opinions on chanter stop keys/valves

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:42 am

... and David Boisvert...

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:46 pm

I've tinkered with dozens and dozens of different stop mechanisms. Personally I find a stop key of some sort useful, and generally I prefer a keyed one..but of course,each to their own comfort level.

Here are two wooden tops. One is a tradionally keyed top, the other is a twist top. A quarter turn to the left (counter clockwise) does the trick...

Here's another twist top contained in a plain ol' tube top. The pin showing is used as a visual reference and as a stop peg.

Finally..here's a rather goofy idea I wasted a sunday evening on...it functions just like a bic pen...you press the button on the top with yer thumb and >click< it shuts off the air supple to the chanter....press the button again and >click< it's back on again.... Kind of silly really. I did refine the design to be MUCH more compact. The prototype mechanism took up about 2.5-3 inches of internal space. The refined version only needs 1 inch...still..kinda silly..

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:13 pm

Davey set me up with a stop key and wood reedcap. It's longer than what I usually see, and I have it positioned to the left side of the chanter, so that when I apply it, all I have to do is raise my left index knuckle a bit and use that to press the key. Literally, I don't have to lift a finger. No squeaks! That's the design I'd want again no matter whoever made pipes for me in the future. Gotta have a rotatable endcap, of course.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:24 pm

Cool.

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 1:46 pm

I kinda like the bic pen style

CJ DIXON · Post by **CJ DIXON** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:28 pm

Very "out of the box" Davey... very cool.

CJ

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:16 pm

CJ DIXON wrote:Very "out of the box" Davey... very cool.

CJ

'Out of the box' IS a good way to describe David.

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 6:54 pm

ExCUSE me Josephus, but I do BEG to differ!

....as anyone can tell...

..........I am most assuredly INSIDE the box...

..em..and apprently mad as a hatter....perchance that fake ivoroidlike ball did more damage than I'm willing to admit.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 6:59 pm

Chiff and Fipple Forums

opinions on chanter stop keys/valves

tops...

Ah-HEM!