Modifying the bellows angle

[stevef]

I have been trying to incorporate some regulator playing into my practice recently and am discovering that there is not much room between the bellows hinge and the chanter. The hinge on my bellows extends along my wrist and to the base of my palm. With my hand in playing postion on the chanter, there is barely 3 inches of space and does not leave me access to the regulator keys. I'll have to adapt somehow but am thinking of modifying the way the waist and arm straps are attached to the bellows. I am thinking of re-mounting both straps about an inch closer to the hinge, and setting them at a 30 to 45 degree angle in order to bring the hinge and valves upward and out of the way.

Has anyone tried this and what negatives might I be overlooking?

Thanks,
Steve

[Mr.Gumby]

I have been trying to incorporate some regulator playing into my practice recently and am discovering that there is not much room between the bellows hinge and the chanter.

Repositioning the straps forward would make for a less efficient movement using the bellows. Not a good idea.

It isn't clear from your description what the problem is, your chanter shouldn't be near your bellows, the body of the pipes between them and all.

This is what a reasonably well working position looks like:

[PJ]

Before you reposition the arm strap, try using a longer air hose between the bellows and the bag. This might have the effect of pushing the bellows further back.

[deisman]

Not exactly sure what you are describing, but I think you are saying your bellows is parallel to, and directly below your forearm/wrist/palm (ie, the hinge is directly below your wrist/palm)

It may be that you need to simply adjust your waistbelt so bellows angle is up more towards your ribs, and not under the arm. I find that position works better for me, but I'm a noob, so caveat emptor.

Looks like the photo in the post above shows what I am trying to describe.

Best,

Deisman

[stevef]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

With regard to your photo 'Mr. Gumby', my postion is similar but in my case the bellows hinge is rubbing against the drones. And my chanter almost rubs the other side. I do not have that nice gap that you have.

I can solve the problem by moving the bellows body strap up across my chest, which brings the hinge well above the regs/drones/mainstock, and the added benefit of my arm or sleeve not plugging the bellows inlet valve. However, the strap tends to creep back down toward my waist as I play. Still thinking this one out.

I'll try to make up a longer air hose and see what happens. My initial sense is that if it moves the bellows back, won't that move my bellows arm back also?

Steve

[Mr.Gumby]

I am afraid it will be very hard to tell where the problem is without actually having a look at the situation. The position of the bellows, the length of the blowpipe, where the body of the pipes is tied into the bag and under which angle, the position of the bag under the player's arm, the player's posture, the size of both the bag and bellows, they all add up and you should probably look at them all.

[rorybbellows]

Try this position


RORY

[stevef]

With knee-operated bellows, doesn't 'uilleann pipes' become 'gluin pipes'?

I understand your points Mr Gumby - - I'll keep working at it.

My prior set (a Daye half set) was so much smaller - - thinner chanter, smaller drones and mainstock, and even the bellows were smaller with the arm strap set closer to the hinge. This combo gave me a 3 to 4 inch gap between hinge and pipes. Moving to a full set (BC Childress) with everything so much larger is certainly taking some time to get used to.

Thanks again,
Steve

[billh]

If the bellows hinge is interfering with the stock placement, it may be the bellows outlet tube position that is to blame. I've seen a few bellows designs where the outlet is placed rather far back from the hinge, which results in a bellows 'nose' that projects too far. I agree that blowpipe length can come into play here as well, but as Mr. G points out, it's pretty hard to say without seeing the setup firsthand.

[deisman]

nice ThighMaster!