I'm interested in eventually learning how to make pipes. Not as a career choice but just because I'm interested in the process. Before I can start looking for an apprenticeship though, I need to practice my skills. To this end my dad is letting me use his metal lathe to make smaller items like flutes and whistles. Is there a place I can find detailed drawings of flutes and such?
Where are you, in a general geographic sense? There are makers in many places and a good start would be to visit one, see what they do, talk to them. I've never met an instrument maker I didn't like, but then I also have a great deal of appreciation and respect for their art and the time and effort they put into providing the world with instruments of music. There are also workshops, and Na Piobairi Uilleann runs some great gatherings, including learning the very important craft of reed making, which for some is the greater challenge than thurning a chanter and making the bellows and keywork.
In one of the early editions of "Fine Woodworking" there was a good article, with drawings, on making a flute. I don't have my copy here, which seems to have gone missing, and I don't have my index ~ or I'd give you the specifics.
Ceolachan, I'm fairly close to Seattle. Brad Angus is only about 3 hours south of me. He's the only maker of traditional instruments I know of in Washington, but if you know of any others, please let me know.
I do, I'll have to see if they are still nearby. Casey Burns, character and flute maker, is in your area, Washington, and if you've a passion for this he's sure to be willing to help you out with it, or at least allow you to visit...
There are also at least a few pipe makers in the Northwest, if I can only remember names... Casey may be quicker at coming up with those specifics. I have a sad feeling that one of those pipe makers we've lost prematurely. The names are on the tip of my tongue, but not taking form yet...
There are also several pipers in the Seattle area who attend sessions there, so contacting those folks, even through here, say via those who have submitted the details for sessions in Seattle, will also find you other makers, and other pipers with the same or at least a similar passion... Again, this late aat night making it worse, my brain is not cooperating. I don't have a bad memory, it just doesn't respond on command...
You probably already know this, but if you want to make pipes, seeing as many as you can is a good idea, and being able to see them up close, the same with flutes and whistles... One of the meccas for that is in Washington D.C., the Dayton C. Miller collection, sigh...
Terry McGee's website has heaps of information on flutes, contruction, history in fact everything you would want to know about wooden flutes: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/
I made a flute after reading his site, it was great fun. If you are into acoustics and woodworking and music you'll be in heaven.
Alex Eppler, or Alexandr Iliev Eppler, is also Seattle based, or was last I knew, and he makes Kavals and has made flutes too, and is quite the character, but well informed if mad, but so am I, or so some have said...
Flute making / Whistle making ~ some other recommended reads
The work of Arthur H. Benade, physicist and musician, starting with his ~
"Horns, Strings & Harmony"
Dover
ISBN-10: 0486273318
ISBN-13: 978-0486273310
"Woodwind Instruments and their History" by Anthony Baines
Music Sales / Dover
ISBN-10: 0486268853
ISBN-13: 978-0486268859
"Bagpipes" by Anthony Baines
Pitt Rivers Museum. Occasional papers on technology, 1973
"The Flute" by Philip Bate
"A Treatise on The Flute" by Richard Shepherd Rockstro
The University of Washington, Seattle, has a great library, and while you might not be able to check books out you can still visit and tap into the knowledge stored there. For drawings and measurements there are numerous sources ~ for all kinds of wooodwinds and musical instruments including the pipes. Alen Ginsberg, a maker on this side of the Atlantic, has also produced measured drawings of sets of uilleann pipes.
Hold off on the woods and turning until you get some basic understanding and skills at hand, including with regards to turning, and before that ~ proper curing of the wood. When you do start with wood ~ pleeaasse ~ take all precautions. Some hardwoods are lethal, and some people have severe reactions, on skin, lungs, etc. Some woods even give off a toxic gas when they heat up while being turned and bored... Maple is a readily available and reasonably stable wood to start with. Don't let your passions get carried away with you, be patient, that will pay dividends in reducing waste and frustration.
