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Bagpipe
Maintenance-Andrew Graham
Bagpipe
Maintenance Part 2 now here.
Blowpipe
Mouthpiece and blowpipe should have a 3/8" bore, any narrower will
restrict airflow to bag making for excessive blowing.
Valve
Leather valve. Efficient, reliable and has strength required for
large bore. Others restrict blowing. Use old hide bag.
Watertrap (may not be needed for canister type bags)
19mm poly tubeat least 22" long. To go from blowpipe stock to back corner
of bag following seam. Rubber cork in end. 2 holes, 3/8"< > 1" on inner
side about 3" from corked end.
Or two part stock with removable tube.
After every playing session remove chanter and drones from pipes.
Bag
Use airtight seasoning only every 3-4 months if needed.
Every week check stocks cannot turn in bag.
Hemp
Yellow hemp and beeswax. Apply evenly and wind tight. One layer of
ptfe optional on pins only.
Stock joints should be tight. Top joint of bass tight and showing 1/8"
of hemp. Bottom joint of bass 1-2 inch up pin. Tenors show 1/8" of hemp.
Tuning pins on tenors and bottom pin of bass should move evenly and smoothly,
tighten with hemp then apply a drop of almond oil.
Drone reeds
Synthetic. Ezeedrone/Wygent/Henderson/Shepherd. Easy to set up and no
maintenance. Long lasting. Reliable.
Cane. Difficult to set up and maintain.Unreliable and don't last very
long.
Brushes
Brush through blowpipe and all stocks regularly (once a month).
Playing
Playing for hours at a time everyday will ruin your reeds. Play for
20 minutes a day. Of course this does not include band practise.
Hygiene
Once a year (or more frequently when necessary) brush out water trap tube,
pour a little antiseptic (ie dettol) into blowpipe stock, insert corks
into stocks swish round and blow into bag till tight, swish round and
empty. Drink whisky and play pipes, the fumes from your breath will do
the same job.
NEVER REMOVE A WOOD
CHANTER BY HOLDING IT FROM THE BOTTOM, HOLD IT AT STOCK END, OR IT--WILL--BREAK.
Wood chanters are
very fragile and will break very easily so take care.
Plastic should be
removed like this aswell, get into a habit of holding at stock end.
Bagpipe maintenance
part 2 is here. Details a major
service of the bagpipe.
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