I just ordered Sean Reid Society Journal Vol 2 from NPU

[texasbagpiper]

I have'nt ever had a chance to see the Sean Reid CDROMS but have heard good things about them...... Any comments from those who have them...


This is listed to be on the CD ii) A simple purfling tool - Wilbert Garvin. Any idea what this is.????

[texasbagpiper]

Ok I found out... http://www.vanzandtviolins.com/CroenTool.htm

[djm]

From the article in question:

A simple purfling tool.
Wilbert Garvin

To purfle is to decorate the border or edge of, for example, a table, violin etc. Purfling is normally used to refer to the decorative strip of inlay on the upper surface or belly of a violin.

The old pipe-makers often used purfling on the bellows, its function being to cover the stitching on the outside of the clappers with a decorative inlay. This is clearly demonstrated in the bellows of the pastoral pipes described in 2.05  see picture r37 etc. Here the inlay is double, consisting of a strip of boxwood and a strip of ebony.

It is a simple scribing toll that is dragged along the edge of a piece of wood with a cutting edge on an arm that scores the surface of the wood.

I am assuming you already have Vol. I that you would only be ordering Vol. II. Both CDs are full of a wide array of interesting articles about all and sundry.

djm

[billh]

I almost think v2 is of more interest to pipemakers, at least initially; there are, for instance, articles on the methods and history of the Kennas, Coynes, etc. (from Geoff Wooff and Sean Donnelly), a pictorial essay on Geoff's pipemaking (Peter Laban), and reamer-making (John Hughes). There's also an article on the Taylors and their work from David Quinn. Volume 2 also includes some very interesting measurements, particularly Ken McLeod's Kenna C set and a Harrington B set (sadly, missing the chanter) from Pat Lyons and Craig Fischer. There are also measurements of a pristine Pastoral set (Ken McLeod) for those who are so inclined, or interested for its historical connection to the union pipes.

And from the players' perspective there is part 2 of an article from Pat Mitchell on "Rhythm and Structure...".

The Kenna C set would be well worth a try; it features a particularly lovely hollow stock as well. Seth, I am assuming you have some kind of metal lathe; in order to make a go at the Kenna set you'd need to make your own reamers (see the John Hughes article), as I don't think many machine shops would want to be bothered with such complex one-off reamers as are required. (I wouldn't advise trying to approximate the results with straight reamers, as the Kenna bores differ significantly from straight cones). As John points out in his article, acceptable D reamers can be made by cutting the finished reamer blank ("in the round") with a hacksaw; I've done this, and it works, but it's tedious in the extreme.

Also, the Harrington drone data has gotten very good reviews from folks who have used it.

I think it's worth listing the Table of Contents, for prospective purchasers:
(and I trust on one in the Society will object to my doing so here, in that context )

0) Introduction and contents
1) Reminiscences of my father. Seán og Reid.
2) A Timothy Kenna set in C. Description, measurements and photographs. Ken McLeod with drawings by Wilbert Garvin.
3) Rhythm & structure in Irish traditional dance music. Part 2. Pat Mitchell.
4) Chanter Design and Construction of the Classic Makers. Geoff Wooff.
5) A Robertson pastoral set. Description, measurements and photographs. Ken McLeod with drawings by Wilbert Garvin.
6) Geoff Wooff’s pipe making; a photographic project. Peter Laban.
7) A method of making reamers. John Hughes.
8 ) Museum collections. Mark Walstrom.
9) Passionate industry. David Quinn.
10) Lord Rosmore. James O’Brien Moran.
11) A Harrington set pitched about B. Patrick Lyons and Craig Fischer.
12) The National Museum of Ireland collection. Ken McLeod, Geoff Wooff and James O’Brien Moran.
13) The Italian Sordellina. Barry O’Neill.
14) A century of pipe-making 1770 – 1870. New light on the Kennas and Coynes. Seán Donnelly.
15) List of pipe-makers to 1940, updated. Mark Walstrom.
16) Miscellanea. [including the article about the purfling cutter]