileann pipes uses this technology for the drone stock. I've seen one of these- a hollow cylinder containing tubes for the drone sockets, supported by a network of struts. Astonishing.

Richard

[Francis Wood]

I don't think instrument makers have a lot to learn from this technology at present. It's certainly amazing as an example of what is possible. However, 15 hours of what is probably extremely expensive process time resulted in a thoroughly bad instrument. That's not quite the point of the video, I know, though I do wonder why they didn't attempt a simpler flute which might have played a lot better, and been a more impressive demonstration of the capabilities of this technology.

Francis

[Julia Say]

"only springs were added manually later".....yes, right, that about says it all.

I'll stay in the "rabid traditionalist" school of materials for now , thank you.

Julia

[Dally]

It's amazing what they can do these days. If you have enough grant money you can spend years developing a machine that makes really ugly instruments that sound terrible. Of course, it is a waste of government and grant money to teach people the skills to make these instruments by hand or set them up in business to do so. It is another waste of money to fund educational programs that teach kids how to play them, or atleast appreciate the music they make. This video illustrates beautifully the difference between technology and skill. I am a cynical Progressive, but I can't help but think that this machine could make an ugly machine gun just as well as it can make an ugly flute.

[adrian]

I have, yet again, been given a chanter where the shank was round. Placing fingers on a round chanter stick causes problems with the finger-pads not sealing. I have, with various pipe-makers chanters, flattened off the front of the chanter. The fingered holes of the chanter should have a flat interface (or not very round), so the pad (of the fingers) secures all sides of the hole , at the same time.

[Francis Wood]

Well, of course. The surface on which the keys bear is flat and the surface which the fingers cover should also have this advantage, with a much gentler curvature than that of the rest of the stick. All good pipe-makers will provide this.

Francis

[adrian]

Not always the case. This is a good maker but, sometimes the maker/s do not listen to their more competent playering-clients. I am not a maker of NSP's but I know what I want the maker to do. Experience has shown to me that: Bags-necks are too short-which puts pressure on the left thumb when on the chanter; bags are to short in the length, thus the bag slips forward to much because the arm has not got enough grip; the chanter is too round at the finger-holes, so the pads of the fingers do not seal; the keywork, when played, does not touch the fingerpad but goes up the fingernail; the pipes are too hard a playing pressure-no need; the bag is using tough leather, so the chanter cannot be placed or moved to where the player wants it; long blow-pipe, the seam of the bag digs into the wrist; short blow-pipe, making it disconnect from bellows; the clack-valve leaks, thus blowing up the bellows; the bellows leak, thus making high pressure pipes harder to use; key-spring-pressure, too hard, no need; key-spring-pressure to soft, the air pressure lifts the key-pads off the holes; using keypad lubricants which make the pads stick to the chanter and oiling the bore? the oil runs back into the reed when the chanter is tilted towards the reed.
Enough!