While I was using protective devices, for my lungs and eyes, on one hot day I pulled my sleeves up ~ and ended up with welts and a highly irritating rash all over my forearms. I've heard tales of lumber workers in Central and South America dying from working with some hardwoods, such as snakewood. Those tales came from someone who made and sold portable wood cutting and milling equipment to such folk.
And then there's the concern about sustainability... For woodwinds maple is a good start, and some fruitwoods are also lovely to work with and learn on, cherry and some pear and crabapple for example...
Flute and whistle drawings.
Flute and whistle drawings.
I'm interested in eventually learning how to make pipes. Not as a career choice but just because I'm interested in the process. Before I can start looking for an apprenticeship though, I need to practice my skills. To this end my dad is letting me use his metal lathe to make smaller items like flutes and whistles. Is there a place I can find detailed drawings of flutes and such?
# Posted on October 16th 2009 by piper_matt
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
You can buy sets of working drawings for pipes from Na Piobairi Uilleann.
# Posted on October 16th 2009 by gam
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
"The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker"
by Trevor Robinson
The University of Massachusetts Press, 1980
ISBN: 0-87023-312-2
# Posted on October 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Where are you, in a general geographic sense? There are makers in many places and a good start would be to visit one, see what they do, talk to them. I've never met an instrument maker I didn't like, but then I also have a great deal of appreciation and respect for their art and the time and effort they put into providing the world with instruments of music. There are also workshops, and Na Piobairi Uilleann runs some great gatherings, including learning the very important craft of reed making, which for some is the greater challenge than thurning a chanter and making the bellows and keywork.
In one of the early editions of "Fine Woodworking" there was a good article, with drawings, on making a flute. I don't have my copy here, which seems to have gone missing, and I don't have my index ~ or I'd give you the specifics.
# Posted on October 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Chiff & Fipple ~ whistle-mania ~ check the forums
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/
Guido's excellent work ~ the basics presented in a well thought out way ~
http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/
http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/whistle.html
http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/LowTechWhistle.pdf
Best of luck ~ 'c'
# Posted on October 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Ceolachan, I'm fairly close to Seattle. Brad Angus is only about 3 hours south of me. He's the only maker of traditional instruments I know of in Washington, but if you know of any others, please let me know.
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by piper_matt
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
I do, I'll have to see if they are still nearby. Casey Burns, character and flute maker, is in your area, Washington, and if you've a passion for this he's sure to be willing to help you out with it, or at least allow you to visit...
http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/
There are also at least a few pipe makers in the Northwest, if I can only remember names... Casey may be quicker at coming up with those specifics. I have a sad feeling that one of those pipe makers we've lost prematurely. The names are on the tip of my tongue, but not taking form yet...
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
There are also several pipers in the Seattle area who attend sessions there, so contacting those folks, even through here, say via those who have submitted the details for sessions in Seattle, will also find you other makers, and other pipers with the same or at least a similar passion... Again, this late aat night making it worse, my brain is not cooperating. I don't have a bad memory, it just doesn't respond on command...
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
NPU will have a list of makers, and another place to check is 'Uilleann Obsession' ~
http://www.pipers.ie/
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/
As well, there are regular tionols down in California, for example the very active Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club ~
http://www.socalpipers.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiPWMmW5SCg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pQkEjTTatA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_dvis8W-9s
http://www.uilleann.com/
http://www.uilleann.com/reeds.html
The Finbar Fury YouTube videos ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcLXpBwrWVA ~ the start
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
You probably already know this, but if you want to make pipes, seeing as many as you can is a good idea, and being able to see them up close, the same with flutes and whistles... One of the meccas for that is in Washington D.C., the Dayton C. Miller collection, sigh...
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Peter Noy, maker of Irish and baroque flutes, also lives in Seattle.
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by bigpalooka
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Terry McGee's website has heaps of information on flutes, contruction, history in fact everything you would want to know about wooden flutes:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/
I made a flute after reading his site, it was great fun. If you are into acoustics and woodworking and music you'll be in heaven.
