Home Based Pipemakers

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 7:56 am

Discussion of the price of pipes (relating to the average age of piper) popped up (again) on another topic, so I'm pulling it to a seperate thread so we can 'scratch each others eyes out' here and leave the other discussion alone.

Why have pipes become so expensive? it certainly isn't to maintain a livestyle of the rich and famous... is it?
Peter had commented the post-Riverdance interest in pipes created a shortage. Prices have risen sharply after that.
djm noted internet allowed the widespread exchange of knowledge of piping and how affluent middle aged foreigners have driven prices up through impatience, just to obtain sets.
I'll add that eBay and classified ads on NPU often bring a frenzy when a vintage set goes up for sale.

What other reasons can we think of???

On the opposite side of the coin...
I think the most significant thing to keep the cost of pipes down has been going on all along -- Home based pipemakers.

I would appear to me if all home based pipemakers decided (or were forced) to move their workshops into rented warehouses the price of pipes could easily double to compensate. Insurances, taxes, licenses, daycare. Factor in cars, travel, less actual hours in the workshop. This all has an effect on the price of goods.

Tradman · Post by **Tradman** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 8:31 am

Interesting thoughts...Maybe one day I can invest in flute making after I can afford a lathe.

Im really excited by the notion of carrying on a tradition to future players by being a builder. Will just have to see what the future brings.

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 9:23 am

heh...i have a lathe...two (one big, one small)...i have one of every large tool craftsman makes (some of them like the drill press are actually Dunlop from the 40s)...i even have plans...couple different sets...what i don't have is easy access to the woods needed, money to have bores and reamers specially made (and my reedmaking is still in the beginning stages, but that's prolly the easiest and cheapest of the three to remedy)

I would love to make my own set. 'course then things like reg keys become a problem, but hardly one impossible to overcome...

...sigh...

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 9:42 am

Tony wrote: What other reasons can we think of???

The only and main reason is that there are not enough really good sets of pipes being made to keep up with demand.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 10:02 am

True Peter, but I think the level of expertise is on the rise. Not only in craftsmanship but ability to understand what makes the difference in a great design over a good design.
I said on another topic, an average to good set may get resold many times more than a great set, simply because people will buy what they can afford now (especially used) and later place orders for long-list premium sets. As the premium sets become available the good set gets resold.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 10:17 am

Antaine, you don't buy or have reamers made for you. You make them yourself. Buy tool rod from your local metal shop and some metal files. Work out the shape per your plans and file the rod down to suit.

djm

Calum · Post by **Calum** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 1:35 pm

You can have reamers made, though expect to pay good money for them. And to pay it out again when you discover you want to change your design.

Cheers,
Calum

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 2:15 pm

"local metal shop"

hehe...that's amusing...

provided I can find what I'm looking for at either home depot or the one mom-and-pop hardware store in my area, what exatcly would i be looking for? what kind of metal, etc? tempered steel? what kind of file would i then need to work that?

i had been under the impression that was a rather involved process and people usually paid out a few Gs to have one or two made to spec.

not doing anything until I get my reedmaking right...have proper cane and tools on order from Tim Britton...then we'll see if cane is easier than plastic/balsa/brass, or if i'm getting similar results trying to get a working reed...i know cane should produce a better finished product, but you have to get that far, first...

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 2:36 pm

Tim will sell you a reamer he and another pipemaker are using for their primary tapered bore (i.e. first drilling/bore shaping before doing their personal modifications). I believe it's under $400, but I'm not certain and he may not have any more to sell.

Making your own reamer is not an involved process if you know what you're doing. Subscribe to the various instrument making newsgroups/yahoo groups. Look up information on making reamers and you'll have pretty much everything you need to know if you own a metal lathe. You should also probably pick up some books on basic instrument making so you have some idea of what you're doing.

Proper wood is available to everyone through mail order or the internet, though the better woods are only cheap when bought in bulk. Ebay has plenty of ebony/blackwood turning squares that, while not cheap, are suited well for beginning instrument making. There's also nothing wrong with working in maple or softer hardwoods for your first projects. It makes for cheaper mistakes and you'll learn to shape well before you start shaping more expensive hardwoods.

I'd also suggest you learn to make reeds well before moving on to master instrument making. While not all makers make their own reeds, I'm of the opinion that if you can't make a decent, consistantly good reed you have little or no business making chanters or sets, for the tolerance for errors in that is even smaller.

"The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker" is an okay beginning book, though if you look deeply enough you can find most of the same information on the net. If you can do physics, there are lots of other good books on the acoustical physics of instruments. I'd be happy to give you the names if you're interested, though they are *very* math and physics intensive.

Dionys

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 4:25 pm

great, thanx...i will check all that out.

i totally agree about making reeds first...and, sadly...my two lathes are wood lathes...no metal...

I've built harps and whistles and rebuilt violins and a flute, but I know that puts my experience mostly in the string category which the pipes certainly are not...

atennant · Post by **atennant** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 5:27 pm

Antaine,
I only have a wood lathe ($200) a drill press ($60) and a grinder ($40). I started about a year ago making a set of SSP then GHB and then Border pipes. In December I launched into the UP's woking from the plans in Wilbert Garvins book. Have now almost completed a half set (5 gradually improving chanters later and a lot of crappy reeds). All my D drills and reamers are homemade (using the grinder) and I get my steel and brass from onlinemetals.com and the wood from ebay or exoticwoods. It's taken a lot of lateral thinking to get round some of the snags but I did not expect to get on so quickly so it must be easy, well ..ish.
This forum and others eg amatuerbagpipemakers, have been invaluable especially if one is rather isolated and a complete beginner.

PS (my wife wishes I was more isolated)

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 6:03 pm

cool, i've got all that stuff...and i'm using garvin's book for the drones and regs on the brass chanter set (the chanter is a brass copy of my BC chanter)

neat...well...reeds first, but it's good to know that when I'm ready it's doable...I'd love to make a set...

so far i've tried copying reeds i had...i think what i need to do is sit down with the garvin book and give all his measurements a whirl...

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