Skip to content
Ray Sloan – Bagpipe maker
Toggle menu
  • Home
  • About
  • History of the pipes
  • Pipes I Make
    • Northumbrian Smallpipes
    • Lowland & Border Pipes
    • Scottish Smallpipes
    • Uilleann Pipes
    • Bellows
  • Prices
    • Links
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Category: Maintenance

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
October 9, 2019October 9, 2019Composite Drone Reeds, Maintenance

Composite Drone Reed Maintenance Overview

I have been working with ‘composite’ drone reeds (metal body/cane tongue) in my Uilleann Pipes since around the mid 90’s. I find […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
August 15, 2019October 9, 2019Composite Drone Reeds, Maintenance

Instructions for Re-Tonguing Composite Drone Reeds

Materials that you will need: A Bass saxophone reed or Bass Clarinet reed soft grade. A tenor Sax reed is also acceptable […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
August 15, 2019October 9, 2019Composite Drone Reeds, Maintenance

Instructions for Tuning Composite Drone Reeds

The following guidelines apply generally to tuning all kinds of drone reeds. a) The shorter the tongue the higher the pitch. b) […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
June 21, 2019October 9, 2019Chanter Reed Maintenance, Maintenance

Chanter Reed Maintenance Overview

Keeping your Uilleann reeds in tune is both a challenge and a necessity. Cane is an organic material and as such will […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
February 1, 2019October 9, 2019Composite Drone Reeds, Maintenance

Parts of a Drone Reed

There are generally only five problems that commonly arise. 1. ‘Clapping’, i.e. the reed closes shut with the result that there is […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
February 1, 2019October 9, 2019Drone Stock Safety, Maintenance

Drone Stock Safety

It is essential that the Drone Stock is not in any danger of falling out of the Drone Stock Cup. The ‘Drone […]

Ray Sloan Irish Uilleann Pipes
August 31, 2018October 9, 2019Chanter Reed Maintenance, Maintenance

Mouth Aperture

Mouth Aperture As previously explained your reed can either close up or open up as a result of changes in ambient heat […]

© 2023 Ray Sloan - Bagpipe maker. Proudly powered by Sydney