Chiff and Fipple Forums

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 18:15 ]</font>

"...it tends to break if not careful as the binding gets over the reed head..."

What a sense of humor you have.

I've seen reeds wrapped in white PTFE 'plumbers' teflon tape.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 18:16 ]</font>

..

Larry,

I've been using black pre-waxed hemp that I got from my local GHB supplier. I haven't been able to break it yet.

Jeff

...

If you're not making reeds in large numbers, a roll of waxed dental floss which is sold in a dispenser case (e.g. Johnson & Johson's) is a perfectly effective binding thread.

It can be used with PTFE for guaranteed sealing.

As far as I know Andreas normally uses waxed hemp for chanter reeds, but he has no hang-ups about using PTFE when it's useful, notably on synthetic regulator reeds.

...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 18:17 ]</font>

Tim Britton suggests and uses Nyltex, a pre-waxed synthetic used in shoe making and leather work. You can get some at any store that carrys leather-making tools/bulk leather or shoe stores. It works very well for an air-tight seal, though is thicker than most 'thread' people use.

I generally use that, waxed irish linen thread, or waxed irish hemp. I've never had to do any extra sealing with the Nyltex, though it does not look "traditional." On occasion, handwinding with the thinner thread I'll have to do the usual sealing.

Dionys

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 18:17 ]</font>

...

I don't know if melting a bunch of beeswax and then placing a spool of hemp/thread inside the pot would soak through all layers. I'd have to guess it wouldn't.

Easy thing to do is to have beeswax candles, pour off the melted wax into a little piece of leather folded over, then run your length of thread through it a couple of times. You could also soak 6-8' lengths in a little pot of melted wax (double boiler removed from stove after water boils, please. Not over an open flame/electric burner!) and then take them out and hang them to dry after running them through a piece of leather folded over or (if you're brave), through your fingers to remove excess wax.

I just go with pre-waxed thread when available, though I try to make sure it's beeswax. You'd be surprised how many reeds you can make from a (little) 50' spool of nyltex or 50 yard spool of irish linen thread. If I get special requests, of course I'll make a reed in the completely traditional way (hand made staple, hand-waxed thread/hemp, &c), but it's easier and (imho) you get just as good a tone with modern additions/substitutions.

Dionys

OK, so who's tried shrinkwrap??

I think Andreas [Rogge] charges about 13 Euros for a spool of the pre-waxed hemp.

Boyd