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Simplified making of double bourdon melody pipes page 1.
By BOB ESSEX
Obtaining the pipe dimensions.
A downloadable Excel spreadsheet by Bob Essex is available
with which you can calculate the dimensions of a set of melody double-bourdons pipes.
A downloadable Excel spreadsheet by Bob Essex is available
with which you can calculate the dimensions of a set of melody double-
For the smallest pipe in the rank the hole is drilled halfway along its length.
All the other pipes have a hole the same distance from one end as that in the smallest pipe. Thus, when the pipes are mounted in line, all the front faces of the rank will be In a straight line so that a single supporting strap can be fastened to each pipe.
All the other pipes have a hole the same distance from one end as that in the smallest pipe. Thus, when the pipes are mounted in line, all the front faces of the rank will be In a straight line so that a single supporting strap can be fastened to each pipe.
Make up the various piece-parts.
The 4 mm thick sides are the width of twice the pipe depth plus 3 x 4 mm. The two fronts and the center boards are cut from 4 mm thick timber to the width of the pipe. The foot piece and the blocks are cut to the same width from a single piece of hardwood stock, 10 mm thick, each block being slightly more than the depth of one pipe, plus 4 mm. The foot piece is cut very slightly longer than the width of the double pipe and has a 10mm.hole drilled through it.
German mouths or English mouths.
German mouths have their top face sloping backwards from the pipe lips as in the diagram above. English mouths have the top face set square to the lips. I always make my double bourdons with German mouths as I fancy they have a somewhat richer sound with more partials, but English mouths would produce a perfectly acceptable tone. The blocks are cut from the 10 mm. hardwood stock on the band saw, setting the angle guide square for English mouths or at 10 degrees for German mouths. The parallel fence is used as a gauge for the length of each piece in either case.
German mouths have their top face sloping backwards from the pipe lips as in the diagram above. English mouths have the top face set square to the lips. I always make my double bourdons with German mouths as I fancy they have a somewhat richer sound with more partials, but English mouths would produce a perfectly acceptable tone. The blocks are cut from the 10 mm. hardwood stock on the band saw, setting the angle guide square for English mouths or at 10 degrees for German mouths. The parallel fence is used as a gauge for the length of each piece in either case.
Website design by Philip T Radford. Website & forums administrator Phil T Radford. © 2006
Cutting the timber parts.
It is best to have all the component parts of the pipes cut to size before assembly commences. The sides, fronts and center board pieces are cut from 4 mm. thick close-grained spruce, quarter sawn.
It is best to have all the component parts of the pipes cut to size before assembly commences. The sides, fronts and center board pieces are cut from 4 mm. thick close-
Quarter sawn timber.
The best cut from a larger section using a circular saw in the manner shown in the diagram, so that the end-grain goes across the timber. This ensures that the wood is stable and will not warp or twist. Timber with tightly spaced grain without knots is best.
The best cut from a larger section using a circular saw in the manner shown in the diagram, so that the end-
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.