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by Rocky Nook
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
http://dougsflutes.googlepages.com/makingasimpleirishflute
A flutey 'relative' of the Guido whistle.
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by David50
Re: Flute and whistle drawings.
Alex Eppler, or Alexandr Iliev Eppler, is also Seattle based, or was last I knew, and he makes Kavals and has made flutes too, and is quite the character, but well informed if mad, but so am I, or so some have said...
http://www.bulgariankaval.com/
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Flute making / Whistle making
Flute making / Whistle making ~ to aid any future searches...
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Making flutes / making whistles / making pipes that sing
Alex's other site, almost forgot ~
http://www.epplerflutes.com/
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Flute making / Whistle making ~ some other recommended reads
The work of Arthur H. Benade, physicist and musician, starting with his ~
"Horns, Strings & Harmony"
Dover
ISBN-10: 0486273318
ISBN-13: 978-0486273310
"Woodwind Instruments and their History" by Anthony Baines
Music Sales / Dover
ISBN-10: 0486268853
ISBN-13: 978-0486268859
"Bagpipes" by Anthony Baines
Pitt Rivers Museum. Occasional papers on technology, 1973
"The Flute" by Philip Bate
"A Treatise on The Flute" by Richard Shepherd Rockstro
The University of Washington, Seattle, has a great library, and while you might not be able to check books out you can still visit and tap into the knowledge stored there. For drawings and measurements there are numerous sources ~ for all kinds of wooodwinds and musical instruments including the pipes. Alen Ginsberg, a maker on this side of the Atlantic, has also produced measured drawings of sets of uilleann pipes.
Other valued references ~
The Galpin Society ~ members & journal
http://www.galpinsociety.org/
The Acoustical Society of America ~ members & journal (JASA)
http://asa.aip.org/
Fomhri = Fellowship of Makers and Researchers of Historical Musical Instruments ~ members & journal
http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/fomrhi.html
Index ~ http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/fomrhi_i.html
Many of these journals will be found in libraries there in Seattle, if not public then private, many instrument makers being members...
"The Woodwind Quarterly"
http://www.musictrader.com/index.htm
http://www.musictrader.com/wwqindex.html
Maple Valley, Washington ~ !!! ~ check bottom of page of link for contact information...
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Flute making / Whistle making ~ start simple ~ PVC whistles & flutes
Start simple ~ PVC whistles & flutes ~ get the basics and work your way up ~
On david_h's link, PVC flutes, here's more from the same sources, starting with Doug Tipple's website ~
Doug Tipple's Irish Flutes
http://dougsflutes.googlepages.com/
Making a Simple Irish Flute: Constructing a simple Irish flute from PVC
http://dougsflutes.googlepages.com/makingasimpleirishflute
Pete Kosel: Some Successful Designs for Inexpensive PVC Flutes
http://www.cwo.com/~ph_kosel/designs.html
Flutomat Javascript Flute Designer ~ 6 & 8 hole
http://www.cwo.com/~ph_kosel/flutomat.html
Hold off on the woods and turning until you get some basic understanding and skills at hand, including with regards to turning, and before that ~ proper curing of the wood. When you do start with wood ~ pleeaasse ~ take all precautions. Some hardwoods are lethal, and some people have severe reactions, on skin, lungs, etc. Some woods even give off a toxic gas when they heat up while being turned and bored... Maple is a readily available and reasonably stable wood to start with. Don't let your passions get carried away with you, be patient, that will pay dividends in reducing waste and frustration.
While I was using protective devices, for my lungs and eyes, on one hot day I pulled my sleeves up ~ and ended up with welts and a highly irritating rash all over my forearms. I've heard tales of lumber workers in Central and South America dying from working with some hardwoods, such as snakewood. Those tales came from someone who made and sold portable wood cutting and milling equipment to such folk.
And then there's the concern about sustainability... For woodwinds maple is a good start, and some fruitwoods are also lovely to work with and learn on, cherry and some pear and crabapple for example...
Best of luck ~ 'c'
# Posted on October 17th 2009 by ceolachan