Brass Chanter Update 12/3

[Antaine]

okay, to those of you hearing about this for the first time, I am trying to develop plans to build a full set of uilleann pipes for under $100 with nothing that can't be had at the hobby store, rag shop, and K-mart, without using solder or special tools.

I have now produced a complete, functioning, in-tune-in-both-octaves chanter with cap and all using only brass tubing, superglue, oven bake clay, hot glue, a drill, file, tubing cutter, dental floss, and hot glue gun. And a reed using only duct tape, tubing, tubing cutter, dental floss, pliers, scissors, knife, and a tub of cream cheese.

I had most of this before, but it had to be mouth blown because I couldn't figure out how to make the cap. When I post photos on my website I will link to it so you can see it.

But until then, I have the chanter/cap/reed section of the booklet done, and will email a pdf file to anyone who wants it, just give me your email in a pm.

Next stop, bag and bellows using only vinyl (imitation leather), duct tape, belts, screws, drill, dental floss, wood glue, super glue, stapler, wood, tying twine, and carpet tacks.

[Patrick D'Arcy]

Okay lads... take your shots.... one at a time now..... who wants to go first... ONE AT A TIME I SAID!

PD.

[glands]

Oh my! It would surely cost more than 100 bucks to buy all that stuff.

Further, being one who highly values my time based on other things I could do to make money, I'd suspect that it'd "cost" me several thousand dollars to make a contraption out of all that stuff you mention....and I can't imagine that I'd be satisfied with tonal characteristics.

I applaud your creativity.

[Tumbleweed]

Sounds like you've been up to some serious MacGyvering. Can you also plug the hole in the Ozone if we give you Duct tape, and angry monkey, hot glue and Play-doh?

When you post pics, can you also post some sound files of it?

Word
TW

[Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa]

I have to ask: what the heck do you do with that cream cheese??!!!

[Tumbleweed]

Can you also plug the hole in the Ozone if we give you Duct tape, and angry monkey, hot glue and Play-doh?

And Cream Cheese, I almost forgot.

Tumble

[Antaine]

grr.

don't worry, I'm used to that by now.

It only cost me about $40 for what I've bought so far, and I shouldn't have to buy any more tubing. I have everything I need except the belts. The chanter's done, been playing it most of the afternoon. It used only $17 worth of materials and that includes the glue and tubing cutter, tho I have to admit I had the drill, duct tape, and the hot glue gun already.

I'm shooting for $100, but even if I go over, it will be far far (farfarfar) less than a pakistani practice set.

As far as sound, I've been trying to figure out how to record to my computer. One person here has heard it, in it's mouthblown phase, and I must direct you to his assessment. And that was with one of my cream cheese reeds...

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 2&start=15

Oh, and it's pretty, too

[ston]

Further, being one who highly values my time based on other things I could do to make money, I'd suspect that it'd "cost" me several thousand dollars to make a contraption out of all that stuff you mention....and I can't imagine that I'd be satisfied with tonal characteristics.

In that case I'd say that this project (clearly) isn't for you. It's for people out there with little to no money or way of making money, or for people who just like a good project. I fall into both of those categories, though I don't have the time at the moment to work on something like this. I can't even come close to being able to afford a

I think it's admirable and of great value to the community that someone's doing this. Kudos, Antaine! I'll be very interested to see your results and the instructions you produce.

-David

[djm]

I am curious about the cottage cheese container reed. How long does it last? (assuming it sounds good).

djm

[Antaine]

ston, send me your email and i'll send you the chanter/reed plans.

I'm hoping, if I overshoot my $100 mark, to try to produce a matching (ie, all parts of uniform appearance), no pvc/no plastic full set for the price of a daye practice set.

I actually have spoken to david a few times about reeds and things and sent him my plans, so there is some information exchange going on )

Once I get my mechanism perfected for reg keys (right now just on paper) I'm going to go back and alter the plans to make a fully keyed chanter. I figure, why not go all the way.

I did have to make one modification, though, because I'm trying to stick to my own rules about no solder.

On the cap, if you solder the intake tube, it will look nicer and hold stronger. I used hot glue (mostly on the inside but some on the outside), and so after playing a bunch it became "wobbly" although it still held and was air tight. What I did was use the figure eight bandage wrapping from my emt class with the dental floss to steady the wobble. It still looks good (better, actually, than with the glue) and is holding plenty strong. I can pull on it and not wobble it.

Although, if, when doing the plans, you decide to go $15 for a low heat soldering gun it does simplify things, but unless I HAVE to use it anyplace else I'm trying to avoid the introduction of new materials.

As far as the reeds, the only one that worked but no longer works I broke trying to "improve" it (i'm sure all you reedmakers have been there). That was the oldest (and best, ::sniffle::), and had been playing well and consistently since april. I just broke it this week. The best one I currently have playing sounds akin to my tim britton reed, which i personally find a little harsh, and can be a little spotty in the upper octave until it gets going. it needs "improvement" i just hope it's still running when i'm done with it tomorrow...maybe i'll leave it alone and just make another from scratch. The whole process takes less than fifteen minutes.

Oh, and I eat the cream cheese. All of it. I *love* cream cheese. Funny thing is, I replaced one meal a day with two toasted bagels + lowfat cream cheese, take a walk every night, don't go for seconds at dinner - and without doing anything other than those three things I've lost 15 lbs since the beginning of october, and I cheat on the meal replacement thing at *least* half the time. I've got 15 more to go. I'm thinking of calling it the antiatkins diet.

[The Sporting Pitchfork]

Mmmm...reeds made from cream cheese containers. Probably make for pretty cheesy music though...Save it for some of those Davy Spillane slow airs...

I eat three heaping bowls of rice a day and I'm thin as a board.

If only bagels were easier to get in this Godforsaken country...

Up yours, Atkins!

[glands]

Up yours, Atkins!

Ah.....C'mon...give 'im a break....Dr Atkins is dead! The poor fella fell on ice and knocked his head and did not survive earlier this year.

He was a brilliant man and recent research has substantiated that his diet is sound, probably fits the meal plan that we had evolved to consume, and the meal plan that our forebearers likely had before the westernization of society and the demise of the hunter gatherer due to the technology of preservation and packaging of foodstuffs. Of course we are still hunter gatherers......hunting for the donuts on aisle 4 and gathering the chips on aisle 10!!!!!

[Antaine]

stalking the elusive twinkie

[Pat Cannady]

Very strange. My calendar says December 4, not April 1. Oh well.

[Kevin Popejoy]

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