Chiff and Fipple Forums

We use pin and post mounting for some of the keywork at the Von Huene Workshop, and I wouldn't call them maintenance free. You definitely won't suffer potential shrinkage in the long run, like you might with wood, but the axle pin and post holes should be cleaned and oiled on a semi-regular basis. On the recorders we use the pin/post system on, the keys get used constantly...since the same is not true of keys on chanters, or even regulators, there would certainly be much less maintenance required.
The Von Huenes used a turret lathe a long time ago to turn and thread a huge amount of posts for their keywork. The holes to accept the axle are only drilled when the posts are on the piece. Everything for their stuff was made from scratch in the shop, initially, though they have some stuff custom-made for them by other people now.
As a disclaimer, I only work on the maintenance aspect of keywork at the shop, I don't do an making or mounting, so my realm of knowledge is limited.

Aaron Welsh

Aaron, are you saying they make all the standard key hardware parts in-house and the custom fabricated items are subcontracted?
I would have figured there's a company somewhere who makes standard posts, tubing and tiny threaded fasteners for musical instrument makers... though my research hasn't found anyone yet.

Rogge would then be forced to make all the parts himself.

Anyone have some good ideas or leads to a parts supplier?

[quote="bcpipes"]Here is a drawing of a regulator cross-section:



Note that the wood grain runs up and down the keymount. If it is done this way, it will never break off unless you want it to. The chanter is another matter.

BC So you are drilling across the grain?doesn't this cause you problems with turning?and where would you get a piece of blackwood heart big enough across the grain to accomodate the length of the regulators?are you making the blocks across the grain seperately and adding them to a drilled piece with the grain...I think you would need a piece of blackwood heart at least 18inches across the grain and I don't think that is possible...

Aaron... if your gonna criticise me at least get it right...I didnae say pillar mounts were maintenance free I said they were"VIRTUALLY MAINTENANCE FREE" the key word being VIRTUALLY ,which makes all the difference,twat
Liam

The original post in the thread stated them as 'maintenance free', and that's what I was responding to with that statement. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding. I wouldn't exactly say I was being critical of anyone here, either - I'm just offering up my opinion to the discussion based on my own experience.

Aaron

Yeah, we need like a forum tranquilizer.

Liam, the original poster said that he'd heard post/pillar-mounts were maintenance free.

Deep breath, everyone!

Stuart

Nanohedron wrote:I prefer block mounts for their appearance, but old ones can crack and fall off as I witnessed at a performance I was doing with a piper. A dab of superglue, though, and problem temporarily solved.

If it's a nice clean break, and usually even if it isn't but you get the axis of the block and the keyway working free, that superglue is a permanent fix. You need to clean the break with alcohol and let it dry to get any oil off the surface but that cyanoacrilate glue will really bond stronger than the wood itself. It also acts as a good solvent for any oil that is in there, and though it won't be as strong, even oily and dirty glue join will usually hold good and tight as long as there is not much of a gap there. And even then, though there is no filling property at all to the thin superglues, and the gel versions don't penetrate and hold as well, and perhaps not well enough at all.

Royce

Uilliam wrote: BC So you are drilling across the grain?doesn't this cause you problems with turning?and where would you get a piece of blackwood heart big enough across the grain to accomodate the length of the regulators?
Liam

Hello Liam,

That drawing view is as you would cut the regulator, across it's length, at the mount. You are looking lengthwise down the bore. I use a standard turning square of whatever kind of wood. It is cut lengthwise from the log.

I turn the squares round, after it's bored. Then I turn the keymaounts all the way around the piece. There are 2 sides of the mounts with the grain running across and 2 sides with the grain running up and down. I pare away the 2 sides with the grain running across and one side with the grain running up and down. This leaves the keymount with the grain runing up and down. I select the regulators for the straightest grain to better facilitate this method. There are very few pieces I can't use this way.

Cheers,
BC

Aaron apologies
BC Thanx
Liam

One thing to consider is the wood's 'screw holding' properties. Snakewood is renowned for holding screws well, without splitting. On the other hand, the stresses in a piece of relatively brittle ebony might be a problem with pin fasteners - might be safer to drill the holes for the pins oversize, then fill with epoxy before setting the pins.

(The pin mounts I've seen have all had screw-thread bases).