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Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3, Page 40

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3, Page 40
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music
volume Number
1
issue Content
72Ceol na hEireann Irish Music73Make an Uilleann Pipe Penny-ChanterOVERVIEWTapered-bore pipes can be reproduced surprisingly well with a very simple, fast,inexpensive and easy construction of stepped, thin-walled brass tubing which issold at many hobby or hardware type shops in different parts of the world andvia the internet.Any style of uilleann chanter can be modelled using thisconstruction, including narrow-bore flat chanters. Mymethod was to cut the bottoms of the tubes to stop atexactly the same elevation as their inside diameter isfound in the original. The diagram illustrates severaltubes cut to follow the progression of thevariably-tapered bore shown in dashed lines.To save weight, brass is used only to create the bore.The remaining wall thickness, essential for propertuning and response, can be made up with lightermaterial. The popularised version uses narrowivory-coloured plastic plumbing pipe of about 1/2inside diameter sold in the US and via internet.Every adjustment used in wood chanters works in thisconstruction. Variations in the progression of steps givethe same effects as scoops and variations in the boretaper of wood chanters, as do changes in tonehole sizes,positions, and undercutting. The tube steps do create acutoff of the highest frequency overtones giving aslightly quieter, more mellow sound than an equivalent blackwood chanter. Themain voice however is the same.The dimensions here began with two mid 1 980s David Quinn chanters ownedby Carla Dundes and Bill Ochs, since Mr. Quinn was seemingly retired frompipe making. Because this body is much thinner than the original, many boreand hole adjustments were tested over half a year to reach this design.My original intent with this project was to demonstrate that artificialconstruction is suitable for uilleann chanters for many uses, and that chanterdesign could be manipulated independent of materials and craftsmanship toattain very high standards of performance. The discovery of the simple,dependable construction however led to its evolution into a good quality budgetinstrument, the first-ever to be home buildable even by learners, and yet widelyreported to be among the better tuned and behaved modern concert D chanters.It is even in use by some touring and recording pipers.MATERIALS .015 wall-thickness brass tubing sold in sections 12, 1 each insuccessive sizes which fit snugly together, from 1/4 O.D. to 21/32 O.D. Thick gap-filling slow-set super-glue 12 of 112 i.d. ivory-coloured CPVC plastic plumbing pipe 6 of 3/4 i.d. CPVC plumbing pipe or 3/4 O.D. brass for windcap 3 of thick wall 3/8 o.d. brass tube for connecting bag to windcapThe diagram shows the 3-step main core assembly on the right, and the twotaper-cut throat and upper bore tube assembly to the left.Throat &reed seatdetailBrass Core Details (not to scale)105mmThroat top345 mmmmHead36mm280mmmmV
issue Number
3
page Number
40
periodical Author
[Various]
issue Publication Date
2001-01-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3

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