Chiff and Fipple Forums

Rory, you could always become an "entrepreneur". Simply put your name down on multiple pipemaker's waiting lists and, after an interest gaining period, sell your place at a profit. That way you are involved in piping but don't have the hassle of gigs, reeds,pipes, morality, etc.

If you can get hold of brass tube of the same bore size/outside diameter as the original piece then I would just replace it. The problems start if the tube is "combed" to hold hemp in place - for which you would need a lathe to spin the tube. If the split in the original tube is not too se...

Can you post a photo? Of the tube and where/how it fits.

A number of questions... Are you playing a Practice Set? A goodly number of makers would supply a Practice Set with reeds that take a bit of effort, to enable the piper to get used to the effort later required to play with drones/regs. Some makers shy away from supplying Practice Sets for this very ...

Chris Bayley makes them, either in the Taylor style or simple gravity style.

After removing the extension the whole chanter was playing sharp. The owner thought that by lengthening the chanter that this would lower the whole scale relatively. It was obvious when the chanters were side by side that the toneholes, although "correctly" spaced, were collectively higher...

If it is only the F# that is misbehaving then you could cut a crescent shaped sliver of cork and glue this into the top of the F# hole instead of the tape/rush alterations.

OK, to expand somewhat... Someone local bought one of these things, and could not get it to play in tune, even in the first octave. When he brought it to me he had attached a piece of copper tube to the bottom ferrule, to get the bottom D into tune. As you would expect, this affected all the other n...

Rick,

The traditional stuff to use is river cane, graded for each regulator and carved into tune. PM me your address and I'll send you some down.

Hi Peter,

I was following the thread on "another" forum so he hasn't wasted so much money (yet!).

Ask him to get in contact with me, as that set will be unplayable from the start.

Mods, This should be in the Pics of your Pipes thread. Could you move it for me please.

[Your wish is my command - Mod]

Chris is taking a short break and has sent me this 4 drone barrel unit to forward on to a customer in Ireland. The main barrel is in Palo Santo, with brass ferrules and imitation ivory mounts. It tunes between D and C using the traditional tuning beads found on NSPs and sliding stoppers. The 4th dro...

I have a hollow stock on my Taylor style set. I also have the solid stock which it replaced. There is a noticeable difference in the sound of the two when I transfer the drones and reeds between the two stocks. The hollow stock imparts a richer sound than the solid one, and, if I alter the bridle po...

It looks like the third row down from the top could be hiding a series of laterally drilled holes from view. Can't be certain though, as I don't have a box of Butler's to compare it with. Ferrero Rocher look crap as inlet valves, ... too lumpy.

There is no secret to making a barrel unit, whether just for a stand of drones , or one incorporating regulators. To do the job properly you need the correct tools, plus a clear plan of what you want to achieve. Providing the equipment is set up correctly it is no great stretch to put 6 or 8 bores t...