Roasted Uilleann Pipe reeds

[Mr.Gumby]

FWIW, I have heard of people treating both wood and reeds with ethylene glycol for the same purpose. But maybe that's a different story altogether.

[jon1908]

Where was it I read about microwaving reed slips to cure them so that they produce a distinctive "ping" when dropped? Can't remember.

David Daye's pages spring to mind?? but I can't check at the moment.

[an seanduine]

Mr. Gumby wrote:

FWIW, I have heard of people treating both wood and reeds with ethylene glycol for the same purpose. But maybe that's a different story altogether.

In a way it is another story. David Daye reported experimenting with PEG (polyethylene
Glycol) to make reeds more humidity resistant. He found it minimally effective for that purpose, but did find it tended to soften the reed. He offered the aside that this might be a possible course in dealing with the commercially available hard bassoon cane.
His current prescription for the stability of reeds appears to be the traditional one of taking time (perhaps weeks) to form the reed, and doing reeds in batches.
R.L. Mealy appears to have used this method as well. . .going about his daily business always accompanied by a reed he was refining. . .earning him the moniker 'Squeak' Mealy.

Bob

[Jon C.]

How about saturating the reed by placing it in a vacuum, this will remove the air from the reed and stabilize the reed, without having to heat the reed. I have a vacuum table that I use for casting, that would work for this.